The Christians Charter, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. The seventh Prerogative Royal.
THe next glorious priviledge to come, is the Resurrection of our bodies. This is an Article of our faith. Now for the illustration of this, there are three things considerable: 1. That there …s such a thing as the Resurrection. 2. That this is not yet past. 3. That the same body that dies shall rise again.
1. I shall prove the Proposition, that there is a Resurrection *Sublatâ fide resurrectionis, totum Religionis aedificium corruit, &c.of the body. There are some of the Sadduces opinion, that there is no resurrection, then let us eat and drink, for to morrow we die, 1 Cor. 15.32. To what purpose are all our prayers and tears? and indeed it were well for them who are in their life-time as bruit beasts, if it might be with them as beasts after death; but there is a resurrection of the body*Joh. 11.24., as well as an ascension of the soul *1 Cor. 15.12.52.1.; which I shall prove by two Arguments.
1. Because Christ is risen, therefore we must rise: the head being raised, the rest of the body shal not alwayes lye in the grave, for then it would be an head without a body: his rising is a pledge of our resurrection, 1 Thes. 4.14.
2. Ex AEquo, in regard of justice▪ and equity; the bodies of the wicked have been weapons of unrighteousnesse, and have joyned with the soul in sinne; their eyes have been a casement to let in vanity, their hands have been full of bribes, their feet have been swift to shed blood; therefore justice and equity require that they should rise again, and their bodies be punished with their souls. Againe, The bodies of the Saints have been members of holinesse: their eyes have dropped down tears for sinne, their hands have relieved the poor, their tongues have been trumpets of Gods praise, therefore justice and equity require that they should rise again, that their bodies as well as their soules may be crown'd: There must be a resurrection, else how should there be a remuneration? We are more sure to arise out of our graves then out of our beds: the bodies of the wicked are lockt up in the grave as in a prison, that they may not infest the Church of God; and at the day of judgement they shall be brought out of the prison to tryall: and the bodies of the Saints are laid in the grave as in a bed of perfume, where they mellow and ripen against the resurrection. Noah's olive-tree springing after the flood, the blossoming of Aaron's dry rod, the flesh and sinews coming to Ezekiel's dry bones, what were these but lively emblems of the resurrection?
2. That this resurrection is not yet past: some hold that it is past, and make the Resurrection to be nothing else but Regeneration, which is call'd a rising from sinne, and a being risen with Christ *Col. 3.1.; and do affirme, that there is no other resurrection but this; and that only the soul is with God in happinesse, not the body. Of this opinion were Hymeneus and Philetus, 2 Tim. 2.18. But the rising from sinne is call'd the first resurection, Rev. 1.6. which implies that there is a second resurrection; and that second I shall prove out of Dan. 12.2. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake; he doth not say, they are already awake, but they shall awake. And Iohn 5.28.Joh. 5.28. The houre 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. Observe, Christ doth not say, they are come forth of the grave already, but they shall come forth.
Here a question may be moved, Whether the bodies of some of the Saints are not in Heaven already,Quest. then it will seem that their resurrection is not yet to come? as we read that Elias was taken up to heaven in a fiery chariot: and Enoch, Heb. 11.5. was translated, that he might not see death.
Answ. I know the Question is controverted among Divines:Answ. But there are some reasons do perswade me that Enoch and Elias are not yet bodily in Heaven, nor shall be till the resurrection of all flesh, when the rest of the Elect, like a precious crop, being fully ripe, shall be translated into glory. The first is Heb. 11.13. where it is said, These all died in faith, where Enoch was included. Now why we should restraine this word foreign, these, only to Abel, Noah, Abraham, and not also to Enoch, I see no rational ground.
Quest.Quest. But is it not said, he was translated, that he might not see death? How can these two stand together, that Enoch died, yet he did not see death?
Answ.Answ. This word, foreign, that he might not see death, I conceive, (with some Divines) the meaning is, that he might not see it in that painful and horrid manner as others: his soule had an easie and joyful passage out of his body; he died not after the common manner of men; so saith Peter Martyr. Seeing and feeling, are in Scripture oft exegetical, the one is put for the other, as Rom. 7.23. I see a law in my members, that is, I feel a law. 2. My second Argument, is, 1 Iohn 3.2. It doth not yet appeare what we shall be, but we know, foreign, when he shall appeare, we shall be like him. We read in Scripture but of two Appearings of Christ, his appearing in the flesh, and his appearing at the day of judgment. Now his appearing in this text, must needs be meant of his last appearing; And what then? then saith the Apostle, we shall be like him, that is, in our bodies, Phil. 3.21. The spirits of just men being already made perfect, Heb. 12.23. Whence I infer, Enoch is not yet ascended bodily into heaven, because none of the bodies of the Saints shall be fully made like Christ till his second appearing. 3. Besides this may be added the judgement of many of the Fathers, who were pious and learned. It is not probable that Enoch and Elias should be taken up in their bodies into heaven, saith Peter Martyr, and he urgeth that saying of our Lord, *Joh. 3.13No man hath ascended into heaven, (that is, saith he, corporeally) but the Son of man that descended from heaven. Of this opinion also is Oecolampadius, Martinus Borrhaeus, and learned Doctor Fulk, Dr. Fulk.who in his marginal notes upon the 11th. to the Hebrews, hath this descant. It appeareth not, saith he, that Enoch now liveth in body, no more then Moses, but that he was translated by God out of the world, and died not after the common manner of men. And concerning Eliah, the same reverend Authour hath this passage, It is evident, that he was taken up alive, but not that he continueth alive. And again, because we read expresly, that he was taken up into heaven, 2 King. 2.11. It is certaine, (saith he) that his body was not carried into heaven. Christ being the first that in perfect humanity ascended thither: 1 Cor. 15.20. Christ is become the first-fruits of them that sleep: He is called the First-fruits, not only because he was the most excellent, and sanctified the rest, but because he was the first Cluster which was gathered, the First that went up in a corporeal manner into the Seat of the Blessed. For my part, I see not how Christ could properly be called the First-fruits; if Enoch, and Eliah were bodily in heaven before him. Hence we see that the Resurrection is yet to come.
3. The third thing is, That at the resurrection every soul shal have its own body: the same body that dies shall arise. Some hold that the soul shall be cloathed with a new body, but then it were improper to call it a Resurrection of the body, it should be rather a Creation. It was a custome in the African Churches*Cyprian., to say, I believe the resurrection hujus carnis, of this body. I confesse, the doctrine of the resurrection is such, that it is too deep for reason to wade here, you must let faith swim. For instance, Suppose a man dying, is cast into the Sea, several Fishes come and devour him, the substance of his body goes into these fishes, afterwards the fishes are taken and eaten, and the substance of these fishes goes into several men; now how this body, thus devoured, and as it were crumbled into a thousand fractions should be raised idem numero, the same numerical body, is infinitely above reason to imagine, we have scarce faith enough to believe it.
Quest.Quest. How can this be?
Answ. To such I say as our blessed Saviour, Matth. 22.29.Answ. Ye do erre, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God. 1. Not knowing the Scriptures: The Scripture tells us expresly, that the same body that dies shall rise again, Iob 19.26. In my flesh shall I see God, not in another flesh. And vers. 27. My eyes shall behold him, not other eyes. So 1 Cor. 15.53. This mortal shall put on immortality *foreign.: not another mortall, but this mortall. And 2 Cor. 5.10. That every one may receive the things done in his body, &c. not in another body. Death in Scripture is called a sleep; it is farre easier with God to raise the body, then it is for us to awake a man when he is asleep. 2. Ye erre not knowing the power of God: that God who of nothing created all things, cannot he reduce many things to one thing? when the body is gone into a thousand substances, cannot he make an abstraction, and bring that body together againe? Do we not see the Chymist can out of several metals mingled together, as gold, silver, alcumy, extract the one from the other, the silver from the gold, the alcumy from the silver, and can reduce every metall to its own species or kinde: and shall we not much more believe, that when our bodies are mingled and confounded with other substances, the wise God is able to make a divine extraction, and re-invest every soul with its own body?
Use 1.Use 1. This is comfort to a childe of God: As Christ said to Martha, John 11.23. Thy brother shall rise againe: so I say to thee, thy body shall rise again. The body is sensible of joy as well as the soul; and indeed, we shall not be perfect in glory till our bodies be re-united to our souls. Therefore in Scripture, the doctrine of the resurrection is made matter of joy and triumph, Isa. 26.19. The dead men shall live, Isa. 26.19together with my dead body shall they arise: Awake & sing ye that dwell in the dust. Death is as it were the fall of the leafe, but our bones shall flourish as an herb, in the spring of the resurrection. That body wich is mouldred to dust shall revive. Sometimes the Saints do sowe the Land with their bodies,Ps. 142.7 Psal 79.3. Psal. 142.7. and water it with their blood, Psal. 79.3. But these bodies, whether imprisoned, beheaded, sawn asunder, shall arise and sit down with Christ upon the Throne. O consider what joy will there be at the re-uniting of the body and soul at the resurrection. As there will be a sad meeting of the body and soul of the wicked, they shall be joyned together as briars to scratch, and teare one another: So what unspeakable joy will there be at the meeting together of the soul and body of the Saints? how will they greet one another (they two being the nearest acquaintance that ever were?) what a welcome will the soul give to the body? O blessed body, thou didst suffer thy self to be martyrd, and crucified, thou wert kept under by watchings, fastings, &c. when I prayed thou didst attend my prayers with hands lifted up and knees bowed down. Thou wert willing to suffer with me, and now thou shalt reigne with me; cheare up thy self my deare friend; thou wert sowne as seed in the dust of the earth with ignominy, but now art raised in glory; thou wert sowen a natural body, but now art raised a spiritual body. *1 Cor. 15 43.O my dear body, I will enter into thee again as an heavenly sparckle, and thou shalt cloath me againe as a glorious vestment; I will (I say) enter into thee againe, and both of us will enter into our Masters joy.
Use 2.Use 2. It shews the great love and respect God bears to the weakest believer▪ God wil not glorifie the bodies of his dearest and most eminent Saints, not the Patriarchs or Prophets, not the body of Moses, Elias, till thou risest out of thy grave. God is like a Master of a Feast, that stayes till all his guests are come. Abraham the father of the faithful, must not sit down bodily in Heaven, till all his children are born; and the body of every Saint perfectly mellow and ripe for the resurrection.
3. If the bodies of the Saints must arise,3. then consecrate your bodies to the service of God: these bodies must be made one with Christs body. The Apostle makes this Use of the Doctrine of the resurrection, 1 Cor. 6.14. And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power: there is the Doctrine. Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? ver. 15. there is the Use. It is enough for wicked men, to adulterate and defile their bodies. The drunkard makes his body a tunnel for the wine and strong drink to run thorow. The Epicure makes his body a living tombe to bury the good creatures of God. The adulterer makes his body a stewes. The body is called a vessell in Scripture *1 Thes. 4.4; these vessels will be found musty at the resurrection, fit only to hold that wine which you read of▪ Psal. 75.8. In the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red; this is the wine of Gods wrath. It is enough for those bodies to be defiled which shall be joyned to the devil: but you that are believers, that expect your bodies shall be joyned with Christs body; oh cleanse these vessels; take heed of putting your bodies to any impure services. Present your bodies a living sacrifice, Rom. 12.1. Have a care to keep all the passages and cinque-ports; sometimes the devil comes in at the eye; therefore Iob made a covenant with his eyes: and goes out at the tongue; therefore David set a watch before his lips: Surely those that have their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, that is, the guilt of known sinne, will have a care to have their bodies washed with cleane water *Heb. 10.22..