Use S(/. The resurrection of the body is a cordial when a Christian lies a-dying. Thy body, though it drop into the sepul- chre, it shall revive and flourish as .in herb in the resurrection : the grave is a bed of dust where the bodies of saints sleep ; but they shall be awakened by the trump of the archangel. The grave is your long home, but not your last home : though death strip you of your beauty, yet at the resurrection you shall have it restored a- gain. As David, when he found Saul a- sleej), took away his spear and cruse of wa- ter, but when he awoke, he restored them again, 1 Sam. xxvi. 22., so, though at death all our strength and beauty be taken away, yet at the resurrection God will restore all again in a more glorious m.inner.
Quest. 4. But /tow shall we knoiv that our bodies shall be raised to a glorious resur~ rection ?
Ans. If we have a part in the first resur- rection. Rev. XX. 6., " Blessed and holy is he that hath a part in the first resurrecti«»n." Q. IVhat is meant by this ? A. It is a ris- ing by repentance out of the grave of sin ; he who lies buried in sin, can have little hope of a joyful resurrection ; his body shall be raised but not in glory. O then ! ask conscience, have you a part in the first resurrection ? hath the Spirit entered into you, and lifted you up? Hath he raised you out of your unbelief? Hath he raised yom* hearts above the earth ? This is the first resurrection; and if your souls are thus sj)iritually raised, then your bodies shall be gloriously raised, and shall shine as stars in the kingdom of heaven. Regeneration makes way for a glorious resurrection.
Use. Seeing you expect your bodies should arise to glory, keep your bodies un- spotted from sin. Shall a drunken body rise to glory ? Shall an unclean body rise to glory? Shall a thievish body steal iuto heaven ? O keep your bodies pure, — keep your eyes from unchaste glances, — your hands from bribes, — your tongues from slander; defile not your bodies, whicli )ou
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hope shall rise one day to glory. Your bo- dies are the members of Christ : and hear what the apostle saith, 1 Cor. vi. 15., " Sliall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot ? God forbid." O keep your bodies unspot- ted, let them be instruments of rigliteous- ness, 1 Cor. vi. 20., " Glorify God in your body !" If your bodies glorify God, God will glorify your bodies.
Quest. 5. But seeing ow bodies must be laid in the grave, and they may lie many years rotting tliere before the resurrection ; ichat may support and comfort us is this case ?
Ans. 1. That God will not leave his people in the grave. Our friends bring us to the grave and leave us there, but God will not; God will go to the grave with us, and watch over our dead bodies, and take care of our ashes. Rizpah watched over the dead bodies of the sons of Saul, and guarded them against the ravenous fowls of the air, 2 Sam. xxi. 10. Thus the Lord w.atcheth over the dead bodies of the saints, and looks to it, that none of their dust be missing. Christian, thou hast a God to watch over thy body when thou art dead I
A. 2. The bodies of the saints in the gi'ave, though separated from their souls, are united to Christ. The dust of a believ- er is part of Christ's mystical body.
A. 3. When the bodies of the saints are in the sepulchre, their souls are in paradise ; the soul doth not sleep in the body, " but the spirit shall return to God that gave it," Eccl. xii. 7. The soul immediately par- takes of those joys the blessed angels do ; when tlic body returns to dust, the soul re- turns to rest ; when the body is sleeping, the soul is triumphing ; when the body is buried, the soul is crowned; as the spios were sent before to taste of the fruits of the land, Numb, xiii., so at death the soul is sent before into heaven, to taste of the fruit of the holy land.
A. 4. When God's time is come, the * graves shall deliver up their dead,' Rev. XX. 13, when the judge sends, the jailor must deliver up his prisoners ; as God said to Jacob, Gen. xlvi. 4., " I will go down with thee into Eg}'^pt, and I will surely bring thee up again," so the Lord will go
down with us into the grave, and will surer ly bring us again.
A. 5. Though the bodies of the saints shall rot and be loathsome in the grave, yet afterwards they shall be made illustri- ous and glorious. Concerning this, consi- der,