Sermons and discourses on several subjects and occasions - Francis Atterbury (bp. of Rochester.) - Google Books

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Some Reasons assigned for our Saviour's appearing

chiefly to the Apostles after his Resurrection, and

his manner of conversing with them represented.

To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by

many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days,

and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom

of God.-ACTs i. 3.

St. Chrysostom's observation why the apostles were

allowed to behold our Saviour ascending up into

heaven, but not to see him in the act of rising from

I. Reasons assignable from Scripture why our Saviour

continued upon earth for some time after his resurrec-

To give the apostles convincing proofs of it

To remove their prejudices in relation to his suffer-

ings, and to inform them of the spiritual nature of

To prepare them for his departure

And we may venture to add, to give a further proo

of his concern for the good of souls, by thus

delaying for some time to enter upon that glory

which his humiliation had purchased

Why the time of his stay was for forty days

II. Reasons why our Saviour appeared only to his

followers, and not to the sanhedrim, or body of the

Jews assembled at the

1. So far was he from being obliged to afford those

who crucified him such an extraordinary proof of

his resurrection, that he might with great justice

have denied them any evidence at all of it

2. Those that had rejected the evidence already

offered them, would not have been convinced by

ocular assurance

3. Should we suppose such glaring evidence could

not have been resisted by them, yet it ought not to

have been indulged to them for this very reason,

because it was irresistible

The true question in relation to our Saviour's resurrec-
tion is, Whether the proof of it is not abundantly full
to all the purposes of conviction

Many things we in our wisdom may possibly think fit

to have been done, which God has not thought fit to

III. The manner of our Saviour's spending his time

with the apostles after his resurrection was,

ib.

1. By giving them many infallible proofs of his

being returned to life

2. By instructing them in things pertaining to the

Gospel dispensation, of which they were to be

Our faith entitled to a greater reward than that of the

apostles themselves

An exhortation to the exercise of it in the participation

Miracles the most proper Way of proving the divine

Authority of any Religion.

And they went forth, and preached every where; the

Lord working with them and confirming the word with

signs following.-MARK xvi. 20.

The success of the apostles preaching owing to a divine

power and assistance that accompanied them

Miracles the foundation upon which both the Mosaic and

Christian revelations stand

I. Miracles, according to the common sense of mankind,
the proper medium of proving a religion to be of divine
appointment

Though all religions have at their first rise equally pre-

tended to them, it does not follow that they can be no

certain argument of a true one

ib.

II. The reasonableness and necessity of this sort of

evidence, shewn from the general nature of it

A doctrine, though pure and holy, cannot be itself an

evidence of its own divine original

Though miracles are not necessary to induce a belief of

moral truths, yet they are to attest such as are of posi-

tive institution

III. The propriety of this sort of evidence shewn from

the peculiar characters and properties of it

1. Miracles extremely fit to awaken men's attention

The fathers of the eastern mission endeavoured to make

up this disadvantage, by some curious and surprising

2. They are the shortest and most expeditious way of

3. And of universal force and efficacy

Since the proof of the christian faith is sound and satisfac-

tory, it is our duty to adhere to it steadfastly

Credulity and weakness has much the advantage of in-

fidelity, with regard to the ease and peace of mind it

affords in this world, and is more likely, if it errs, to

be pardoned by God in another

SERMON IX.

The difficult Passages of Scripture vindicated from such

Objections as are usually made to them, and proper

Directions given how we are to use them.

In which are some things hard to be understood, which

they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do

also the other scriptures.—2 PET. iii. 6.

The design of St. Peter in this epistle, and the connexion

of the text cleared

I. Several particulars in St. Paul's writings, and in the

other Scriptures also, hard to be understood

II. To account for these obscurities even in the apostles'

time, it is to be observed, that the writers of them,

though under the immediate inspiration of the Holy

Ghost, were left to express themselves after their own

particular manner

2. The nature of some things they delivered was so

obscure, that the language of men must needs fall

If some passages were of uncertain meaning at that time,

there must be more so to us who live at this distance

from the age of the apostles

ib.

The eastern manner of thinking and speaking, at the time

especially when the Scriptures were writ, widely differ-

ent from ours, who live in this age and this quarter of

And the particular occasions upon which some parts of

them were writ, entirely unknown to us

The multiplicity of commentators that have started all

possible senses of Scripture, have cast a mist over

many places of it, which of themselves were plain and

III. These obscurities are no reflection on the goodness.

of God, which is not obliged to do every thing for us

that is possible to be done, but only that which

is fitting and sufficient for the end it designs

Scripture sufficient for the end to which it was designed,

because though not equally perspicuous throughout, yet

it is in the main and for the most part so

And whenever it is hard to be understood, is on that

account not necessary to be understood

Nor are these obscurities a reflection on the wisdom of

God, because they are none of them so difficult as to

be utterly unintelligible

They answer several wise ends of Providence, particularly

they serve to humble the presumption and pride of man 111

To secure the majesty of religion

To exercise our industry, and engage our attention

ib.

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