Q. How did our Saviour himself refute the Sadducees from the Old Teftament, who did not believe the Refurrection?

A. From a remarkable Paffage in Exodus: As touching the Refurrection of the Dead, have you Mat. 22. not read, faith our Saviour, that which was spoken 31, 32. unto you by God, faying, I am the God of Abra- Exod.3.6. ham, and the God of Ifaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the Dead, but of the Living. Which Argument astonished the Multitude, and filenced the Sadducees; for under the Name God was understood a great Benefactor, and to be their God, was to bless them and reward them in an extraordinary Manner. Now Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, had not received the Promifes they expected, and therefore God, after their Death, ftill defiring to be called their God, thereby acknowledges that he had a Bleffing and a Reward for them ftill, and confequently that he would raise them to another Life, in which they might receive it. By which it is evident, that the Refurrection of the Dead was revealed under the Law; that the Pharifees did collect it thence, and that the Sadducees, who denied it, erred, not knowing the Mat. 22. Scriptures, nor the Power of God.

Q. What Inftances in the Old Testament exemplify this Truth?

29.

A. There are three Examples in Fact; which are proper to confirm our Faith in this Particula. God heard the Voice of Elijah for the dead Child of the Widow of Sarepta, and the 1 Kings Soul of the Child came into him again, and he re- 17. 22. vived. As Elifba fucceeded in the fame Spirit, fo in the fame Power, for he raised the Child of the Shunamite from Death, nor did that 2 Kings Power ch. 4.

P 3

Power he had, die together with him; for when they were burying a dead Man, they caft the 2 Kings Man into the Sepulchre of Elifha, and when the Man was let down and touched the Body of Elifha, be revived and stood upon his Feet.

13.21.

Mat. 22. 31, 32.

Q. What Declarations of the Resurrection of the Body appear in the Gospel?

A. Our Saviour fuppofes the Refurrection, revealed under the Law, in his Discourse with the Sadducees. He cautions his Difciples to fear ch, 10.28. him that can deftroy Body and Soul in Hell. Now the Body, as long as it is dead, is devoid of Senfe, and fo incapable of Torment, 'till it be raised to Life again. He promifes a RecomLuke 14. pence at the Refurrection of the Just to those that relieve the Poor, the Maimed, the Lame,

14.

29.

John 11.

25.

and the Blind. He pofitively declares in St. ch. 5. 28, John, that the Hour is coming, in which all that are in their Graves fhall hear his Voice, and fhall come forth; they that have done Good unto the Refurrection of Life, and they that have done Evil unto the Refurrection of Damnation. He calls himself the Refurrection and the Life. And we are told in the Revelation, that the Sea fhall give up the Dead that are in it, and Death and Rev. 20. the Grave deliver up the Dead which are in them, in order to be judged, every Man according to their Works. St. Paul difcourfes before the SanActs 23.6. bedrim of the Refurrection of the Dead. In his ch. 24.15. Defence before Felix, the Governor, he openly profefies his Belief of the Refurrection of the Dead, both of the Just and Unjust. And to fome of the Philofophers he appeared to be a ch.17.18. fetter forth of strange Gods, because he preached unto them Jefus and the Refurrection. The fame Apoftie affures the Corinthians, that we

13.

must

16.

must all appear before the Judgment-feat of 2 Cor. 5. Chrift, that every one may receive the Things 10. done in the Body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. He tells the Philippians, that the Lord Jefus Chrift fhall change our ch. 3. 21. vile Body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious Body. He defcribes the Manner of the Refurrection to the Theffalonians, that the Dead Theff. 4. in Chrift fhall rife firft; and with the Corinthi- 1 Cor. 15. ans, he argues from the Certainty of Chrift's Refurrection to the Neceffity of ours. Thefe Texts fuficiently prove, that the Refurrection of the Body was delivered as a neceffary Article of Faith from the Beginning of Christianity, and that it is ftill the Expectation of the Faithful; for if the Dead rife not, Chriftians are of all Men moft miferable.

Q. What Inftances in the New Teftament exemplify this Truth?

A. The three Inftances under the Law are equalled by three recorded in the Gospel. Our

Saviour reftored to Life the Ruler of the Syna- Mark 5. gogue's Daughter; he had Compaffion on the 42. Widow of Nain, and raised up her only Son Luk.7.15. that was dead; and after that his Friend Laza- John 11. rus had been dead and buried four Days, he re- 44. ftored him to Life again in the Prefence of many of the Jews, who thereupon believed on him. But all these Inftances were exceeded in our Saviour's own Refurrection, which fo infinitely manifefted his Power and Glory.

Q. Who fhall rife at the laft Day?

A. The Refurrection will be univerfal; all Mankind that have laid down their Bodies, and committed them to the Grave, fhall receive them again; there fhall be a Resurrection of the P 4

Dead

1

15.

Acts 24. Dead, as St. Paul fays, both of the Juft and Unjust. This is evident from the whole Series of the Gofpel, from the famous Description of the laft Judgment given by our Saviour, and from thofe Texts of Scripture that prove a Refurrection before-mentioned,

Luke 20.

36.

Q. What are thofe advantageous Qualities that the Bodies of good Chriftians shall be invested withal at the Refurrection?

A. Our Bodies, now liable to Pains, Diseases, and Death, fhall die no more, but shall be equal unto the Angels; like them they fhall become immortal in their Duration, and confequently freed from all thofe troublefome Accidents to which they are now expofed: For the Reward being eternal, the Subject of it must be eternal too. It is fown in Corruption, it is raifed in Incorruption.

Our Bodies, now vile and corruptible, fubject to Filth and Deformity, fhall be raised Mat. 13. glorious, fplendid, and bright; they fhall shine like the Sun, and fhall be fashioned like to the Phil.3.21. glorious Body of our Blessed Saviour.

43.

Which is credible from the Relation fo often mentioned in Scripture between Chrift and all true Chriftians, he being the Head, and they the Members; and from the mighty Power he will exert for the effecting this Change, it being according to the working of that mighty Power Phil.3.21. whereby he is able to fubdue all Things to him1 Cor. 15, felf. It is fown in Dishonour, it is raised in Glory.

43.

Rev. 14.4

Our Bodies, now fubject to Weariness by Labour, to Impotency by Wafting and Diseases, to Decays by Age, fhall be raised nimble, ftrong, and alive; they fhall be able to follow the Lamb

whither

whitherfoever he goeth; they shall be endowed with fuch Strength and Vigour, as shall support them for ever in the fame State without any Change or Decay. It is fown in Weakness, it is raifed in Power.

Our Bodies, now acted only by animal and vital Spirits, fhall then be poffeffed and acted by the Holy Spirit; and being now chiefly fitted for the Operations of Flesh and Blood, and affected with the natural Senfations of Pleafure and Pain, fhall be then fo refined, as to become proper Inftruments for the Operations of our Minds, to which they shall be no longer a Clog and Impediment as they are in this Life, but fhall ferve them and depend upon them. It is fown a natural Body, but it is raised a fpiritual Body.

Q. What kind of Bodies fhall the Wicked bave at the Refurrection?

A. Their Bodies fhall be immortal, that they may be fitted for that eternal Punishment they have drawn upon themselves, wherein they will always fuffer without confuming; Depart ye Mat. 25. curfed into everlasting Fire.

Q. What Influence ought the Belief of the Refurrection of the Body to have upon us?

A. It fhould make us reverence ourselves, and not pollute our Bodies, thefe Temples of the Holy Ghoft, with fenfual and brutish Lufts, but by Purity and Sobriety to prepare them for that Honour and Happiness they are defigned for. It fhould fupport us under those Miferics and Infirmities our Bodies are fubject to in this Life; fince, when we take them up again, they fhall be no more liable to Pains, or Pifeafes, or to Diffolution; for Death will be Swallowed

41.