14. That Christ rose again Angels ministering to him. An Angel came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sate upon it. Christs Power was not included in the grave, or on the earth, but extended to Heaven, and to the Hosts therein; however the chief Priests and Pharisees conspired together to close him in the earth; they sealed the stone, and set a watch, they made all as sure as possibly they could; yet, the Angels of heaven are ready to wait on him as their Sovereign Lord. An Angel descended to role away the Stone; not that Christ was unable to do it himself: he shook the earth, and could he not lift up a stone? O yes! but thus he would manifest his Power, by declaring his Power over the mighty Angels; he needed but to say unto his Angel▪ do this, and he doth it. I find some difference amongst Authors, why an Angel should role away the Stone: some think it was only for the women's sake, that they might go into the Sepulchre, and take a view of the empty Tomb, and so be satisfied that Christ was not here, but risen;2 as they said, Come, see the place where the Lord lay: Others think it was to do their office of duty and service to Christ Jesus, to make way for his body to pass out of the grave without any penetration of other Bodies: for my part, I adhere to these; though we need not to exclude the former; for the stone might be removed, both that Christ might come forth, and that the women might be convinced that he was risen again. But as for the opinion of them, who think the stone was not removed till after the resurrection; & that the body of Christ went through the grave-stone when he rose again, it is without all warrant; the very order of nature will not permit that one body should pass through another, without corruption or alteration of either: We say two bodies cannot be together, and at once, in one proper place; no more than one body can be together, and at once, in an hundred, or a thousand places; now that Angelical argument is full for this; he is not here, for he is risen; he is not in the grave,3 for he is risen out of the grave; he could not be in the grave, and out of the grave at one and the same time. But I mean not to dwell on controversial Points.
14. That Christ rose again Angels ministring to him. An Angel came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sate upon it. Christs Power was not included in the grave, or on the earth, but extended to Heaven, and to the Hosts therein; however the chief Priests and Pharisees conspired together to close him in the earth; they sealed the stone, and set a watch, they made all as sure as possibly they could; yet, the Angels of heaven are ready to wait on him as their Sovereign Lord. An Angel descended to role away the Stone; not that Christ was unable to do it himsef: he shook the earth, and could he not lift up a stone? O yes! but thus he would manifest his Power, by declaring his Power over the mighty Angels; he needed but to say unto his Angel▪ do this, and he doth it. I find some difference amongst Authors, why an Angel should role away the Stone: some think it was only for the womens sake, that they might go into the Sepulchre, and take a view of the empty Tomb, and so be satisfied that Christ was not here, but risen;2 as they said, Come, see the place where the Lord lay: Others think it was to do their office of duty and service to Christ Jesus, to make way for his body to pass out of the grave without any penetration of other Bodies: for my part, I adhere to these; though we need not to exclude the former; for the stone might be removed, both that Christ might come forth, and that the women might be convinc'd that he was risen again. But as for the opinion of them, who think the stone was not removed till after the resurrection; & that the body of Christ went through the grave-stone when he rose again, it is without all warrant; the very order of nature will not permi• that one body should pass through another, without corruption or alteration of either: We say two bodies cannot be together, and at once, in one proper place; no more than one body can be together, and at once, in an hundred, or a thousand places; now that Angelical argument is full for this; he is not here, for he is risen; he is not in the grave,3 for he is risen out of the grave; he could not be in the grave, and out of the grave at one and the same time. But I mean not to dwell on controversial Points.
- 1Mat. 28.2.
- 2Mat. 28.6.
- 3Mat. 28.6.
