which our resurrection is founded the main prop by which it is supported the example unto which it is conformed and the fountain whence it is derived and therefore the most eminent evidence by which it is cleared We proceed to the Apostle's next Argument the end Arg. 7. of our Redemption and the absurd consequent of the contrary Doctrine If in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable The Argument may be formed thus this being presupposed If there be no resurrection of the dead then Christians have onely hope in this life If in this life only Christians have hope in Christ then they are of all men most miserable But Christians are not of all men most miserable Therefore they have not hope in Christ only in this life The consequence is clear for of all men they in this life are most subject to afflictions Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son he receiveth What son is he whom the Father chasteneth not But if ye be without Heb 12. 6 7 8. chastisement whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sonst They usually have the bread of affliction given them to eat and water of affliction to drink yea waters of a full cup are wrung out to them when others fare delictiously every day their chain is made heavie when others walk at liberty they are brought low when others are lifted up their heaven is covered with darkness clouds and thick darkness when others have clearness and serenity the sun continually shining in his brightness their condition admits variety of revolutions but these have no changes therefore if there be no hope to them of a better state in another world they are of all men most miserable But the Christian Faith and Scriptures makes them of all men most happy yea and only them happy Christ hath purchased God promised the Spirit sealed better things to them then what other men have or themselves enjoy in this world they are again and again pronounced blessed nine times in so many verses Math. 5. 2 to 12. the manifold repetitions and particular instances of their blessedness notes the firmness and fulness of it They are blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ Eph. 1. 3. Freedom from all evil fruition of all good particularly deliverance from the evil of death Christ hath delivered them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage Heb. 2. 15. How are they delivered from death or the fear of death if ther bodies shall for ever remain under the power of it and never be set at liberty This all men desire sith death is the King of Terrors and the Saints hope for we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption the Redemption of our body Rom. 8. 23. Just they are before and God is manifest in them yet they wait for the Redemption of the body viz. from the grave and those evils they are incumbred with in the world They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the sun light on them nor any heat Rev. 7. 16. God shall wipe away all tears from their eys there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are past away Rev. 21. 4. Shall all this be in this life Is all this in mysterie If so how is it fulfilled Or is it in death to the Saints Indeed there is no hunger thirst heat tears sorrow crying or pain but yet they have not all promised how in death is this accomplished there shall be no death But this is not all a Christians hope immunity from evils there is a recompense of reward to come positive good and that after death Therefore saith Christ when thou makest a feast this command binds all our life long while there is occasion and opportunity of feasting call the poor the maimed the lame the blind and thou shalt be blessed for they cannot recompense thee but thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just Luke 14. 14. that this is not in this life is manifest from that parallel Heb. 11. 35. They the Saints were tortured not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection and from Rev. 11. 18 and the Nations were angry and thy wrath is come and the time of the dead that they should be judged and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the Prophets and to the Saints and them that fear thy Name small and great This is the promise mentioned Heb. 11. 39. and perfection v. 40. which the Patriarchs received not These all having obtained a good report through Faith received not the promise the Apostle speaks of men dead long before and dying in Faith that they received not the promise God being faithful it must be received in due time in soul they can not receive it in full after death the time of receiving it is when all are made perfect God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect Of this perfection God will have all partakers together and this perfection cannot be without the Resurrection of the body and this very thing is particularly affirmed of Abel Noah Abraham Sarah Isaac and Jacob these all dyed in Faith not having received the promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and imbraced them and confessed that they were Strangers and Pilgrims on the earth While they lived they received not the promises but saw them at a distance in respect of time and place they looked not for them in that time or Country for then and there they were Strangers and Pilgrims and that we might not restrain it to any one particular Country or more they take the whole earth in saying that in it they were Strangers and Pilgrims and hence the Apostle concludes v 14. They that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country What country not an earthly and truly if they had been mindful of that country whence they came out they might have had opportunity to have returned but now they desire a better country that is heavenly v. 16. and this in the close of this verse he calls a City prepared of God For God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a City and this is not theirs only but the inheritance of all Saints Here we have no continuing City but we seek one to come Chap. 13. 14. Which is expressed by life If we be dead with him we shall also live with him 2. Tim. 2. 11. Eternal and everlasting life The gift of God is eternal life Rom. 6. 23. This is the will of him that sent me that every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day g Ioh. 6.
40. If it be eternal and everlasting and for the perfection of it require a raising up at the last day how is it limitted to this life And for his assurance Christ tells him that he hath it already Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day v. 54. He may be as sure of it as if he had it already or he hath it begun in him in a way and tendency to perfection grace is glory in 〈◊〉 glory grace consummate We are changed from glory to glory 2 〈◊〉 vlt. This life is begun but ends not here it 's not of the soul onely but of the body also therefore Christ adds I will raise him up at the last day And of this we cannot miss for he prefixeth a double asseveration to strengthen our Faith Verily verily I say unto you He that believeth on me hath everlasting life v 47. and tells us it was his business to accomplish his Fathers will I came down from Heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me v. 38. Of this also Peter testifies When the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away h 1 Pet. 5. 4. If we receive it while we live what becoms of it when we dy and shall be no more If my soul must animate another body another takes my Crown or it perisheth however as to me it fadeth but the Text sets another day when this Crown shall be received and we first wear it when the great Shepherd shall appear This apparition is not Spiritual to the soul onely in believing so he had already appeared in those to whom he here writes Chap 1. 2 3. But this when the Crown shall be put on is to come hear what the great Shepherd himself speaks as to the time manner and end of his appearing When the Son of man shall come in his glory and all the holy Angels with him then shall he sit upon the Throne of his glory Mat. 25. 31. And before him shall be gathered all Nations and he shall separate them one from another as the Shepherd divideth the Sheep from the Goats v. 32. But that is not till the end of the world Mat. 13 30 37 38 39 40. To the same effect is that of Peter Epist 1. Chap 1. v. 3 4 5. Who hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead To an inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for us Who are kept by the Power of God through Faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time This inheritance and salvation we have not in this life for we hope for it it is reserved in Heaven for us and we are kept for it and it shall not be revealed till in the last time and He that overcometh shall inherit all things Rev. 21. 7. Besides it is incorruptible and fadeth not away which cannot stand with any state of the Saints in this life Nor is this only fairly concluded from but plainly asserted in Scripture to be after death whereas Hypocrites and unbelievers have no hope in death Iob 27. 8. the faithful have I would not have you ignorant brethren concerning them that are asleep that ye sorrow not as others which have no hope 1 Thes 4. 13. This hope is in death as appears by the Apostles scope to comfort the Saints and raise up their spirits which are apt to be sadded and dejected with the disease of their beloved friends and from v. 14. If we believe that Jesus dyed and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him For this cause did Paul desire to be dissolved Having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is farre better i Phil. 1. 23. He speaks of dying and that bodily not spiritually as a way to a life and state farr better then the present sent Nor was it Paul's desire onely We that are in this Tabernacle groan being burthened not for that we would be unclothed but clothed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life 2 Cor. 5. 4. When he saith not that we would be unclothed but clothed upon that Mortality might be swallowed up of Life He plainly declares this state not to be while we are Mortal and that when this Mortality shall be swallowed up of Life a Christian shall not onely be unclothed and stript of his burthensome vile and filthy garments but be arayed afresh with those that are light pure and precious What Christ Paul and Peter avouch doth John from the same Spirit testifie Rev. 14. 13. And I heard a voyce from Heaven saying unto me write Blessed are the dead which dy in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them Spiritually we cannot understand this without manifest injury and violence to the Text a man may Spiritually dy and yet not presently rest from his labours as the words import or if it be supposed the rest promised may follow the death specified at a distance namely somtime after when a man naturally dies how is this the peculiar priviledge of those that dy in the Lord For all shall so rest though they never be partakers of this Spiritual death in Christ if there be no resurrection of the dead body and how do their works follow them then how are they then blessed that shall be no more or at least not what they were before whose souls being fired out of their old habitation take to themselves other dwelling places and so return again to their former labours If it be affirmed they may be happy in Heaven though their bodies rise not Tertullian shall answer for me Quomodo foelices si ex parte perituri how can they be happy who in part are perished Happiness is a state of perfection but the soul separate from the body is incompleat and imperfect and therefore cannot be happy till both it and the body be united to make one perfect man Again I reply there is no happiness glory or good thing promised to soul or body but in Christ raised from the dead grant the body is not raised you must yeild also Christ is not raised and so doing you raze the very foundation of all our felicity the house of our hope in all particulars thereof must fall to the ground therefore If there be no Refurrection of the dead and our hope onely in this life we are of all men most miserable Which is Pauls second ground in this Chapter whereof conceiving our selves to have spoken sufficiently we proceed to a third The Universality Perfection Integrity duration of the Arg. 8. Kingdom of Christ and his victory over his and our enemies then cometh the end when he shall have delivered 1 Cor. 15. 24.
to change their vile body c. This was not yet done besides it is affirmed of the body which is not the proper subject of such a Resurrection from ignorance as they pretend And our vile body shall be fashioned like unto Christs body but that as we shall hereafter prove was raised properly from a natural death to a natural life This is laid down as a Principle of the Doctrine of Christ Heb. 6. 3. which cannot with any shew of Reason be interpreted of any other then a corporall Resurrection having spoken of the Resurrection of the Soul from a state of sin and ignorance v. 1. where he mentions Repentance from dead works and faith towards God It cannot be imagined that in so short and pithy an account as this is he should repeat the same again in other words and this will be yet more clear if we compare this passage with the fact and Faith of the Martyrs women received their dead raised to life again and others were tortured not accepting deliverance r Heb. 11. 35. this was done through Faith v. 33. Therefore by such to whom God was manifest they were tortured and killed for they accepted not deliverance What inducement They expected a better Resurrection What in this life No for they had no deliverance if after death what Resurrection could it be but of the body Besides 't is said A better Resurrection in reference to their best condition in this life And this is shewed unto John in Vision I saw faith he the dead small and great and the Sea gave up the dead which were in it and death and the grave as in the Marginal reading delivered up the dead which were in them s Apoâ—â— 20. 12 13. This cannot be understood of any other then a bodily Resurrection For first it is general Of all both small and great Now all sorts do not rise Spiritually some dy in their sins Secondly after they arise they stand before God and are brought to judgement But those who arise Spiritually do not stand before God to be judged as some of these here are to be cast into the Lake of fire v. 15. Thirdly the dead here are said to be in the Sea and in the Grave and by them delivered up Fourthly some of them are said not to be written in the Book of Life therefore it cannot be a Spiritual Resurrection for all those who are so risen are written in the Book of Life Chap. 3. 4 5. And those who are unclean and work abomination or make a lie who attain not to the Spiritual Resurrection are of that number which are not written in the Lambs Book of Life Chap. 21. 2 7. Isaiah 25. 8. Hos 13. 14. With many other places might be produced to evidence this Truth but these may suffice for Positive testimonies we shall now repair to Reason 1. The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents Arg. 1. head t Gen. 3. 15. Which is thus interpreted by John 1 Epist Chap. 3. v. 8. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Divel u 1 Ioh. 3. 8. And this is one of his works for he is described as having the power of Death So that either death must be destroyed Heb 2. 14. and consequently the dead rise or Christ must fail of his end in being manifested in the world 2. God is the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and Arg. 2. of all the Faithful a God in Covenant with them there Exod. 3. 6. fore their dead bodies shall rise this our Saviour urged against the Sadduces in Vindication of the Resurrection oppugned and denyed by them But as touching the Resurrection of the dead have you not read that which was spoken unto you by God saying I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob God is Mat. 22. 31 32 not the God of the dead but of the living With this answer the people were possessed with astonishment and the Sadduces put to silence v. 33 34. Whereas the Lord cals himself their God many years after they were dead and rotten in their graves it imports they must be alive to God they all live to him But that you may clearly see the force of this Argument and wherein its strength lies we must conceive when God cals himself the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob he means a God in Covenant with them to give out his All-sufficiency for their good Gen. 17. 1. to be their Shield and exceeding great reward removing all cause of fear Gen. 15. 1. particularly iniquity Acts 3. 25 26. the Fountain whence all evils flow and supplying them with all good out of his infinite fulness for this Covenant brings a blessing with it Acts 3. 25. which Covenant is an everlasting Covenant Gen. 17. 7. and made with him not in respect of the Soul onely but the body also for else it were not a perfect Covenant These things premised I thus infer 1. That therefore by reason of this Covenant he will never leave them or forsake them but should not the bodies of Abraham Isaac and Jacob rise God should in that respect leave and forsake them and not be All-sufficient to them or their God in respect of their bodies the very dust of the bodies of Abraham Isaac and Jacob is in Covenant with him and therefore shall in time be raised up again 2. Forasmuch as sin the cause of death is taken away therefore death the wages of sin shall de done away 3. If the bodies of Abraham Isaac and Jacob shall not live they are not perfectly blessed in Covenant with God because their bodies one part of them are not And what hath been said of Abraham is applyable unto all the Saints God is their God and therefore their dead bodies live to him are in Covenant with him have sin the occasion of death done away and so shall be raised again to be made perfectly happy with him 3. A third Reason we draw from Mat. 22. 30. In the Arg. 3. Resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are as the Angels of God in Heaven Which is thus rendred by Mark. 12. 25. When they shall rise from the dead they shall neither marry nor are given in marriage To the same purpose Luke 20. 35. In this life in the Resurrection from sin and ignorance men marry and others are given in marriage Marriage is honourable in all and the bed undefiled but Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge x Heb. 13. 4. And again Nevertheless to avoid Fornication let every man have his own wife Besides here we are not as the Angels of God therefore Arg. 4. we expect another Resurrection Moreover such a Resurrection is here affirmed and Arg. 5. proved by Christ which the Sadduces denyed but that was of the body after death when the seven Brethren one after
another and the woman also were laid in the grave Mat. 22. 23 to 29. What 's the reason why our Saviour leaves more clear testimonies of the Prophets and urge this of Moses It may be answered Christ brings not any testimony out of the Prophets because though they accounted them the writings of excellent men and so read them and heard them read in the Temple yet they received no more then the five Books of Moses as Authentick and of Divine Inspiration y Sixt. Senens Biblioth l. â—â—voce Traditiones Besides they were wont to elude clear testimonies as the Libertines now do interpreting them Allegorically applying them to some other thing and this proves the Resurrection of the dead 〈◊〉 by consequence Nor is there any evident mention of the Resurrection or the life to come in Moses it being contained in the common expressions of life and death reward and punishments for Moses drift was by external and temporal things to lead that people to the consideration of Spiritual and Eternal The Resurrection of Christ Thus the Apostle concludes Arg. 6. If Christ be risen we shal rise But Christ is risen therefore we must also arise If Christ be preached that he rose from the dead how say some among you that there is no Resurrection of the dead And if there be no Resurrection then is not Christ risen z 1 Cor. 15. 12 Now if we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall also live with him †Verse 13. And to the Thessalonians If we believe that Jesus died and rose agatn even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him a 1 Thes 4. 14. Nor was this the Doctrine of Paul onely but of Moses and the Prophets before him as he affirmeth of himself that he said No other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come that Christ should suffer and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead b Acts 26. 22 23. If he be the first then others must rise after him yea and by vertue of his rising why else should it be deferred till his Resurrection But how is Christs Resurrection the cause and evidence of ours The Apostle clears it from our relation which he expresseth in a figure or type of the old Law Christ is risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that siept c 1 Cor 15. 20. The first fruits offered to God sanctifyed the rest of the Crop therefore If the first fruits be holy so is the lump d Rom. 11. 16. and they both have the same nature Christ our first fruits is risen This shewes both the cause and order of our Resurrection we shall rise also and by him To the same purpose in the Epistle to the Colossians saith Paul He is the Head of the body the Church the beginning and the First-born from the dead e Col. 1. 18 He as our Head rises then we the body must come after he is the Beginning then he hath an influence upon us and in rising gives us assurance we shall rise also he is the First-born from the dead or the First-begotten of the dead f Revel 1. 5. then his Brethren shall be remembred by him he hath a double portion that he might take care of the Family if he live they shall live also He rose not as a private Person or for himself alone life was given him as an Head and First-born to communicate that our emptiness might be supplyed out of his Treasury it was in him not onely abundant but redundant it overflows and therefore in his Resurrection he is termed a Prince and a Saviour The God of our Fathers raised up Jesus g Acts 5. 30 31. a Prince and a Saviour Or to be a Prince and a Saviour to dispense life unto his Subjects because I live ye shall live also h And as his Personal Resurrection Iohn 14. 19. is a cause so a pattern of ours he rose as a common person and therefore he rose with a multitude many Saints rose with him and we said to be raised up together with him i Eph. 2. 6. this the Apostle further illustrates by a comparison of two contrary causes Adam and Christ producing two contrary effects death and life Since by man came death by man came also the Resurrection of the dead For as in Adam all dy even so in Christ shall all be made alive If 1 Cor. 15. 21 22. any demand Why then are we not presently raised we are mortal and begin to dy even in our mothers womb My answer is ready Christ is the first fruits both first fruits and lump are gathered but first the first fruits then the lump Christ and they that are Christs rise to heavenly glory but each in his order first Christ then they that are Christs we shall be gathered but in our time appointed of the Father The Inference you see is clear If Christ be risen then we shall rise also and after the same manner How doth it appear that Christ is risen bodily May not Quest this be understood Spiritually and Mystically not Literally Figuratively and not Properly Why so What should Answ hinder but that it is literally and properly to be understood of the living again of that body of flesh and bones that suffered dyed and was laid in the grave What abfurdity will follow if we so conceive it He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures Why should we doubt or wrest them to another sense when no ill consequence can be urged in pretense thereof And why else should Paul name his dying and being buryed 1 Cor. 15. 4. if it were another kind of life and rising then such as is answerable to his death and lying in the Earth And that we may not be faithless but believe the Scriptures afford many convincing infallible Arguments in vindication of this Truth First his many apparitions He was seen of Cophas then of the twelve l 1 Cor. 15. 5. After that he was seen of above five hundred Brethren at once m verse 6. After that he was seen of James then of all the Apostles n verse 7. And last of all he was seen of me also o verse 8. saith Paul Mark affirmes he was first seen of Mary Magdalen John not onely reports that but their discourse together p Mark 16. 9. Then of more women together q Ioh. 20. 14 15 16 17. and saying All Hail And they came and held him by the feet and worshipped him v. 10. Then said Jesus unto them be not afraid go tell my Brethren that they go into Galilee and there shall they see me r Mar. 28. 9 10. After that he appeared in another form unto two of them that is Disciples as they walked and went into the Country s Mar. 16. 12. While they communed together
up the Kingdom to God even the Father when he shall have put down all Rule and all Authority and Power v. 24. For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet v. 25. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death v. 26. He shall not deliver up his Kingdom until he hath abolished all his enemies as Satan soliciting to sin sin proceeding from the will of man and death the wages of sin The first was conquered once on the Cross the second daily by his Spirit the third by his appearing in the flesh at the last day although death be overcome that it cannot hurt Believers yet is it not perfectly abolished nor they restored to a perfect life until the Resurrection of the body Pauls next Argument is the Testimony Judgement or Arg. 9. Confession of those who were Baptized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in our translation thus Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead if the dead rise not at all why are they then baptized for the dead v. 29. Letting pass other expositions of these words two especially are most famous and considerable The first that Paul alludes to a custome among the Catecumeni or Novices in the Faith who in danger of death desired and received Baptism that thereby they might both evidence and strengthen their Faith in the Resurrection of this practise Epiphanius makes mention k Et hac de causa traditio quae ad nos devenit eundem Sanctum Apostolum dixisse aiunt si omnino mortui non Resurgunt cur Baptizantur pro ipsis caeterum alij recte hoc dictum interpretantes dicuat quod morti vicini si fueriut in Pietatis doctrina instructi ob hanc spem ante obitum lavacro digni fiunt ostendentes quod qui mortuus est etiam resurget ob id indiget remissione pectatorum per lavacrum Epiph. l. 1. Tom. 2. h. 28. l Vossij Thes Theol. de Resur carnis th 18. Piscator Anal. Schol. in 1 Cor. 15. 29. This supposed the Apostle thus argues Else what shall they do who are baptized for dead if the dead rise not at all why are they then baptized for dead A second sense is given of this Argument and much contended for by learned and judicious men the practiss of some among them that were baptized over the graves and dead bodies of the Martyrs and other Saints in testimony of their dying to sin and assured expectation of their own and their Resurrection over whom they were Baptizedl Another Argument is drawn from the Testimony that Arg. 10. is the judgement and faith of the Confessors who adventure and lay down their lives for Christ and the Gospel Why stand we in jeopardy every hour v. 30. We give our backs to the smiters and our cheeks to them that pluck off the hair we hide not our face from shame and spetting we count not our lives dear unto us but continually carry them in our hands as ready to lay them down for the Gospel always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus And are alwayes delivered unto death for Jesus sake m 2 Cor. 4. 13. 11. We are killed all the day long and accounted as sheep for the slaughter n Rom. 8. 36. Some of the Saints have had tryal of cruel mockings and scourgings yea moreover of bonds and imprisonment They were slaned they were sawn asunder they were tempted were slain with the sword they wandred about in sheep-skins and goat-skins being destitute affiicted tormented Of whom the world was not worthy they wandred in deserts and in mountains and in dens and caves of the earth o Heb. 11. 36. 37. 38. Others were tortured not accepting deliverance what think you moved them hereto doubtless the hope of glory laid up for them in another world it was that they might obtain a better Resurrestion p verse 35. Certainly these men were beside themselves too much inconsiderate zeal had made them mad thus to expose their persons to the rage of unreasonable men and hereby prepare treasure up and sharpen instruments of death for their own tormenting life liberty and ease are so sweet death bonds and pain so bitter they must play the madmen to some purpose in the presence of the world to exchange the one for the other without hope of recompence in the life to come But we know light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in them Who among the sons of men of so wise and understanding hearts To whom is given the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Jesus Christ they saw with other eyes then those bruits who think they shall dy like beasts and do expect no other portion then what they have in the flesh sure the Spirit of the holy God made them quick of understanding in his fear by whom it was given them not onely to believe but to suffer for his sake And certainly God is not unrighteous to forget their work and labour of love which they have shewed toward his Name q Heb. 6. 10. but will do unto them according to the kindness they have done unto him with this Paul comforts the Thessalonians It is a manifest token of the righteous judgement of God that ye may be accounted worthy of the Kingdom of God for which ye also suffer Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you And to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels r 2 Thes 1. 5. This recompense shall be when the Lord shall be revealed not in this life to the Soul so he was revealed to the Thessalonians before but after death when he shall come from Heaven and attended with the Angels of his might so he comes not in this present life to any that after dy only to those that shall live till the great day of the Lord and this was the Apostles encouragement and consolation in their afflictions Our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are Temporal but the things which are not seen are Eternal v. 18 And what Paul speaks of the Saints in general he protests of himself in particular I protest by your rejoycing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord I dy daily v. 31. If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus what advantageth it me if the dead rise not His hazards and sufferings were not once or twice but daily and those not ordinary but grievous his life was little better then a continual dying he fought with beasts at Ephesus unreasonable savage cruel men rather beasts then men which some understand
duty or exercise of her faculties but by accident as they are sinful and subjected thereby to weakness and infirmities all which shall be done away in the world to come Our bodies are Elementary wherein Earth and Water Object are predominant and that makes them heavy for which cause they are placed where weighty and heavy things are to be seated and this heaviness of the body must needs be an hindrance to the souls motion and action Besides Heaven is no place for such bodies there is neither lightness nor heaviness gravity nor levity then what shall our bodies do in Heaven or how shall they there long continue Let not Impotent man limit the Omnipotent God who Sol. made our bodies we now possess thus qualified for our continuance in this world can and will make them suitable to the state and condition of that to come he that made the Iron to swim and ballanceth the waters in the Clouds who to prevent vacuity causeth waters to mount upward and Iron by the influence of the Load-stone to hang in the Ayr who gave ability to the body of Christ after his Resurrection to ascend into the Heavens can as well change the temper of our bodies and make them fit for any place or motion and to continue above the Elementary Region From the proof and explication of this Mystery we proproceed Vse 1. to a brief Application What hath been said serves first for refutation of those that deny or corrupt the Doctrine Refutation of the Resurrection of the body The Philosophers misled by vain Philosophy were for the most part ignorant of and Adversaries to it a Et ut carnis Resurrectio negetur de una omnium Philo sophorum Schola sumitur Tertul. Praescrip advers Heret So were the Sadduces b Mat. 22. 23. Acts 23. 8. the first after Christ among the Christians that denyed it was Simon Magus c Epiph. h. 21. some there were among the Corinthians unsound herein d 1 Cor. 15. as also Hymeneus and Philetus e 2 Tim. 2. 18. Basilides Saturninus and many more are for this by Epiphanius Augustine and other Fathers condemned for Hereticks many more might be named were it necessary I shall adde only one pair more of this viperous brood Coppin and Quintin whom in latter times about the year 1525. the Devil stirred up in Brabant and Holland to oppugne this and other precious truths of God the latter having abjured his Heresie was for this and other notorious crimes executed at Tourney in Gallick Flanders f Gualter Chronog And if the same body rise then not an aerial and aetherial as the Originists held nor as Eutichius Patriarch of Constantinople supposed shall our bodies be impalpable Greg. l. 14. c. 29. in Job and more subtile then the Wind and Ayr neither can the soul pass out of one body into another in death for either it must inform moe bodies then one or some bodies must be joyned to other souls in the Resurrection We forbear to mention any more Heresies or Hereticks in this point the Church hath been continually pestered with them in all ages so that it is no wonder the grand Impostor hath in our times withdrawn so many from the simplicity of the Gospel This should be as a Bridle to restrain from sin and a Vse 2. Exhortation spur to holiness and vertue Herein saith Paul do I exercise Acts 24. 15. my self to have alwayes a conscienco void of offence toward God and toward men then shall be a Resurrection that men may be judged and receive according to their deeds what a madness thenis it for men to spend their days in vanity as if no account were to be given The Saints shall rise to glory they shall be as the Angels then what manner of men ought they to be who expect such a Priviledge as to be the children of the Resurrection And this should be an encouragement to suffer chearfully for Christ sith we shall have our reward in the Resurrection of the just this was the Martyrs comfort and confidence in their sufferings that they should obtain a better Resurrection g Heb. 11. 35. In the mean time we should with Job earnestly long and patiently wait for this glorious change h Job 14. 14. with Paul strive to attain unto the Resurrection of the dead i Phil. 3. 11. that is that state of perfection which doth accompany the Resurrection we should groan to be clothed upon with our house from Heaven k 2 Cor. 5. 4. waiting for the Adoption the Redemption of our body l Rom. 8. 25. This also is a Fountain of Consolation to the Saints 1. In respect of death we need not fear to dy because we hope to live again and in a far better condition when we have put off our ordinary raggs we shall be clothed with royal Robes when our houses of Clay are pulled down we shall have a building raised of hewen stone we leave a prison to possess a Palace our vile bodies shall be made glorious In the grave we rest in our Chambers and our dust is living to the Lord And concerning them that are asleep let us nor sorrow as them which have no hope m 〈◊〉 Thes 4. If ye love me saith Christ ye will rejoyce because I go to my Father n Ioh. 14. 28. We should rejoyce when our friends dy for they go to our Father 2. In respect of sin which cleaves so fast unto and so easily besets us here that we have cause to cry out with Paul O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death In the resurrection we shall be perfect as the Angels 3. In respect of those manifold wants necessities and afflictions we are subject to in this life in the resurrection all evils shall be removed and all good things enjoyed we shall be as the Angels of God Jobs comfort was That in his Job 19. 26. flesh he should see God David's and Christs upon a like ground Thou wilt shew me the path of life the same was Psal 16. 11. the Martyrs consolation Peter speaks of times of refreshing Heb. 11. 35. which are a Christians hope and therefore we should not Acts 3. 19. faint in affliction nor be discouraged with difficulties which molest us in our Christian race we shall have a time of refreshing at the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ to whom be glory and honour for ever and ever Amen A Conference between John Osborn Minister of the Gospel and Richard Coppin concerning the resurrection of the body Osb JOb 19. 25. For I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth 26. And though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my slesh shall I see God 27. Whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold and not another though
my reins be consumed within me Cop. Job did not speak as rightly he should do and that appears in chap. 42. where he comes to confess he spake things he understood not here he gives an answer to those words which he spake in chap. 19. Osb Whereas in your answer you affirm out of ch 42. that Job understood not what he spake My reply is this 1. Job saith not the things were false of which he here affirmeth he spake but understood not but that he understood them not which he afterward expresseth thus things too wonderful for me which I knew not which by any thing that yet appears by you alledged cannot be drawn without violence and injury to the text unto any other sence then this he had spoken things which for the nature of them were so high that he could not understand them he could not reach them or comprehend them there was more in them then his understanding could attain unto this doth not import a contrariety between his words and those things he speaks of but onely a disproportion of his understanding to comprehend them A man may speak of God and his ways as Job in this book doth truly and in so doing he may say as Job I uttered things I understood not things too wonderful for me which I knew not For who can finde out the Almighty how wonderful are his judgements and his ways past finding out So then the narrowness and shortness of Jobs understanding to comprehend the Latitude and reach the heighth of those things which here he speaks of doth no whit overthrow the truth of that he had spoken concerning them So that whatsoever the things were that Job intends in this 42 chap. which he understood not when he uttered them You must prove he speaks falsly of them which yet you have not done nor can it with any good consequence be gathered from the words alledged 2. Though that were granted and the words so taken as by you they are urged that he spake what he knew not and beside the truth yet will not this serve your turn he speaks indefinitely that he uttered things he understood and knew not but that all the things he spake of were of that nature and so falsly propunded by him cannot be imagined or affirmed with any pretence of reason for then all that he spake must be false which I think you dare not adventure to maintain and if you should the very reading of his discourse without Argument would refute you if then it be onely some things he speaks of you must clear the relation of these words in ch 42. 3. to those in ch 19. of his Redeemer and Resurrection or by better evidence of Scripture or reason then yet you have produced prove these to be of that sort or your silence would have been as argumentative as your allegation and this you will hardly do yea you must confess you cannot do it if you do but examine and acknowledge the testimony that God himself gives of Job verse 7 of this chapter Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right as my servant Job hath If Gods testimony deserve the preheminence as doubtless it doth as of one to whom all those things that were to Job so wonderful and unsearchable lay open and plainly discernable you must then prove this of his Redeemer and Resurrection by him after death to be none of those speeches of his which are by God attested here to be right or that all he spake of God was false or let that answer fall as having uttered things you understand not things too wonderful for you Cop. These words of God in commendation of Job have reference to what Job saith in this 42 chapter v. 3. 4 5. specially v. 5 6. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes This is it the Lord commends Job for as having spoken right concerning him Osb This refers to other passages for Job was set in opposition to his three friends Job had discoursed with them who are condemned by God as not having spoken right concerning him as Job who is therefore commended but they speak not in this chapter but before therefore this testimony doth relate to things before Cop. Job so rises that he knew not the time Job being in ch 19. under the first Covenant in 42 under the new speaking ch 19. of his Resurrection and seeing his Redeemer his apprehension being dark he could not tell whether it was in the body or spirit Osb Job speaketh not of Spirit but of seeing God in his flesh which Job waited not for but till after his body had been destroyed with worms and this Job calls the latter day Cop. Job spake that he should see God at the last general day but he was carnal and his words were accomplished in this life for he afterwards sees him he had a full sight of God as he expected and says I have seen the Lord already I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee and that was the last day to him Job speaks I have had thoughts that I shall see my redeemer at the latter day but then Job was carnal many souls will say that At the last day I shall see my Redeemer as I have said my self Osb Did Job conceive aright or not when he saith I shall see my Redeemer stand at the latter day upon the earth Cop. He was mistaken as was Martha Martha understood the resurrection in one sense Christ in another Osb This you have not proved nor how this sight of God which you say he had was in his latter day 1. When as you say it is in this life you have not produced any authority of Scripture to prove the latter day is so taken in respect of some latter part of the life of a man but it is usually taken for the latter part of the time of the worlds duration 2. If it be elswhere so taken it doth not appear so taken in these words of Job nay the contrary rather for Job is said to live one hundred and forty years after he had seen the Lord and therefore it cannot be his latter day in this life Cop. It was the latter day to him Osb He speaks of such a latter day that should come after worms had destroyed his skin and his body when his reins had been consumed within him therefore this latter day could not be in his natural life Cop. Job so spake of worms that he should see God after worms had destroyed his body before he knew the sight of God to be in this life for he said it one way but found it another As I my self have thought and as many other souls also Now I appeal to the Consciences of some that are here present whether it be not so Osb Other mens sayings or thoughts
prove not the truth of this for men may mis-conceive of truth but did Job conceive aright or did he not Cop. He was mistaken speaking things he understood not Osb Doth every man mistake and speak falsly when he speaks of things he doth not understand Job by Gods testimony is said to speak aright of God yet questionless such is the immensity and perfection of God that he could not comprehend him in his understanding besides our understanding or not understanding things we speak of doth not cause them so to be or not to be as we declare them truth of what is spoken doth not depend on our conceptions but on the proportion and congruity of the nature of those things and our expressions of them Then did Job speak truly or no Cop. That he shall see God was true but the place and the time was not true he spake not aright according to the time and place onely as to the thing that he should see God was true but that it should be after he had laid down his body that was not true and accordingly he did see him but in his natural life before he died Osb That the sight expected ch 19. was accomplished before his death you onely affirm without one reason or Scripture to demonstrate it your bare assertion must be of no weight or consideration with me so long as I have the text so plainly and fully speaking the contrary let me hear what you can say to this that Jobs sight of his Redeemer was not expected to be accomplished until his skin and bones were destroyed with worms What say you to this Cop. Job spake in relation to his seeing the Lord according to the Resurrection he then believed which was in the body Osb But how did Job see God after the destruction of the body after the worms had eaten his body Cop. Job had it not revealed to him the manner how nor the time when Osb Worms had not destroyed his body therefore this could not be in his life time but after death Cop. Job did find this accomplished in his life time because he saw God Osb You say but prove not let us proceed to the next Scripture Dan. 12. 2. Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt Osb What say you to this Scripture you cannot be ignorant that by sleep in Scripture frequently death is meant and that it must be so interpreted here appears by this that those that are said to awake are said to be in the dust of the earth and as by sleeping we must understand their being dead or continuing in the state of the dead so by waking is meant quickning rising to life Cop. By the dust is meant the earth of mankind or ignorance in which his joyes and comforts lie hid and buried from which he is said to rise when these are manifested to him his sleeping in the dust is a mans carnal ignorant state without the knowledge of God or his joys and comforts his awaking when he is changed and God is made manifest and appears in him Osb It cannot be meant of rising out of a carnall state or wherein a mans joys and comforts are buried for some of those that are said here to awake are said to awake to shame and everlasting contempt which cannot be affirmed of those that awake out of their natural and carnal state for they all awake to life everlasting Cop. It is meant of arising out of a carnall state the earth of mankind or ignorance without the manifestation of God for so dust signifies Osb First you must prove that the dust of the earth any where in Scripture signifies such a state of ignorance a natural state without the manifestation of God Secondly that it is so taken in this place Cop. Man is said to be dust and ashes Osb But dust here cannot signifie man it is said the dust of the earth and that many sleep in the dust of the earth as that which is properly taken in one place must not of necessity be so taken in all places so that which is taken figuratively in some places cannot be admitted in the same sence in others Christ is said to be a door and a Shepheard though he were neither in proper speech He is also said to come as a thief in the night which word sometimes imports such a one as comes to steal Cattel or other goods because these words carry a proper meaning in some Scriptures must they therefore be of the same import in all this were blasphemous against Christ contrary to his nature and dignity the same words are variously taken in divers Scriptures so then if the dust of the earth do any where signifie such a state as you speak of yet that here it doth you prove not Your former Allegation that sayes Man is dust and ashes is little to the purpose for here in Daniel the dust and those that sleep in it are distinguished one from the other but your interpretation confounds them You say man is dust and ashes and bring that as a parallel to this place and withal grant as the Scripture sayes that many sleep in the dust which in plainer English is thus Many men that sleep sleep in themselves Cop. True for they sleep in the old man Osb I desire you to prove your interpretation by the Scripture Cop. It is cleared by Esay 26. 18. Thy dead men shal live with my dead body shall they arise awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust c. These Scriptures are compared together by this I prove my interpretation for I would have one Scripture interpret another Osb. I am glad to hear your acknowledgment that all interpretations of Scripture must be made good by Scripture but you must know also that in interpretation of Scripture you must take such for the establishment of your sense as are parallels and have relation unto or dependance upon one another and that a word or phrase may be taken properly in one place and figuratively in another and as for this 26. of Isa v. 17. you must prove that dust is taken figuratively for the state of nature and ignorance and dead men for those that are in this state and when you have done this you must also prove that agreement and accord of this in Isaiah with that in Daniel Cop. These Scriptures have relation to one another and the earth here is the old man Osb. There is nothing of the old man not one word in all this chapter Cop. Yes v. 17. Like as a woman with child that draweth near the time of her delivery is in pain and cryeth out in her pangs so have we been in thy sight O Lord v. 18. We have been with child we have been in pain that is we have laboured and travelled to bring forth Christ in the spirit Osb. This you say but you must also prove
it What is all this v. 17 18. to the old man or labouring and traveling to bring forth Christ in the spirit Cop. The bringing of the soul out of the dust is the bringing of the new man out of the old Osb. Where is your proof that the bringing of the dead out of the dust is bringing the soul out of the dust and that the bringing of the new man out of the old Cop. This is proved v. 14. They are dead they shall not live they are deceased they shall not rise therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them and made all their memory to perish Osb. What is this to the old man Cop. God's raising them is raising their memory or them to a memory which before they had not it was a perishing memory which before they had Osb. What means the perishing of their memory here Cop. They remembred not God or had not the knowledge of God Osb. Prove this phrase to hold forth any such thing Cop. The natural man is enmity with God Osb. Prove the memory perishing to be taken for natural state Cop. It is the darkness of their Understanding Osb. Prove it is meant so here and alledge your Scripture and I will acknowledge my self to be in an error Cop. I prove Ezek. 37. 11. These bones are the whole House of Israel Behold they say our bones are dryed up and our hope is lost Osb. He says nothing of memory much less of memory perishing but speaks of hope lost which are two distinct things hope being of things to come and memory of things past therefore this Scripture cannot witness for you you must seek elsewhere Cop. The Scripture carries it all along that the natural mans memory perisheth not Osb. I see little strength or sense in this answer or that it is in any sort pertinent to our question Let me now see how you can prove in this chapter and particularly in this verse he speaketh of the new man and that by dust is meant corruption of nature and darkness Cop. If men will not receive the truth they may pick Cavils Osb. You judge me though judging be against your doctrine but prove that by dust is meant corruption and darkness Cop. What is it that awakens out of darkness Christ in us who appears as dew on the herbs till Christ as dew revive our dead hopes as appears also by Hos 14. 51. I will be as the dew unto Israel he shall grow as the Lilly How shall he fall as a dew unless upon as as dead Jesus Christ is the dew and he cometh not but on the dead Osb. If this be granted it doth but hold out this that those that are raised are raised by this dew but that the dead on which it falleth are souls onely and not bodies you have not proved Cop. That coming is on a dry soul Osb. Yet I deny that the soul only is quickned by Christ I grant that Christ as dew and as rain falls on a withered soul and thereby quickens and revives it but that it quickens the soul only I deny for it also quickens the body of which he speaks here in Isaiah Cop. I have proved the soul to be quickned by this dew you must prove the dew doth descend upon the body also Osb. It was rather my grant then your proof that the soul is quickned which we affirm also of the body sith what the dew is to the corn and grass that Christ is to the bodies of men as the dew revives the corn and grass and makes it to flourish when it is dead and withered so doth Christ raise mens bodies dead in the grave which we having before abundantly proved by authority of Scripture it is your part to disprove or shew the impertinency of the Scriptures alledged for to the Proposition by me maintained Cop. Would you have me to prove all Will you have no proof on your side You will prove nothing Osb. Seing you will have it so we will make an Essay what may be proved out of this very verse from whence I doubt not to infer the verity of my Assertion and the falsity of yours and that he speaks of bodies quickned by this dew from a bodily death in the grave rather then of souls from corruption the dead that are here raised by the dew falling on them are conformable to Christ they are so dead as Christ's body was and so raised as Christ's Together with my dead body shall they arise But Christ's Resurrection was not from corruption and sin but from a bodily death to life therefore ours also Cop. Christ did descend to the Nature of man that is corruption Christ must lay this in grave and rise from it Osb. Then Christ was a sinner Cop. He took our sins and so his resurrection was from sin Osb. Doth this of Isa 26. 17 hold out any such thing Yea where is he said to rise from sin Cop He took our Nature on him and that 's the cause Osb. It was from the grave and not from sin corruption and ignorance Cop. If he rose not from them then he had them not Osb. Neither had he for he was without sin That remains to be proved Cop. He took all our infirmities on him Osb. Not sinful infirmities Cop. All our infirmities and bare our sicknesses Osb. I deny that John 11. 24. Osb. Let us go on to another Scripture namely Joh. 11. 24. Martha saith unto him I know that he shall rise again in the Resurrection at the last day Lazarus was dead lay four days in the grave and stunk yet of him Martha saith He should rise again in the Resurrection at the last day This cannot be meant of any spiritual Resurrection in this life but of a Resurrection after death Which perswasion of hers Christ confirms by saying I am the Resurrection Cop. Martha spoke in Ignorance and Christ by way of Reproof Mark the words I know saith Martha my Brother shall rise again in the Resurrection of the last day Christ answers I am the Resurrection and the Life He that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live as if he had said she should not believe her self but him Martha believed not as in v. 40. Said I not unto thee that if thou wouldest believe thou shouldest see the glory of God Therefore Christ reproved an Unbeliever Osb. Christ instructs reprooves not Martha but rather commends her M. John Hughes Martha saith v. 27. that she doth believe therefore she had faith Cop. She believed in general but not in particular and who will not say my friends that are dead I shall see them again at the last day M. Hughes You will not say it M. W. Bartholomew Martha had external faith but not internal faith Cop. Yea yea Osb. Where do you prove by Scripture there is an external faith and what is external faith M. W. Bartholomew She heard with the ear that was her faith Osb. We deny hearing to be