Sermons Preached Upon Several Occasions, Sermon 12
SERMON XII.
GEN. 5. the latter end of the 24 Verſe. —And he was not, for God took him.
I Shewed you the laſt day at what time God took Enoch, it was when he had not attained to half the years of the reſt of that Generation. God ſometimes ſhortens the daies of his own ſervants in Love. I anſwered an Objection the laſt day.
Object. Is not long life promiſed as a bleſſing to the Saints? Thou ſhalt come to thy Grave in a full age, as a Shock of Corn in its ſeaſon; How is this promiſe made good, when God takes away ſome of his people before they have attained to half their daies, that they might have lived unto in the courſe of nature? I anſwered in many things.
Anſw. 1. Firſt, That this is an Old Teſtament promiſe: God walked then in a way of temporal promiſes more than now in this diſpenſation under the Goſpel in which he gives out leſs temporals, and more ſpirituals. Beſides, I told you it was a conditional promiſe; as in all the promiſes of outward good things that are made to Gods people, the promiſes of health, ſtrength, riches, and honour, and of long life: they muſt be taken with this limitation; ſo far as God in infinite wiſdom ſhall ſee to be beſt for them, ſo far ſhall he give out to them; and therefore if God do take away any of his people at any time, it is becauſe God ſees it beſt for them to be taken home to himſelf, it is beſt for them to have a ſhort time, becauſe that their daies are evil, Man that is born of a woman, ſaies Job, is one of few daies, and full of trouble; and there is a mercy that both theſe go together, few of daies and full of trouble. Beſides I anſwered, That the promiſe is made good, though God do take away ſome of his people whilſt young, yet the promiſe is made good; they come to the Grave in full age, becauſe they come to the Grave full of grace, he is not cut down before he is ripe, they are not like the Corn on the houſe top that is burnt up before it is ripe, but God can make them full of grace, which is a full age; and herein his promiſe is made good. Beſides, his promiſe is made good, becauſe God makes them willing to leave the world when he calls for them: the righteous man when God calls for him, he ſaies as Elias ſaid, Lord it is enough, if thou ſaieſt it is enough that I have lived ſo long upon earth, I will ſay ſo too, Lord I have enough of living here, I have enough of this world, here's nothing that is deſirable, or that may draw forth my affection to live longer, if this be the determined time of God. A wicked man hath never life enough, though he liveth a hundred years, twice told, yet he is as greedy to live longer, as at firſt; but God ſatisfies the hearts of his ſervants, in that they have lived long enough, and their time is come, and that ſatisfies them; and thus they have length of daies continued. And beſides, God doth promiſe to his people a great reſtauration that is to be before the end of the world: as the daies of a tree, ſo ſhall the daies of my ſervants be, and mine Elect they ſhall long enjoy the work of their hands; it ſhall then be a mercy to live long, when the new Jeruſalem ſhall come down from heaven, and when the Lamb ſhall be the light of it, when Satan ſhall be bound, and the Accuſer of the Brethren caſt out, and wicked men put under, when corruption ſhall be ſubdued, then long life ſhall be a mercy. But however I anſwer, That if God do ſhorten our daies here and give us an Eternity in heaven, we are no loſers, but God is as good as his word. If a man promiſe you a Shilling, and ſhall at that day give you a hundred or a thouſand pounds, he is not unfaithful, but he is as good as his word; and thus the Lord promiſed long life, which is an eternity, better than life here, and wherein he fulfils his word. It ſhould and ought to be the deſire of all to live much, rather than to live long, to live much in a little time; thus did Chriſt, he lived much, he glorified the name of his Father in the time he lived, he did much in a little time; and thus it ſhould be our care, to do much for God in a little time, and to lay hold of eternal life betimes; becauſe this life is momentany and vaniſhing; the Devil takes his opportunity, he works much, knowing he hath but a little time, becauſe he knows his time is ſhort, therefore he works with all his might, and plyes his work to deceive the Nations.
If he be ſo ſubtile for his Kingdom, how wiſe ought we to be to promote the Kingdom of Chriſt? Oh! whatſoever we find to do for God, let us do it with all our might, and with all our ſtrength; for thus hath Chriſt given us his Example. I ſhall proceed to that which remains, God took him.
I ſhewed you before, Whither Enoch was taken: He was taken up into Heaven, he was not diſſolved, he died not as other men; I proved it from the Epiſtle to the Hebrews, that he was tranſlated that he ſhould not ſee death.
Queſt. But you will ſay, Wherefore was Enoch thus tranſlated? Why was he not diſſolved? Why died he not as others? Why tranſlated that he ſhould not ſee death?
Anſw. I anſwer, Firſt, Becauſe he was a remarkable Type of Jeſus Chriſt; I ſay, he was a remarkable Type of Chriſt. For,
1. Firſt, He was matchleſs in his Generation, There was none like him, above all the men in the world Enoch walk'd moſt cloſe with God in his time, he was matchleſs and none like him, and herein he wa… a Type of Jeſus Chriſt, who was matchleſs in the world; whilſt he was in the world, he was as the Apple-tree in the midſt of the Trees in the Foreſt, there was no guile found in his mouth; he walked exactly with God when he was here upon earth, there was no ſtumbling blocks, no ſlips in the whole courſe of Jeſus Chriſt. But,
2. Secondly, Enoch was a Type of Chriſt, in that God was ſo exceedingly well pleaſed with him; He received this Teſtimony, ſaies the Apoſtle in Heb. 11. 5. that he pleaſed God; God was pleaſed with him, and herein he was a notable Type of Chriſt: the Father is pleaſed only in him, Behold my ſervant whom I uphold, ſaies he in Iſa. 42. 1. mine Elect in whom my ſoul delighteth: he was infinitely well pleaſed with Chriſt; the good pleaſure of God towards Enoch, it was but a drop of that love, and that good pleaſure which was poured out upon the head of Jeſus Chriſt; the Father was pleaſed with his Perſon, infinitely pleaſed in his righteouſneſs, pleaſed in all that he did, and pleaſed in his ſufferings, Iſa. 53. 10. It pleaſed the Father to bruiſe him; he was pleaſed with all thoſe that Chriſt repreſented, he is pleaſed with the whole Family of Chriſt, even with all that belong unto him in Heaven and Earth, and that only for his ſake; it is ſaid of him in Matth. 3. the latter end, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleaſed. So then my Brethren, is there ever a ſoul that is ſeeking after the good pleaſure of God? the manifeſtation of the love of God unto it? that is looking and waiting for ſome token of acceptance from heaven? Would you be in the ready way unto it? Then look unto the Lord, even Jeſus Chriſt, of whom Enoch was a Type, look unto him in his love, all the love and all the good pleaſure that is in the heart of God, runs down through Jeſus Chriſt unto poor creatures: Oh, run to Chriſt, make haſt to Chriſt, throw down your ſelves at the Foot-ſtool of Chriſt, and claſp about him by Faith, and know that there is a plentiful Box of good pleaſure and love broken upon the head of Chriſt by the Father, that will run down unto every ſoul that ſits under the skirt and ſhadow of Chriſt. That's a Second thing, wherein Enoch was a Type of Chriſt.
3. Thirdly, Enoch was a Type of Chriſt, as Chriſt was a Conqueror over Death; and this was held forth in Enoch's tranſlation, He did not ſee Death; Enoch did not ſee corruption as the bodies of others do, and he was in this a Type of Jeſus Chriſt, that was the holy One of God, that he ſhould not ſee corruption; he did not ſee corruption; Enoch's conqueſt was but a Type of this conqueſt and victory of Jeſus Chriſt, that he got for his people over Death and the Grave: and therefore you that deſire not to be diſmayed when Death comes, when this enemy ſhall ſet upon you; Oh, that you would before-hand look unto the conqueſt and victory of Chriſt. There is a time when this your enemy will meet you all in the Field: Would you not be diſmayed? Would you be able to look Death in the face? Then I beſeech you, before-hand, live upon Faith in Chriſt, upon the conqueſt of Chriſt, upon the victory of Chriſt, he hath broken the force of death, taken away the ſting of it, he hath diſmayed it. Oh, live upon the conqueſt that Chriſt hath made over death, that ſo your hearts may not fail when you come to grapple with this laſt enemy, which is Death, Chriſt hath overcome Death gloriouſly; and Enoch was but a Type of Chriſt, and a ſhadow of it in his tranſlation. That's the firſt, wherefore Enoch was tranſlated in an extraordinary way, becauſe he was an extraordinary Type of Chriſt.
2. But Secondly, Enoch was thus tranſlated, becauſe Enoch whilſt he lived, exerciſed a ſpecial faith; I ſay, Enoch had a ſpecial Faith, a moſt remarkable faith, in ſome good and great deliverance that God would work for him either in Death or from Death: He truſted God whilſt he lived in victory over Death, that Death ſhould be conquered for him, and Death if it came ſhould do him no harm; I ſay, he had a ſpecial faith in this reſpect; It appears by two Demonſtrations.
1. Firſt, In reſpect of that bold, that holy bold profeſſion that Enoch makes of God in his Generation, which was a moſt corrupt time, and dangerous to make any profeſſion of God in: righteous Abel was killed for his profeſſion, for his walking with God, his Brother aroſe up and ſlew him, and yet Enoch is not diſmayed, he will not turn aſide from God, he will not balk his profeſſion for fear of death, for fear of the ſons of violence; the poſterity of Cain was multiplied, and the earth was filled with violence at that time, and there was enmity in that ſeed of Cain, againſt the ſeed of Seth, which God raiſed up inſtead of Abel, ſo that it was dangerous for Enoch to make any profeſſion of God in his Generation; and yet Enoch was not diſmayed, he feared not the hand of violence what it could do to him, but he truſted that God would deliver him either from Death or in Death. And,
2. Secondly, It appears that Enoch had ſuch a remarkable faith, if we conſider what was the name that he gave unto his Son, as in this Chapter, He begat a Son, and called his name Methuſelah, that is, Mortis gladium, the ſword of Death, or the dart of Death, he believed there was one a coming that ſhould be the death of Death; one that ſhould overcome death for him, and for all the people of God, and therefore called his ſon after that name, The Sword of Death: He knew there was a Meſſiah a coming that ſhould ſend a challenge to death, as in Hoſ. 13. 14. O death, I will be thy Plague; O Grave, I will be thy deſtruction; Chriſt ſent a challenge and perform'd this; Enoch ſaw this by faith, and all his daies he lived in the contemplation of it, and ſucked ſweetneſs in the thoughts of it, and when e're death came, he believed it ſhould do him no harm. This will teach us three or four Leſſons.
1. Firſt, There is nothing loſt by making a bold profeſſion of Chriſt in evil times, in the midſt of dangers: Abel was ſlain becauſe he walked with God, and yet Enoch will not go back, and Enoch loſt nothing in concluſion; Oh, how often doth our Saviour call upon Chriſtians, his Diſciples and others, Fear not them that can kill the body, and can do no more; the fear of man brings a ſnare; how many poor creatures are inſnared through this fear, the fear of man? That when God convinces of the truth, and of the way of God, the ſoul ſubmits unto it, and yet dares not hold it forth, becauſe of the fear of man, becauſe it's a way that may be perſecuted, that the Powers of the world will perſecute it, and oppoſe it; O this fear of man brings a ſnare; what ſaies our Saviour in Matth. 10. 39. He that will ſave his life ſhall loſe it, but he that will loſe his life, ſhall find it; it is made good many times in this world: He that will ſave his life ſhall loſe it; when a man will turn aſide from God, when he will balk any way of God to ſave his life, or to ſave ſome comforts of his life, Oh, it will befall that poor creature as with the Prophet, Some Lion comes in the way, he meets him and ſlays him: But he that will loſe his life ſhall ſave it; he remembers the three Children ſpoken of in Daniel, they loſt nothing by their bold profeſſion, they were willing to loſe their lives, and ſo they ſaved their lives: and thus did they, and ſo did Enoch.
2. Secondly, It doth teach us how much God is delighted with the faith of his people: Enoch lived by Faith in a ſpecial manner, and how was the heart of God taken with Enoch? He was well pleaſing unto God, ſo well pleaſing that God could not long be without him; puts forth his hand and takes him up to himſelf; Oh, how greatly is the heart of God and Chriſt taken with Faith! We never read that Jeſus Chriſt wondred at any thing but at Faith: twice he wondred at the Faith that was given out to ſome of his ſervants; as in Matth. 8. Chriſt wondred at it, O, ſaies he, at the 10 Verſe, when Jeſus Chriſt heard it, he marvelled and ſaid to them that followed him, Verily I ſay unto you, I have not found ſo great a Faith, no, not in Iſrael; When Jeſus Chriſt heard it, he marvelled; and ſo the heart of Chriſt was taken with the Faith that was given out to the woman of Canaan, in Matth. 15. O woman, great is thy Faith, be it unto thee even as thou wilt: Faith gains the will of Chriſt; what a great deal hath God done to encourage his people to believe? Faith finds not what it expecteth, but it finds more than ever it expected; certainly Methuſelah believed death ſhould do him no harm, and therefore he feared not death, and thought not of ſuch a way as this is, but God was better to him than his Faith. You have a ſtrong God, what encouragement is here? You have a ſtrong Saviour; O let not your faith be weak, eſpecially ſeeing the Lord is ſo delighted with it; he gives faith whatſoever it expects; nay, even beyond it's expectation. Again,
3. Thirdly, This teaches us, That to live much by faith is the way to make our tranſlation eaſie; thus it was with Enoch, he lived all his daies by faith, and ſee how eaſie his tranſlation was to him: there's nothing honours God in the world ſo much as faith doth; now therefore God delights to honour Faith, becauſe it honours him, it hath the promiſe, They that honour me, I will honour; I beſeech you then, you that would have an eaſie change (and who would not have an eaſie change, an eaſie tranſlation? when death comes who would not have a large door ſet open to them, and go with full ſails for heaven?) If this be the deſire of your hearts, then labour to live much by faith; it is faith that will ſet the door wide open, it will miniſter abundance of entrance into the everlaſting Kingdom of our Lord; the ſpirit of faith will fill the ſoul with full ſails, it ſhall go to Heaven with full ſails; thus it was with Enoch, who lived by faith.
4. But again, Fourthly, A fourth thing that we may learn is this, that when God doth give out a ſpecial faith, he doth give out ſome ſpecial mercy; when God gives out a ſpecial faith, a particular faith, he that perſwades the heart to believe it, it ſhall be eaſie to him. Enoch was perſwaded in a ſpecial faith to believe ſomething concerning death that God would do for Enoch, and he did believe; it is rare and extraordinary; this ſpecial faith that doth concern ſuch and ſuch as a ſpecial mercy that God doth put the ſoul to ſeek after it, if the heart be perſwaded by God to believe ſuch a particular mercy to be given out, certainly if God do perſwade the heart to wait for that mercy, that mercy ſhall be given out: ſee David in Pſal. 27. 4. One thing have I deſired of the Lord: that will I ſeek after; that I may dwell in the houſe of the Lord all the daies of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his holy Temple. There he had a deſire to come back again to Jeruſalem to ſee the Lord in his Temple, and his heart was carried out ſtrongly to believe it; he was baniſhed by Saul a mighty King, and he durſt not come into the Land, and how then could he come to the Temple? yet he would not fear, for that one thing that God had put in his heart to ſeek after, for that his heart was upheld in it. And thus God may deal with ſome of his ſervants, when he doth raiſe up his peoples hearts to believe ſome ſpecial mercy, that mercy ſhall be given out according to their faith. That's a ſecond mercy why Enoch was thus tranſlated, he was one that had a ſpecial remarkable ſaith, that ſomething God ſhould do for him in or about Death.
There's a third Queſtion follows, Wherefore Enoch was thus tranſlated?
The Anſwer is, That ſo his tranſlation might preach unto the men of that Generation, yea, to all ſucceeding Generations, that there ſhall be a Reſurrection of the Body: I ſay, therefore did God thus tranſlate Enoch, that his tranſlation in body to heaven might witneſs to them, and ſo to all other Generations, that there is a time when that the bodies of the Saints ſhall be co-partners with their ſouls in Glory: Here God Preached the Doctrin of the Reſurrection of the Body, by Enoch's tranſlation; in all Ages God hath not left himſelf without witneſs, concerning this great truth, the Reſurrection of the Body; and certainly the Lord ſaw that there was need that he ſhould bear witneſs of this truth: there was need then, and there is need now, even in this Generation, that we ſhould be informed, perſwaded, and rooted in this Doctrine of the Reſurrection of the Body; there's great need that Chriſtians ſhould be confirmed in it, in the knowledge and in the full perſwaſion of it. For,
1. Firſt of all, It is the Doctrine that the Devil hath alwaies ſought to over-throw, the powers of Hell have bandyed againſt it, and how hath the Devil by his Inſtruments, by Atheiſtical men oppoſed this Doctrin in every Age? It hath been oppoſed, and it is ſtill oppoſed. I ſhall ſhew you what oppoſition is made againſt it, that ſo you may be confirmed in it. It's ſad to think that ſome that have formerly made a profeſſion, ſhould fall ſo far as to deny a Reſurrection; and yet ſuch a ſeducing ſpirit is gone forth in the world: I ſhall ſhew you what the Atheiſt hath againſt it, that your hearts may be confirmed in this Doctrin.
Queſt. Why, Firſt, Say they, it's againſt reaſon: How is it poſſible that the bodies of men ſhould be raiſed up again, whenas their bodies are devoured & conſumed in the heart of the earth, they are turned into the very elements again, into their firſt principles, and how is it poſſible that the ſame bodies ſhould be raiſed up again?
Anſw. To this, I'le anſwer in the words of our Saviour Chriſt, O, ſaies he, you erre, not knowing the Scripture, nor the power of God; for that was the anſwer that Chriſt gave unto the Sadducees, that denyed the Reſurrection, in Matth. 22. 29. Ye erre, not knowing the Scriptures; he tells them, they were not acquainted with that which God had ſpoken in his Word, he brings one Scripture that they did not know, and therefore they erred becauſe they did not know it: Have not you read, ſaies he, that which was ſpoken unto you by God, ſaying, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Iſaac, and the God of Jacob; they ſaid there was no Reſurrection; ſaies Chriſt, Poor creatures, you ſay ſo, becauſe you don't know the Scriptures, ye err therefore becauſe you know not the Scriptures: God ſaies, I am the God of Abraham; God ſaies this after Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob are dead and gone, that he is the God of Abraham, therefore there is ſomething of Abraham yet remains, and Abraham ſhall live again, for God ſaies he owns them, and ſaies, ye know not the power of God, Ye err not knowing the Scriptures, and the power of God: you meaſure God by the arm of fleſh, becauſe it's impoſſible to you, you think it's impoſſible to God, whenas God is infinite, and can do whatſoever he pleaſe; if you did but conſider the power of God, ſaies he, you would not err on this manner, even to deny the Reſurrection as a thing impoſſible: Why, who made the world? Who made all things out of nothing? Who brought light out of darkneſs? Certainly to raiſe up the dead is not a greater matter than to make the World of nothing; certainly if you had known the Scriptures, you would not have denied the power of God in raiſing from the dead. But the Devil is ſubtil, and therefore when reaſon won't do, he flees to Scripture, he'll bring you Scripture to deny the Reſurrection; that Scripture is urged by ſome Atheiſtical ſpirits, 1 Cor. 15. 50. Now this I ſay Brethren, that fleſh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God; therefore, ſay they, the Scripture is againſt the Reſurrection, there ſhall be no reſurrection, becauſe fleſh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.
To this I anſwer,
1. Firſt, That ſinful fleſh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, corrupt man cannot inherit the Kingdom of God; but the bodies of the Saints ſhall be raiſed without ſin, there ſhall be no defilement when they come out of the Grave, they ſhall be purified ſufficiently; and therefore then they may inherit the Kingdom of God. And,
2. Secondly, It's true, that weak, frail, corruptible fleſh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, but when the bodies of the Saints be raiſed up, they ſhall not be weak, frail and corruptible as their bodies are now; no, they ſhall leave all their weakneſſes, all their frailties ſhall be left behind them, all theſe ſhall be left in the Grave; therefore the Apoſtle anſwers ſufficiently in the 53 verſe of that Chapter, For this corruptible muſt put on incorruption, and this mortal muſt put on Immortality; frail corruptible fleſh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God: but it ſhall not be ſo at the Reſurrection, but this corruptible ſhall put on incorruption, and this poor mortal body ſhall put on Immortality, it ſhall no more be cloathed with frail fleſh and blood, but it ſhall put on new robes, new robes that ſhall not be changed, and that are not ſubject to change, that ſhall not wear away, but ſhall abide for ever in the Heavens, and therefore there is nothing in this againſt the Reſurrection of the body, but it ſhall be partner with the ſoul in the bleſſedneſs of Heaven.
But there's another place that the Atheiſt doth alledge from Scripture, and that is from Solomon, what he ſaies in Eccleſ. 3. 19. For that which befalleth the ſons of men, befalleth Beaſts, even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, ſo dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath, ſo that a man hath no preheminence above a beaſt: for all is vanity. Hence the Atheiſt concludes that there's no Reſurrection, for when death comes, it's with man as a beaſt; who knoweth the ſpirit of man that goeth upward, and the ſpirit of the beaſt that goeth downward?
To this I anſwer, That Solomon doth not ſpeak in his own perſon, he ſpeaks in the perſon of the Atheiſt, he tells you what is the Atheiſts concluſion, what he ſaies in his heart becauſe of thoſe oppreſſions that he ſaw under the Sun, I ſaid in my heart concerning the eſtate of the ſons of men, that God might manifeſt them, and that they might ſee that they themſelves are beaſts. There you have the thoughts of Solomon, there he ſpeaks his own, it was a concluſion of his from the obſervation that he ſaw under the Sun, to ſee how one man oppreſſed another, even like beaſts; and there he brings in the concluſion of the fleſh, and the concluſion of the ſpirit: the concluſion of the ſpirit is, God ſhall judge betwixt the righteous and the wicked, and ſo he brings them in ſcoffingly, Who knows the ſpirit of a man that goeth upward, &c. you ſee it was not Solomon's, it was far from Solomon's thoughts that there ſhould be no Reſurrection, in Eccleſ. 11. 9. Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thine heart chear thee in the daies of thy youth, and walk in the light of thine eyes: But know thou, for all theſe things God will bring thee into Judgement. Solomon concludes with the Reſurreon, and it was the concluſion of his Book, in his laſt Chapter, 13, 14 verſes, Let us hear the concluſion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep his Commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God ſhall bring every work into Judgement, with every ſecret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. You ſee how the Devil by his Agents doth ſtrike at this Doctrin of the Reſurrection, he deſtroies all Godlineſs, all the power of Godlineſs, he deſtroies the Kingdom of God at once, and he builds up his own Kingdom for ever; If there be no Reſurrection, then ſaies the Atheiſt, Let us eat and drink, and to morrow ſhall be as this day, and more abundant: If our hopes were only in this life, we were of all men moſt miſerable; it deſtroies the whole myſterie of Godlineſs, then all ſhould be in vain, Preaching and Hearing in vain, and your faith in vain, if there be no Reſurrection: Now therefore, I beſeech you, get your hearts eſtabliſhed in this Reſurrection. The Devil plaies not at ſmall game, but he ſtrikes at the fulneſs of the root, at the Scriptures, he ſtrikes at the Reſurrection. O get your hearts eſtabliſhed. Some that have been as ſtars in the Firmament, have been ſwept down ſo low as to deny the Reſurrection of the body: know therefore that it is the Will of the Father, that Jeſus Chriſt ſhould raiſe up; all his people at the laſt day; ſo he tells them, and ſo he would have all his people believe it, it is the Will of the Father, that of all that he hath given me, I ſhould loſe none, but he will raiſe them up at the laſt day: and know that your bodies ſhall as certainly be raiſed up again, as the body of Jeſus Chriſt was raiſed up, there was a ſeminal vertue in Chriſt, but it was not ſo in others, they did riſe, but Chriſt aroſe as a common perſon, and his Reſurrection is as the ſeed of the Reſurrection of their bodies in the concluſion; even as certainly as Chriſts body was raiſed from the Grave, ſo ſhall thine; and know if it were not ſo, Chriſt ſhould not be compleat, the body of Chriſt ſhould not be compleat; for all his people are a part of his body, if the head be riſen, the members alſo ſhall riſe, for Chriſt without them is not compleat: and the body ſhall ariſe, becauſe without the body the man is not compleat; I ſay, man is not compleat without the body; the ſoul waits for the Reſurrection of the body, it is not compleat, it hath not its fulneſs of joy untill the Reſurrection: and therefore it's ſaid in Rev. 6. 10. the ſouls under the Altar cry out, How long Lord holy and true, doſt not thou judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? The ſoul thinks long when it ſhall meet with its old friend again, the body: Oh Lord how long, ſay they, ſhall we be in this condition? Now ſeeing it is ſo, there ſhall certainly be a Reſurrection of the body at laſt: and if there ſhall be a Reſurrection of the body, then I beſeech you, conſider what manner of perſons we ought to be, how ſhould you endeavour after holineſs in the body, ſeeing there ſhall be a Reſurrection of the body; whilſt you are in the body, how ſhould you demean your ſelves in all holineſs? O what need is there that you ſhould get faith in Chriſt, to cover, and to waſh away all thoſe ſins and defilements of the body? And how careful ſhould you be to keep your bodies holy, as the Temples of the holy Ghoſt? That ſo when your ſouls and bodies are parted, there may be a longing for a Reſurrection, that your ſoul may ſay, Lord how long, how long, when ſhall that poor body that ſleeps in the duſt be raiſed up? It will not be ſo with wicked men, they won't call for a Reſurrection; the ſouls of the wicked had rather their bodies ſhould ſleep perpetually, that there ſhould be no morning, that there ſhould be no Gaol delivery, rather be in Priſon than come forth to the Aſſizes; but it ſhall not be ſo with the Saints in their ſtate of ſeparation of ſoul from the body, they think long that their bodies may be raiſed from the Grave, that their ſouls may be copartners with them in the glory that Chriſt ſhall give out. And to ſay no more, in the
Laſt place, I beſeech you (with the Apoſtle) comfort one another with theſe ſayings. Do but conſider how comfortable this Doctrin of the Reſurrection is in it ſelf; O the Reſurrection of the body, a great deal of a Chriſtians comfort is laid up in it: The Reſurrection of the body may be comfort to you in all your afflictions that you meet withal whilſt you are in the body; in the midſt of all your infirmities and weakneſſes and troubles whilſt you are in the body: When this corruptible ſhall put on incorruption; Oh! how willingly ſhould we ſpend and be ſpent for Chriſt, becauſe he will give it all back at the Reſurrection again? How willingly ſhould we lay down our bodies, our lives for Chriſt, if Chriſt call for them, becauſe there is a Reſurrection of the body: All that the Father hath given him, it is the Will of the Father that he ſhould raiſe them up at the laſt day. It will be comfort to you when you come to lay your heads in the Grave at reſt, you ſhall not be in Priſon for ever, your bodies ſhall not lie in the dark Dungeon for ever; No, Chriſt hath taken away the horror of the Grave, and he would not have you meditate horror there; the Covenant of God, (you that are his people) holds with your bodies, where ever you are, the Covenant of God laies hold upon your ſcattered bones, the Covenant of God holds with their very bones, and Chriſt will come to open thoſe Priſon doors: the Apoſtle ſaies, the whole Creation groans, Rom. 8. 22. For we know that the whole Creation groaneth, and travelleth in pain together until now, waiting for that deliverance in that great day, the day of Reſurrection, the very earth ſhall travel, and it groans to bring forth, even all thoſe ſons and daughters that have lain ſo long in the bowels of the earth, even all that have been buried in the Earth and Sea, it groans to be delivered of them; and therefore what matter of comfort is this? The Lord would have you aſſured of this, That there ſhall be a Reſurrection of your bodies, he hath taught it in the Type, whilſt you have ſeen Enoch, Enoch tranſlated in the body; and he hath given you a greater confirmation by Jeſus Chriſt, who is riſen and ſits at the right-hand of the Father: he is the ſeminal Comforter, therefore O ye Saints, be ye comforted waiting for that day of Reſurrection. And ſo much for this time.