Of DEATH. Chap. IV. The Itefurretl:ion is a Terra incognita to the wifefi Heathens; a bo8:rine peculiar to the Gofpel: fome glimmeri ngsthey had ofthe Souls Immortality,without which all Virtue had been extingui01'd in the World, but no conjecture of the reviving of the Body. But Reafan affifls Faith in this point, both as to the Will of God, and his Power for the performing ;\;is b~~~i~~:n~~du~~r~ 1 \~r~~~u[h~!e~~";s,),~ak~[~~r~~1i~~eof~2:":;)'J i~!ff~r~~ b~e~~~ Redeemer. and 'r1J~ 1:t~~~~;e~a~~S :r~~~:~d~)~let~~ ~~~rat~dti~O~;i~~ ~~)~na!~.Ot t~~~~~e~~~~ ~h~~ mufl be a RefurreC1:ion of the Body, that the entire Perfon may be capable ofRecompences in .Judgment. The Soul deGgns, the Body executes: the Senfes arc rhe open Ports to admit Temptations. Carnal Affetl:ions deprave the Soul, corrupt the Mind, and miflead ir. TheLoveof Sin ~sfoundcdinbonojuwndo, in fcnfible Pleafures: and the Members are the :;~~;;::.of1~~~;;~·BJ~'~ ~~~~~:~;s~~ ~~u~~; s~~~~og~,i~~~~r~~w:~fn~1fu,T~~~~e .~'ri denies its fenfual Appetites and SatisfaEiions in compliance with Reafon and Grace. The Members are the Injlruments of Riglmoufoefs. It follows then there will be an univerfal Refurreaion, that the rewarding Goodnefs of God may appear in making the Bodies of his Servants gloriou!ly happy with their Souls, and their Souls compleatly happy in union with ~~~!~i~~t~~ ;~~~~ ~~%~~~ct~~t:'.:i~~I~~~~~~~·o~a~:e~;~ r:;~,~~;~~~!~~:he~egn~r~~:fefl And of the Poffibility of the RefurreC1:ion, the circular and continual produEiion of things in theWorld, is a clear demonftration of the Power of God for that effect. There is a pre.gnant Inflance that our Saviour and the Apoflle made ufe of as an Imag,e of the RefurreEiron : 11 Grain of Corn fowed in the Earth, corrupts and dies, and after fprings up entire; its Death is a difpofition to Life. The Elfays of God's Power in the Works of re· - turning Nature, Flowers and Fruits in their feafon, inihua us how eafily he can make thofc that are in the Dull: to awake to Life. If the Art of Man, w hofe Power and Skill are very narrow and limited, can refine Gold and Silver to fu..::h aLuflre, as if d1eir mattNom<n :er- ter were not+ Earth diggedoutof the Mines : If from black Cinders it can form Chryftal r!E i~ 1gm re· Glalfes fo clear and fhining, how much more can Omnipotency recompaa our Dufl, and ~:J~lt. Ter- reanimate it with a glorious Life? Death that diffolves our vital Frame does not abolilli the matter of our Bodies: and rho 'tis corrupted and changed by a thoufand accidents, yet 'tis unperifhing; and under whatfoever Colours and Figures it appears, God perfeaJy difcerns, and will feparare it for its proper ufe. More particularly, I will fhew how the' RefurreEiion of Chrift is an alfurance of the Refurrecrion of Believers to Glory. As our Surety he was under the arrefl ofDeath; it becoming the holy Majefly of God, and conducing to the eods of hrs Government, not to derogate from the dignity of his Law, but to lay the penalty upon his Son,, who inrerpofed for us. Now having fimfh'd the Work of our Redemptron by hrs Sufferrngs, hrs RcfurreC1:ion was the jufl confequent of his Paffioo. And 'tis obfervable that his Refurrecrion, the one entire AC1: is afcribed as t.O himfelf, fo to his Father, Rom. I. I I. by whofe confent and concurren~e he rofe again. Therefore 'cis faid, J11homGod raifed t~p, having loojed the Pains of Dwh, jince it was impoJlible hejho11id be .holden by.it. .Ads 2. 24. 'Twas natura11y impoffible upon the account of the Drvme Power mherent m Ius Perfon, and legally impoffible, becaufe Divine Juflice required that he fhould be raifed to Life; partly to vindicate his Innocence, for he was reputed, and fuffered as a Maiefa£\:or,. and prmci~ally be. caufe he had fully fatisfied God. Accordingly the Apoflle declares, he dud for our Sms, and rofe again for our 'Jujltjication. Ram. 4· Having paid our Debt, he was releas'd from the Grave, and the Difcharge was mofl folemnly publifh'd to the World. 'Tis therefore fa id, the God of l'eaceraifedhimfromthe Dead: Heb. •l· the Aa is moflcongruounyahibed unto God inveftcd with that T1rle, becaufe his Power was exerted in that glonous Work, after he was reconciled by the Blood of the Ctn~enant. Briefly, Our Savi0l.Jr1S Viaory over Death was obtained by dying, his Triumph by rifing again. He foil'd our common Ene· my in his own Territories the Grave His Death was a Countcrp01fon to Death 1t felf: as t Q_ui libi ipft: a bruifed Scorpion is a 1 noble Antidote againft its Venom. . . . pulc~errimum Indeed his D~ath is incomparably a grca(er Wond~r. than Ills Rcfurrca1on. ~or 'us ap- :.'"~e~[;,, ~f~·~~~y:~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~[~~~:0~n~;e~~i'hi~:10!l~~~t:I'~{r~:l~~sai~~~.f~~~1Dre.fh.~~~~ more conceivable that God fhould communicate to the humane Nature fame of hrs Drvrne PerfeEiions, Impaffibility, and Immortality, than that he fhould fubmit to our lowefl Infirmities, Suflerings and Death. . Now
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