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when Christ rose by the providence of God, the disciples were together, but Thomas was absent; upon the first day of the next week they were all met together again in expectation of our Saviour, and Thomas with them. Again, "when the day of Pentecost was fully come," which was also the first day of the week, they were all with one accord in one place; (Acts ii. 1.) and having received the promise of the Holy Ghost they spake with tongues, preached the Gospel, and "the same day were added unto them about three thousand souls." (Acts ii. 41.) The same practice of convening, we find continued in the following years: For "upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them:" (Acts xx. 7.) and the same apostle gave express command concerning the collection for the saints both of the churches of Galatia and of Corinth; "Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him." (1 Cor. xvi. 2.)

*

From this resurrection of our Saviour, and the constant practice of the apostles, this first day of the week came to have the name of the Lord's-day, and is so called by St. John, who says of himself in the Revelation, "I was in the spirit on the Lord's-day." (Rev. i. 10.) And thus the observation of that day, which the Jews did sanctify, ceased, and was buried with our Saviour; and in the stead of it, the religious observation of that day on which the Son of God rose from the dead, by the constant practice of the blessed apostles, was * Τῇ τοῦ ἡλίου λεγομένῃ ἡμέρᾳ πάνω stianorum sibi vindicat, non Domini TWV KATȧ TÓλεis ǹ άypovs pevóvTwv cum Diem, non Pentecostem! Ter¿æì rò avrò avvéλevoeg yíverai. Justin. tull. de Idol. c. 14. Nam quod in Mart. Apol. ii. p. 98. and paulo post: Judaica circumcisione carnali octavus Τὴν δὲ τοῦ ἡλίου ἡμέραν κοινῇ πάντες dies observabatur, sacramentum est τὴν συνέλευσιν ποιούμεθα· ἐπειδὴ πρώτη in umbra atque imagine ante præἐστὶν ἡμέρα, ἐν ᾗ ὁ Θεὸς τὸ σκότος καὶ missum, sed veniente Christo in veri τὴν ὕλην τρέψας, κόσμον ἐποίησε, καὶ tate completum. Nam quia octavus ̓Ιησοῦς Χριστὸς ὁ ἡμέτερος Σωτὴρ τῇ dies idem post Sabbatum primus dies αὐτῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀνέστη. Τῇ γὰρ futurus erat, quo Dominus resurgeret πρὸ τῆς Κρονικῆς ἐσταύρωσαν αὐτὸν, καὶ et nos vivificaret, et circumcisionem τῇ μετὰ τὴν Κρονικὴν, ἥτις ἐστὶν Ηλίου nobis spiritualem daret, hic dies oeἡμέρα, φανεὶς τοῖς ἀποστόλοις αὐτοῦ tavus, id est, post sabbatum primus καὶ μαθηταῖς, ἐδίδαξε ταῦτα, ἅπερ εἰς et Dominicus præcessit in imagine. ἐπίσκεψιν καὶ ὑμῖν ἀνεδώκαμεν. p. 99. S. Cyprian. l. iii. ep. 8. al. ep. 59. This I take to be, without question, Eusebius reports how Constantine that status dies which is mentioned taught his soldiers to observe the by Pliny in his epistle to Trajan: Lord's day : Kai μèv xai ýμépav εvõõv Affirmabant hanc fuisse summam ἡγεῖσθαι κατάλληλον τὴν κυρίαν ἀληθῶς vel culpa suæ vel erroris, quod es- καὶ πρώτην, ὄντως κυριακήν τε καὶ σωτή sent soliti stato die ante lucem con- ριον, τὴν δὴ καὶ φωτὸς καὶ ζωῆς ἀθανα venire, carmenque Christo quasi Deo σίας τε καὶ ἀγαθοῦ παντὸς ἐπώνυμον. cancre.' I. x. ep. 97. Nobis, quibus Orat. de Laudib. Constant. c. 9. Quid Sabbata extranea sunt et neomeniæ est secunda sabbati, nisi Dominica et feria a Deo aliquando dilectæ, dies quæ Sabbatum sequebatur ? munera commeant? strenæ conso Dies autem Sabbati erat dierum nant? lusus, convivia constrepunt? O melior fides nationum in suam se ctam, quæ nullam solennitatem Chris

ordine posterior, sanctificatione legis anterior. Sed ubi finis legis advenit,› et resurrectione sua octavum sancti- ›

transmitted to the Church of God, and so continued in all ages. This day thus consecrated by the resurrection of Christ was left as the perpetual badge and cognizance of his Church. As God spake by Moses to the Israelites, "Verily my sabbath shall ye keep, for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that ye may know that I am the Lord that do sanctify you;" (Exod. xxxi. 13.) thereby leaving a mark of distinction upon the Jews, who were by this means known to worship that God whose name was Jehovah, who made the World, and delivered them from the hands of Pharaoh so we must conceive that he hath given us this day as a sign between him and us for ever, whereby we may be known to worship the same God Jehovah, who did not only create heaven and earth in the beginning, but also raised his eternal Son from the dead for our redemption. As therefore the Jews do still retain the celebration of the seventh day of the week, because they will not believe any greater deliverance wrought than that of Egypt; as the Mahometans religiously observe the sixth day of the week in memory of Mahomet's flight from Mecca, whom they esteem a greater prophet than our Saviour; as these are known and distinguished in the world by these several celebrations of distinct days in the worficavit, cœpit eadem prima esse quæ ut in eo a terrenis operibus vel mundi octava est, et octava quæ prima, illecebris abstinentes, tantum divinis habens ex numeri ordine prærogati- cultibus serviamus, dantes scilicet vam, et ex resurrectione Domini diei huic honorem et reverentiam sanctitatem. S. Ambros. Enar. in propter spem resurrectionis nostræ Psal. xlvii. §. 1. Dicat aliquis, Si quam habemus in illa. Nam sicut dies observari non licet, et menses et ipse Dominus Jesus Christus et Saltempora et annos, nos quoque simile vator resurrexit a mortuis, ita et nos crimen incurrimus, quartam Sabbati resurrecturos in novissimo die speobservantes, et parasceuen, et diem ramus.' Auctor Serm. de Tempore, Dominicam.' S. Hier. in Epist. ad Serm. 251. al. 280. §. 2. 'Sancti Gal. c. 4. ver. 10. And St. Augustin doctores Ecclesiæ decreverunt omin answer to that objection: Nam nem gloriam Judaici Sabbatismi in nos quoque et Dominicum diem et illam transferre; ut quod ipsi in figura, Pascha solenniter celebramus et quas- nos celebraremus in veritate.' Ibid. libet alias Christianas dierum festivi-Dominica nobis ideo venerabilis est tates.' cont. Adimant. c. 16. 'Dies atque solennis, quia in ea Salvator Dominicus non Judæis sed Christi- velut sol oriens, discussis infernorum anis resurrectione Domini declaratus est, et ex illo habere coepit festivitatem suam.' S. August. Epist. 119. al. 55. §. 23, Hæc tamen septima erit Sabbatum nostrum, cujus finis non erit vespera, sed Dominicus dies velut octavus æternus, qui Christi resurrectione sacratus est, æternam non solum spiritus, verum etiam corporis, requiem præfigurans.' Idem, de Civit. Dei, 1. xxii. c. 30. §. 5, • Dominicum diem Apostoli et Apostolici viri ideo religiosa solennitate habendum sanxerunt, quia in eodem Redemptor noster a mortuis resurrexit. Quique ideo Dominicus appellatur, dic. Can. 29.

tenebris, luce resurrectionis emicuit, ac propterea ipsa dies ab hominibus sæculi Dies solis vocatur, quod ortus eum sol justitiæ Christus illuminet.' Max. Taurin. de Pentecost. Hom. 3. Περιέχει οὖν ἡ μὲν παρασκευὴ πρὸς τὸ σάββατον τὴν ταφὴν, ἡ Κυριακὴ τὴν áváσraσiv.

Auctor Clem. Constitut. 1. v. c. 13. Ὅτι οὐ δεῖ Χριστιανοὺς 'Iovdate kai ev ty oaßßáry oxoλášev, ἀλλὰ ἐργάζεσθαι αὐτοὺς ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ ἡμέρᾳ· τὴν δὲ Κυριακὴν προτιμῶντας, εἴγε δύναιντο, σχολάζειν, ὡς Χριστιανοί εἰ δὲ εὑρηθεῖεν Ιουδαϊσταὶ, ἔστωσαν ȧvá≈ɛμa πapà Xplory. Concil. Lao

ship of God: so all which profess the Christian religion are known publicly to belong unto the Church of Christ by observing the first day of the week upon which Christ did rise from the dead, and by this mark of distinction are openly separated from all other professions.*

That Christ did thus rise from the dead, is a most necessary Article of the Christian faith, which all are obliged to believe and profess, to the meditation whereof the apostle hath given a particular injunction." Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead." (2 Tim. ii. 8.) First, Because without it our faith is vain, and by virtue of it strong. By this we are assured that he which died was the Lord of life; and though he were "crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God." (2 Cor. xiii. 4.) By this resurrection from the dead, he "was declared to be the Son of God;" (Rom. i. 4.) and upon the morning of the third day did those words of the Father manifest a most important truth, "Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee." (Acts xiii. 33.) In his death he assured us of his humanity, by his resurrection he demonstrated his Divinity.

Secondly, By his resurrection we are assured of the justification of our persons; and "if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead," it will be "imputed to us for righteousness;" for he "was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification." (Rom. iv. 24. 22. 25.) By his death we know that he suffered for sin, by his resurrection we are assured, that the sins for which he suffered, were not his own. Had no man been a sinner, he had not died; had he been a sinner, he had not risen again: but dying for those sins which we committed, he rose from the dead to shew that he had made full satisfaction for them, that we believing in him might obtain remission of our sins, and justification of our persons. "God, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh for sin, condemned sin in the flesh," (Rom. viii. 3.) and raising up our surety from the prison of the grave, did actually absolve, and apparently acquit, him from the whole obligation to which he had bound himself, and

Quid hac die felicius, in qua nis, dies Christianorum, dies nostra Dominus Judæis mortuus est, nobis est.' Explan. in Psal. 117. sub nomine resurrexit? in qua Synagogæ cultus Hieron." occubuit, et est ortus Ecclesiæ; in qua nos homines fecit secum surgere et vivere et sedere in coelestibus, et impletum est illud quod ipse dixit in Evangelio, Cum autem exaltatus fuero a terra, omnia traham ad me. Hæc est dies quam fecit Dominus, exsultemus et lætemur in ea. Omnes dies quidem fecit Dominus, sed cæteri dies possunt esse Judæorum, possunt esse Hæreticorum, possunt esse Gentilium; dies Dominica, dies resurrectio

+ St. Chrysostom excellently upon that place: Ὅρα πῶς τὴν αἰτίαν εἰπὼν τοῦ θανάτου, τὴν αὐτὴν καὶ ἀπόδειξιν τῆς ἀναστάσεως ποιεῖται. Διὰ τί γὰρ ἐσταυρώθη, φησίν ; οὐ δι' οἰκείαν ἁμαρτίαν καὶ δῆλον ἐκ τῆς ἀναστάσεως· εἰ γὰρ ἦν ἁμαρτωλὸς, πῶς ἀνέστη; εἰ δὲ ἀνέστη, εὔδηλον ὅτι ἁμαρτωλὸς οὐκ ἦν· εἰ δὲ ἁμαρτωλὸς οὐκ ἦν, πῶς ἐσταυρώθη; δι' ἑτέρους· εἰ δὲ δι' ἑτέρους, πάντως ȧvéorn. Hom. 9. in Epist. ad Rom.

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in discharging him acknowledged full satisfaction made for us. "Who then shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth? Itis Christ that died, yea rather that is risen again." (Rom. viii. 33, 34.) Thirdly, It was necessary to pronounce the resurrection of Christ, as an Article of our faith, that thereby we might ground, confirm, strengthen, and declare our hope. For "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, unto an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled." (1 Pet. i. 3, 4.) By the resurrection of Christ his Father hath been said to have begotten him; and therefore by the same he hath begotten us, who are called brethren and coheirs with Christ. "For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life." (Rom. v. 10.) He laid down his life, but it was for us; and being to take up his own, he took up ours. We are the members of that body, of which Christ is the Head; if the Head be risen, the members cannot be far behind. He is the "first-born from the dead," (Col. i. 18.) and we the sons of the resurrection." The Spirit of Christ abiding in us maketh us members of Christ, and by the same Spirit we have a full right and title to rise with our Head. "For if the Spirit of him, that raised up Jesus from the dead, dwell in us, he that raised up Christ from the dead, shall also quicken our mortal bodies by his Spirit, that dwelleth in us." (Rom. viii. 11.) Thus the resurrection of Christ is the cause of our resurrection by a double causality, as an efficient, and as an exemplary cause. As an efficient cause, in regard our Saviour by and upon his resurrection hath obtained power and right to raise all the dead; "For as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive." (1 Cor. xv. 22.) As an exemplary cause, in regard that all the saints of God shall rise after the similitude and in conformity to the resurrection of Christ; "For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection." (Rom. vi. 5.) He "shall change our vile bodies, that they may be fashioned like unto his glorious body:" (Phil. iii. 21.) that "as we have borne the image of the earthy, we may also bear the image of the heavenly." (1 Cor. xv. 49.) This is the great hope of a Christian, that Christ rising from the dead hath obtained the power, and is become the pattern, of his resurrection. "The breaker is come up before them; they have broken up and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it, and their king shall pass before them, and the Lord on the head of them." (Micah ii. 13.)

Fourthly, It is necessary to profess our faith in Christ risen from the dead, that his resurrection may effectually work its proper operation in our lives. For as it is efficient and ex

When we

emplary to our bodies, so it is also to our souls. " were dead in sins, God quickened us together with Christ." (Eph. ii. 5.) And, "as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we should walk in newness of life." (Rom. vi. 4.) To continue among the graves of sin, while Christ is risen, is to incur that reprehension of the angel, Why seek ye the living among the dead?" (Luke xxiv. 5.) To walk in any habitual sin, is either to deny that sin is death, or Christ is risen from the dead. "Let then the dead bury their dead," (Matt. viii. 22.) but let not any Christian bury him, who rose from death, that he might live. "Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." (Eph. v. 14.) There must be a spiritual resurrection of the soul, before there can be a comfortable resurrection of the body. "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in this first resurrection; on such the second death hath no power.” (Rev. xx. 6.)

Having thus explained the manner of Christ's resurrection, and the necessity of our faith in him risen from the dead, we may easily give such a brief account, as any Christian may understand, what it is he should intend, when he makes profession of this part of the CREED; for he is conceived to acknowledge thus much: I freely and fully assent unto this as a truth of infinite certainty and absolute necessity, that the eternal Son of God, who was crucified and died for our sins, did not long continue in the state of death, but by his infinite power did revive and raise himself, by reuniting the same soul which was separated to the same body which was buried, and so rose the same man: and this he did the third day from his death; so that dying on Friday the sixth day of the week, the day of the preparation of the sabbath, and resting in the grave the sabbath-day, on the morning of the first day of the week he returned unto life again, and thereby consecrated the weekly revolution of that first day to a religious observation until his coming again. And thus I believe THE

THIRD DAY HE ROSE AGAIN FROM THE DEAD.

ARTICLE VI.

He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty.

THIS Article hath received no variation, but only in the addition of the name of God, and the attribute Almighty; the ancients using it briefly thus,* He ascended into heaven, sitteth

* Adscendit in coelos, sedet ad §. 30. S. August. in Enchirid. §. 14. dexteram Patris.' Ruffin. in Symb. Maximus Taurinens. Hom, de expos.