for if Adam had never finned, he might have lived for ever.

5. The Refurrection of the Body may be argued from the Immortality of the Soul: For tho the Soul can fubfift without the Body, yet it being created to inhabit in the Body, there is a natural defire of Union: and therefore no Perfon, while Soul and Body is feparated, can be fo fully happy as their Nature will admit of, and as they defire to be; nor fo compleatly miferable, as when Soul and Body are united.

6. Another Argument may be drawn from the Refurrection of Chrift; and this is 1 Cor.15.12. the Apostle Paul's great Argument: Now if Christ be preach'd that he arofe from the Dead, how Say some among you that there is no Refurrection of the Dead? q. d. If Christ be rifen, then 'tis infallibly certain that the Dead shall rife; for he adds in the next Verfe, that if there be no Refurrection of the Dead, then is Chrift not rifen. But the Apostle had before afferted and proved the Refurrection of Christ, and from that he argues the Refurrection of the Dead. Indeed this refers principally to the Members of his Mystical Body, who fhall be rais'd as united to him.

Ver. 13.

Laftly, If the Dead rife not, it must be either thro a defect of the Divine Power, or Divine Knowledg, or elfe it is a thing unneceffary or impoffible. There is no defect in the Divine Power, for God is Omnipotent; neither is there any in the Divine Knowledg, he being Omnifcient: for there is no Particle of a Human Body, tho it has receiv'd a thoufand different Modifications, but the Eye of God can diftinguifh to what Body it belongs,

and

and his Power range it in it's due place and order. Again, the Refurrection infers no contradiction, therefore 'tis not impoffible; there is no Contradiction in this, that that Duft which was made out of nothing, which afterwards compos'd various human Creatures, being again reduc'd to Duft, fhould form the fame Bodies that once they conftituted. Now all things are poffible with God, which do not involve in the very nature of 'em Contradictions. That the Refurrection is abfolutely neceffary, is evident; for without this the World cannot be judged, and fo there can be no Rewards or Punishments.

But, Thirdly, we are to confider Job's steddy Faith concerning the Identity or Sameness of the dying and rifing Body; for fays he, in my Flesh (i. e. in my own Flesh) fall 1 fee God. Thefe words are very expreffive, and fignify to us that he believed that not only the fame fpecifical, but that the fame numerical Body fhould be raised that died; not only the fame Body for kind, but for fubftance: and this matter might be easily establish'd, had I time.

ift, We might argue from the fignification of the word, which in propriety of Speech doth fignify a Revival, or a raifing up of fomething that fell or died, or elfe it cannot be faid properly to be a Refurrection. When I fay there fhall be a Refurrection of the Dead, I must intend thus much, viz. That the Bodies of Men that have liv'd, and are dead, fhall revive and rise again. Moreover we may obferve, that Death in Scripture is called a Sleep, and the Refurrection an awakening out of it: Many that fleep in the Duft of the Earth, fhall awake. And fome rǝnder the words of the Text thus ; And

I

Job 19,26. And after I shall awake, tho this Body fhall be deftroy'd yet out of my Flefh fhall I fee God. Now this term would be wholly improper, if the very fame Body that fell afleep by Death, was not awaken'd in the Refurrection.

2dly, From thofe places of Scripture, that do inform us what the Repofitories of the Dead fhall give up; Death, and Hell, and the Sea, Rev. 20.13. and the Grave, fhall give up their Dead. Now if thofe very Dead that were laid in the Grave, and in the Sea, were not furrendred, it would be no Refurrection; and thefe Expreffions would be improper and unintelligible : for if God Almighty fhould produce new Bodies from other Matter, it could not be faid with truth, that either the Sea, or the Grave, gave up their Dead; for if either of them furrender up their Dead, it must be the very fame Dead that were laid in 'em.

3dly, This might be further argued from the acceffion of new Qualities that fhall be bestowed on the rais'd Bodies of the Saints. 1 Cor. 15. About which the Apoftle is very exprefs; This Corruptible must put on Incorruption (this very fame corruptible Body) and this Mortal must put on Immortality.

53.

4thly, We might argue from the Tranflation of Enoch and Elijah, if they went into Heaven with their own Bodies, tho with different Qualities than what they had before; why should any fuppofe that the Bodies of others fhould be kept out of that place, and only new created ones admitted in?

5thly, The Refurrection of our Saviour is a proof of this; our bleffed Lord arose from the Dead with the very fame numerical Body that hung upon the Crofs, and was laid in

the

the Tomb. This no Man can deny who believes the Scriptures, which inform us that he arofe with the very print of the Nails in bis Hands and Feet, and of the Spear in his Side. There are many other very folid Arguments to prove the Identity of the dying and rising Body, which I have not time to name, nor to ftate the difference between the Refurrection of the Juft and Unjuft, or to make any return to thofe Objections that are framed by Scepticks and Infidels against this great Article of Faith; but muft pafs on to the

Fourth thing, to confider the Happiness Job expected confequent upon this; that was, his enjoying the Vifion of God: Whom (fays he) I Shall fee for my felf, and mine Eyes fhall behold, and not another. God may be understood here abfolutely, for Father, Son, and Spirit, or perfonally for Jefus Chrift.

Now concerning this Vifion of God, I must but very briefly give you the following ac

count.

(1.) The Views the Saints fhall have of the Divine Majesty in the other World, shall be intire and perfectly clear: for when Faith is turned into Vision, we shall fee God face to face that is, we fhall have the moft clear, and bright, and full manifeftation of his Favour and Love: the Scripture tells us, We shall know, even as we are known: [as] is a Note of Similitude here, not of Equality. I fay, we fhall have a bright and clear profpect of the Divine Being, our Faculties and Powers fhall be more capacious and refined, and the Divine Light fhall fhine with direct Beams upon us; fo that the Soul cannot but have the most clear Vision of God.

Here might be confidered diftin&tly,
The Object,

The Medium, and

The vifive Faculty or Power.

The Object is God: The Medium Christ. For I confefs I am inclined to think, that the Glory that fhall be exhibited to our vifive Power, fhall be thro the glorified Humanity of our dear Redeemer. In a word, our Vision of God fhall be fo clear, that we shall be paft all danger of mistaking concerning the Divine Nature; our Light fhall be fo bright and certain, that we fhall be delivered both from Doubts and from Errors. In Heaven the great Mystery of Godlinefs will be made plain, and we shall have a perfect view of the Scheme of our Redemption; there the dark Scenes of Providence will open, and the Volume of the Eternal Decrees hall be unfolded; and that which was a fcandal to the Reason, and has often fhaken the Faith of Christians, fhall appear without any veil of Darkness upon it.

(2) This Vifion fhall be affimilating: It 1 Joh. 2.3. doth not yet appear (faith the Apostle) what we Shall be but this we know, that when he ap

;

*

pears, we shall be like him: for we shall fee him Pfal.17. ult. as he is. As for me (faith the Pfalmift) I will behold thy Face in Righteoufnefs: When I awake, I fhall be fatisfied with thy likeness. It feems to be equally neceflary for our Happiness and our Joy, to partake of the Glory of God, as well as to behold it. In Heaven we shall be made like God in Holiness, and in Love;

* Vid. Mr. How's Blessednefs of the Righteousness, p.68.

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