The Resurrection Revealed, Book 5 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Anſwering Doctor Pareus.
THus of your Dr. Prideaux his Arguments againſt our point, in anſwer of whom with the ſame labour we have anſwered the maine Arguments of Pareus, on Revelation 20. verſe 4. For the Doctor did follow, and take much out of Pareus; Thoſe wee have not ſpoken to, that are moſt material, that the Doctor did not touch upon, them we will now touch.
SECT. I. Firſt Objection. Rev. 20.5.
THat that Reſurrection is not a corporall Reſurrection, but a ſpirituall. And that becauſe it is called the Firſt Reſurrection. For this cannot bee the firſt corporal Reſurrection, becauſe before this there aroſe corporally, the Sonne of the widow of Sarepta, raiſed by the Prophet Elijah, 1 King. 17.22. The Sonne of the Sunamitiſh widow by Eliſha, 2 King. 4.35. The Sonne of the widow of Naim raiſed by Chriſt, Luke 7.11, 12. &c. The daughter of Jairus raiſed by Chriſt, Luke 8.55. of Lazarus raiſed by Chriſt, John 11.44. Thoſe at Chriſts Paſsion, Matth. 27. Tabitha by Peter, Act. 9.41. E…tichus by Paul, Act. 20.10.
Anſwer to this, thus, Firſt by this argument, Chriſt ſhall not bee the firſt-fruits of them that ſleep. Secondly, by this argument, the opinion of a ſpiritual Reſurrection from Antichriſtianiſme cannot bee here admitted, becauſe by the ſame reaſon, that cannot bee called the Firſt reſurrection, becauſe many of them afore-mentioned were raiſed afore Antichriſtianiſme was in being. Thirdly, that raiſing of them was no generall Reſurrection of any ſort of godly, or ungodly. But this in the Revelation is general of all Saints. Fourthly, the T. intends that riſen, they ſhall reigne, and reigne a thouſand yeers. But the other mentioned by Pareus ſoon died and did not reigne in Johns ſenſe. Fifthly, John had marked theſe out, verſe 3, that they had had a ſpirituall Reſurrection already.
SECT. II. Second Argument of Pareus.
TO the Firſt Reſurrection is oppoſed Firſt death. But the Firſt death was ſpirituall, viz. Sinne, Rom. 5. therefore the firſt Reſurrection meant here, is ſpiritual.
Anſwer firſt, ſpirituall death and life are ſinne and grace. But theſe not expreſſed here; but firſt and ſecond Reſurrection, living and dying againe. The firſt death is when all dye corporally, ſome naturally, ſome violently, as the godly by Antichriſts perſecution. So in Rev. 6.9. the ſoules under the altar, and the beheaded in this 20. Chapter, verſe 4. And wicked by Gods judgements, Rev. 19. two laſt. Now the firſt Reſurrection is of Saints, Rev. 20. is here in ver. 4. Second, of wicked in verſe 12. which is their ſecond death, as S.John calls it, verſe 14.
The reſt of Pareus his objections to this point, are upon a falſe ſuppoſition, that onelyonly the Martyrs ſhall riſe, therefore need no anſwer. Beſide, we have given much in anſwer to him afore in the end of the firſt Book. Thus of Pareus, next of Mr. Bayly.