Chapter 12: The Seventh Prerogative Royal

The next glorious privilege to come, is the Resurrection of our bodies. This is an Article of our faith. Now for the illustration of this, there are three things considerable: 1. That there [reconstructed: is] such a thing as the Resurrection. 2. That this is not yet past. 3. That the same body that dies shall rise again.

1. I shall prove the proposition, that there is a Resurrection of the body. There are some of the Sadducees' opinion, that there is no resurrection, then let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die (1 Corinthians 15:32). To what purpose are all our prayers and tears? And indeed it were well for them who are in their life-time as brute beasts, if it might be with them as beasts after death; but there is a resurrection of the body, as well as an ascension of the soul, which I shall prove by two arguments.

1. Because Christ is risen, therefore we must rise: the head being raised, the rest of the body shall not always lie in the grave, for then it would be a head without a body: his rising is a pledge of our resurrection (1 Thessalonians 4:14).

2. Ex AEquo, in regard of justice and equity; the bodies of the wicked have been weapons of unrighteousness, and have joined with the soul in sin; their eyes have been a casement to let in vanity, their hands have been full of bribes, their feet have been swift to shed blood; therefore justice and equity require that they should rise again, and their bodies be punished with their souls. Again, the bodies of the saints have been members of holiness: their eyes have dropped down tears for sin, their hands have relieved the poor, their tongues have been trumpets of God's praise, therefore justice and equity require that they should rise again, that their bodies as well as their souls may be crowned. There must be a resurrection, else how should there be a remuneration? We are more sure to arise out of our graves than out of our beds: the bodies of the wicked are locked up in the grave as in a prison, that they may not infest the Church of God; and at the day of judgment they shall be brought out of the prison to trial: and the bodies of the saints are laid in the grave as in a bed of perfume, where they mellow and ripen against the resurrection. Noah's olive-tree springing after the flood, the blossoming of Aaron's dry rod, the flesh and sinews coming to Ezekiel's dry bones — what were these but lively emblems of the resurrection?

2. That this resurrection is not yet past: some hold that it is past, and make the Resurrection to be nothing else but Regeneration, which is called a rising from sin, and a being risen with Christ; and do affirm, that there is no other resurrection but this; and that only the soul is with God in happiness, not the body. Of this opinion were Hymenaeus and Philetus (2 Timothy 2:18). But the rising from sin is called the first resurrection (Revelation 1:6), which implies that there is a second resurrection; and that second I shall prove out of (Daniel 12:2): And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake; he does not say, they are already awake, but they shall awake. And (John 5:28): The hour is coming in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth, they that have done good, to the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, to the resurrection of damnation. Observe, Christ does not say, they are come forth of the grave already, but they shall come forth.

Here a question may be moved, whether the bodies of some of the saints are not in Heaven already, then it will seem that their resurrection is not yet to come? As we read that Elijah was taken up to heaven in a fiery chariot: and Enoch (Hebrews 11:5) was translated, that he might not see death.

Answer: I know the question is controverted among divines: but there are some reasons that persuade me that Enoch and Elijah are not yet bodily in Heaven, nor shall be till the resurrection of all flesh, when the rest of the elect, like a precious crop, being fully ripe, shall be translated into glory. The first is (Hebrews 11:13), where it is said, These all died in faith, where Enoch was included. Now why we should restrain this word [illegible], these, only to Abel, Noah, Abraham, and not also to Enoch, I see no rational ground.

Question: But is it not said, he was translated, that he might not see death? How can these two stand together, that Enoch died, yet he did not see death?

This word, [in non-Latin alphabet], that he might not see death, I conceive (with some divines) the meaning is, that he might not see it in that painful and horrid manner as others: his soul had an easy and joyful passage out of his body; he died not after the common manner of men; so says Peter Martyr. Seeing and feeling, are in Scripture often exegetical, the one is put for the other, as Romans 7:23: I see a law in my members, that is, I feel a law. My second argument is 1 John 3:2: It does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know, [in non-Latin alphabet], when he shall appear, we shall be like him. We read in Scripture but of two appearances of Christ, his appearing in the flesh, and his appearing at the day of judgment. Now his appearing in this text, must needs be meant of his last appearing; and what then? Then says the Apostle, we shall be like him, that is, in our bodies (Philippians 3:21). The spirits of just men being already made perfect (Hebrews 12:23). From this I infer, Enoch is not yet ascended bodily into heaven, because none of the bodies of the saints shall be fully made like Christ till his second appearing. Besides this may be added the judgment of many of the Fathers, who were pious and learned. It is not probable that Enoch and Elias should be taken up in their bodies into heaven, says Peter Martyr, and he urges that saying of our Lord, No man has ascended into heaven (that is, says he, corporeally) but the Son of man that descended from heaven. Of this opinion also is Oecolampadius, Martinus Borrhaeus, and learned Doctor Fulk, who in his marginal notes upon the 11th chapter of Hebrews, has this comment: It appears not, says he, that Enoch now lives in body, no more than Moses, but that he was translated by God out of the world, and died not after the common manner of men. And concerning Elijah, the same reverend author has this passage: It is evident, that he was taken up alive, but not that he continues alive. And again, because we read expressly, that he was taken up into heaven (2 Kings 2:11), it is certain, says he, that his body was not carried into heaven. Christ being the first that in perfect humanity ascended there: 1 Corinthians 15:20: Christ is become the first-fruits of them that sleep. He is called the first-fruits, not only because he was the most excellent, and sanctified the rest, but because he was the first cluster which was gathered, the first that went up in a corporeal manner into the seat of the blessed. For my part, I see not how Christ could properly be called the first-fruits, if Enoch and Elijah were bodily in heaven before him. From this we see that the resurrection is yet to come.

The third thing is, that at the resurrection every soul shall have its own body: the same body that dies shall arise. Some hold that the soul shall be clothed with a new body, but then it were improper to call it a resurrection of the body — it should be rather a creation. It was a custom in the African churches, to say, I believe the resurrection of this body. I confess, the doctrine of the resurrection is such, that it is too deep for reason to wade here — you must let faith swim. For instance, suppose a man dying, is cast into the sea, several fish come and devour him, the substance of his body goes into these fish, afterwards the fish are taken and eaten, and the substance of these fish goes into several men; now how this body, thus devoured, and as it were crumbled into a thousand fractions should be raised the same numerical body, is infinitely above reason to imagine — we have scarce faith enough to believe it.

How can this be?

To such I say as our blessed Savior (Matthew 22:29): You do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God. First, not knowing the Scriptures: the Scripture tells us expressly, that the same body that dies shall rise again (Job 19:26): In my flesh shall I see God, not in another flesh. And verse 27: My eyes shall behold him, not other eyes. So 1 Corinthians 15:53: This mortal shall put on immortality — not another mortal, but this mortal. And 2 Corinthians 5:10: That every one may receive the things done in his body, not in another body. Death in Scripture is called a sleep; it is far easier with God to raise the body, than it is for us to awake a man when he is asleep. Second, you err not knowing the power of God: that God who of nothing created all things, cannot he reduce many things to one thing? When the body is gone into a thousand substances, cannot he make an abstraction, and bring that body together again? Do we not see the chemist can out of several metals mingled together, as gold, silver, and alloy, extract the one from the other, the silver from the gold, the alloy from the silver, and can reduce every metal to its own species or kind: and shall we not much more believe, that when our bodies are mingled and confounded with other substances, the wise God is able to make a divine extraction, and re-invest every soul with its own body?

Use 1. This is comfort to a child of God: As Christ said to Martha (John 11:23), 'Your brother shall rise again': so I say to you, your body shall rise again. The body is sensible of joy as well as the soul; and indeed, we shall not be perfect in glory till our bodies be re-united to our souls. Therefore in Scripture, the doctrine of the resurrection is made matter of joy and triumph (Isaiah 26:19): 'The dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise: Awake and sing, you that dwell in the dust.' Death is as it were the fall of the leaf, but our bones shall flourish as an herb, in the spring of the resurrection. That body which is moldered to dust shall revive. Sometimes the saints do sow the land with their bodies (Psalm 142:7), and water it with their blood (Psalm 79:3). But these bodies, whether imprisoned, beheaded, sawn asunder, shall arise and sit down with Christ upon the throne. O consider what joy will there be at the re-uniting of the body and soul at the resurrection. As there will be a sad meeting of the body and soul of the wicked, they shall be joined together as briars to scratch and tear one another: so what unspeakable joy will there be at the meeting together of the soul and body of the saints? How will they greet one another (they two being the nearest acquaintance that ever were)? What a welcome will the soul give to the body? O blessed body, you did suffer yourself to be martyred and crucified, you were kept under by watchings, fastings, etc., when I prayed you did attend my prayers with hands lifted up and knees bowed down. You were willing to suffer with me, and now you shall reign with me; cheer up yourself my dear friend; you were sown as seed in the dust of the earth with ignominy, but now are raised in glory; you were sown a natural body, but now are raised a spiritual body. O my dear body, I will enter into you again as a heavenly sparkle, and you shall clothe me again as a glorious vestment; I will (I say) enter into you again, and both of us will enter into our Master's joy.

Use 2. It shows the great love and respect God bears to the weakest believer — God will not glorify the bodies of his dearest and most eminent saints, not the Patriarchs or Prophets, not the body of Moses, Elijah, till you rise out of your grave. God is like a master of a feast, that stays till all his guests are come. Abraham the father of the faithful must not sit down bodily in heaven till all his children are born; and the body of every saint perfectly mellow and ripe for the resurrection.

3. If the bodies of the saints must arise, then consecrate your bodies to the service of God: these bodies must be made one with Christ's body. The Apostle makes this use of the doctrine of the resurrection (1 Corinthians 6:14): 'And God has both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power': there is the doctrine. 'Do you not know that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of a harlot?' (verse 15) — there is the use. It is enough for wicked men to adulterate and defile their bodies. The drunkard makes his body a tunnel for the wine and strong drink to run through. The epicure makes his body a living tomb to bury the good creatures of God. The adulterer makes his body a brothel. The body is called a vessel in Scripture; these vessels will be found musty at the resurrection, fit only to hold that wine which you read of (Psalm 75:8): 'In the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red'; this is the wine of God's wrath. It is enough for those bodies to be defiled which shall be joined to the devil: but you that are believers, that expect your bodies shall be joined with Christ's body; oh cleanse these vessels; take heed of putting your bodies to any impure services. Present your bodies a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1). Have a care to keep all the passages and entry-points; sometimes the devil comes in at the eye; therefore Job made a covenant with his eyes: and goes out at the tongue; therefore David set a watch before his lips: Surely those that have their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, that is, the guilt of known sin, will have a care to have their bodies washed with clean water.