Chapter 30: Millions Sunk into the Sea — The Dead Shall Not Remain There Always

Millions of Men are sunk into the Main: But it shall not those Dead always retain.

OBSERVATION.

What multitudes of Men has the Sea devoured! Thousands have made their Graves in it. What numbers of Men have been ingulfed together in Sea-fights, or Storms, or Inundations, whereby whole Towns have been swallowed up! Certainly the dead which are there are innumerable.

APPLICATION.

But though the Sea have received so many thousand Bodies of Men into its devouring Throat, yet is it not the absolute Lord or Proprietor of them, but rather a Steward intrusted with them, till the Lord require an account of them; and then it must deliver up all it has received, even to a person. Revel. 20. 11, 12. And I saw the Dead, small and great stand before God: and the books were opened: and another book was open, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books, according to their works. And the Sea gave up the dead which were in it.

The Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Body, is a Doctrine full of singular Consolations to Believers, 1 Cor. 15. and most clearly asserted in Scripture, Acts 26. 8. Job 19. 25. 1 Cor. 15, &c. And it is well for us this point is so plainly revealed; because, as it is a most comfortable Truth to the people of God, so there is scarce any truth that lies under more prejudice as to Sense or Reason, and is more difficult to receive, than this is. The Epicures and Stoicks laughed Paul to scorn when he preached it to them, Acts 17. 32. The Familists and Quakers at this day reject it as a Fable. The Socinians say the same Body shall not rise, but an aerial Body. And indeed if Men set up Reason as the onely Judge of supernatural things, it is incredible to think that a Body should be restored that has been burnt to ashes, and those ashes scattered in the wind, as History tells us was frequently done by the Bodies of the Saints in Dioclesian's Reign! Or when drowned in the Sea, and there devoured by several Fishes, and those again devoured by others. But yet this is not to be objected to the Almighty Power of God, that gave them their first being. Difficulties and Impossibilities are for Men, but not for him. Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead? Acts 26. 8.

REFLECTION.

And must I rise again, where-ever my body fall at death? Then, Lord, how am I concerned to get union with Christ while I live? by vertue thereof only, my Resurrection can be made comfortable and blessed to me! Ah, let my body lie where it will, in Earth or Sea; let my bones be scattered, and flesh devoured by Worms or Fish, I know you canst and will reunite my scattered parts; and in this body I must stand before your awful Tribunal, to receive according to what I have done therein, 2 Corinthians 5:10. You that commandest me to stand forth among the noblest rank of Creatures, when I had no being, and sawest my Substance, being yet imperfect, canst as easily reduce me to that Being again.

What though Reason vote impossible, and Sense incredible? Though all these Difficulties and Encumbrances grow upon my Faith, yet I know my body is not lost for ever; the sound of your last and dreadful Trumpet shall awaken me; and your mighty Power, to which all things are possible, shall bring me before your Bar.

O Lord, I know that I shall stand in that great Assembly at the last day, when multitudes, multitudes, even all the sons and daughters of Adam shall appear together. O! if I die Christless, it were good for me that there were no Resurrection: for then those eyes that have been windows of Lust, must behold Christ the Judge, not as a Redeemer, but as a Revenger. That tongue that has vented so much of the filthiness of my heart, will then be struck speechless before him; and this flesh which I so pamper'd and provided for, condemned to everlasting flames. O my God, let me make sure work for such a day. If I now get real union with your Son, I shall awake with singing out of the dust: And then, as you saidst to Jacob, so to me, when I go down into the Sea or Grave, Genesis 46:3, 4. Fear not to go down into the deep; for I will surely bring you up again.

THE POEM.

It should not seem incredible to you,

That God should raise the dead in Seas that be:

We see in Vvinter, Swallows, Vvorms, and Flies

Depriv'd of Life, yet in the Spring they rise.

What though you Bodies several Fish devour,

Object not that to the Almighty power.

Some Chymists in their Are are so exact,

That from one Herb they usually extract

Four different Elements: what think you then,

Can pose that God, who gave this Skill to men?

The Gard'ner can distinguish thirty kinds

Of seeds from one another, though he finds

Them mixt together in the self-same dish;

Much more can God distinguish Flesh from Fish.

They seem as lost, but they again must live;

The Sea's a Steward, and Stewards account must give.

Look what you are, when in the Ocean drown'd,

The very same at Judgment you'll be found▪

I would not care where my vile body lies,

Were I assur'd it should with comfort rise.