1 Cor. 15.17. Even the dead who dyed in the Faith of Christ, and of whose salvation there now remains no ground to doubt. Moreover,
Had he not revived, and risen from the dead, how could all the Types that prefigured it have been satisfied? Surely they must have stood as insignificant things in the Scriptures, and so must all the predictions of his Resurrection, by which it was so plainly fore∣told. See Matth. 12.40. Luk. 24.46. Psal. 16.10. 1 Cor. 15.4.
To conclude, had he not risen from the dead how could he have been install'd in that glory whereof he is now possessed in heaven, and which was promised him before the world was upon the account of his death and sufferings. For to this end Christ both dyed, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead, and living, Rom. 14.9. And that in this state of dominion and glorious advancement, he might powerfully apply the vertues and benefits of his blood to us; which else had been as a pretious Cordial spilt upon the ground.
So then, there remains no doubt at all of the certainty of Christs Resurrection, it was so, and upon all accounts it must needs be so, for you see how great a weight the Scriptures hang upon this nail. And blessed be God it's a nail fastned in a sure place. I need spend no more words to confirm it, but rather choose to explain and open the nature and manner of his Resurrection, which I shall do by shew∣ing you four or five properties of it. And the first is this.
First, Christ rose from the dead with awful Majesty. So you [] find it in Matth. 28.2, 3, 4. And behold there was a great Earthquake, for the Angel ef the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sate upon it; his countenance was like lightning, and his rayment white as Snow, and for fear of him the Keepers did shake, and became as dead men. Humane infirmity was not able to bear such heavenly Majesty as attended the business of that morning. Nature ••ank under it. This Earthquake was as one calls it, Trium∣phale Signum. A sign of Triumph or token of Victory given by Christ not only to the Keepers and the neighbouring City, but to the whole world, that he had overcome Death in its own dominions, and like a conqueror lifted up his head above all his enemies. So when the Lord fought from heaven for his people, and gave them a glorious, though but Temporal deliverance, see how the Prophe∣••ess drives on the triumph in that Rhetorical Song, Iudg. 5.4, 5.