Place. In the mean time, let it be our principal Care that we may be found pure and unblameable in that Day; and that the Tryal which we are to undergo, what, or when2 Pet. iii. ever it be, may have a happy Iffue, to the Glory of God and our own eternal Salvation.

14

CHAP. VII.

Of the Refurrection of the Dead; and in what State they will be after they are rifen, and what Sort of Bodies they will have.

T

'HUS far we have already gone; but the of the Chapter greatest Confequence, and the most important Concern is ftill remaining, concerning the Resurrection of the Dead, and in what Condition they will find themselves after they are rifen; in the handling which we shall follow our ufual Method: In the first Place, we shall speak to the Thing itself, and afterwards to the Modes and Adjuncts of it, and that according to the Light we have receiv'd either from the facred Writings, or from the Nature of the Things themfelves.

As for the Thing itself, nothing is more clearly revealed than that in the whole Christian Doctrine: Both the Jews and the Gentiles

Indi

Theory of the Earth.

Gentiles had likewife fome Idea of a future Resurrection, but an Idea that was general and confus'd. The former believ'd that the whole See the World would be reviv'd, and that every v dual of Mankind would, together with the B. 4. c. 5. World, be renew'd and reviv'd; and nothing is more commonly found than that among the Stoicks and the Platonicks: Nor was it only found among the Grecian Philofophers, but originally among thofe of the Eastern Nations, Egyptians, Chaldeans, Perfians. Theopompus, in Laërtius, fays of the Magi, avalúorola InProœm. κατὰ τὸς Μάγος τὸς ἀνθρώπες, "That Men liv'd "or would live a fecond Life, according to "the Doctrine of the Magi."

As for what relates to the Jews, Mofes in his Law taught them nothing exprefly, either concerning the Refurrection of the Body, or the Immortality of the Soul; yet I make no Doubt but that both these were known to Mofes and to the * Sages, instruct

N 3

ed

*But they, for the most part, confine the Refurrection to the Juft, and to the Ifraelites. See Buxtor. Syn. Jud. c. I. p. 31. and Gerard. de Refurr. Tom. 8. p. 869. Antepex. and Daffovius.

Again, they feem to mean the first Refurrection to a terreftrial Life, and to have no further Notion of celestial Bodies.

Some of their Rabbins fuppofe, likewife, that they are to rife again not only with the fame Bodies, but in the fame Cloaths alfo: But they confine all this to the Land of Canaan only, and fay, that the Bodies of fuch Israe

ed by him, and conscious to the fecret Doctrine. Afterwards this Doctrine was deliver'd ovuconins, conjecturally, by fome of the Prophets, and by fome of the facred Canonical Writers more clearly, and at length by Daniel the Prophet more perfpicuoufly. But yet this Doctrine of Salvation was not to fhine out with a full Meridian Glare, nor to be compleat in all its Parts, nor accomplished in all its Numbers, till the Days of the Meffiah.

IN this, then, we Chriftians triumph, upon this joyful Meffage, that Death being conquer'd, and the infernal World overcome, we shall be brought and restor'd to Light, and to the Enjoyment of a blissful Immortality; not in the coarfe Cloathing of these Carcases which now we carry about us, but in heavenly Bodies; nor living and converfing upon this Dunghil, where we at prefent languish, but above, in the Brightness of ætherial Regions, in the charming Seats and Society of Angels, through endless Ages happy. Lift up your Heads, then, O ye Chriftians! raise your Minds and Cor. vii. Thoughts to the Skies!" And fince we have thefe Promises, let us cleanse ourselves from all Filthiness of the Flesh and Spirit, per

fecting

lites as have died in foreign Countries fhall return Home through fome fubterraneous Caverns, or at least that the Bone Luz fhall do fo; and from thence, as from its Seed, the whole Body fhall grow up again. See Daffow, de Refure. mort. fecundum Fudaos.

1

fecting Holiness in the Fear of God." Having fuccinctly made thefe Remarks, let us now with all our Diligence explore upon what Paffages of facred Scripture, upon what Authority divine, this fo exalted Hope of the Chriftians, this animating, this infpiring Hope, is founded and depends.

Luke xiv,

IN the first Place, Chrift himself often afferted that Men after Death would rise again, and often promised it to his; and affirm'd that the Power of doing it was in himself, as Lord of Life, and of Death: And that he was not unable to raise up others, he plainly demonftrates, in that he was able to raise up himfelf from the Dead. Firft he maintain'd the Refurrection againit the Sadducees, and maintain'd Matt. xxii. tit by the ftrongest Argument that could be drawn from the Mofaick Writings, which alone, by Perfons of that Sect, were held authentick and canonical: Then he promises Rewards ἐν τῇ ἀναςάσει τῶν δικαίων, in the Refur- ta rection of the Fuft, to those who are Benefactors to the Needy and the Infirm, from whom in this Life they can expect no Compenfation. But to his Difciples, and to thofe who loft every Thing that they had in this World, in order to become fuch, he promises Things, 20 Th TANNYYeveola, at their fecond Birth, or Matt. xix. at their Refurrection, which are greater and more confpicuous. Befides he openly and clearly affirms that Dominion over Life and Death is in him, and that he, by his own Power,

28.

Chap i. 47, 18.

by his own Voice, will caufe the Dead to arife from their Graves. First of all, in the Beginning of the Revelations, where in these Words he speaks to St. John, I am the First and the Laft; I am he that liveth and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen, and have the Keys of Hell and of Death. In the next Place, in the Gofpel of the fame St. John, he feveral Times fays the fame Thing, Chap. vi. ver. 40. And this is the Will of him that fent me, That every one which feeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlafting Life: And I will raife him up at the laft Day. In the next Place, in the fame Gofpel of St. John, he fays to Martha. I am the Refurrection, and the Life: He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet fhall he live. And whosoever liveth, and believeth in me, fhall never die, And lastly, in the fifth Chapter of the fame Gofpel, you will find both these in Conjunction: As the Father &c. bath Life in himself, fo bath he given to the Son to have Life in himself. And hath given him Authority to execute Judgment alfo, becaufe he is the Son of Man. Marvel not at this, for the Hour is Coming, when all that are in the Graves fhall bear his Voice, and fhall come forth; they that have done Good, to the Refurrection of Life; and they that have done Evil, to the Refurrection of Damnation,

Chap. xi.

Ver. 26,

ALL