AS in the Garment of Christ, The Nature of the Text. as well as his Body, so in the Hemme of Christs Garment, as well as the Garment, the woman with the bloody issue, Matth. 9.13. tells vs, there is sauing vertue: both be­nefit and comfort for sauing Faith, to touch and take, in the very Hemme. His Body wherein He wrought and suffered for vs, was that sacred Person of the Diuine and Humane nature together, whereof wee [Page 2]are members and partakers, by the Touch of that Faith, 2. Cor. 10.5. that Saint Paul sayes, Be­leeues only, and captiuates Reason in obedient adoration. His Garments, wherein Hee was seene and knowne of vs, and for vs, were the workes and sufferings of that most sacred Person, His actiue and passiue obedience in our flesh to the whole Law, wherewith our imperfect obedience is couered and accepted, by the Touch of that fayth, that S. Paul sayes, does not beleeue only, Gal. 5.6. but workes through loue. Lastly the Hemme of these Garments, wherwith the vnmeasurable obedience, of this in­comprehensible Person, was cut out, fa­shion'd, and confin'd to vs, and for vs; This was the needfull Circumstances of Time, Place, Meanes, Manner, with other Virges, and Borders of His workes and sufferings: in all which, as He showd, He wrought as Man, and for man, and not as God onely; so in, and through them, the Circumstances of our Actions, their times, place, meanes, manner, gather Holi­nesse and acceptance, by the Touch of that [Page 3]Faith, which Saint Paul sayes, Rom. 12.6. does not onely beleeue and worke, but is the measure and proportion of our Actions to His. Rom. 12.6.

The Garments of Christs workes, must be hem'd in with Circumstances, or else they cannot bee sutable to vs, nor for vs. Ours they cannot be, vnlesse they be of our Fashion. No more then himselfe can bee Ours, vnlesse He take our Forme. And yet the fashion onely, does not make them Ours: we must touch a'm too, take hold of a'm, and put a'm on. And that wee may do so, the Summe of sauing Faith, our Creed tels vs, our Faith must touch & gather ver­tue, from the Hemme, as well as the Gar­ment, the Circumstance, as well as the sub­stance, the manner, as well as the worke, that Christ did for vs.

It is not enough to beleeue He was borne in our flesh, vnlesse we beleeue the meanes too, of a Virgin, and the Virgin Mary too: No benefit nor comfort else. It is not enough to beleeue He suffered for vs, vnlesse both the manner, Crucified, the [Page 4]meanes, Pontius Pilate; the intent, Dead; the extent, Buried; vnlesse all these bee touched, faith gathers no vertue. It is not e­nough to beleeue, He descended, vnlesse our Faith reach to the very circumstance of place, into Hell. It is not enough to be­leeue He Rose againe, vnlesse our Faith touch, and gather vertue from the very Hemme and circumstance of time, The Third Day.

So we might go on, The scope of it. till He come againe to Iudgement, at the last Day: But heere the Third Day stayes vs. And this Hemme of time, requires our Touch, and conside­ration, not of the worke of the day, and the benefit of it; for it is not Easter now; but only of the day of the worke, and the benefit of it, the Third Day; for it is the Lords Day.

And a Hemme it is, and no better: an historicall and drie circumstance of time onely. But it is in our Creed, and that touches vs neerely. And in all our Creed, it is the only circumstance of Time there mention'd. Doubtlesse there is some [Page 5] Redemption in it. With the woman with the bloody issue, let vs but touch it a lit­tle; there may chance come that vertue from it, that may redimere tempus, Eph. 5.16. as Saint Paul sayes: at least show, the Redempti­on of Time, and turne the vanity, and ve­xation of the Dayes of Earth, into the cer­tainty and Comfort of the Dayes of Hea­uen. For that's the purpose of the Text.

And according to that purpose, The Diuision Let vs diuide our discourse into a twofold touch, and consideration. One, of Historicall faith, the spirituall mans left hand, tou­ching the Hemme of Time only, that Christ did rise vpon a Third Day. Another of Ius­tifying, and sauing faith, the spirituall mans right hand, Touching the vertue of this Hemme, that, For vs it was Necessary, that Christ should rise vpon a Third Day, and no other. The Hemme I will touch in a word; the Ʋertue, 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 Hemme of time first, It [Page 6]is touched a little too much. Touched it is, as God would not haue his Annoynted touched. Angunt dum tangunt. As the mul­titude touch'd Christ in Iayrus house, when the woman with the bloody issue touch'd him too. But in their touching, Confligunt & afflictant, sayes Saint Peter: In stead of gathering vertue from him, they throng, and presse him, molest, and af­flict him with their Touching: And so the old aduersary of Faith, the Deuill, he has taught many to touch this circumstance. Where hee cannot hinder the Touch of Knowledge, yet to corrupt, or hinder the Touch of Faith, he has taught a'm to presse it with doubts, afflict it with questions, ‘Disputare malle quam viuere:’ To dispute with it, to doe any thing to it, rather then beleeue, and be whole. Some dispute the Integrity of three dayes. O­thers call the Houres to account, and in their Auditt finde not aboue forty. And yet let either of these bee touch'd with a Tertian Ague, they will confidently say, their fit return'd the third day, when it is [Page 7]not yet aboue forty houres, since the fit de­parted. A Feuer it is, and an euill spirit that vexes these disputers: For the story in the Gospel is cleere enough in short. Take we the Iewes reckoning of time, accor­ding to Gods measure of a Day in the be­ginning, Gen. 1. Gen. 1.5. from the beginning of the euening, till the euening return'd againe; and then it is plaine enough, that vpon the day of the Iewes Preparation, whereon Christ suffred, Hee was both dead, accor­ding to the Scriptures, Math. 27.46. Mar. 15.42. Luc. 23.54. and as some ga­ther, buryed by Ioseph and Nicodemus, three houres before Sun-set, and that is one day. For I preach to day, though I preach not all the day. Then all the euening and morning, the whole day of the Iewes Sabbath, He lay in his graue, and that's another day. Then all the euening quite through, vntill the morning, of the first Day of the weeke, Math. 27.66. He was sealed in His Sepulchre; And that's the third day, wherein Hee rose gloriously from the Dead, and fully accomplished our Iustification against the sting of Rom. 4.25. [Page 8]Death, our Sinne, the strength of sinne the Law, the victory of Hell, our Condem­nation; Ouer all which, there was Con­quest, Triumph, and perpetuall Dominion both taken in, and giuen to our flesh, by that his Resurrection, the third Day.

And by that his Resurrection onely, I doe not say; but I adde 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 touch'd the Hemme, and the Garment together. The third Day is a prop and stay to Faith, as well as the Re­surrection. For to keepe my word;

Let vs leaue now the Left hand touch of Historicall faith, That such a thing, was so done, by such a Persō, at such a time; which the Deuil, that teaches others to disput, yet himselfe beleeues; & conuicted in vnder­standing, 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 Iustifying and sauing Faith, That such a thing was so done, by such a Person, at [Page 9]such a time, for me, and you, and the whole world, to iustifie our conquering sa­tisfaction to God, with full power of the Sonnes of God; to doe all good, and resist all euill, either to be done, or suffred: This vertue and be­nefit of Christs Resurrection, Faith can­not draw from it, to the soules rest, and stay of the mind, vnlesse the assent of Faith to Christs Resurrection, be stayd, and determin'd vpon the [...], the very third Day, it was done in, and no other. Neither the first Day, wherein he suffred, Nor the second Day, the Iewes Sabbath, Nor any Day beyond the third Day. That Christ may resolue my Faith, that he is the Christ, and rose againe for me, He must not only rise, but rise the third Day, and no other.

And, to Discouer this Mystery of God­linesse, As these Dayes of Christ are three; So I find accordingly, three seuerall Dayes of the Church and mysticall body of Christ, as also three seuerall Diuinities, and Lights of these three Dayes, all inligh­tening the necessity of this Third Day. [Page 10]The first is the Diuinity of the Primitiue Day, the Good Friday of the Church, wher­in Christ was persecuted, and suffred in his Members, & mysticall body, through Heathenisme and Heresie; The light of which day, was simplicity of Faith vnto sal­uation.

The second is the Diuinity of the Schoole Day, what we cal the Popish Day, the Iewes Sabbath of the Church, wherein the my­sticall body of Iesus Christ lay wrapped in the Linnens of Iewish Ceremonies, & bu­ryed in the New-found Sepulchre of hu­mane inuentions; the light of which day, was Subtilty of Reasonings; &, where there was not more Mist then Sun-shine, vnto saluation too.

The third is the Diuinity of the Refor­med Day, the Resurrection Day of the Church, when after a darke euening, and a little cloudy dawning of trouble, and persecution in the beginning of Reforma­tion, the Sun of Righteousnes rose glori­ously in our Hemisphere, enlightēing our wosterne world, with the simple subtilty of [Page 11]Saint Pauls foolish wisedome vnto saluation, call'd, Preaching of the Gospel.

All these Dayes gaue their seuerall lights to this point in hand, and from the same Sunne of Righteousnes, though nei­ther with equall force, nor in the same measure. The first shewes 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, wherin Christ Rose, that is God and Man. The third, in respect of the Persons to whom, and for whom he rose, that is, Iewes and Gentiles, the sonnes of Adam.

But let me light a'm vp all, The Necessi­ty of the Third Day in re­spect of the Person, in whose Name Christ rose. and as our Sauiour wills, let me set, a'm vpon the ta­ble, and in their own order and discourse: First the simple Faith of the Primitiue Church, both touch'd the Necessity, and drew foorth the Benefit of the Third Day, vpon the plainest grounds, that are lai'd, and lai'd open in holy Scripture; Tertul. aduer. Iud. 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, [Page 12]vpon these two especially. No dif­ferring the rising beyong the third Day, say they; Partly for the Comfort of his friends, that expected it should be then, Partly for the Conuiction of his enemies, that endeuour'd it should not bee then. Had he risen any day, but the promised third Day, all his Disciples and friends would haue turn'd Thomases, and, as he did, haue requir'd another Touch and fin­gring of him, ere they would haue belee­ued and taken Comfort. Mat. 27.62.63 And had he not risen vpon the appointed third Day, (vn­till which Day the souldiers were appoin­ted, by the Priests intreaty, and Pilates charge, to watch the Sepulchre, with the seale vpon it, to make all sure, for feare, forsooth, his most fearful Disciples should steale him away, who were ready, God wot, to steale themselues away, out of all sight) Had he not then risen in the presence and sight of the very souldiers, the souldiers had not testified his Resur­rection, to his enemies as they did, Matt. 28.11. Mat. 28.11. His enemies had not beene conui­cted [Page 13]by the Testimony, Matt. 28.12. as they were and shew'd it, by corrupting the souldiers to conceale the truth. For that corruption to conceale, was a plaine confession, that they were indeed, onely they would not seeme to be conuicted, and taken in their owne snare.

The spite of His enemies, and the Di­uell in them, was at the third Day onely. The comfort of his friends, and simple faith in them, was in the third Day onely. It was the third Day onely, that could conuince the one, and comfort the other; and it did both. But why, I beseech you? and what was this conuiction and com­fort of this third Day? Was it the bare re­turne of the naturall body to life againe the third Day, that malicious feare would haue hindered? Ioh. 11.47. The Diuell indeed was angrie when Lazarus was rays'd to life: or was it the bare fruition of his bodily pre­sence and company againe the third Day, that simple fayth expected comfort in? There was comfort indeed in this: Ioh. 11.45. and both comfort, and fayth, followed Laza­rus [Page 14]raysing: But this is not comfort of simple, but of sensuall Faith. In this com­fort, that is beleeued, because it is seene or felt; there is a mixture of flesh, a composition of sensuall delight, from which the Touch of simple faith is most pure and free.

For simple Faith is an euidence of things vnseene, sayes S. Paul, Heb. 11.1. And our Sauiour tels Thomas, that, Beatifica fides, The blessed, or blessing faith, is that, that nei­ther sees nor feeles, and yet then beleeues most: It vses no helpe of fence, but the fence of hearing only: Rom. 10.17. It comes by hearing only, and what it heares was foreshewne in the typicall body, and done and perform'd in the Naturall and reall body of Christ Iesus, that it verily beleeues, is communicated to His Mysticall body: And what it so heares, and beleeues, it beleeues euidently, though it see it not; It tasts really, though it chew it not; It feeles and enioyes substantially, though it touch it not, nor finger it, or els it is not simple, but sensuall.

Another comfort therefore wee must finde for simple Faith in the third Day. And [Page 15]S. Chrysostome giues it: The comfort, Loco sup. sayth he, that simple Faith in his friends ex­pected, and Deuillish malice in his ene­mies would haue hindered, it was that vnseene comfort, that S. Paul speakes 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 sleepe in hope of Resurrection to life. This was the comfort simple faith look't at, and the Deuill had good cause not to abide. He, the first fruites of the mysticall body, and therefore as He, so all the rest, of his kinde and generation, with Him. And He therefore the first fruites, and no other, that was raysed from the dead, because He only, and no other was rays'd the third day. Heere was the cause of the Deuils watch and seale. Iayrus daughter was rays'd, but vpon the first day. The widowes sonne was rays'd, but vpon the second day, the buriall day. Lazarus was rays'd, but vpon the fourth day. The Deuill neither watch'd these, nor seal'd their graues. On­ly Christ, was rays'd the third day: and [Page 16]therefore Hee onely, and no other, the terrible and comfortable first fruites, of them that sleepe.

Doe you question the reason yet, and thinke the argument weake? Ile resolue you in a word.

First, in the Legall and Typicall first fruites, though we finde no expresse Law, necessity, nor mention of the third day for their offering; Yet this Law we read Le­uit. 23.15. Leuit. 23.15. and a statute for euer, that the sheafe of the fruites to be accepted for them, was to be wau'd before the Lord, the morrow after the Sabbath, seuen Sabbaths complete, before the feast of Pentecost. And this morrow, af­ter that Sabbath, was iust this third day and houre, when Christ only, & no other was wau'd and lifted vp from the dead, the first fruits of all his kinde. So the type is sure for vs, that He was onely the prefi­gured first fruits, because Hee onely was rays'd vpon this morrow.

But if this will not serue, In this Euangelicall and substantiall first fruits, we finde an expresse necessity of this third day, [Page 17]according to Gods Oeconomy, and Dis­pensation of grace vnto vs. 1. Cor. 15.21.22. And S. Paul tenders it in the place before nam'd. Al­mighty God of his meere mercy, purpo­sing to recouer mankinde, from vnder 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 bloud 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 fruites of all liuing 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 fruites of all that die to the world, all are made aliue, and from him Ecclesia re­surgentium, a congregation of risers to God were gather'd. As Adams congre­gation was gather'd by a rising, to fall, from life vnto death; so Christs congre­gation was gather'd by a falling, to rise [Page 18]from death vnto 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 heere is Saint Pauls As, and So.

The full proportion, betweene the two Adams, whereupon simple Faith in hearing, both determines her assent, and to the conuiction of all malice, gathers this comfort, that Christ was indeede the Per­son, in whose name He came, Her second Adam, her first fruites, her perfect patterne and samplar of her nature, estate, and condi­tion, in that He onely, and no other, was raysed the third day, and no other. And this was Primitiue Diuinity, what S. Paul cals the chaste virgin, simplicity in Christ Iesus, 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 schoole subtilty at all corrupt this virgin sim­plicity, or obscure this light, with any forc'd or false glosses: It rather inlightens it more, bringing more instruction with comfort to the touch of Faith, in respect of [Page 19]the Person wherein Christ rose. And thus they reason, the third day to Faiths, ap­prehension. 1. Cor. 15. siō 14 to 20.

Most certaine it is, as Saint Paul sayes, 1. Cor. 15. that were it not for the resur­rection of the dead, there is nothing so vaine, as the assurance, nothing so misera­ble, as the preaching, and preachers of Christ Iesus. It is onely the hope of the resurrection, that makes you serue Christ, and vs serue you. Now to hope for this, it is fit we be fully instructed in it, and to be instructed in it fully, wee must first bee fully assured, both of his Humane Nature, that should rise, but alone could not, and of his Diuine Nature, that could not but rise, but alone would not without the o­ther. For to beleeue our resurrection, we must first beleeue our selues to bee parta­kers of both these Natures: Of both toge­ther, or else no resurrection. The Diuine without the Humane needs not, the Hu­mane without the Diuine cannot. And to beleeue our selues partaker of both these, our faith must first be confirmed, in the [Page 20]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. Hee must haue both, or we cannot; if He haue both, we want neither. To confirme therfore our faith in the truth of Christs Diuine Nature, that would die, but should not, it was neces­sary He should rise soone. To confirme 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 soone for his Diuinity, and not too soone for his Humanity, was the third Day onely. Soone, sayes his Diuinity, and not beyond the third Day; not too soone, saies his Humanity, & not before the third Day. hast­ning his resurrection vpon the third Day, it appear'd manifestly, there was somthing in his flesh, and that bodily, that death might swallow with the flesh, as a fish doth a hooke, or a Hawke casting: but death could not hold it, not digest it, not conuert it into her substance of corrupti­on and putrefaction, which begins the [Page 21]third Day, and especially in a wounded body.

She had snatch'd Christs body greedi­ly vpon the Crosse; But when shee came to endew it, put it ouer, and conuert it in­to her substance of corruption, at her due time, the third Day, it would not doe; shee could not chuse but restore him, and with him all, that by faith in him had any part of the Diuine Nature. Could that holy one haue seene, much lesse feele any corruption, the Diuine nature, that dwelt in him bodily, had not beene there. But [...], sayes Saint Peter, Act. 2.24. Act. 2.24. It was not possible that such a Person should be hol­den of the paines of death. Of Death, Hee might be, and was for a while; true flesh requir'd it, true God will'd it: But of the paines and penalties of Death, the cor­ruption and putrefaction of the third Day, [...], it was impossible that Diuinitie should be held by a'm.

So long it was possible, but no longer, and as so long, and no longer, was necessary to shew Diuinity was there; so, so long, and [Page 22] no sooner, was necessary to shew Humani­ty was there too. A pawse did well for that. The first or second day had beene too hasty: Hee would not else haue ap­pear'd Man, and something that might die: His death would haue beene suspe­cted a swound, a fit of an Apoplexie, per­haps but fayn'd, and so all faith vaine, and hope comfortlesse. Till the third Day ther­fore he stayes, because so long to stay, as it was necessary to shew his mortall na­ture, so it was sufficient to shew it. For in lesse then that time, by many howres, no man seemes dead, and is aliue, but ei­ther shewes some tokens of life, or dies out right. So that in a word, To stay so long as the third Day, was necessary to shew his Humanity, which should not rise any sooner, and it did shew it; To stay no longer then the third Day, was necessary to shew his Diuinity, which might stay no longer, and it did shew it. It was the third Day onely, that could giue 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, saies the schoole; for in that this Diuine & Humane Nature stay'd thus in the graue, two whole nights, and one whole day, it is our consolation, saith Thomas, Thom. Aqu. q. 53. ar. 2. con. that Christ by his owne bodily death which in him was all light, through the righteousnesse, and in­nocence of his flesh, has fully destroyd our two deaths, both of soule and body, which in vs, are all darkenesse through sinne. Hos. 13.14. Ero mors tua O mors, O death I will be thy death, was fulfill'd in these two nights. Death is now dead, and has no more po­wer ouer vs, then it had ouer Him; but in our death now, wee are conformable and subiect to him onely. Our head stay'd a while in death, but was not detain'd by death: as long as He thought it conueni­ent for our beliefe of His Humane Nature, so long He stay'd: when He thought it conuenient for our beliefe of His Diuine Nature, He rose againe: He both stay'd & rose at his owne will, hauing slaine death with the Diuine Nature, for seazing vn­iustly vpon the innocent Humane Nature. [Page 24]To shew that iust so the members parta­king with that Head, conformable in na­ture, though not equall in vertue and po­wer, no more then my toe is to my head; yet iust so they die, and iust so they are de­tain'd in death. In death they are detain'd, but not by death at all, or any power of hers, but onely 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 darkenesse, and a deepe prison; and that, to them that died in the hope of his first comming. But since hee is risen the third Day, and hath taken away the darke­nes of our two nights, the darkenesse of death is taken away. Phil. 1.22. Mori mihi lucrum, to die is gaine; to be in her prison, is to bee in li­berty; to be detain'd in death, is to bee in light and life. But to whom? To those onely that communicate with that Head, that rose the third Day; because hee was God, and could haue risen sooner, and yet rose no sooner then the third Day; because he [Page 25]was man, and would shew that man has now power, as to destroy, so to dispose of death, and as in himselfe, so in all his mem­bers.

And thus far the light of schoole subtilty leads vs, to the vertue of this Hemme, in re­spect of the Person wherein Christ rose: It prooues his Diuine Nature, his Humane Na­ture, his power ouer death, our liberty in death, at his dispose onely, and not at deaths at all, and so before wee are aware, The necessity of the third Day in respect of the persons to whom and for whom Christ rose. wee are gotten into the third respect, To our selues, and those persons, to whom, and for whom hee rose.

But wee are but entred only: to shew it more fully, the light of reformed wisedome remaines now, which, as in this point, it neither opposes, nor departs from, either primitiue subtilty, or schoole subtilty: so it is a third witnesse, to establish the vertue of this third Day, & all together will make vp the wise mans triple twisted cord that cannot easily bee broken.

Our first reason of the third Day (for I must make haste, as in all points else) is, [Page 26]that the Scriptures might bee fulfill'd, and the word of God be cleare in our eyes and hearts: nor is it ours first, but S. Pauls first, 1. Cor. 15.4. 1. Cor. 15.4. And that hee rose againe the third Day, according to the Scriptures. And when S. Paul names Scriptures, as when our Sa­uiour names a'm, hee meanes either the prophesies of the third Day, or the types and figures of the third Day, or both together; and both together, I beleeue, he meanes; for both there were of it, and according to both; and to fulfill both, Christ rose a­gaine the third Day.

The prophesie we find, This prophe­sie is com­mended by S. Paul Eph. 2.5.6. which with the whole pas­sage I was for­ced to cut of for Breuity. verba Pauli Conuiuificauit Conresuscitauit. Tertul. loc. sup. Osee. 6.2. Af­ter two daies he will reuiue vs, in the third Day he will raise vs vp, and we shall liue in his sight: It is not him only, but vs; and for vs sure, and not for himselfe only, both the Prophet bespoke it, and Christ did it. And as it is spoken of the long expected Messias; so Tertul. vrges it so strongly a­gainst the Iewes, as if Christ had risen on­ly the third Day, to fulfill this prophesie, and remember the Iewes of it.

The reuiuing, the raising, the life, the v­niuersall [Page 27]benefit, the whole prophesie, they saw all fulfilled to the very expected houre, and by none else, but by Christ on­ly, and at no time else, but the third Day on­ly. They fulfil'd the prophecies, in killing their Messias, but would not beleeue their Messias, in fulfilling the prophecies. But, as the fashion is, they kill'd the Prophets, and buried all the prophecies. And let vs let the prophecie passe, and perish with our Sermons, and make nothing of it, as the Iewes did.

That they could forget a prophecy, when they could kill a Prophet, it is so ordinary amongst vs, as it is no wonder in them. But yet their beloued remembrancers, 2. Cor. 1.22. whom S. Paul sayes they lou'd aboue all things, that is, Types, signes, 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 minde of.

Amongst many other, had they but remembred either Isaac among their fa­thers, or Ioseph amongst their brethren, or Ionas amongst their ministers and ser­uants [Page 28]this very third Day had beene argu­ment enough, that the Riser the third Day was their full Messias, both King, Priest, and Prophet. Both their Isaac, and Priest to sacrifice, and be sacrificed for them: their Ioseph and King to feed, saue, and comfort them: and their Ionas 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 bee sacrificed for him, Gen. 22.4. Gen. 22.4. Vntill the third Day, hee was no better then a dead man, neither in his fathers opinion, nor his owne condi­tion: But the third Day he was reuiu'd and rays'd againe from the dead, and made the first fruits of the blessed seed, 16.18. at the 18. vers. Then Ioseph vntill the third yeere, was a poore prisoner in the stocks, Psal. 105.18. the iron en­tered into his soule: But in the third yeere, he was deliuered, and made the gouernor and commander of all Egypt, Gen. 41.1. Gen. 41.1. Lastly, Ionas, for three dayes was in the Whales belly, Ion. 2.10. and what better then dead? But then the fish could not hold him, but cast him vp on the dry land, and hee be­came [Page 29]the great Prophet of the Gentiles, and Preacher of Repentance to them.

Now all these foretold Christ, or who but He? The Iew will not name another; and all this Christ only fulfilled, or who but He? Can the Iew tell vs? And when did Hee fulfill all this, but vpon the third Day? But the Iewe will not beleeue it. What vertue therefore the Iewes would not gather out of this Hemme, let it flow vnto vs of the Gentiles, to whom the pro­mise, and the Hemme 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 Ioseph, both the bond-seruant that was sold by vs, and for vs, and yet our only Lord and relee­uer in all want. It is Christ, and none else, that is our Ionas, both our pledge punished for vs, and yet our preacher of amendment to safety. The sacrifice in feare, the founda­tion of hope, the freedome in bondage, the succour in want, the pledge in danger, the [Page 30] guide in errour: all this Christ is, and ther­fore is, because it pleased him to rise our Isaac, our Ioseph, our Ionas, our King, Priest, and Prophet, our full Messias according to the Scriptures, the third Day.

Thus Hee fulfill'd His Fathers word, 2 in being rais'd the third Day, according to that word; and for that, faith is embolde­ned, to take His fathers word, and giue cre­dence to his bare word. And next to His fathers word, which is our next reason, to fulfill his owne word and prediction of Himselfe, and purchase faith to it too, He kept the day too. Athan. loc. sup. This was Athanasius reason before vs, but we make it fuller, and finde more vertue in it. He rose the third Day, because He had sayd, He would; and my text is the first word, that ere He gaue for it: and therefore Hee will keepe his word with vs, whatsoeuer Hee has promis'd. This was Athanasius reason and comfort, Hee is a man of his word. And t'is much this, but t'is not enough. He had sayd, He would rise the third day, and He did so, and Hee put it into my Creed; and in all my Creed [Page 31]there is no circumstance of time but on­ly this: therefore He will not onely keepe His word with vs, as well as Gods; but He will keepe His time with vs to a minute. He will not onely pay the full summe Hee has promis'd, but Hee will pay it at the day; He will not breake an hower. This is the comfort and vertue that faith suckes from the third Day, and from no particle in the Creed besides.

When the Angels at the Sepulchre, Luc. 24.6. sayd to the women, Why seeke yee the liuing amongst the dead? He is not heere, but is risen; He addes too; Remember, how hee spake vnto you, when he was yet in Galilee, saying. The Sonne of man must be deliuered in­to the hands of sinfull men, and be crucified, and the third Day rise againe. 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 againe the third Day, to keepe it to a minute. Please you, see one reason yet, why, of all the actions of Christ for vs, recorded in the Creede, [Page 32]only this action of rising, though of all the most difficult, yet it is to be beleeu'd with the circumstance of time, and no other; it is to shew, that be the doubt, the diffi­culty, the danger, the improbability, the impossibility, in respect of the meanes, what it will, yet whensoeuer Hee has pro­mis'd, He keeps that, aswell as whatsoeuer He has promis'd.

And, howsoeuer familiar custome, has brought both the exercises and ordinan­ces of godlinesse, into such contemptuous neglect, as there is scarce any reuerence to a diuine presence, to be found in diuine ser­uice; Yet when you pray, when you are baptis'd, when you receiue, when you heare, when you confesse, when you are absolu'd, when you releeue, when you forgiue, when you entertaine, defende, or aduance the Prophets: Dixit? Hath Hee promis'd any thing at these times? Factum est; it is done at those times. Why? Vpon what Article of my Creede is this grounded? Why, re­member the third Day. He that was cruci­fied, dead, buried, seal'd vp, and watch't in his [Page 33]graue, and in all eyes, it was impossible He should keepe either word or time: And yet then He kept both, and to the very [...], in the stricktest manner; as wee say in our Baptisme, Doubt you not therefore, but ear­nestly beleeue, when you are baptiz'd, Hee then regenerates, when you pray together, He is then in the mid'st, when you receiue the Communion; it is then his body and bloud, when you heare the word, He then speakes, when you confesse your sinnes, you then confesse to him, when you are absolu'd by the Keyes, Hee then absolues you, when you releeue, He then receiues, when you forgiue your enemies, Hee then forgiues, when you entertaine, defend, or aduance the Prophets, you then, euen then, entertaine, defend, and aduance euen Christ himselfe. And this is some vertue more, that our times are certaine, and at his appointed times: let the meanes be dead, and all reason and probability buryed and seal'd vp from vs, yet we are sure of Him, Hee is there then, and He keepes his time duely. But yet this is not all He has done for our [Page 34]times; we are not yet come to times full re­demption.

To conclude all, 3 as I began, and to keep time too. Touch the Person of Christ Iesus we must, with that Faith onely, that be­leeues only, and adores the mystery of grace, so are we iustified in Him, made members of Him. Touch the Garment of his works we must with that Faith only, that does not only beleeue, but works thorow and re­sembles his loue; so are wee sanctified in him, and couered with His righteousnes. Touch the Hem of His garment, the cir­cumstances of His workes we must, with that Faith only, that does not onely be­leeue and worke in grosse, but is the mea­sure and proportion, fashioning our conuer­sation to His in heauen, our time, place, meanes, manners, to His onely, so are wee glorified in Him, with the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God.

Now to shew in some sort this measure and proportion betwixt Christ & vs, S. Paul tels vs, 1. Cor. 15.23. 1. Cor. 15.23. There Ordo Resur­gentium, An Order of Risers, erected by [Page 35]Christ himselfe, and himselfe is the presi­dent of that order. First Christ, and then they that are Christs 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 scandall to greatones, nor imputation to meaner in Kings Courts, to say, wee courteirs would all verygladly rise, and bee install'd in this order of risers. But if you would doe so, you know, there is a credit and a Creed to be remembred; To get into this order, you must follow your Prince & president; And to keepe order with him, you must keepe his times duly, his very dayes, and those are but three dayes now, & no more; for I haue yet another mystery to tell you.

Abbreuiatum faciet Deus opus super terram: Thom. Presat. in decal. So the olde ones read that place of Esay, cited by S. Paul, Rom. 9.28. which wee read thus, Ashort worke will the Lord make vpon earth: and this short worke, say they, is the worke of our redemption from eternall euill, Phil. 2.7. with restauration into eter­nall good. Wherein as God the sonne, our [Page 36]Lord, abbreuiated the equality with God, in­to the fashion of man, and that man, the meanest of men, a poore Minister and seruant, to redeeme the diuision between God and man, and make the Highest God, and the lowest man, at one againe: so the same Lord, & seruant, has wrought out and perfected this redemption, and v­nion amongst men by abbreuiation onely, and making short worke in all. Generati­ons, persons, place, words, time, all the mea­sures, by which, either the kind, cōdition, content, knowledge, or the actions of men are differenc'd, and diuided, they are all now abbreuiated and made shorter: we are redeem'd now from distinctions of kindred, and all generations are abbreuiated into the Newbirth in the lauer of regeneration, wherein wee are all now of one kind and blood: we are redeemed now, from distin­ction of condition, for all persons are ab­breuiated into the Person and body of Christ, wherein wee are all members of one Person, of one suffering and honour: we are redeem'd now from all distinctions [Page 37]of contents; for all places are abbreuiated 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 redeem'd now from distinction of knowledge, & diuision of vnderstanding; for all wordes are abbreuiated 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 redeem'd now from the distinction of indeuours, and diuision of will and choice in doing; for all time, the measure of all actions, is abbreuiated in these three daies of Christ, the Preparation, the Sabhath, the Resurrection. And as wee haue no kinred to deriue 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 haue no time to obserue for the measure of all our a [...]tions, but on­ly these three dayes, and we haue no actions at all, to will, chuse or doe, but what are [Page 38]measured and fitted to these three Dayes; the Preparation, the Sabbath, the Resurre­stion. These are the measure, samplar and patterne, to our dayes, or else of Christs order we cannot be.

The dayes of our life, must be our day of Preparation, our Good Friday, as was Christs, and as it was His, and no other­wise. In it, wee must labour against sinne and Sathan, as Christ did, we must suffer from sin & Sathan, as Christ did, we must die in conquest of sin & Sathan, as Christ did. And now, how like the order? But be not dismaied; for after this will suc­ceed our Iewish and Typicall Sabbath, the day of our rest in the graue, as Christ did, in the hands of Christ onely, and not of deeath at all, no more then he did. And then will yet follow, the spirituall and hea­uenly Sabbath, the Lords day, and the day of Lords, the day of resurrection vnto life, and full enstallment in this order.

This the order: Both habited, armed, and tim'd like your President you must be; and then, as in other orders, it is a fellow­ship, [Page 39]as well as an order. August. in 29 Psal. Hoc sperate mea membra quod in capite praecessit, sayes Saint Augustine; and t'is the Word & Motto of your order: What the Head enioyes, let the member expect; what is gone before in the Head, according to his vertue, let the mem­ber expect in his measure and condition. As, let our first day bee troublesome, as Christs was; yet it shall be short, and the shortest of the three, as Christs was. Let our second day of death be longer by many houres, as Christs was; yet it shall bee as long in rest, as Christs was. Let our third day bee long before it come; yet it will come, and come earely, as Christs did, and when it does come, it shall neuer know euening, as Christs did: And that's a further comfort yet in this third Day.

The time of the member of Christ, is redeemed and is abbreuiated into three Dayes onely, and but two of those Dayes haue nights belonging to a'm. The third Day has no night, but is euer day, as Christs was. In these three Dayes His state, and condition is by succession, first trouble [Page 40]with the Crosse, then rest in death, then happinesse in Heauen. First trouble with the Crosse, for which hee has the Grace of Faith, both begun, and perfited heere, to lead, and defend him all his first day. But faith has a night, and dies with him and his Crosse. Then comes his rest: for which hee has the grace of hope begunne heere, to assist faith, but perfited in death, to establish him in comfort, all his second day. But hope has a night too, and leaues him, when hee leaues to rest in death. Then comes his happinesse, for which he has the grace of loue, begunne heere, to make faith and hope actiue, continued in death, to sweeten hopes rest, but perfited in eternall life, with God that is loue in esse, with whom there is no night, but al­wayes day without either end or change: And then time is redeem'd 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, [Page 41] students of faith, hope, and charity, and of the order of the Resurrection to life. The bloud that runnes in your veins, is Sanguis Dei, the bloud of God: And then S. Peters [...] is your Charter of Priuiledge, against all power of death. You die not, when you die, but onely to end your troubles, and shew you are of a mortall nature; you shall rest in peace, as Christ did. Impossible it is, but the bloud of God should rise. But ah the misery! The seruant is not aboue his Lord, the Disci­ple is not aboue his Master, the member is not aboue the Head. And rise we cannot, possibly, but as our Head did, vpon a third Day. And to rise vpon a third Day, it is impossible, vnlesse two dayes goe before it. Nay, nor rest can we possibly vpon a second day, vnlesse the first day goe 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 wee take our rise at the [Page 42] preparation. The rise both to rest, and ri­sing is heere onely. Is there no rise heere at combat with the crosse? Why then no rest in death, and then no happinesse in the resurrection. Is there no fighting faith with base and dishonourable temptati­ons? why then no resting hope, and then, no rising loue. Had not Christ resisted vn­to death, Hee had not died in conquest; and had He not died so, Hee had not risen in triumph and glory. But all this our Prince and President must doe, and did for vs, and all this wee must doe for him. And if all this wee doe, and in this order; If faith feele a good Friday, and haue so fought with the Crosse; as at the houre of death, though faith die, yet hope and loue stand conquerours aboue all temp­tations. Then as sure as Christ our head, conquer'd vpon the preparation, rested vp­on the Sabbath, and rose againe vpon the third day; so sure shall our hope rest secure and sweetly in death, our second day, and af­ter death our loue shall rise in triumph vp­on [Page 43] the third Day, to enioy that happinesse, that faith fought for heere, hope rested in, in death, and loue onely enioyes without night or faile. To which happinesse, He bring vs, that, to purchase it as deerely as gloriously for vs, was crucified, dead, bu­ried, and rose againe the third Day, Iesus Christ the righteous: To whom, with God the Father, and God the Holy Ghost, one true, eternall, euer-liuing, onely wise God, be ascribed, as is most due, all ho­nour, prayse, power, glory, dominion and thankesgiuing, the first, se­cond, and third Day, and for euer.