Two Discourses, Section 3
§.
Theſe things premiſed, I come to the Argument to be raiſed out of them, to prove the Point in hand.
Firſt, that Grace or Holineſs, becauſe they are immediately wrought in the Soul, that therefore when the Body dies the Soul ſhall be taken up into Life. That this is a meet and congruous Ordination of God, the Scripture it ſelf owns, and ſeems ſo to pitch the reaſon of it, in Rom. 8. 10, 11. And if Chriſt be in you, the Body is dead, becauſe of Sin: but the Spirit is Life, becauſe of Righteouſneſs. But if the Spirit of him that raiſed up Jeſus from the Dead dwell in you; he that raiſed up Chriſt from the Dead, ſhall alſo quicken your mortal Bodies, by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. He gives an account of what is to become hereafter, both of the Bodies and Souls of them in whom Chriſt is. (1.) Firſt, for the Body that is condemned to die, The Body is dead becauſe of Sin. By Body I underſtand the ſame which he in the 11th Verſe terms the mortal Body to be raiſed up; which (ſays he) is dead, that is, appointed to die; as one ſentenced to Death you term a dead Man. And this [becauſe of Sin.] It was meet that that firſt threatning of dying ſhould have ſome effect to evidence the Truth of God therein. Only God is favourable in his Ordination in this, that he arreſteth but the Body, the leſs principal Debtor; but that (to be ſure) ſhall pay for it: It is appointed to all Men once to die, even for Men that are in Chriſt, as this place of the Romans hath it. Then (2.) follows, what remains the Soul of ſuch an one when the Body dies. [But] ſays he, (ſpeaking by way of exception, and contrary fate too,) The Spirit is Life, becauſe of Righteouſneſs. The Spirit is the Soul in contradiſtinction to the Body; this, when the Body dies, is Life: He ſays not Living only, or immortal, but is ſwallowed up into Life: And why? becauſe of Righteouſneſs, which is Chriſt's Image; and ſo preſerves, and by God's ordination upon dying, elevates the Soul, which is the immediate and original Subject of it, (which is the Point in hand.) For this thing it is, God hath wrought it. But then becauſe the Query would be, Shall this Body for ever remain dead, becauſe of (this firſt) Sin, and bear this Puniſhment for ever? No: Therefore (3.) he adds, He that raiſed up Chriſt from the Dead, ſhall alſo quicken your mortal Bodies. So at laſt, and then bringing both Body and Soul together unto compleat Glory.
And the congruity of Reaſon that is for this appointment is obſervable, ſomething like to that, 1 Cor. 15. As by Man came Death, ſo by Man came alſo the Reſurrection from the Dead. For that Sin that condemned us to this Death, we had from the firſt Adam by bodily Generation, as the channel or means of conveying it, who was (as other) Father of our Fleſh.
The Arreſt therefore goes forth againſt the Body, which we had from that Adam, becauſe of that Sin, conveyed by means of our Bodies: for tho I muſt not ſay, the Body defiles the Soul, or of it ſelf is the immediate Subject of Sin; yet the original Means or Channel, through which it comes down, and is derived unto us, is the Generation of our Bodies. The Body therefore congruouſly pays for this, and the Death thereof is a Means to let Sin out of the World, as the propagating it was a means to bring Sin in: But an holy Soul or Spirit, which is the Offſpring of God, having now true Holineſs and Righteouſneſs from the ſecond Adam, communicated to it, and abiding in it; and being not only the immediate Subject thereof, but further, the firſt and original Subject, from and by which it is derived unto the Body; the Womb, into which that immortal Seed was firſt caſt, and in which the inward Man is formed, and in reſpect of a conſtant abiding, in which it is that Seed is termed incorruptible. Hence therefore ſays God of this Soul, [It is Life] It ſhall live when this Body dies. There is nothing of Chriſt's Image, but is ordained to abide for ever. Charity never fails. His Righteouſneſs 1 Cor. 13. 8 2 Cor. 9. 9.endures for ever; and therefore is ordained to conſerve and elevate unto Life the Subject it is in, and that is the Soul. This, as a Foundation of the ſubſtantial parts of this firſt Reaſon out of this one Scripture, thus directly and explicitly holding this forth.