CHA P. XXVI.

Of the Reasons why Chrift did not shew himself to all the People of the Jews after his Refurrection.

T. Peter fpeaking of Chrift's Refurrection fays, him God raised up the third Day, and fhewed him openly, not to all the People, but unto Witneffes chofen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him, after he rofe from the Dead, Acts x. 40, 41. After his Refurrection he was fhewn openly, but not to all the People; he was seen in a plain and open manner, yet not fo publickly, as to make all the People Witnesses of his Refurrection. The Will and good Pleasure of God is a fufficient Reafon to us of all his Actions, especially in Acts of Mercy: For it would be a strange Return made but to a Man for any Favour received, to be captious and quarrelfome about the manner of his bestowing it, inftead of being grateful to him for it. But befides this General Reafon which ought to be of Force with us in all Cafes, there are Reasons peculiar to the prefent Cafe, whereby we may be able to give an Account of it, even according to our own Apprehenfions of things.

I. There

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I. There are Reasons peculiar to this Difpenfation of Chrift's Refurrection; why Chrift fhould not fhew himself to all the People, after he was rifen from the dead.

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II. It had not been fuitable to the other Difpenfations of God towards Mankind for him to do it.

III. Great Numbers of the Jews were given over to hardness of heart, and would not have believed, tho' they had feen Christ after his Resurrection.

IV. If they had Believed, their Converfion had not been a greater proof of the Truth of his Refurrection, than their Unbelief has been,

V. The Power of his Refurrection manifested in the Miraculous Gifts bestowed upon the Apostles was as great a Proof of his Refurrection, as the Perfonal Appearance of our Saviour himself could have been.

1. There are Reasons peculiar to this Difpenfation of his Refurrection, why Christ fhould not fhew himself to all the People after he was risen from the Dead. Chrift after his Resurrection was to act according to the Majesty of the Divine Nature, not according to the Infirmities and Condefcenfion of the Humane; the time of his Converfing with Men was at an end at his Death, and then another method and manner of Difpenfation was to begin; he was then to Converse only with his particular Friends

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Friends and Favourites, to fatisfie them of his Refurrection, and to inftruct and enable them both by their Doctrine and Miracles to fatisfie others. It could not be fuitable to the Dignity of his Majefty, which he had affumed after his Refurrection, to fubmit himself to the Cenfures of his Enemies; he had fuffered enough from them already in the State of his Humiliation, and must he never be above the Sufpicion and Scrutiny of their Malice? Shall not his Resurrection free him from it? When they faw him hanging upon the Crofs, they cried out with upbraiding and infolent Scorn, that they would believe in him, if he would come down from thence; but neither did they deserve fuch a Miracle to be wrought at their Pleafure, who thus called for it, nor was it fuitable to the Divine Difpenfation that it fhould be wrought. It was neither fitting that he should fave himself from Death, nor that he fhould appear to them after he was rifen from the Dead. He was to Die for our Redemption, and as we had wanted the Argument from his Refurrection for the Truth of our Religion, if he had come down from the Cross; fo if he had appeared to all the Jews, we had wanted other Evidence; which, as I fhall fhew, at least amounts to all the Proof which that could have given.

In the State of his Humiliation our Saviour was pleased to fuffer himself to be ex

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posed to the contradiction of Sinners, and to all their Affronts and Injuries; but when this their Hour and the Power of Darkness was once paft, they were to fee him no more, but with confufion of Face and terrour of Mind; yet his Mercy was ftill the fame towards them; one of the greatest Perfecutors was converted by a Voice from Heaven, the Son of Man fpeaking to him from thence, that he might be the happy Inftrument in the Conversion of others, and a Pattern to them of the long fuffering of Chrift, 1 Tim. i. 16. But his manifeftation of himself to St. Paul at his Converfion was with dreadful Awe and Majefty, not in that mild and gracious Glory, in which he was seen by St. Stephen; and it is reserved for those who perfecuted and pierced him, to look upon him with Confternation and Anguish at the Laft Day, Rev. i. 7.

2. It had not been fuitable to the other Difpenfations of God towards Mankind for Christ to be shown openly to all the People. God might work fuch aftonishing Miracles, and strike fuch Terrors into the Minds of Men, as to make it impoffible for any one to doubt of his Existence, or of the Truth of his Word; but he doth not all which he can do, but what he in his Wifdom fees fit to be done; he doth not use all the Means which some Men may conceit he might use, but leaves Men without excuse, and then requires

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requires their Faith and Obedience at their peril. To imagine that Christ should have appeared promifcuoufly unto all, is as unreasonable, as to fuppofe that God fhould communicate himself to all alike, or that he fhould have fpoken from Heaven to Men without the Meffage and Miniftry of his Prophets. For when Chrift was risen from the Dead, he was no longer to act like a Mortal Man,. but as in his Glorified State as our Lord and King, and as God in our Humane Nature, now no longer fubject to any of its Imperfections; and therefore he was no more to come himself to the People, as he had done in the State of his Humiliation, but to fend his Apostles and Disciples among them, as he had before his Incarnation fent the Prophets.

3. Great Numbers of the Jews were given up to hardness of heart, and would not have believed, tho' they had feen Chrift after his Refurrection. Thofe, who when they had feen our Saviour's Miracles, had vilified them, and blafphemed the Holy Ghost, by whom they were wrought, had their hearts hardned, that feeing they might fee and not perceive, and be converted. And of this Number the Chief Priefts and Elders must be fupposed to be, who hired the Soldiers to Contradict and Stifle the Belief of his Refurrection with a falfe Story of their own Invention. TheChief Priefts before had Confulted

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