Chapter 11
Seeds die and rot, and then most fresh appear,
Saints bodies rise more orient than they were.
OBSERVATION.
After the seed is committed to the earth, it seems to perish and die, as our Saviour speaks, John 12:24. Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone; but if it die, it brings forth much fruit. The death of the corn in the earth is not a total death, but only the corruption or alteration of it: for if once the seminal life and virtue of it were quite extinguished, it could never put forth blade or ear without a miracle. Yet, because that alteration is a kind of death, therefore Christ here uses it as a fit illustration of the resurrection. And indeed there is nothing in nature more apt to illustrate that great mystery. What a fragrant, green and beautiful blade do we [reconstructed: see] spring up from a corrupted seed? How black, and moldy is that? How beautiful and verdant is this?
APPLICATION.
Even thus shall the bodies of the saints arise in beauty and glory at the resurrection. They are sown in dishonor, they are raised in glory; they are sown natural bodies, they are raised spiritual bodies (1 Corinthians 15:43-44). The husbandman knows, that though the seed rot in the earth, yet it will rise again. And the believer knows, that though after his skin worms destroy his body, yet in his flesh he shall see God (Job 19:25), and the resemblance between the seed sown, and springing up; and the bodies of the saints dying, and rising again, lies in these following particulars.
First, the seed is committed to the earth from where it came, so is the body of a saint; earth it was, and to earth it is again resolved. Grace exempts not the body of the best man from seeing corruption (Romans 8:10). Though Christ be in him, yet the body is dead; that is, sentenced to death, because of sin (Hebrews 6, last verse). It is appointed for all men once to die.
Secondly, the seed is cast into the earth in hope (1 Corinthians 9:10). Were there not a resurrection of it expected, the husbandman would never be willing to cast away his corn. The bodies of saints are also committed to the grave in hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14). But I would not have you to be ignorant brethren, concerning those which are asleep, as them which have no hope; for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so also them which sleep in Jesus shall the Lord bring with him. This blessed hope of a resurrection sweetens, not only the troubles of life, but the pangs of death.
Thirdly, the seed is cast into the earth seasonably, in its proper season. So are the bodies of the saints (Job 5:26). You shall come to your grave in a full age, as a shock of corn comes in, in its season. They always die in the fittest time, though sometimes they seem to die prematurely. The time of their death was from all eternity prefixed by God, beyond which they cannot go, and short of which they cannot come.
The seed lies many days and nights under the clods, before it rise and appear again. Even so man lies down, and rises not again till the heavens be no more (Job 14:12). The days of darkness in the grave are many.
When the time is come for its shooting up, the earth that covered it can hide it no longer, it cannot keep it down a day more; it will find or make a way through the clods. So in that day when the great trump shall sound, bone shall come to his bone, and the graves shall not be able to hold them a minute longer. Both sea and earth must render the dead that are in them (Revelation 20:13).
When the seed appears above ground again, it appears much more fresh and orient than when it was cast into the earth. God clothes it with such beauty, that it is not like to what it was before. Thus rise the bodies of saints, marvelously improved, beautified and perfected with spiritual qualities and rich endowments; in respect of which they are called spiritual bodies (1 Corinthians 15:43), not properly, but analogically spiritual; for just as spirits subsist without food, raiment, sleep, know no lassitude, weariness or pain; so our bodies after the resurrection shall be above these necessities and distempers; for we shall be as the angels of God (Matthew 22:30). Indeed, our vile bodies shall be changed, and made like to Christ's glorious body; which is the highest pitch, and ascent of glory and honor, that a human body is capable of (Philippians 3:21). Indeed the glory of the soul shall be the greatest glory; that's the orient invaluable gem; but God will bestow a distinct glory upon the body, and richly enamel the very case in which that precious jewel shall be kept. In that glorious morning of the resurrection, the saints shall put on their new fresh suits of flesh, richly laid and trimmed with glory. Those bodies which in the grave were but dust and rottenness, when it delivers them back again, shall be shining and excellent pieces, absolutely and everlastingly freed. (1) From all natural infirmities and distempers; death is their good physician, which at once freed them of all diseases. It is a great affliction now to many of the Lord's people, to be clogged with so many bodily infirmities which render them very unserviceable to God. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. A crazy body retorts and shoots back its distempers upon the soul with which it is so closely conjoined; but though now the soul (as Theophrastus speaks) pays a dear rent for the tabernacle in which it dwells, yet when death dissolves that tabernacle, all the diseases and pains under which it groaned shall be buried in the rubbish of its mortality; and when they come to be re-united again, God will bestow rich gifts and dowries, even upon the body, in the day of its re-espousals to the soul. (2) It shall be freed from all deformities; there are no breaches, flaws, monstrosities in glorified bodies; but of them it may much rather be said, what was once said of Absalom (2 Samuel 14:25): that from the crown of his head, to the sole of his foot, there was no blemish in him. (3.) It shall be freed from all natural necessities, to which it is now subjected in this its animal state. How is the soul now disquieted and tortured with cares and troubles, to provide for a perishing body? Many unbelieving and unbecoming fears, it is now vexed with. What shall it eat? and what shall it drink? and with what shall it be clothed? But meats for the belly, and the belly for meats; God shall destroy both it and them (1 Corinthians 6:13) — that is, as to their present use and office; for as to its existence, the belly shall not be destroyed. But even as the masts, poop and stern of a ship abide in the harbor after the voyage is ended, so shall these bodily members, as Tertullian excellently illustrates it. (4.) They shall be freed from death, to which from then on they can be subject no more; that formidable adversary of nature shall assault it no more. For they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage, neither can they die any more; for they shall be equal to the angels, and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection (Luke 20:35-36). Mark it — equal to the angels — not that they shall be separate, and single spirits without bodies, as the angels are, but equal to them in the way and manner of their living and acting. We shall then live upon God, and act freely, purely, and delightfully for God; for all kind of living upon, and delighting in creatures, seems in that text (by a synecdoche of the part which is ordinarily in Scripture put for all creature-delights, dependencies, and necessities) to be excluded. Nothing but God shall enamor and fill the soul, and the body shall be perfectly subdued to the spirit. Lord, what have you prepared for them that love you?
Reflections.
If I shall receive my body again, so dignified and improved in the world to come, then Lord let me never be unwilling to use my body now for the interest of your glory, or my own salvation. Now, O my God, it grieves me to think how many precious opportunities of serving and honoring you, I have lost under pretence of endangering my health.
I have been more solicitous to live long and healthfully, than to live usefully and fruitfully; and like enough my life had been more serviceable to you, if it had not been so fondly overvalued by me.
Foolish soul, has God given you a body for a living tool or instrument, and are you afraid to use it? Wherein is the mercy of having a body, if not in spending and wearing it out in the service of God? To have an active vigorous body, and not to employ and exercise it for God, for fear of endangering its health, is as if one should give you a handsome and sprightly horse, upon condition you should not ride or work him. O! if some of the saints had enjoyed the blessing of such a healthy active body as mine, what excellent services would they have performed to God in it?
If my body shall as surely rise again in glory, vigor and excellent endowments as the seed which I sow does, why should not this comfort me over all the pains, weaknesses and dullness with which my soul is now clogged? You know my God, what a grief it has been to my soul, to be fettered and entangled with the distempers and manifold indispositions of this vile body. It has made me sigh and say, with holy Anselm, when he saw the mounting bird weighed down by the stone hanging at her leg, Lord, thus it fares with the soul of your servant! Fain would I serve, glorify, and enjoy you, but a distempered body will not let me. However, it is reviving to think, that though I am now forced to crawl like a worm in the discharge of my duties, I shall shortly fly like a seraphim in the execution of your will. Cheer up drooping soul, the time is at hand, when you shall be made more willing than you are, and your flesh not so weak as now it is.
And is it so indeed? Then let the dying saint, like Jacob, rouse up himself upon his bed, and encourage himself against the fears of death by this refreshing consideration. Let him say with holy dying Musculus, Why do you tremble (O my soul) to go forth of this tabernacle to the land of rest? Has your body been such a pleasant habitation to you, that you should be so loath to part with it, though but for a time? And with assurance of receiving it again with such a glorious improvement? I know (O my soul) that you have a natural inclination to this body, resulting from the dear and strict union which God himself has made between you and it! Indeed, even the holiest of men do sometimes sensibly feel the like in themselves; but beware you love it not immoderately or inordinately; it's but a creature, however dear it be to you: indeed, a fading creature, and that which now stands in your way to the full enjoyment of God. But say my soul, why are the thoughts of parting with it so burdensome to you? Why so loath to take death by its cold hand? Is this body your old and dear friend? True, but yet you part not with it upon such sad terms, as should deserve a tear at parting. For may you not say of this departure, as Paul of the departure of Onesimus (Philemon 1:15), It therefore departs for a season that you may receive it forever. The day of re-espousals will quickly come, and in the meantime as your body shall not be sensible of the tedious length of interposing time, so neither shall you be solicitous about your absent friend: for the fruition of God in that your unbodied state, shall fill you with infinite satisfaction and rest.
Or is it not so much simply for parting with it, as for the manner of your parting, either by the slow and lingering approaches of a natural, or the quick and terrible approaches of a violent death: Why, trouble not yourself about that; for if God lead you through the long dark lane of a tedious sickness, yet at the end of it is your father's house. And for a violent death it's not so material, whether friends or enemies stand weeping or triumphing over your dead body. Nihil corpus sentit in nervo cum anima sit in coelo. When your soul shall be in heaven, it will not be sensible how the body is used on earth.
But oh! what an uncomfortable parting will mine be? And how much more sad our meeting again! How will this soul and body blush, indeed tremble when they meet, who have been copartners in so much guilt? I damned my soul, to please my flesh, and now have ruined both thereby: had I denied my flesh to serve Christ, worn out my body in the service of my soul; I had thereby happily provided for them both, but I began at the wrong end, and so have ruined both eternally.
The Poem.
Bare seeds have no great beauty, but inhumed
That which they had is lost; and quite consumed
They soon corrupt, and grow more base by odds
When dead; and buried underneath the clods.
It falls in baseness, but at length does rise
In glory; which delights beholders' eyes.
How great a difference have a few days made
Between it, in the bushel, and the blade!
This lovely, lively emblem aptly may
Type out the glorious resurrection day.
Wherein the saints that in the dust do lie,
Shall rise in glory, vigor, dignity.
With singing in that morning they arise,
And dazzling glory, such as mortal eyes
Never viewed on earth. The sparkling beauties here,
No more can equalize their splendor there:
Than glimmering glow-worms do the fairest star,
That shines in heaven; or the stones that are
In every street, may competition hold
With glittering diamonds in rings of gold.
For to Christ's most glorious body they
Shall be conformed in glory, at that day;
Whose luster would, should it on mortals fall;
Transport a Stephen, and confound a Paul.
It's now a coarse, and crazy house of clay:
But O! how dear do souls for lodging pay!
Few more than I, for you my soul have been
Within these tents of Kedar cooped in.
Where with distempers clogged, you make your moans,
And for deliverance with tears and groans;
Have often sued, cheer up, the time will be
When you from all these troubles shall be free.
No jarring humors, cloudy vapors, rheum,
Pains, aches, or whatever else consumes
My days in grief; while in the Christian race,
Flesh lags behind; and can't keep equal pace
With the more willing spirit: none of these,
Shall thenceforth clog you, or disturb your ease.
