Christ after his passion showed himself alive by many infallible proofs. 1And so he had need to persuade men into the faith of so strange a truth; if we consult with antiquity, or novelty, with primitive times, or later times, never was matter carried on with more scruple, and slowness of belief, with more doubts and difficulties than was this truth of Christ's resurrection. Mary Magdalen saw it first, and reported it. But they believed her not, Mark 16.10. the two Disciples that went to Emmaus, they saw it also, and reported it, but they believed them not, Luke 24.37. divers women together saw him, and came and told the Disciples, but their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not, Luke 24.11. They all saw him, and even seeing him, Yet they believed not for joy, but wondered, Luke 24.41. When the wonder was over, and the rest told it but to one that happened to be absent, you know how peremptory he was, Not he, except he saw in his hands the print of the nails, and put his fingers into the print of the nails, and thrust his hands into his side, he would not believe, John 20.25.—In after-times the whole world stopped their ears at this report of the resurrection of Christ, it was with the Grecians at Athens a very scorn; When they heard of the Resurrection of the dead, some mocked, Acts 17.32. It was with Festus, the great Roman, [Greek or Hebrew], a sickness of the brain, a plain frenzy; Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art besides thy self, much learning doth make thee mad, Acts 28.24.—But come we to our own times, the resurrection of Christ is to this day as much opposed by Jews, and Atheists, as any one Article of our Creed. And surely we had need to look to it, for if Christ be not risen (as the Apostle argues) then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain, 1 Cor. 15.14. If Christ be not risen, ye are yet in your sins; and they which are fallen asleep in Christ, are perished, 1 Cor. 15.17, 18. Of all the precious truths in the Book of God, we had need to preserve this truth, and to be well skilled in the defending of this truth of the resurrection of Christ. Some talk of a toleration of all Religions, and some desire that the Jews may have free commerce amongst us; it will then be time, as I think, to be well armed at this point.
CHrist after his passion shewed himself alive by many infallible proofs. 1And so he had need to perswade men into the faith of so strange a truth; if we consult with antiquity, or novelty, with primitive times, or later times, never was matter carried on with more scruple, and slowness of belief, with more doubts and difficulties than was this truth of Christ's resurrection. Mary Magdalen saw it first, and reported it. But they believed her not, Mark 16.10. the two Disciples that went to Emmaus, they saw it also, and reported it, but they believed them not, Luke 24.37. divers women together saw him, and came and told the Disciples, but their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not, Luke 24.11. They all saw him, and even seeing him, Yet they believed not for joy, but wondred, Luke 24.41. When the wonder was over, and the rest told it but to one that happened to be absent, you know how peremptory he was, Not he, except he saw in his hands the print of the nails, and put his fingers into the print of the nails, and thrust his hands into his side, he would not believe, John 20.25.—In after-times the whole world stopt their ears at this report of the resurrection of Christ, it was with the Grecians at Athens a very scorn; When they heard of the Resurrection of the dead, some mocked, Acts 17.32. It was with Festus, the great Roman, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, a sickness of the brain, a plain phrenzy; Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art besides thy self, much learning doth make thee mad, Acts 28.24.—But come we to our own times, the resurrection of Christ is to this day as much opposed by Jews, and Atheists, as any one Article of our Creed. And surely we had need to look to it, for if Christ be not risen (as the Apostle argues) then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain, 1 Cor. 15.14. If Christ be not risen, ye are yet in your sins; and they which are fallen asleep in Christ, are perished,
- 1Acts 1.3.
