Looking unto Jesus a view of the everlasting gospel, or, the souls eying of Jesus as carrying on the great work of mans salvation from first to last / by Isaac Ambrose ...

SECT. IV. Of the Arguments of Christ's Resurrection.

CHrist after his passion shewed himself alive by many infallible proofs.* 1.1 And 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 wo∣men 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 see∣ing 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 be∣lieve, 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 Fe∣stus, the great Roman, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in 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, 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 tolleration 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. Let the ordinary Professors of our times, who are of weak judgments, and fiery Spi∣rits, look to this point, least as now, when they cannot answer a Separatist, they turn Separatists, and when they cannot answer an Antinomian, they turn Antinomians, and when they cannot answer a Seeker, Quaker, Blasphemer, they turn to them, so when they cannot answer the subtle Arguments of a Jew, they should as easily turn Jews, and deny Christ, and the resurrection of Christ.

I mean not to enter into controversies; only I shall declare from what heads, Argu∣ments of this nature may be drawn. As—

1. More generally from Gentiles grants; Jews concessions, typical instructions, prophetical predictions.

2. More specially from these clear demonstrations, that circumstantially and sub∣stantially do prove this Christ to have risen again.

1. the Arguments in general are—

1. From Gentiles grants: Pilate that condemned Christ, testified in a letter to Ti∣berius Cesar, that Christ was risen again;* 1.2 and therefore Tiberius desired the Senate to admit Christ into the number of their gods, which when they refused, Tiberius was incensed, and gave free leave to all Christians to profess Christianity. And to the Gen∣tiles, Sybylla left written these very words, He shall end the necessity of death by three dayes sleep, and then returning from death to life again, he shall be the first that shall shew the beginning of resurrection to his chosen, for that by conquering death, he shall bring us life.

2. For the Jews concessions; Josephus,* 1.3 the most learned amongst the latter Jews ac∣knowledgeth, that after Pilate had crucified him, he appeared unto his followers the third day, accordingly as the Prophets had foretold. The Scribes and Pharisees being asto∣nished with the sudden news of his rising again, confirmed by the Souldiers whom they set to watch, found no other way to resist the same, but only by saying (as all the Jews do unto this day) that his Disciples came by night, and stole away his body,

whiles the Souldiers slept: O strange! if they were asleep, how know they that his Disciples stole away his body? and if they were not asl••ep, how could a few weak fishers take away his body from a band of armed Souldiers?

3. From typical instructions; such was Adam's sleep, Isaac's laying upon the Al∣tar, Joseph's imprisonment, Sampson's breaking of the gates of Gaza, David's escaping out of Saul's hands, Jeremy's deliverance out of the pit, the raising of the Shunamites child, of the widow of Sarephtahs son, of the Temple of Solomon, of Jonah from the deep; a thousand of these types might be produced, which relate to this antitype, Christ's resurrection.

4. From prophetical predictions, Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption, Psal. 16.10.* 1.4 After two dayes he will revive us, in the third day he will raise us up, Hosea 6.2.* 1.5 he will raise us up (i.e.) his Son united to us, or our flesh assumed by his Son, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee, Psal. 2.7.* 1.6 Acts 13.33. I laid me down and slept, I waked, for the Lord sustained me, Psal. 3 5.* 1.7 Above all, how plain was the prophesie of Christ himself, that he must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the Elders, and chief Priests, and Scribes, and be killed, and be ra••sed again the third day, Matth. 16.21?* 1.8

2. The special Arguments are exceeding many, as 1. The Angels Assertion, He is not here for he is ris••n, as he said, come see the place where the Lord lay, Matth. 28.6.* 1.9 2. The great Earthquake, And behold there was a great earthquake, for the Angel of the Lord ••••cended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, Matth. 28.2.* 1.10

3. The Apparitions of raised bodies, and the graves were opened, and many bodies of Saints which s••••pt arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy City, and appeared unto many, Matth. 27.52, 53.* 1.11

4. The sudden courage of the Apostles; whereas a little before they durst not peep out of doors, they presently after compassed the whole world, and confidently taught, that there was no other name given under heaven, whereby men may be saved, but the Name of ••esus, Act. 4.12.* 1.12 5. The Martyrs sufferings even for this truth. 6. The Adversaries conf••ssions even to this truth. 7. The Jews punishments even to this day, for not be∣lieving this saving truth. There is one Rabbi Samuel, who six hundred years since writ a Tract in form of an Epistle to Rabbi Isaac, Master of the Synagogue of the Jews; wherein he doth excellently discuss the cause of their long captivity, and ex∣tream misery: And after that he had proved it was inflicted for some grievous sin; he sheweth that sin to be the same which Amos speaks of, For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof, because they sold the righteous for silver, Amos 2.6.* 1.13 the selling of Joseph he makes the first sin; the worshipping of the Calf in Horeb the second sin; the abusing and killing of God's Prophets the third sin; and the selling of Jesus Christ the fourth sin. For the first, They served four hundred years in Egypt; for the second, They wandred forty years in the wilderness; for the third, They were captives seventy years in Babylon; and for the fourth, They are held in pitiful captivity even till this day. 8. The last Argument on which only I shall in∣sist, it is the several Apparitions that Christ made to others after his Resurrection, some reckon them ten times, others eleven times, and others twelve times, according to the number of his twelve Apostles.

* 1.141. He appeared unto Mary Magdalen apart. As a woman was the first instru∣ment of death, so was a woman the first Messenger of Life; she brought the first ti∣dings of the Resurrection of Christ, which is the surest Argument of man's Salva∣tion.

2. He appeared to all the Maries together, as they returned homewards from the Se∣pulchre, never any truly sought for Christ, but with these women they were sure to find Christ.

3 He appeared to Simon Peter alone; he was the first among men to whom he ap∣peared, he first went into the Sepulchre, and he first saw him that was raised thence: he was called first, and he confessed Christ to be the Son of God, and therefore Christ appears first to him;* 1.15 the Angel bade the women to tell his Disciples and Peter (that is to say, and Peter especially) that he was risen, and gone before them into Galilee.* 1.16 Of this speaks Paul, He was first seen of Cephas, and then of the Twelve.

4. He appeared to the two Disciples journeying towards Emmaus; the name of

the one was Cleophas, and probable it is, the other was Luke,* 1.17 who out of his modesty con∣cealed his own name, saith Theophilact.

5. He appeared unto the ten Apostles, when the doors were shut. Some controversie there is in this, because the Evangelist saith expresly,* 1.18 that the eleven Disciples were ga∣thered together—and as they spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them. Now Judas was hanged, and Matthias was not elected, and Thomas Didimus was not with them when Jesus came: how then could he appear to eleven Apostles, considering at at this time there were but eleven in all?—Some say it is a certain number put for an uncertain. Others say, that the eleven might be together when the two Disciples came, and when Jesus came, Thomas might be absent, and gone from amongst them. And if the Text be viewed well, there is no contradiction in this saying, But I must not dwell on controversial points.

6. He appeared to all the Disciples, and Thomas was with them;* 1.19 and then he shewed them his wounds, to strengthen the weak faith of his wavering servants. Thomas would not have believed unless he had seen, and therefore Christ shews him the wounds of his body, that he might cure the wounds of Thomas's unbelieving soul.

7. He appeared to Peter, and John, and James, and Nathaniel, and Didimus,* 1.20 and two other Disciples, when they were a fishing at the sea of Tiberias; there he proved the verity of his Deity by that miracle of the fishes, and the verity of his humanity by eat∣ing meat with them.* 1.21 And this was the third time that he shewed himself publickly and solemnly unto all, or to the most part of his Disciples.

8. He appeared unto more than five hundred brethren at once; of this we read not in the Evangelists, but the Apostle Paul records it,* 1.22 after that he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

9. He appeared unto James the Brother of the Lord: (i.e.) the Cozen-german of Christ according to the Flesh; he was called James the just in regard of his upright and innocent life. Jerome in his Book De viris illustribus tells us, that afore Christ's death this James made a vow, that he would eat no bread till Christ were risen again from the dead; and now Christ appearing to him, he commanded Bread and Meat to be set on the table; saying to James, O my brother, now rise and eat, for now I am risen again from the dead. Of this Apparition Paul makes mention:* 1.23 After that he was seen of James.

10. He appeared to the eleven Disciples, on Mount Tabor in Galilee. And this Matthew intimates, when Jesus bade the woman tell his Brethren that he was risen, and that they should go into Galilee, and there they should see him;* 1.24 and ac∣cordingly in that Mountain where Jesus had appointed them, they saw him, and worshipped him.

11. He appeared to all his Apostles and Disciples upon Mount Olivet by Jerusalem, when in the presence of them all he ascended up into Heaven. This mountain is expres∣sed by Luke, when after Christs ascension it is said,* 1.25 that the Disciples returned back to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet.

12. He appeared unto Paul travelling unto Damascus. This indeed was after his forty dayes abode upon the earth. And yet this Paul mentions amongst the rest of his apparitions, and last of all he was seen of me also,* 1.26 as of one born out of due time.

My meaning is not to speak of all these Apparitions in order; for of some of them we are neither assured of the order, nor of the time. But of the most considerable, and most edifying we shall treat.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Acts 1.3.
• * 1.2

  Tertul. l. cont. Gent. Egesip∣pus de vito & resur. Christi.
• * 1.3

  Joseph. Antiq. lib. 8. c. 9.
• * 1.4

  Psal. 16.10.
• * 1.5

  Hos. 6.2.
• * 1.6

  Psal. 2.7.
• * 1.7

  Psal. 3.5.
• * 1.8

  Mat 16.21.
• * 1.9

  Mat. 28 6.
• * 1.10

  Mat. 28.2.
• * 1.11

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 27.52, 53
• * 1.12

  Acts 4.12.
• * 1.13

  Amos 2.6.
• * 1.14

  Luke 24.34.
• * 1.15

  Mark 16.7.
• * 1.16

  1 Cor. 15.5.
• * 1.17

  Theoph. super Luk.
• * 1.18

  Luke. 24.33. ver. 36. John 20.24.
• * 1.19

  John 20.26.
• * 1.20

  John 21.2.
• * 1.21

  ver. 14.
• * 1.22

  1 Cor. 15.6.
• * 1.23

  1 Cor. 15.7.
• * 1.24

  Mat. 28.10, 16, 17.
• * 1.25

  Acts. 1.12.
• * 1.26

  1 Cor. 15.8.