ESSAY TOWARD THE [SECT. Iv. Anwer 2. Christ carne again to his disciples at his own resurrection from the dead, and taught them the, things of the other world, and better prepared them for the happiness of heaven and his own presence : IIe came again also by the destruction of the Jewish state, and called his own people thence before -hand, as an emblem of their salvation when the world should be destroyed. He also came again at their death, when he that hath the keys of death and, the invisible world, let them out of the prison of the body, into the separate state, that they might dwell with him : The coming of Christ has many and various senses in the New Testament, and need not be referred only to his coming at the day of judg- ment: Answer 3. But suppose in this place, the words of Christ be construed, concerning his great and public coming, to raise the dead and judge the world; it is certain, that in that day the disciples shall be received to dwell with him, in a much more complete and glori- ous manner, when both soul and body shall be made the inhabitants of heaven : But this does not preclude or forbid that the separate souls of his followers should be favoured with his presence in paradise, before his public coming t6 judge the world. Though the last and greatest blessing be onlymentioned here, it does not ex- clude the former. Objection IV. St. Paul, in Phil. iii. 10, 11. says that he desired to " know- Christ, and the power of his resur- rection, &c. if by any means he might attain to the re- surrection of the dead." Nowwhat need had the apostle to be so solicitous about the resurrection, if he expected to be with Christ immediately upon his death, since be- ing with Christ is the state of ultimate 'happiness ? Answer 1. Some learned men suppose that the apostle here presses after some peculiar exaltations of piety in this world, and after an interest in some first resurrec- tion, or resurrection of the martyrs and most eminent saints, which would be long before the general resur- rection of all the dead, according to the visions of St. John, Rev. xx. 4 -7. But as I am not sufficiently ac- quainted with the sense of that prophecy, to determine my opinion on this side, I proceed to other answers : Answer 2. What if the words of St. Paul in this place
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