Page images
PDF
EPUB

Venit ad me Traditio talis, quod Corpus Ade primi Hominis ibi fepultus eft, ubi crucifixus eft Chriftus; ut ficut in Adamo omnes moriuntur, fic in Chrifto omnes crucificentur. Orig.

Úbi in Adam Mors omnium, ibi in Chrifto omnium Refurrectio. Ambr.

Hence Adam is believed to be one of those that then rofe from the Dead, Matt. xxvii. 51, 52. Quod Adamum ibidem folverit, Ecclefia fere tota confentit. Aug.

4. As his Body was laid in the Grave, his Soul went to Hell. For which confider,

1. He had a Soul as well as Body, Matt.
xxvi. 38.

2. His Soul feparated, muft gó either tō
Heaven or Hell.

Not to Heaven, John xx. 17. But Luke xxiii. 43. Eft Senfus multo expeditior, & ab omnibus Ambiguitatibus liber, fi non fecundum id quod Homo erat, fed id quod Deus erat, dixiffe accipiatur, Hodie mecum eris, &c. Aug.

3. That it went to Hell, is plain from Eph. iv. .... 9. Rom. x. 6, 7. Pfal. xvi. 10. Acts ii. 31. This hath been the conftant Opinion of the Catholick Church, although they differed in the Ends of his Defcent. Some thought he preached the Gospel there, 1 Pèt. iii. 18, 19.

Δι' ἐδὲν ἕτερον εἰς ἅδε κατῆλθεν ἢ διὰ τὸ ἐυαγγελίσα παι
Clem. Alex.

Some, that he went to triumph, Col. ii. 15.
But be fure he won't.

1. To fatisfy the Law of the Dead, Legem
Mortuorum fervare. Iren. As his Body was
buried as the Bodies of Sinners are, fo
his Soul went where theirs.

Hinc quoque Legi fatisfecit, Forma humane Mortis apud Inferos functus. Tertull.

L 1

2. That

[ocr errors][ocr errors]

2. That we might not come there. Ideo ille pervenit ufq; ad Infernum, ne nos remanere mus in Inferno. Aug.

Εἰς τὸν ἅδεν καταβαίνων ἡμᾶς ἀνέφερε. Athan.

U.S E.

1. Confider the feveral Degrees of Chrift's Humiliation, and be duly affected with it.

2. Let fuch Confiderations excite you to live to him who died for you, 1 Cor. vi. 20.

3. To make you more effectually, frequent the Lord's Supper.

I COR. XV. 4.

And that he rofe again the Third Day', according to the Scriptures.

I.

1. Chrift, according to the Scriptures, was

to again. The Scriptures had,

1. Forefhewed it in Types: In Ifaac's Deliverance, Genefis xxii. 12. Jofeph's, cap. xli. 14. and Jonah's, Jonah ii. 10.

2. Foretold it in Prophecy, Pfal. xvi. 10. Ats ii. 31. Ifa. liii. 10. Pfal. ii. 7. Ifa. ix. 7. Acts xxvi.

22, 23.

II. Chrift, according to the Scriptures, did rife again. This is attefted,

1. By many Eye-Witneffes that faw him, Mary Magdalen, Mark xvi. 9. Cleopas, &c. Luke xxiv. 13. all the Difciples but Thomas, John xx. 19. Thomas too, ver. 26.

Cam

[ocr errors][ocr errors]

Cum fuam exercuit Solicitudinem, omnium Fidem confirmavit. Aug.

TUTO Édi×vu mnr. Cyril. Alex.
Vulnerum Cicatrices tetigit. Greg. Mag.

Vulnera fufcepta nobis Calo inferre makit. Ambr.
Δια τέτο ανέση ἔχων τὰ σημεῖα σαυρίδ. Chryfoft.
Five hundred at one Time, 1 Cor. xv. 6.
All the Difciples, Luke xxiv. 43. Acts x. 41, 42.
Paul, 1 Cor. xv. 8.

2. His Enemies, Matt. xxviii. 11, 12.

Ἡ γ' αλήθεια παρὰ τῶν ἐναντίων ανακριτομένη δια Aμm. Chryfoft. λάμπει,

3. Angels, Luke xxiv. 4, 5, 6.

4. God himself, by Miracles, enabling his Apofties to preach, to propagate, and die for the Gospel, Acts iv. 33.

Quifquis ergo adbuc Prodigia requirit ut credat, magnum eft ipfe Prodigium, qui Mundo credente non credit? Aug.

III. How was he raised?

1. By the Power of God, Eph. i. 19. Gal. i. 1ì 2. And by Confequence, by his own Power, himself being God, John ii. 19, 22, John x. 17, 18.

Καὶ ἀληθῶς ἔπαθεν, ὡς καὶ ἀληθῶς ἀνέςησεν ἑαυτὸν. Ignat. Not only Corpus fuum levando, as the Socinians, but as the Father did.

IV: How long was it after his Death before he rofe?

He rose the Third Day, and that too according to the Scriptures, Jon. i. 17. Matt. xii. 40. Matt, xvi. 21.

And that he did fo is plain, As x, 40. John xix. 31. cap. XX. I.

Hence the Lord's Dy always kept, John xx, 19, 26.

Ἵνα δειχθῇ νεκρὸν τὸ σῶμα, καὶ μίαν ὑπέμενε μέσην ὁ λόγΘ, καὶ τριταῖον τὸτο πᾶσιν ἔδειξεν ἄφθαρτον. Athan He lay Three Days, that we might believe he was dead; he rose the Third Day, that we might believe he lives.

V. What Inferences may we draw from this Article?

1. Doctrinal.

1. That Chrift is the Son of God, Rom. i. 4. Pfal. ii. 7. Acts xiii. 33.

2. That he died, not for his own Sins, but ours, Acts ii. 24. 2 Cor. v. 21.

Εἰ γὰ ἦν ἁμαρτωλὸς πῶς ἀνέςη ; εἰ δὲ ἀνέση ἔκδηλον ὅτι "; αμαρτωλὸς ἐκ ἦν. Εἰ δὲ ἁμαρτωλὸς ἐκ ἦν, πῶς ἐςαυρώθη ; δ' ἑτέρες. Εἰ δὲ δὲ ἑτέρος πάντως ἀνές». Chryfoft. 3. That by his Death he hath fatisfied God's Juftice, and fo is able to justify us before his Father. If he had not paid our Debe, he would not have been released; but God fent an Officer to open the Prison Doors and release him, 1 Cor. xv. 17, Rom. iv. 24. 25. cap. viii. 33, 34.

4. We may furely hope and truft in him for our Salvation, I Pet. i. 3. Heb. vii. 25.

5. That we fhall rife again, 1 Cor. XV. 12, 21, 22. Rom. viii. II.

Οὐδέπω γ' ἐδεὶς ἐσιν ἐγηγερμένα, εἰ μὴ ὅτι ἡ κεφαλῆς ἀναστάσης, καὶ ἡμεῖς ηγέρθημεν. Chryfoft.

Ἐκείνε γ ἀνάςαντΘ, ἢ ἡμεῖς ἐλπίζομεν αναςήσκοι Theodoret.

6. He will come to Judgment, Acts xvii. 31. 1 Theffal. i. 10. 2 Cor. v. 10.

7.

We rofe with him, as Members with their Head, Col. ii. 12, 20. Eph. ii. 5, 6. 4. Practical.

1. Meditate upon his Refurrection, 2 Tim. ii. 8. This is the End of our keeping this Day and every Sunday.

2. Believe in him for Pardon and Salvation, Rom. v. IQ.

3:

Fear him, Matt. xxi. 42, 44. Pfal. ii. 9.
Eph. i. 20, 21. Phil. ii. 9, 10.

4. Rife to Newness of Life, Rom. vi. 4. Epḥ.
V. 14. Revel. 20. 6.

5. Seek thofe Things that are above, Col. iii. 1.

I PET. iii. 22.

Who is gone into Heaven, and is on the Right Hand of God.

•THAT the Mesiah was to ascend into

Heaven, was,

1. Forethewed in Types, Exod. xxx. 10. Lev. xvi. 2. Heb. ix. 7, 11, 12, 24.

2. Foretold in Prophecy, Pfal. lxviii. 18. Eph.

סל קתא לרקיע .Targ עלית למרום .8 .iv

II. That our bleffed Saviour did afcend thither is plain, from the Teftimony,

1. Of the Apoftles, in whofe Prefence he afcended, Mark xvi. 19. Luke xxiv. 50, 51. Acts i. 9. None faw him rife, because they were to fee him afterwards; but they saw him afcend, because they were not to fee him again till the laft Day.

Καὶ ν * αναςάσεως τὸ μὲν τέλΘ εἶδον, τὴν ἢ ἀρχ εμέτις και ε ἀναλήψεως τὴν μὲν ἀρχὴν εἶδον, τὸ ἢ τέλΘ xin, Chryfoft.

L

4

3. Of

« PreviousContinue »