The suruey of popery vvherein the reader may cleerely behold, not onely the originall and daily incrementes of papistrie, with an euident confutation of the same; but also a succinct and profitable enarration of the state of Gods Church from Adam vntill Christs ascension, contained in the first and second part thereof: and throughout the third part poperie is turned vp-side downe.

CHAP. VI. Of Christs resurrection, and the adiuncts thereof.

AT such time as Christ the sonne of the euerliuing God suffered his passion, wonderfull and strange sights happe∣ned. The Sunne was darkened, the Moone being in the full gaue no light, (a thing so repugnant to nature, that Diony∣sius Areopagita pronounced boldely (though then an Eth∣nicke) that either the sonne of God was tormented,* 1.1 or else the worlde woulde bee dissolued;) the vaile of the Temple was rent in twaine, earthquakes were seene, the rockes were clouen asunder,* 1.2 the graues were opened, and such as slept, arose with Christ to life againe.

Christ after his resurrection appeared sundry times; first, to Marie Magdalen, when she taried still at the sepulchre, to see Christ after his disciples were gone away to their owne home.* 1.3

Christ appeared the second time the selfe same day to two of his disciples,* 1.4 as they went to a towne called Emaus, which was distant from Ierusalem about three score furlongs.

The cause of the second apparition was this; because the saide disciples would not beleeue that which Mary Magdalen, and Ioanna, and Mary the mother of Iames, and other women, told them of Christs resurrection.

Christ appeared the third time to all the Disciples, (Tho∣mas onely excepted,* 1.5 who was then absent) which apparition was done the first day of the weeke, and when the doores were shut, where the Disciples were assembled for feare of the Iewes, and then Iesus stoode in the middes of them and be∣stowed his peace vpon them.

Christ after eight dayes appeared the fourth time to his disciples,* 1.6 comming into the middest of them euen when the doores were shut, and bidding Thomas to see his hands, and to put forth his hand into his side, and to be no longer incredu∣lous, but faithful.

Christ appeared the fift time to his Disciples, at the sea of Tiberias, where they were fishing, at whose word they casting out their net,* 1.7 were not able to draw it at all for the multitude of fishes. By these and other his apparitions, he made his re∣surrection manifest vnto the world. Sixtly, hee appeared to the eleuen Disciples in the mount of Galile.* 1.8 But from hence arise doubts very worthie the examination.

The first doubt.

Christ saith in Iohn, that hee appeared but thrise after his resurrection. To this I answere,* 1.9 that the ternarie number doth not determine the apparitions in themselues, but the di∣uersitie of dayes and times in which they were made, for al ap∣paritions made in one & the same day are reputed & named one

The second doubt.

It is saide in these apparitions, that Christ came into the middes of his Disciples and stoode among them,* 1.10 euen when they were within the house, & the doores closely shut. Wherby it appeareth euidently, that Christs body may be both in hea∣uen, and in the sacrament at one and the same time, for it no more repugneth, for one bodie to bee in diuers places at once, then for diuers bodies to be in one place at once. Which latter is here verified, of Christs body and the doore or walles of the house.

The answere.

I answere, that God cannot by his absolute power, make Christes body to be in diuers places at once: not because there is any defect in God, who is omnipotent; but because contra∣diction is implied in the thing which should be done. Which point I haue prooued euidently, in the 12. preamble of my Booke of Motiues. For the reasons there alleadged are effec∣tuall, if they be applied to this purpose. In like maner I say, that two bodies cannot be in one place at once; because to haue parts without parts and to occupie place, is of the formall and intrinsecall conceit of euery organicall and quantitatiue bodie, such as Christes true body is. Whereupon S. Augustine said truely and learnedly,* 1.11 that if occupation or spaces of places be taken away from bodies, they shall lose their essence, and be no bodies at all. So then, the entrance of Christ into the house when the doors were shut, and also his comming out of the se∣pulchre, when the stone was vnrolled away; neither doth nor can prooue, that two bodies were in one place at once, but that the doore and the stone gaue place for the time to Christes mightie power; like as the red Sea gaue place to the Israe∣lites, and they passed through the middest thereof. And as S. Peters chaines gaue place to his handes;* 1.12 and as the Iron gate opened to him of it owne accord. Furthermore, if Christes bo∣die can be in ten thousand places at once, as the papistes impu∣dently auouch; it must also follow, that it may be in infinite pla∣ces at once, which is the heresie of the Vbiquitaries.

For after this maner did S. Hierome reason against Iohn the Bishop of Hierusalem, when hee laboured to prooue that our bodies may liue without meate after the resurrection.* 1.13 If a man may liue fourty daies without meate, saith S. Hierome, as Moses and Elias did by the power of God; then doubtles may he liue eternally, by the same power of God. In fine, this veri∣tie is made euident, by that argument, which Gods angel made to Mary Magdalen, and the other Mary comming to see the sepulchre. And because the argument is of force to confound all papistes in the world, if it be well vrged; I will alledge the argument as it is in the originall, and then make effectuall

application thereof.* 1.14 These are the expresse wordes of the holy Euangelist Saint Matthew: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Hee is not heere, for he is risen, as he saide. Where I ob∣serue first, the assertion simplie in it selfe. Secondly, the cause and reason of the same assertion. The assertion is this; Christ is not in the sepulchre: the reason heereof is this; be∣cause Christ is risen. Nowe then, since Christ cannot be in the Sepulchre because he is risen; it followeth of necessitie, that either the angel of God inspired with Gods holy spirite, made a very foolish and friuolous argument, (which to affirme, is void of all christianitie) or els,* 1.15 that Christes body cannot be in two places at once; which is that, that I intend to proue. For if it were not as I say, the women might haue replied effectu∣ally against the angel thus; albeit Christ be risen as you say: yet may he be in the sepulchre also; because his body may be in two places at once: but the angel reputing it a thing cleere and euident, that Christes body could not be in two places at one & the selfe same time, concluded directly and forcibly as hee thought, Christes absence in the sepulchre, bicause he was ri∣sen againe. See the 3. part, 10. chapter, 4. conclusion, and 3. paragraphe.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mar. 15. ver. 33.
• * 1.2

  Math. 27. vers. 51
• * 1.3

  ••ohn. 20. ve. 10 11.
• * 1.4

  li••. 24 verse 10, 13, 15, 17.
• * 1.5

  Iohn. 20. ver. 1••.
• * 1.6

  Iohn. 10. v. 26, 27
• * 1.7

  Math. 28. v. 16, 17
• * 1.8

  Iohn. 21. ver. 1.9
• * 1.9

  Iohn. 21. vers. 14. non sunt verba Christi sed euan∣gelist.
• * 1.10

  Ioh. 20. vers. 26.
• * 1.11

  August. ad Dar∣danum. Epist. 57.
• * 1.12

  Exod. 14. ver. 21. Psal. 136. ver. 13. and 14. Act. 12. v. 7.10.
• * 1.13

  Hier. ad Pam∣mach. to. 5. p. 80
• * 1.14

  Math. 21. v. 1.6.
• * 1.15

  A flat demon∣stration against poperie.