4. Consider of the tenders, offers, apparitions that Christ raised makes of himself to our souls? when first he arose (to confirm the faith of his Disciples he offers himself, and appears to Mary Magdalen, to the other women, to Peter, Thomas, and all the rest; and all those apparitions were on this account that they might believe,1 these things are written that ye might believe. In like manner Christ at this day offers himself in the Gospel of grace; and by his Spirit he appears to souls. Methinks we should not hear a Sermon of Christ's resurrection, but we should imagine as if we saw him, whose head and hairs are white like wool, as white as snow, 2whose eyes are as a flame of fire; whose feet are like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; whose voice is as the sound of many waters: or if we are dazzled with his glory, methinks at least we should hear his voice, as if he said, fear not, I am the first and the last, I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold I am alive for evermore. Amen. q. d. Come,3 cast your souls on me; it is I that have conquered sin, death, and hell for you; it is I that have broke the serpents head, that have took away the sting of death, that have cancelled the bond of the hand-writing against you, that have in my hands a general acquittance and pardon of your sins; come, take it, take me, and take all with me; see your names written in the acquittance, that I tender; take out the copy of it in your own hearts; only believe in him who is risen again for your justification.—O my soul what sayest thou to this still sweet voice of Christ? shall he who is the Saviour of men, and glory of Angels desire thee to believe, and wilt thou not say Amen to it? Oh how should I blame thee for thy unbelief? what aspersions doth it cast on Christ? he hath done all things well, he hath satisfied wrath, fulfilled the Law; and God hath acquitted him, pronounced him just; faith is contented, he can desire no more; but thou sayest by unbelief that Christ hath done nothing at all, unbelief professeth Christ is not dead, or at least not risen from the dead; unbelief professeth that justice is not satisfied, that no justification is procured, that the wrath of God is now as open to destroy us as ever it was. Oh that Christ should be crucified again in our hearts by our unbelief;
4. Consider of the tenders, offers, apparitions that Christ raised makes of himself to our souls? when first he arose (to confirm the faith of his Disciples he offers himself, and appears to Mary Magdalen, to the other women, to Peter, Thomas, and all the rest; and all those apparitions were on this account that they might believe,1 these things are written that ye might believe. In like manner Christ at this day offers himself in the Gospel of grace; and by his Spirit he appears to souls. Methinks we should not hear a Sermon of Christ's resurrection, but we should imagine as if we saw him, whose head and haires are white like wool, as white as snow, 2whose eyes are as a flame of fire; whose feet are like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; whose voyce is as the sound of many waters: or if we are dazled with his glory, methinks at least we should hear his voyce, as if he said, fear not, I am the first and the last, I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold I am alive for evermore. Amen. q. d. Come,3 cast your souls on me; it is I that have conquered sin, death, and hell for you; it is I that have broke the serpents head, that have took away the sting of death, that have cancelled the bond of the hand-writing against you, that have in my hands a general acquittance and pardon of your sins; come, take it, take me, and take all with me; see your names written in the acquittance, that I tender; take out the copy of it in your own hearts; only believe in him who is risen again for your justification.—O my soul what sayst thou to this still sweet voyce of Christ? shall he who is the Saviour of men, and glory of Angels desire thee to believe, and wilt thou not say Amen to it? Oh how should I blame thee for thy unbelief? what aspersions doth it cast on Christ? he hath done all things well, he hath satisfied wrath, fullfilled the Law; and God hath acquitted him, pronounced him just; faith is contented, he can desire no more; but thou sayst by unbelief that Christ hath done nothing at all, unbelief professeth Christ is not dead, or at least not risen from the dead; unbelief professeth that justice is not satisfied, that no justification is procured, that the wrath of God is now as open to destroy us as ever it was. Oh that Christ should be crucified again in our hearts by our unbelief;
- 1Joh. 29.31.
- 2Rev. 1.14, 15.
- 3Ver. 17, 18.
