AND indeed the natural Reftauration of Vegetables doth lively fhadow forth the Refurrection of our Bodies. The Plants and Flowers lie buried in the Earth a long Season; but in the Annual Refurrection they arife out of their Graves, bloffom, and flourish. And that which is fown (faith the Apoftle) is not quickned, except it die. And if these things are continued by fucceffive Refurrections, why fhould it be thought impoffible that God fhould raise our Bodies from the Duft, into which they are converted? For God is as able to restore Man to himself after divers Changes, as to reftore these things to Man after Corruption. And if we confider that it is God, who hath purpofed to raise the Dead, we have no reason to doubt of the Performance: But we may be fure that he will make the Grave come to Reftitution. So that Death it felf, which deftroys our Bodies for a time, cannot cut off our Hope of the Refurrection.

THE Refurrection fhall be general; and not only the Righteous, but also the Wicked fhall be raifed from the Dead; but upon a different Account, and unto a different End. The Righteous fhall be raised from the Dead by vertue of Christ's Refurrection, because he is their Head and Saviour, that they may be crowned with Glory and Happiness. And the Wicked fhall be raised from the Dead by the Power of Chrift as theit Judge, that they may fuffer eternal Vengeance both in Soul and Body. For there fhall be (faith St. Paul) arefurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust, Act. xxiv. 15. The hour is coming (faith our Saviour) in which all that are in the graves fhall bear the voice of the fon of Man, and hall come forth, they that have done good unto the refur

X4

rection

rection of life, and they that have done evil unto the refurrection of damnation, Joh. v. 28, 29. And therefore all that are dead, without Exception, fhall be raised from the Dead in the laft Day. Nay, Death it felf fhall at last be utterly deftroyed or fubdued, I Cor. xv. 26, 54. But there can be no utter deftroying or fubduing of Death, unless the Refurrection be general: For if any Man were left ftill dead, Death would not be fwallowed up in Victory.

BUT though all that are dead fhall be raised unto Life: Yet they that are alive at Chrift's coming fhall not arife, because they never died; but they fhall be only changed: For we shall not all fleep, but we shall be all changed, (that is, they that are alive at the laft Day fhall not die, but all, both Dead and Living, fhall be changed) and that in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the laft trump: for the trumpet fhall found, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and fuch as are then alive fhall be changed, 1 Cor. xv. 51, 52. And this Change fhall be to them as a Refurrection.

AND the fame Bodies of Men which died fhall be raised. For in our flesh fhall we fee God, whom we shall fee for our felves, and our eyes shall behold, and not another, Job xix. 26, 27. But if the fame Bodies of Men which died fhould not be raised, but new ones formed, this would not be a Refurrection, but a new Production; because nothing can be properly faid to be revived but that which died: Nor can it confift with the Nature of a juft Retribution, that he who glorified God in one Body fhould be glorified in another; or he who finned in one Body fhould be punished in another. But because the Body concurred with the Soul in doing Good or Evil, 'tis juft

that

that both fhould be brought into Judgment, and be recompenfed according to their respective Works.

THOUGH in the Refurrection the Bodies of Men fhall be changed; yet that Change fhall be only in respect of their Qualities, and not of their Subftance. For these mortal and corruptible Bodies fhall put on Incorruption and Immortality, I Cor. xv. 53. which argues that there fhall be the fame Bodies endued with new Qualities; because there can be no change but in the fame Substance.

THE Qualities, wherewith the Bodies of Men in the Resurrection fhall be endued, fhall be different according to their Works.

THE Bodies of the Wicked fhall be raised up. immortal and incorruptible. For they fhall ftill remain, that they may endure eternal Torments. But they fhall be raised in great Contempt and Difhonour, and with all Blemishes and Deformities, fuitable to their curfed Condition.

THE Bodies of the Righteous fhall be raised in Power and Glory, and be made fpiritual and incorruptible. For Flesh and Blood, as it is weak, mortal, and fubject to Corruption, cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, 1 Cor. xv. 50. And therefore thefe Bodies of ours, which are now mortal and corruptible, fhall in the Refurrection put on Incorruption and Immortality, 1 Cor. xv. 53. And we shall not die any more; but we shall be equal to the angels, and be children of God, being children of the refurrection, Luk. xx. 36.

THESE Bodies alfo of ours, which are now weak and infirm, fhall be raised in Power, and be made Perfect. Whatsoever Blemishes and Imperfections were before in our Bodies fhall be done away: And as they were fown in Weakness, fo they

fhall

fhall be raised in Power, 1 Cor. xv. 43. And we shall be enabled to continue without the Ufe of thofe Means, which are here neceffary to fuftain Nature.

THESE Bodies likewise of ours shall be raised in Glory, and be made Spiritual. It is fown in difhonour, it is raised in glory. It is fown a natural body, it is raifed a fpiritual body, 1 Cor. xv. 43, 44. And by a fpiritual Body it is not meant that it fhall be turned into a Spirit, but that it fhall be ruled by the Spirit of God, and be adorned with fpiritual Qualities, and with cœleftial Splendor and Glory. For Chrift fhall change our vile bodies, that they may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working, whereby he is able even to fubdue all things unto himself, Phil. iii. 21.

THE Duties arifing from the Belief of the Refurrection are two.

First, THE Belief of the Refurrection fhould move us to arife unto Newness of Life. The Soul must arife from the Death of Sin unto the Life of Righteoufnefs, otherwife the Body cannot be capable of a glorious Refurrection. For if we do not walk according to God's Will here, we fhall arife indeed, but unto Condemnation. Whatfoever a Man fows that fhall he alfo reap. He that hath part in the firft Refurrection unto Newnefs of Life, fhall not be under the Power of the fecond Death, Rev. xx. 6. But our Bodies fhall never be raised unto Glory hereafter, except here they become Temples of the Holy Ghoft. And therefore let us be careful to preferve our Bodies in Sanctification and Honour, that they may be qualified for a blefted Immortality.

Secondly, IF we have an affured Hope to arife unto a Life immortal, then we have fufficient ground of Comfort in all our Chriftian Miferies.

If there fhall be no Refurrection, there could be no hope to be perfectly happy in another World, but Death would put a Period to our Life and Hope together. For if in this life only we have hope in Chrift, we are of all men most miferable, I Cor. xv. 19. But feeing we are affured of a Life after Death, and fuch a Life as no Death fhall follow; why fhould we be terrified with Afflictions, or difmaied with the Thoughts of Death? Though we do or fuffer much for Religion, yet our Labour fhall not be in vain in the Lord; but we fhall be fully rewarded at the Re furrection of the Juft. And this Hope is enough to revive our Spirits in the Day of Adverfity. Nay, the Hope of the Refurrection is able to comfort and fortifie us against the Fears and Terrors of Death it felf. For when we are affured that the Sting of Death is taken out, and the Malignity of it is cured, we have no Caufe to be over-much terrified with the Apprehenfions of it.

CHAP. XXVII

Of LIFE Eternal.

HE eighth Benefit, which Chrift hath purchafed for us, is Life Eternal. Though all Men, both good and bad, fhall be raifed from the Dead; yet they fhall be raised unto a different State according to their Works. The Righteous fhall be raifed into an im

mortal