142 roFOZVEnras OF SIN. The condition was the same with Isaac and Jacob; they also are in heaven, being alive unto and with God, Our Savior proves it from the tenor of the covenant, "1 am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." Matt. 22 : 32. They are yet alive, alive unto God, and with him, by' virtue of the covenant ; or, after their death God would not be said to be their God. This is the force of our Savior's argument, that after their death God was, still their God. Then death had not reached their whole persons; they were still alive with God in heaven; and their bodies, by virtue of the same covenant, were to be recovered out of the dust. The same is the state with David. He was a man 4' after God's own heart. And, though he died, and his body saw corruption, yet he is not lost; he is with God in heaven. Hence he ended his days triumphantly, in a full apprehension of eternal rest, beyond what could in this world be attained, and that by virtue of the cove- nant: for these are the last words of David, "Although my house be not so with God, yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant," ascertaining to him sure and eternal mercies. 2 Sam. 23 : 5. Peter also is in heaven. Christ prayed for him, that his faith should not fail ; and in his death he glorified God. John, 21 : 19. So is Paul: he knew that when he was dissolved, he should be with Christ. Here, then, we are encompassed with a cloud of witnesses. For, 1. It is most certain that they were all sinners; they were all so by nature; for in this there is no difference among the children of men. And by practice also they were sinners: they confessed themselves to be such, and some of the sins of all of them stand upon record ; yea, some of them were great sinners. Some before
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=