ing to that of the Apostle, Heb. 9 27. It is appointed for all men once to die, and after death cometh Judgment. For by the found of the laft trumpet, the dead fhall arife: We must not think that it fhall be a common Trumpet which fhall be blown; no, it fhall be the fhrill voice of the Angels, which fhall make that Alarm, that all the dead fhall hear, obey, and rife out of their Graves. At this day of Jubilee there fhall be no new Moon, in which the Trumpet was used to be blown, which the Prophet David fpeaks of in the 81 Pfalm: But we fhall have a new Earth, and a new Heaven, when this Trumpet fhall be blown, it fhall be heard far and near, no ear whatsoever but fhall hear this found; the dampness of the Earth fhall not hinder it, nor the depth of the Grave shall excufe us, no place, tho' never fo remote, fhall hinder this found, for it fhall be univerfal, and from all the corners of the Earth fhall this Trumpet be heard, it is the Lords fignal: All muft arife, that fhews the Power of the voice, and the obedience of the dead. Indeed it is a powerful voice, and all muft obey it. The Grave must furrender up all; for the Sea and the Grave are but faithful Stewards, and muft deliver up the Bodies which have been fo long hidden; the living muft then be congregated, and the dead fhall arife and come to Judgment, and every one receive according to his actions he hath done in the flesh.. Reaf. 1. And indeed, it is requifite it should be fo in regard of God's Justice, that his pre mifes made to the godly, and his Threatnings against the wicked, might at laft be made good. to both, which many times in this life are not. His Juftice then requires that men should one day rife again. The Elect Children of God are only partakers of Christ's Refurrection to Eternal Glory. The ungodly indeed rife by vertue of Chrift, not as he is a Redeemer, but a terrible. Judge; and befides the Death of the Body, they must fuffer a fecond Death, which is a pouring out of God's wrath on them for ever. Secondly, The very works in nature do in a fort fhew this: As the Phoenix, who in waxing old, it's faid maketh a fire, and burneth her felf to ashes, out of which ashes fhe reviveth again. We fee it in other Birds, as the Swallow, &c. which all the Winter are faid to be afleep in holes and clifts of Rocks, and in the Spring come abroad again. Yea, the very Trees and Plants of the Earth, as in Winter, they appear to be dead, fo in Spring, they revive and live again. And why then should any think it is impoffi ble for God to raise our bodies out of the duft? We fee a poor ignorant man is able of Clay or Ashes, to make a very beautiful Glafs. How much more then is the ever-living and AlmightyGod able to raise our bodies out of the duft? But you will fay, Are not mens Bodies eaten of Fishes, and Men eat them again? How is it poffible to raise the Bodies of thefe men thus confumed to duft, and mingled with the bodies of feveral Fishes, and of divers forts of Beafts. I I answer, That tho' it be impoffible to mortal men, yet it is not impoffible to God; For he that created all our Bodies of nothing, can make them again with fomething, namely, of their own matter, and fever their Bodies from all other Substances. The Atheist denies the Refurrection of the dead, which we will confute by the Scriptures, and the Refurrection of Chrift. And fince Chrift gave life to himself when dead and in the grave: how much more now being alive, and in Heaven Glorified, is he able to raise his members from Death to Life, and to raise up thofe that are dead in fin, by his Spirit unto newness of Life? Chrift's Refurrection is both the cause and confirmation of our rifing again: If we believe that Jefus Chrift died and rofe again, even fo them alfo which fleep in Jefus, will God bring with him. 1 Theff. 4. 14. And again, If the Spirit of him that raised up Fefus from the dead dwell in you, be that raised up Chrift, &c. Rom. 8. 11. And to prove the Refurrection of Chrift's Body, the witnesses are thefe: First, the Angels, Why feek ye the living among the dead, he is not here, he is rifen, Luke 24. 5. 2dly, the Saints that rofe with him, and went unto the holy City, 3dly. a forced Teftimony of the Soldiers; They came into the City and told all things that were done. Fourthly, the Difciples and followers of Chrift, the Apoftles, the Women, the two Difciples Peter and John, and more (faith the Text) than five hundred brethren at once: but especially the Apostle Paul the chofen of God. Then Then Fifthly, his own love was shown, he bid the Woman, Go tell my brethren that I am rifen, 1 Cor. 15. 16. So St. Peter in his first Epistle, Chap. 1. Verfe 3. faith, blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, which according to his abundant mercy bath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the Refurrection of Jefus Chrift from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, referved in Heaven for you who are kept by the pover of God thro' Faith unto Salvation. St. Paul teftifies as much in divers of his Epift.es: 1 Cor. 15 20. Chrift is rifen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that fiept. Likewife Eph. 2. 6 He bath raised us up together, and made us fit together in Heaven with Jefus Christ. And again in Acts 3. 26. Unto you first, God having raifed up his Son Jefus Christ, bath feat him to bless you in turning away every one of you from his iniquities. And after he was rifen he appeared (as the Text faith) first to Mary Magdalen when she flood without the Sepulchre weeping. She teaches us that we have caufe to weep when we have loft Chrift: for he is our righteoufness and our life: and not without hope must we weep; for in his Refurrection we recover him with Confolation. To believe and hope in our Refurrection is a chief folace of our troubles and croffes which are but for a time for Hope doth expect that certainly, which Faith from the word of God doth believe confidently. Chrift's death was not only for our fias. but his Refurrection was to obtain Righteoufnefs for us, the Holy Ghost, and everlafting Life and Glory. Ficht, Firft, He rofe for our Juftification. Thirdly, For our Refurrection to ever lafting Glory. All the benefits of Chrift's Death, are the fruits which we receive by this Refurrection; by Christs Resurrection he applies the benefit to us which he merited for us of his own free love. The Fruits of Chrift's Refurrection are, Firft, we are confirmed, that by his merit he hath perfectly fatisfied for our fins. Secondly, in the application of Chrift's benefits, that could not be conferred nor applied, except he had rofe again. Thirdly, in the gift of the Holy Ghoft, by which Chrift Regenerates us, and gives us Eternal Life. Fourthly, We are by Christ's Refurrection preferved in a perpetual and applied Righteoufnefs begun, which shall be confummated in Eternal Life. Fifthly, In the Refurrection of our Bodies: First, because Christ is our Head, and we his Members: Secondly, He hath taken away fin the cause of Death, Thirdly, He received Life for us: Fourthly, We have the fame Spirit: Fifthly, by the man. Chrift, came the Refurrection from the dead. Sixthly and laftly, The fruit of Chrift's Refurrection, is the confummation of all benefits, and the glorification of his Church Militant, and therefore, with Paul, let us believe in the Refur rection of Chrift; who rose the third day from the dead; to make us partakers of his Righteoufnefs, Sanctification and Glorification purchafed by his Merits only.John 16.Thefe things have I |