The parts of this desired communion are two: fellowship with Christ in his resurrection, and fellowship with him in his death. The former is expressed in these words, [and the virtue of his resurrection.] And for the better conceiving of it, we are to consider what the resurrection of Christ is? and what is the virtue thereof? That the resurrection of Christ may be rightly conceived, five points are to be scanned. The first, touching the person of him that rose: and that was Christ God and man. Indeed properly the body alone did rise, and not the soul or godhead, yet by reason of the union of the two ⟨p. 94⟩natures in the unity of one person, whole Christ arose, or God himself made man arose. This commends unto us the excellency of Christs resurrection, and makes it to be the foundation unto us of our resurrection. The second point is, For whom he rose? He rose not as a private person for himself alone: but he rose in our room & stead, and that for us: so as when he arose, all the elect arose with him, and in him. Thus saith Paul, that the Fphesians were raised together with him. 1His resurrection therefore was public: and this is the ground of our comfort. The third point is, When he arose? He arose then, when he lay in bondage under death, & that in the grave, which is as it were the castle & hold of death. When Peter saith, that God loosed the sorrows of death, 2he signifieth that Christ was made captive for a time to the first death & to the sorrows of the second. Now in the midst of this captivity & bondage, he raised himself: & this argues, that his resurrection is a full victory & conquest over death and all our spiritual enemies. The fourth ⟨p. 95⟩point is, That he rose by his own power,3 as he saith of himself, I have power to lay down my life, and to take it up again. If this had not bin, though he had risen a thousand times by the power of another, he had not been a perfect Redeemer. The last point is, Wherein stands the resurrection of Christ? Answer, it consists in three actions of Christ. The first is the reuniting of his body to his soul, both which were severed for a time, though neither of them were severed from the godhead. The second action is the change of his natural life, which he led in the estate of humiliation, into a heavenly and spiritual life without infirmities, and not maintained by food as before.
The partes of this desired communion are two: fellowshippe with Christ in his resurrection, and fellowshippe with him in his death. The former is expressed in these wordes, [and the vertue of his resurrection.] And for the better cō ceiuing of it, we are to consider what the resurrection of Christ is? and what is the vertue thereof? That the resurrection of Christ may be rightly conceiued, fiue points are to be skanned. The first, touching the person of him that rose: and that was Christ God and man. Indeede properly the bodie alone did rise, and not the soule or godhead, yet by reason of the vnion of the two ⟨p. 94⟩natures in the vnitie of one person, whole Christ arose, or God himselfe made man arose. This commends vnto vs the excellencie of Christs resurrection, and makes it to be the foundation vnto vs of our resurrection. The second point is, For whome he rose? He rose not as a priuate person for himselfe alone: but he rose in our roome & stead, and that for vs: so as when he arose, all the elect arose with him, and in him. Thus saith Paul, that the Fphesians were raised togither with him. 1His resurrection therefore was publike: and this is the ground of our comfort. The third point is, When he arose? He arose then, when he lay in bondage vnder death, & that in the graue, which is as it were the castle & hold of death. Whē Peter saith, that God loosed the sorrowes of death, 2he signifieth that Christ was made captiue for a time to the first death & to the sorrows of the second. Now in the midst of this captiuity & bōdage, he raised himself: & this argues, that his resurrectiō is a ful victorie & conquest ouer death and all our spirituall enemies. The fourth ⟨p. 95⟩point is, That he rose by his own power,3 as he saith of himselfe, I haue power to lay downe my life, and to take it vp againe. If this had not bin, though he had risen a thousand times by the power of another, he had not beene a perfect Redeemer. The last point is, Wherein stāds the resurrection of Christ? Answer, it consistes in three actions of Christ. The first is the revniting of his bodie to his soule, both which were seuered for a time, though neither of them were seuered from the godhead. The second action is the change of his naturall life, which he led in the estate of humiliatiō, into a heauenly and spirituall life without infirmities, and not maintained by food as before.
- 1Eph. 2. 6.
- 2Act. 2. 24.
- 3Joh. 10. •8.Ioh. 10. •8.
