496 The VitalFountain, or, thy refurre&ion ; As we have born the Image ofthe earthly, faith the Apoftle, (o wefball bear the Image of the heavenly, r Cor. is. }q. As we have born about us theft corruptible bodies, fowhen werifc again, we(hall rife with immortal, and Incorruptible bo dies,and live a glorious life withChrifr,andto be madeconformable ` to Chrift our head, therefore fear not the death of the body. Rememberthat Death can deftroy nothing in thec.but fin, therefore fear not:, This confiderationmay comfort us,as againft our own death, fo again(t the death ofour friends ; Let us therefore receivecomfort hence; asAiarthainthis Chapter I know that my brother (halt rife again in the 7Zefurrettion at the laft day,- and that did comfort her. But here this queftion may be demanded ; but is not this Refrtrredion of the body,a benefit common to the wicked ? are not they partakersof this benefit from i the refurre&ion ofChrift,as well as the godly ? (hall not they be raifed,and quick.' ned,as well as thcgodly, by Chrift his Refurre&ion ? To this I ant wer, that this Refurre&ion of the body to life,itas a benefit proper to the faithful, to the true membersofChrif! : for though unbelievers, and wicked perlons hall be raifed up again ; yet, By a different caufe. And to a different end. I fay firft, by a different carafe : the wicked that are out.of Christ, cannot have any benefit from the Refurre &ionofChrift,becaufe they are outof Chrift,therefore they (hall be raifed indeed but not by a quickningpower flowing from the refur- re&ionofChrist: but by the divine power,andcommand of Christ,as a juftJudge and they (hall be railed by venue of that curfe pronounced inParadife, Gen. z. In the day thou eatefá, thou fhalt die the death that includes eternal death.: therefore this curie muff be executed upon them, and therefore they muff rife out of the. Grave again, that body and foul may die eternally : but the faithful members of - Chrift Ihall be railed by the quickning powerof Christ, as their headand Saviour. e. In the end. Again, as the wiked (hall be railedbya different caufc,fo to a diffcreud end :. for they (hall not be railed to life, to (peak properly, that Efate is filled eternal death, therefore their Refurredion isftiled,therefurrchtion of condemnation,Joh.y.z7. they; that have done good !all come forth to the refurretl'ion of life, and they that have done ill to therefurrettian ofcondemnation ; they (hall not rife to life, but to eternal death but thegodly only (hallattain thisKefurreFtiou oflife,andtherefore theyon. ly areftyled eh efans of the refnrredlion, Lakezo.36% So machmay fufficefor comfort. A fecondUfe of the point may be for trial and examination, fence we profefs to- be Chtiftians,to be members of Chrift,letus here try the truth, whether we be fo ern dced,or no. Chrift is theRefurre&ion i he is the Authorofthe firft Refurre&ion to a; fpiritual life. Thefirft thingthat Christ doth in the foul of a (inner, is to raife the foul to a fpiritual lifer therefore examine whether you have felt this quickning power or no, this firft Refurrec`fionto a fpiritual life. When Chrift was uponthe earth, he'had powerto mile up allahofe to life again that died, but yet he raifedbut few;there are but three that we road of, thole that we namedbefore.The Widdotes fop, fairtuDaughter, and Lazarus here. So likeivife Christ now hall:: power to quicken all thofe that are dead in fn, to raife them.to fpiritual life, but yet he quick- ens hut few, in comparifonof thofc. that continue fail( in their fins. Therefore let noall examineour (elves upon this-point, whether we have attained the firft Refur- re&ion or no. If webe truememb'ersof Chrift,we partakeof the firftRefurre&i- on : for Christ is a fountain of fpiritual life to all Fria members : therefore examine Ihis,look to the frrfkrefurre &ion,to the Life ofgrace, thoumail know it briefly. by three figns. Signs of the Firft, by forfaking of fin: f rft Ketone- Secondly, by newüefs of life. rion Thirdly, by thy continual progrefs in both. rl Forfaking fin Firth, by thy forfaking of fin, whether haft thou left thofe fins thou formerly livedit in ? As in the Refurre&ion of the body, as loon as the foul isunited to ehe body; prefently the man leaves the Grave, he leaves the fociety of thedead, and comes. ,Anfw. Diffeance in the Refutretti on of the ene- ly,and wicked. r in the eaufe: V/c z. Trial.
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