A Supplement to Knowledge and Practice, Part 1 · Chapter 4 · Section 5
SECT. V. Of the Reſurrection of the Body.The Reſurrection of the Body.
THis is one of the Principles of the Doctrine of Chriſt, Heb. 6.2. 'Tis ſet before the Eternal Judgment which will adjudge men to their eternal ſtate, becauſe 'tis previous to it.
The Scripture ſpeaks of a two-fold Reſurrection.
1. A Metaphorical Reſurrection, viz. that of the Soul out of the ſtate of Sin and Spiritual Death. Of this the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Epheſ. 2.1. Ye that were ſometimes dead in Sins and Treſpaſſes, and Col. 2.13. You that were dead in your ſins hath he quickned. Grace, Righteouſneſs and Holineſs is the Spiritual life of the Soul, and where theſe are wanting, there muſt needs be a ſpiritual death in ſin. Rom. 8.6. to be carnally minded is death: but the Spirit is life becauſe of Righteouſneſs, verſe 10. that is, the Soul is alive Spiritually when it is partaker of righteouſneſs and grace. Our Souls therefore muſt firſt riſe from their ſtate of death in ſin to the new life of grace, if we deſire to have a part in the glorious Reſurrection of the body to eternal life, of of which I am to ſpeak afterward, and as the Apoſtle ſayes, Rom. 6.4. As Chriſt was raiſed from the dead ſo muſt we be raiſed from the death of ſin, that we may walk in newneſs of life.
2. The Scripture ſpeaks of a real Reſurrection, viz. of our bodies; namely, of the ſame body that died, which ſhall be raiſed again and re-united to the ſame ſoul that at death departed from it.
This reſurrection of the body is that which we profeſs to believe in this Article. And to confirm our faith therein, let us conſider theſe two things,
1. God can do it. He can raiſe our bodies when dead to life again.
2. He has declared he will do it.
1. God can do it; For he is Omnipotent. Therefore, ſaith our Saviour to the Sadducees who denied the Reſurrection,*Acts 26.8. Luke 18 27. Eph. 1.1….13. Ye do erre, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God, Mat. 22.29. And the Apoſtle, Acts 26.8. reaſons thus. Why ſhould it be thought a thing impoſſible that God ſhould raiſe the dead? He that could make this World out of nothing at firſt, undoubtedly can raiſe up mans body again, which though it have ſuffered many changes and tranſmutations; yet is not turned into nothing. Though the parts of mans body be diſſolved; yet they periſh not. The firſt duſt out of which man was made, was as far from being fleſh as any aſhes or duſt now can be. And God who is Omniſcient knows how to diſtinguiſh the duſt of one mans body from anothers. And being Omnipotent can give to every body what belongs to it, to make it the ſame numerical Body again. This he can do according to the mighty working That Parable Ezekiel 37. Where by reviving dead bones is ſhewed, that God would certainly reſt…re the p…ople of Iſrael out of captivity, that Parable, I ſay, ſuppoſes the Reſurrection of the Dead as a thing well known and certainly believed by that people.whereby he is able to ſubdue all things to himſelf, Phil. 3.21. Abraham thought it poſſible, Heb. 11.18, 19. When he really intended to Sacrifice his Son Iſaac, accounting that God was able to raiſe him up even from the Dead. Job not only thought it poſſible but firmly believed it, and ſpake of it with aſſurance, Job. 19. verſe 25. For I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he ſhall ſtand at the latter day upon the earth, verſe 26. And though after my skin worms deſtroy this body; yet in my fleſh ſhall I ſee God, verſe 27. Whom I ſhall ſee for my ſelf, and mine eyes ſhall behold and not another, though my reins be conſumed within me. Martha doubted not of it, John 11.24. For (ſpeaking of her brother Lazarus then dead) She ſaid I know that he ſhall riſe again in the Reſurrection at the laſt day. And indeed there are many things in nature that ſeem to carry a reſemblance of it. When we go to ſleep (ſolemnly commending our ſelves to Gods pardoning mercy in Chriſt and to his gracious protection) we do as it were lye down in our graves; our ſleep is a great reſemblance of death, and our riſing in the morning, of the Reſurrection. The Sun ſets every night and diſappears; yet riſes joyfully in the morning. The Seed that we ſow firſt dies before it be quickned, 1 Cor. 15.56. The earth receiveth the bare ſeed, and by corrupting it, reſtoreth it in a better faſhion than ſhe took it in. The Seed ſ…wn is ſo far from periſhing, that it riſes up far more beautiful. Whereas it was ſown dry and hard, it ſprings up freſh and green. So why ſhould it ſeem incredible, that our bodies ſhall riſe from corruption with far more excellent qualities than they had before. God can raiſe them, that is our firſt Argument.
2. God hath declared that he will do it; and that is abundantly ſufficient to induce us to believe it. Obſerve theſe Scriptures for the proof of it. Dan. 12.2. And many *That is, all ſhall ariſe and they will be many not a few. For many is not oppoſed to all here, but to few. Romans 5.19. By the diſobedience of one man many, i. e. not a few, were made ſinners. For all were made ſinners.of them that ſlept in the duſt of the earth ſhall awake; ſome to everlaſting life and ſome to ſhame, and everlaſting contempt, John 5.28, 29. Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming in which all that are in the Graves ſhall hear his voice, and ſhall come forth; they that have done good, unto the Reſurrection of life, and they that have done evil, unto the Reſurrection of damnation. Acts 24.15. And I have hope towards God, which they themſelves alſo allow, that there ſhall be a Reſurrection of the dead, both of the juſt and unjuſt, Luke 14.14. Thou ſhalt be recompenced at the Reſurrection of the juſt, John 6.39. And this is the Fathers will which hath ſent me, that of all which he hath given me I ſhould loſe nothing, but ſhould raiſe it up again at the laſt day, verſe 40. And this is the will of him that ſent me, that every one which ſeeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlaſting life, and I will raiſe him up at the laſt day. 1 Theſ. 4.14. For if we believe that Jeſus died, and roſe again, even ſo them alſo which ſleep in Jeſus, will God bring with Him. Verſe 15. For this we ſay unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord ſhall not prevent them which are aſleep, verſe 16. For the Lord himſelf ſhall deſcend from Heaven with a ſhout, with the voice of the Arch-Angel and with the trump of God, and the dead in Chriſt ſholl riſe firſt.
Let us now conſider what improvement we ſhould make of this doctrine.
1. Let us take heed of erring about this doctrine. Let us take heed of the leven of the Sadducees, who ſaid there was no reſurrection Acts 23.8. There are two ſorts of perſons that exceedingly erre about this doctrine.
1. Thoſe that affirm that there is no other Reſurrection but that which is Spiritual, viz. that of the ſoul from the death of ſin. This was the error of Hymenaeus and Philetus, 2 Tim. 2.17, 18. They acknowledged no other Reſurrection but the renovation of the mind which paſſes upon a man in this life. Now this Spiritual Reſurrection is limited only to true Believers; but the Corporal belongs to all that are in the Graves, of whom our Saviour ſays, John 5.29. They ſhall all come forth, ſome to life and ſome to damnation, which cannot poſſibly be meant of the Spiritual Reſurrection, and therefore there is another beſides that.
2. Thoſe that ſay the ſame numerical body that died ſhall not riſe again; but ſome new airy body, not fleſh and blood, bones and ſinews as ours are made up of. But this is a great error. For,
1. If the ſame bodies do not ariſe, then 'tis not a Reſurrection but a new Creation. I acknowledge 'tis not neceſſary they ſhould ariſe with every parcel and particle of fleſh they ever had, or had when they dyed; but they ſhall riſe with ſo much of their bodies as ſhall make them the ſame numerical bodies that died. As a man in the Wars if he loſe an arm or a leg, yet we ſay (and ſay truly) he is the ſame man ſtill that he was before. So the dead ſhall riſe with ſo much of their bodies, as ſhall (when reunited to their ſouls) make them the ſame perſons they were before.
2. Our Saviour ſayes all that are in the Graves ſhall come forth, that is, ſurely the ſame bodies that lay there, and not other bodies for them, Rev. 20.13. 'Tis ſaid, the Sea ſhall render up its dead; ſurely not new bodies but the old bodies that were buried there.
3. The Bodies of true Believers as well as their Souls are united to Chriſt, and thereby made the Temples of the Holy Ghoſt, as the Apoſtle aſſures us, 1 Cor. 6.19. And can you think Chriſt will loſe any one of his members? he aſſures us to the contrary, John 6.39, r 40.
4. The Apoſtle tells us, this corruptible, this mortal ſhall put on incorruption and immortality, 1 Cor. 15.53. Therefore the ſame bodies that are now mortal and muſt die, ſhall be raiſed. And indeed the Apoſtle plainly ſhews all along in that excellent diſcourſe of the Reſurrection, that he intends that the ſame body that dyed ſhould riſe again.
5. It ſeems moſt agreeable to the Juſtice of God, that it ſhould be ſo; viz. that the ſame numerical body that was the ſouls inſtrument either in good or evil actions, either in works of Righteouſneſs or Sin, ſhould partake with the Soul alſo in its rewards or puniſhments, ſhall they that beat down their bodies and bring them into ſubjection, or ſuffer Martyrdom in their bodies for the cauſe of Chriſt be rewarded in other bodies than thoſe that thus ſuffered? Or ſhall that body and fleſh of a wicked man, which was ſo great an inſtrument of his ſoul in ſinning againſt God, and diſhonouring of him, and hurting others, be diſſolved into duſt, and ſhall another body be framed for that miſerable ſoul, to ſuffer with it thoſe exquiſite torments that the damned muſt ſuffer for ever? Surely this cannot be. Therefore it ſeems moſt agreeable to the Juſtice and Providence of God, that every one ſhould receive either reward or puniſhment in his own body, which he had here in this life.
6. Chriſt himſ…lf did riſe with his own body, viz. with that body, that had been crucified. And others that had ſlept in their Graves did come forth thence at our Saviours Reſurrection, and ſurely they came forth with thoſe very bodies that ſlept there, and not with new bodies, Matth. 27.52, 53.*We have here the firſt fruits of the reſurrection to confi…m our faith. And ſo much of the firſt uſe.
2. Let us labour to ſtrengthen our Faith in the belief of this Article. And in order hereunto let us conſider. (1.) This Article was that which many faithful Chriſtians were ready to ſuffer Martyrdom for, and to ſeal with their own blood, 1 Cor. 15.29. elſe what ſhall they do (or what ſhall become of them) that are baptized, (that is, that ſuffer Martyrdom)*For ſo the word to be Baptized ſignifies ſometimes, as Mark 38. and the praepoſ. foreign ſignifies for, Acts 9.16. See Apoſt. hiſt. page 182. for the dead, namely for profeſſing to believe the Reſurrection of the dead. And why ſtand we in jeopardy every hour, viz. of the like Baptiſm for the ſame profeſſion, either from perſ…cuting Sadducees, who allow no Reſurrection, or from the furious Jews, who deny Chriſt to be riſen? (2.) This Article is a great foundation of a Chriſtians hope, 1 Pet. 1.3. Bleſſed be the God and Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the Reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt from the dead. For if in this life only we had hope, we were of all men moſt miſerable, 1 Cor. 15.19. (3.) This Doctrine tends much to the illuſtrating the infinite wiſdom, power, juſtice and mercy of God. (4.) It teaches us how much we owe to our Lord and Saviour who hath redeemed our bodies as well as our ſouls, and will ſave our bodies as well as our ſouls.
3. If there will be a Reſurrection, let us not bewail the death of our pious friends with too much ſorrow or concernment. Their bodies are but laid up for a glorious Reſurrection.
4. The conſideration and belief of the Reſurrection ſhould ſtrengthen us againſt the fear of our own death. As God ſaid to Jacob, Gen. 46.3, 4. Fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will go with thee, and bring thee up again. So a dying Saint may ſay to his body, fear not to go down into the grave, into the dark and diſmal vault, my dear Redeemer will bring thee up again. Death to the Righteous is but like the pulling down of an old ruinous houſe to build it again in a more excellent and glorious manner.
5. If God can and will raiſe the dead, it ſhould ſtrengthen our Faith in Gods power that he can raiſe us up out of any affliction into which we are at any time fallen, and that he can raiſe up his own intereſt in the World, or in any Nation, though it be never ſo low. See Rom. 4.17, 21. What cannot that God do, who quickneth the dead?
6. It ſhould teach us not to ſet too high a price or value upon our own lives when we are called to expoſe them for the cauſe of Chriſt or for our Countreys good. Every faithful ſervant of Chriſt that ſo loſes his bodily life, takes the beſt courſe to have it reſtored to him with advantage. And in this ſenſe our Saviour ſayes, he that loſeth his life ſhall ſave it, that is, ſhall not only recover it again at the Reſurrection, but ſhall over and above alſo be rewarded with eternal life in glory, John 12.25. He that loveth his life ſhall loſe it, and he that hateth his life in this World ſhall keep it unto life eternal. If God therefore call thee to expoſe thy body to death for him, fear not to do it: He will raiſe it up again in a more glorious manner. 'Tis ſaid of thoſe Worthies, Heb. 11.35. that were wracked and tormented for profeſſing the truth, that they refuſed to be delivered (viz. to the prejudice of their Conſciences) expecting a better Reſurrection than that now offered them, viz. to be delivered or raiſed up from their preſent pains and ſufferings. They expected a Reſurrection of their bodies to eternal glory.
7. This ſhould deterr us from ſinning with our bodies, which muſt be raiſed again, and if we die in our ſins, muſt ſuffer with our ſouls everlaſting puniſhment. Let us take heed of imploying our bodies as inſtruments of ſin. Remember (O ſinner) that wretched body of thine which thou haſt ſo often debauched by drunkenneſs, and polluted and defiled by uncleanneſs, it muſt riſe again to damnation except thou repent; that tongue of thine with which thou haſt ſo often lyed, cheated, ſcoffed at ſerious piety, and diſhonoured God by ſwearing, curſing, ribbaldry, backbiting, &c. ſhall be tormented in that ſame flame that Dives was tormented in. Luke 16. As Chriſt ſaid of Judas, it had been better for him he had never been born; ſo we may ſay of ſome men, It were better for them they might not riſe again. But as the Soul and Body ſinned together, ſo they muſt ſuffer together. And as they inticed one another to ſin, ſo they muſt be together for ever miſerable.
8. And laſtly. Let us labour to be united unto Chriſt by a lively faith, that he may raiſe us up as our Head. He will raiſe the wicked as their Judge. He is Lord both of dead and living, and ſo hath right by that dominion to raiſe the dead, Rom. 14.9. and will accordingly do it. And ſome he will raiſe to ſuffer everlaſting puniſhment and others to a glorious everlaſting life. And of ſuch as theſe the Apoſtle ſpeaks, John 11.25. Whoſo believeth on him ſhall never die, that is, eternally, ſo as to ſuffer everlaſting puniſhment.
It now only remains that I ſhould anſwer three queſtions, and then I ſhall ſhut up this diſcourſe. 1. Seeing men return to the earth at ſeveral ages, the Infant at one age and the man at another, it may be queſtioned, whether they ſhall ariſe in the ſame age and diſproportions of age and ſtature which they had whilſt they lived? Anſwer. Auguſtine *Reſtat ergo ut quiſque ſu…m habeat menſuram vel quam habuit in juventute vel quam haiturus eſſet, ſi vixiſſet. Auguſt. de civ. lib, 22. c. 13.reſolves it negatively, and determines it thus. That we ſhall all of us be raiſed in that proportion of ſtrength which men attain to commonly, at their beſt eſtate. And this reſolution of the caſe the Apoſtle doth ſeem to favour, when he ſaith, that though the body be ſown in weakneſs, (in the weakneſs of old age or infancy) yet it ſhall be raiſed in power. All imperfections and deformities ſhall be taken away. For neither is it likely that Infancy, (being imperfection,) and old age, (being corruption) can ſtand with the eſtate of a glorified body.
Queſt. 2. How can there be a Reſurrection, ſeeing the Apoſtle tells us that fleſh and blood ſhall not enter into the Kingdom of God. 1 Cor. 15.50.
Anſw. Our Bodies ſhall be fitted for that glorious ſtate by the mutation of their qualities. See Apoſt. Hiſt. pag. 183, and 184. Our bodies ſhall not enter into Heaven vile *The Apostle tells us, the body ſhall be raiſed a Spiritual body, that is, a body endued with Spiritual qualities, free from carnal deſires, and wholly ſubject to the Spirit.as now they are, but ſhall be changed. As mens hearts are changed here by regeneration, ſo their bodies ſhall be changed in the Reſurrection; changed in qualities, not in ſubſtance. As a corn of grain that is ſown is raiſed in ſubſtance and kind the ſame, but divers in qualities, riſing up with blade and ear and corn in it. It doth not riſe in juſt the ſame figure in which it was ſown, but with advantage. So it will be in the Reſurrection.
Queſt. 3. What ſhall become of them that ſhall be found alive at Chriſts coming?
Anſw. They ſhall not dye, but ſhall be changed ſuddenly from a mortal into an immortal ſtate. See 1 Cor. 15.51, 52. 1 Theſ. 4.15, 17.