BOOK 7. THE RESURRECTION.
CHAPTER 2.
7.2.2. Of Considering Jesus in that Respect.
Of Considering Jesus in that Respect.
Let us consider Jesus carrying on this work of our salvation for us in his resurrection. It is not enough to know a saving necessary truth, but it is required farther that we digest truths, and that we draw forth their strength for the nourishment and refreshing of our poor souls. As a man may in half an hour chew and take into his stomach, that meat which he must have seven or eight hours at least to digest: so a man may take into his understanding more truths in an hour, than he is able to digest well in many; what good those men are like to get by sermons, or providences, who are unaccustomed to this work of meditation, I cannot imagine: it is observed by some, that this is the reason why so much preaching is lost amongst us; why professors that run from sermon to sermon, and are never weary of hearing or reading, have notwithstanding such languishing starved souls, because they will not meditate. And therefore God commanded Joshua, not only to read the law, but to consider of it, and dweli upon it, "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night," Joshua i. 8. Why, this is the duty that I am now pressing to, if thou knowest these things, consider, ruminate, meditate, ponder on them again and again. And because this work requires enlargedness of heart and spirit, therefore take it into parts, and consider of each of them apart by itself. As, --
1. Consider of the time when Christ rose again. As Christ had his three days, and no more, so must thou have the same three days like unto his; the first day was called the day of preparation, the second was the sabbath day, and the third was the resurrection day; so thy first day is a day of preparation, a day of passion, wherein thou must strive and struggle against sin and Satan, wherein thou must suffer all their bitter darts till thou diest, and give up the ghost. And thy second day is a day of rest, wherein thy body must lie in the grave, and thy flesh rest in hope; wherein thou shalt "enter into peace, and rest in thy bed" Isa. lvii, 2, until the trumpet sound, and bid thee arise, and come to judgment; and thy third day is a day of resurrection unto glory. It is the first day of the week, or the first beginning of a never ending world. Thus consider the time of Christ's resurrection, and thence mayest thou draw down some use for thy soul's nourishment.
2. Consider of the reasons why Christ arose; was it not to confound the Jews? They could not endure to hear of Christ's resurrection, and therefore, when Peter and the other Apostles preached that point, "They were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them," Acts v. 33. It is the case of them to say, "We will not have that man to reign over us." They that by their sins crucify Christ every day, cannot without horror think of his exaltation, it cuts them to the heart that Christ is risen to be their Judge. Again, was it not to confirm the faith of Christ's followers? Till he was risen their faith was but a weak faith, weak in knowledge, weak in assent, weak in confidence, weak in assurance; much ado had Christ with them, many a time had he chid them, "Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?" But after he had showed himself alive by many infallible proofs, they could then cry it out, "My Lord, and my God." Again, was it not to evidence that he had fully satisfied all our debts? The apostle tells us, "That Christ was our surety," Heb. vii. 22. at his death he was arrested, and cast into prison, whence he could not come till all was paid; and therefore to hear that Christ is risen, and that he hath broken the bolts and fetters of the grave; it is a clear evidence that God is satisfied, and that Christ is discharged by God himself. Oh! what breasts of consolation are here? Again, was it not to conquer sin, death and the devil? Now he took from death his sting, and from hell his standard; now he seized upon the hand-writing that was against us, and nailed it to his cross; now he spoiled principalities and powers, and carried the keys of death and hell at his own girdle; now he came out of the grave as a mighty conqueror, saying, as Deborah did in her song, "O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength, thou hast marched valiantly," Judg. v. 21. Again, was it not to become the first fruits of them that sleep? Christ was the first that rose again from the grave to die no more; and by virtue of his resurrection (as being the first-fruits) all the elect must rise again, "As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive; but every man in his own order, Christ the first-fruits, and afterwards they that are Christ's at his coming," 1 Cor. xv. 22, 23. Some may wonder, can the resurrection of one, a thousand six hundred years ago, be the cause of our rising? Yes, as well as the death of one, five thousand six hundred years ago, is the cause of our dying, Adam and Christ were two heads, two roots, two first fruits, either of them in reference to his company whom they stand for. And now, O my soul! thou mayest say with Job, "I know that my Redeemer liveth; and that I shall see him at the last day, not with other, but with these same eyes," Job xix. 25. If Christ live, then must I live also, if he be risen, then "though after my skin worms shall destroy this body, yet in my flesh I shall see God," verse 26. Again, was it not that he might be declared to be the Son of God? was it not that he might be exalted and glorified? This is the main reason of all the rest; see thou to this; O! give him the glory and praise of his resurrection; so muse, and meditate, and consider on this transaction, as to ascribe to his name all honour, and glory; what, is he risen from the dead? "Hath God highly exalted him, and given him a name above every name?" Phil. ii. 9. O! then let "every tongue confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
3. Consider of the manner of Christ's resurrection; he rose as a common person; in which respect his resurrection concerns us no less then himself. We must not think that when Christ was raised, it was no more than when Lazarus was raised, his resurrection was the resurrection of us all, it was in the name of us all, and had in it a seed like virtue to work the resurrection of us all. O! the privilege of this communion with Christ's resurrection! if I believe this truly, I cannot but believe the resurrection of my body, and the life everlasting; why, Jesus Christ hath led the dance, and though of myself I have no right to heaven or glory, yet in Christ my head I have as good right to it as any heir apparent to his lands.--
(a). He rose by his own power; and so did none but Jesus Christ: from the beginning of the world it was never heard, that any dead man raised himself; indeed one instance we have that a dead man's corpse should raise up another dead man, "They cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha, and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood upon his feet," 2 Kings xiii. 21. Elisha raised up a dead man from the grave, but dead Elisha could not raise up himself from the grave; only Christ rose himself, and at the same time he raised many others; and here was the argument of his Godhead, "I have power to lay down my life, and I have power to take it up again," John x. 18. How should we but trust him with our life, who is the resurrection and the life, "He that believeth in him though he were dead, yet shall he live." O my soul! he was able to raise himself, much more is he able to raise thee up; only believe, and live forever.
(b). He rose with an earthquake. O the power of Christ in every passage! what aileth thee, O earth, to skip like a ram? Was not the new tomb hewn out of a rock? and was not a great stone rolled to the door of the sepulchre? The ground whereon he lay was firm and solid. And "shall the rock be removed out of his place?" Job xviii. 4. O yes! "The Lord reigneth, and therefore the earth is removed," Psal. xcix. 1. Oh! what a rocky heart is this of mine! How much harder is it than the rock, that moves not, melts not at the presence of God, at the presence of the God of Jacob? The sun (they say) danced that morning at Christ's resurrection; the earth (I am sure) then trembled; and yet my heart is no way affected with this news; I feel it neither dance for joy, or tremble for fear; O my soul! Be serious in this meditation, consider what a posture would thou have been in, if thou hadst been with those soldiers that watched Christ; to realize this earthquake, as if thou now felt it trembling under thee.
(c). An angel ministered to him at his resurrection, "An angel came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it," Matth. xxviii. 2. Angels were the first ministers of the gospel, the first preachers of Christ's resurrection: they preached more of Christ than all the prophets did; they first told the women that "Christ was risen," Luke xxiv. 6, and they did the first service to Christ at his resurrection, "In rolling the stone from the door's mouth; O my soul, that thou wert but like these blessed angels? How is it that they are so forward in God's service? and thou are so backward? One day thou expectest to be equal with the angels, and art thou now so far behind them? What to be equal in reward, and behind them in service? Here is a meditation able to check thy sloth, and to spur thee on to thy duty.--
(d). Many of the bodies of the saints arose out of their graves at his resurrection; as the angels ministered, so the saints waited on him. In this meditation trouble not thyself whether David, Moses, Job, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, were some of those saints, as some conjecture upon some grounds; it is a better consideration, to look upon them as the fruit of Christ's resurrection, and as an earnest of thy own; the virtue of Christ's resurrection appears immediately, and it will more appear at the general resurrection day. As sure as these saints arose with him, and went into the holy city, and appeared to many; so sure shall thy body rise again at the last day; and (if thou art but a saint) it shall go with him into the heavenly Jerusalem, and appear before God, and his Son Jesus Christ in glory.--
(e). Christ rose again with a true and perfect body, with an incorruptible and powerful body, with a spiritual and an agile body, with a glorious body, brighter than the sun in his utmost glory. On these things may the soul expatiate; O! it is a worthy, blessed, soul-ravishing subject to think upon; and the rather if we consider that conformity which we believe, "We look for a Saviour (saith the apostle) the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile bodies, that they may be fashioned like unto his glorious body," Phil. iii. 20, 21. O my soul, that this clay of thine should be a partaker of such glory! that this body of dust and earth should shine in heaven like those glorious spangles of the firmament; that this body that shall rot in dust, and far more vile than a carrion, should rise and shine like the glorious body of our Saviour on mount Tabor; surely thou owest much to Christ's resurrection. O! consider of it, till thou feelest the influence, and comest to the assurance of this blessed change.
4. Consider of the several apparitions of Jesus Christ, especially of those written by the evangelist John. As, --
(a). Muse on his apparition to Mary Magdelene; Oh the grief before he appeared! and oh the joys when he appeared!
(i). Before, she apprehended nothing but that some or other had taken away her Lord; these were all the words she uttered before he appeared, "They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him;" so she told Peter and John; and when two angels appeared in white, asking her, "Woman, why weepest thou?" She gives the same answer to them, "They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him." A soul in desertion knows not what to do, but to weep and cry, "O my Lord is gone, I have lost my Lord, my God, my Jesus, my king;" in this meditation, consider, O my soul! as if thou hadst been in Mary's case; was it not a sad case, when the angels of heaven knew not how to comfort her? Suppose any son of consolation had stood by, and had such a one persuaded, "O Mary! suppress thy sadness, refresh thy heart with this blessed vision, thou did seek but one, and thou hast found two, a dead body was thy errand, and thou hast light on two alive: thy weeping was for a man, and thy tears have obtained angels: observe them narrowly, the angels invite thee to a parly, it may be they had some happy news to tell thee of thy Lord; remember what they are, and where they sit, and whence they come, and to whom they speak; they are angels of peace, neither sent without cause, nor seen but of favour, they sit on the tomb, to show they are no strangers to thy loss; they come from heaven, from whence all happy news descendeth; they speak to thyself, as if they had some special embassage to deliver unto thee." No, no; these cordials are in vain; neither man nor angel can do her good, or comfort her drooping soul; either Christ himself must come in presence, or she cries, "Miserable comforters are ye all. Alas! small is the light that a star can yield when the sun is down, a sorry exchange it is to go and gather crumbs after the loss of the bread of life; Oh! what can these angels do? They cannot persuade me that my master is not lost, for my own eyes will disprove them; they can less tell me where he may be found, for they themselves would wait upon him, if they knew but where; I am apt to think they know not where he is, and therefore they are come to the place where he last was, making the tomb their heaven, and the remembrance of his presence the fuel of their joy; alas! what do angels here? I neither came to see them, nor desire to hear them; I came not to see angels, but the Creator of angels, to whom I owe more than both to men and angels."
(ii). After he appeared she was filled with joy; for so it was, that when nothing else would satisfy, or comfort this poor creature, Jesus himself appears; at first he is unknown, she takes him for the gardener of the place; but within a while he utters a voice that opens both her ears and eyes, "and Jesus saith unto her, Mary." It was the sweetest sound that ever she heard; many a time had she been called by that name, but never heard she a voice so effectual, powerful, inward feeling at this time; hereby the cloud is scattered, and the Sun of righteousness appears; this one word Mary, lightens her eyes, dries up her tears, cheers her heart, revives her spirits, that were as good as dead. One word of Christ wrought so strange an alteration in her, as if she had been wholly made new, when she was only named. And hence it is that being ravished with his voice, and impatient of delays, she takes his talk out of his mouth, and to his first and only word, Mary, she answers, "Rabboni, which is to say, Master," q.d. Master is it thou? With many a salt tear have I sought thee, and art thou unexpectedly so near at hand? Thy absence was hell, and thy presence is no less than heaven to me! Oh! How is my heart ravished at thy sound? If the babe leaped in the womb of Elizabeth, when she had but heard the salutation of Mary, how should my heart but leap at thy salutation? I feel I am exceedingly transported beyond myself. Instead of my heavy heart and troubled spirit, I feel now a sweet and delightful tranquillity of mind; thou art my solace, and soul delight; whom have I in heaven but thee? And whom desire I upon earth in comparison of thee? And yet I am not satisfied; not only fruition of thee, but union with thee, is that which my soul longs after; not only thy presence, but thy embraces, or my embraces of thee can give content; come then, and give me leave, my Lord, and my God, to run to the haunt of my chief delights, to fall at thy sacred feet, and to bathe them with my tears of joy; O! My Jesus I must needs deal with thee, as the spouse dealt with thee, "Now I have found thee whom my soul loves dearly, I will hold thee, and will not let thee go," Cant. iii. 4.
(iii). I know not in all the book of God, a soul more depressed with sorrow, and lifted up with joy; O meditate on this! If Christ be absent, all is night, but if Christ appear, he turns all again into a lightsome day; there is no sorrow like that which apprehends Christ's loss, and therefore in hell it is looked upon as the greatest pain; of the two (say divines) it is a greater torment to lose God, and to lose Jesus Christ, than to endure all those flaming whips, unquenchable fires, intolerable cold, abominable stench; and on the other side, there is no joy in heaven like to that which apprehends Christ's presence, "In thy presence there is fulness of joy, and at thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore," Psal. xvi. 11. I had rather be in hell with Christ (said one) than in heaven without Christ. This is the very top of heaven's joy, the quintessence of glory, the highest happiness of the saints; O my soul, seek with Mary, yea, seek and weep, and weep and seek, and never rest satisfied till Christ appear, if thou art but in the use of means, he will appear sooner or later; or what if thou never sawest a good day on earth, one sight of Christ in heaven will make amends. Surely if thou knewest the joy of Christ's presence, thou wouldst run through death and hell to come to Christ, it was Paul's saying, "I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, which is far better," Phil. i. 23. He cared not for death, so he might go to Christ, for that was better than very life itself.
(b). Muse on his apparition to the ten disciples, "When the doors were shut for fear of the Jews, then came Jesus and stood in the midst, saying to them, Peace be unto you," John xx. 19. Before his apparitions sorrow and fear had possessed all their spirits; sometimes they walked abroad and were sad, and sometimes they kept within, and shut the doors upon them as being exceedingly afraid: in this condition Jesus Christ (that knows best the times and seasons of grace and comfort) comes and stands in the midst of their assembly; he comes in, they know not how, and no sooner he is in, but he salutes them in this manner. Peace be unto you.
This was the prime of all his wishes; no sooner is he risen, but he wisheth peace to all his apostles; no sooner meets he with them, but the very opening of his lips was with these words; they are the first words, at the first meeting, on the very first day. A sure sign that peace was in the heart of Jesus Christ: howsoever it is with us, peace or war, there is a commonweal where Christ is King, and there is peace, and nothing but peace; come, sift and try, and examine, art thou, O! My soul, a member of this body, a subject of this commonwealth? Hath the influence of Christ's peace (wrought and declared at his resurrection) any force on thee? Hast thou peace with God, and peace within, and peace without? Dost thou feel that ointment poured upon Aaron's head, and running down to the skirts of his garment? Dost thou feel the dew of Hermon, and the dew that descends upon Mount Sion, drooping (as it were) upon thy heart? Doth the Spirit assure thee, that Christ the prince of peace, hath made peace and reconciliation betwixt God and thee, betwixt the King and thee, a rebel to his crown and dignity? "O! How beautiful upon the mountain would the feet of him be, that should publish peace, that should bring these good tidings?" Isa, lii. 7. That thou art a citizen of that Jerusalem, where God is king, and Christ the Prince of peace! Where all the buildings are compact together, as a city that is at unity within itself? Psal. cxxii. 3.
(c). Muse on his apparition to all the apostles, when they were all convened, and Thomas with them. This apparition was occasioned by Thomas' incredulity, "Except (said he) I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe," John xx. 25. Now, therefore saith Jesus to Thomas, "Come, 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," verse 27. Methinks I see Thomas' finger on Christ's bored hand, and Thomas' hand in Christ's pierced side. Here is a strong argument to convince my soul that Christ is risen from the dead; why, see this is the same Christ that was crucified; the same Christ that had his hands bored with nails, and that had his heart pierced with a spear; though the wounds are healed as to sense of pain, yet the scars, and holes, and clefts remain as big as ever: the hole of his hand is yet so large, that Thomas may put his finger not only on it, but into it; and the cleft in his side yet so large, that Thomas may thrust his whole hand into his side, and with his fingers touch that heart that issued out streams of blood for my salvation. In this meditation, be not too curious, whether the print of the nails were but continued till Christ had confirmed his disciples faith, or whether he retains them still for some further use. It is a better consideration to look upon them so as to confirm thy own faith; is there not too much of Thomas' incredulity in thy breast? Dost thou not sometimes feel some doubtings of Christ's rising? Or, at least, dost thou not question, Whether Christ's resurrection belongs unto thee? Is not Satan busy with a temptation? Is not thy conscience troubled for thy sins, and especially for thy sin of unbelief? If so, (and I know not but it may be so with thee, and the best of saints) "Come then, and reach hither thy finger, and behold Christ's hands, and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into his side:" my meaning is, come with the hand of faith, and lay hold on Christ, yea, hide thyself in the holes of the rock, "Be like the dove that maketh her nest in the sides of the hole's mouth," Jer. xlviii. 28. The dove that would be safe from the devouring birds, or from the fowler's snare, she flies to the hole in a rock, and thus Christ invites his spouse, "O! My dove that are in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs! let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice," Cant. ii. 14. In the clefts of the rock, I am safe, (said Bernard) "There I stand firmly, there I am secure from Satan's prey." (Bern. ser. 61, in Cant.) It is storied of a martyr, That writing to his wife where she might find him, when he was fled from home, "O my dear! (said he) if thou desirest to see me, seek me in the side of Christ, in the cleft of the rock, in the hollow of his wounds, for there I have made my nest, there will I dwell, there thou shalt find me, and no where else but there." (Surius in vita sancti Elzearii.) O my soul, that thou wouldst make this use of the wounds of Christ! Are they not as the cities of refuge, whither thou mayest fly and live? Nothing is more efficacious to cure the wounds of conscience, than a frequent and serious meditation of the wounds of Christ." (Bern. ibid.) Come, be not faithless but believing: these monuments of Christ's resurrection are for the confirmation of thy faith; if well viewed and handled, they will quiet thy conscience, quench the fiery darts of Satan, increase thy faith, till thou comest to assurance, and sayest with Thomas, "My Lord, and my God." "I may be troubled, but I shall not be overwhelmed; because I will remember the print of the nails, and of the spear, in the hands and side of Jesus Christ." (Turbabor, sed non perturbabor, quia vulnerum Christi recordabor, Aug.).
(d). Muse on his apparition to the seven disciples at the sea of Tiberias, First Christ appears, and works a miracle; he discovers himself to be Lord of sea as well as land; at his word multitudes of fishes come to the net, and are caught by his apostles; nor is this miracle without a mystery, "The kingdom of heaven is like a drawn net, cast into the sea, which when it is full, men draw to land," Matt. xiii. 47. What is this divine trade of ours, but a spiritual fishing? The world is a sea, souls like fishes, swim at liberty in this deep, and the nets of wholesome doctrine are they that draw up some to the shore of grace, and glory.
(i). Upon this miracle, "The disciple whom Jesus loved, said unto Peter, it is the Lord." John is more quick eyed than all the rest, he considers the miracle, and him that wrought it, and presently he concludes, it is the Lord; O! my soul meditate on the mystery of this discovery; if ever a soul be converted and brought home to Christ, it is the Lord; but, Oh! whither is Christ gone, that we have lost so long his converting presence? Oh! for one apparition of Jesus Christ! Till then we may preach our hearts out, and never nearer; do what we can, souls will to hell, except the Lord break their carcer; ministers can do no more but tell thus and thus men may be saved: and thus and thus men will be damned, "He that believeth on the Son, hath eternal life, and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life," John iii. 36. but when they have said all they can, it is only God must give the blessing: Oh! what is preaching without Christ's presence. One hearing what mighty fates Scanderbeg's sword had done, he sent for it; and when he saw it, "Is this the sword (said he) that hath done such great exploits? What is this sword more than any other sword? O! (says Scanderbeg) I sent thee my sword, but not my arm that did handle it;" so ministers may use the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, but if the Spirit's arm be not with it, they may brandish it every sabbath to little purpose; when all is done, if ever any good be done, "It is the Lord." No sooner John observes the miracle, that a multitude of fishes were caught and taken, but he tells Peter of a blessed discovery, "It is the Lord".
(ii). Upon this discovery, Peter throws himself into the sea; O! the fervent love he carries towards Christ! if he but hear of his Lord, he will run through fire and water to come unto him; so true is that of the spouse, "Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it; if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned," Cant. viii. 7. If I love Christ, I cannot but long for communion and fellowship with Christ; "Wheresoever thou art, O blessed Saviour, give me no more happiness than to be with thee, if on the earth, I would travel day and night to come unto thee; if on the sea, with Peter, I would swim unto thee; if riding in triumph, I would sing Hosanna to thee; but if in glory, how happy should I be to look upon thee?" (Ubicunque fueris O domine Jesu, etc. Aug.) Christ's apparitions are ravishing sights; if he but stand on the shore, Peter throws himself over board to come to Christ; why now he stands on the pinnacles of heaven, wafting and beckoning with his hand, and calling on me in his word, "Rise up, my love, my fair one and come away" Cant. ii. 10. O! my soul, make haste; in every duty look out for another apparition of Jesus Christ, when thou comest to hear, say, "Have over, Lord by this sermon;" and when thou comest to pray, say, "Have over, Lord by this prayer to a Saviour;" neither fire nor water, floods nor storms, death nor life, principalities nor powers, heighth, nor depth, nor any other creature should hinder thy passage to Christ, or separate thy soul from Christ, "Consider what I say (saith Paul) and the Lord give thee understanding in all things; remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel," 2 Tim, ii. 7, 8. That Christ was raised is a gospel truth; ay, but do thou remember it, do thou consider it, and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.