3. Thirdly, This may comfort us, that although we lie in the grave a long time, yet that Christ hath sanctified and sweetened it unto us, by lying therein himself ; so that the grave is now become a sweet bed to rest in peace in : as Isa. Ivii. 2, he speaks of such, ' Peace shall be upon them, they shall rest in their beds, every one that walketh before me ; ' so that Christ hath now made this the plain way to heaven. Wherefore, as the children of Israel marched through the wilderness, where were fiery ser- pents, enemies, and many discouragements, overcoming all, because it was their way to Canaan, so the grave, being our way to heaven, let us over- come all doubts, and not fear to march that waj' unto it.
4. Fourthly, That although we lie a long time in the grave, that we have assured hope that we shall rise again ; as David says, Ps. xvi. 9, ' Wherefore my heart is glad, and my tongue rejoiceth ; my flesh also rests in hope : for thou wilt not leave my soul in the grave ; neither wilt thou sufier thy Holy One to see corruption ; ' as it was true thus of Christ, so is it of all the members : when they are laid in the grave they are not gone and past hope. Though like Jonah, for the time swallowed up of a whale, the grave receive them, yet the Lord will in due time speak to the grave to cast them out again. Therefore it should teach us to live comfortably in this life, to encourage others ; and when the time of our death cometh, then to depart in peace, seeing God will be with us, and our bodies shall rise again, heavenly glory in the mean time being appointed for our souls.
The fourth point is, the consideration by whose power we shall rise.
Point 4. That is, by the power of Christ ; no power else can do it. It cannot be done by the power of nature; as Job xiv. 14, ' If a man die, shall he live again ? ' meaning, that if a man die he cannot rise of himself ; so David says, Ps. xlix. 7, * Yet a man can by no means redeem his brother, he cannot give his ransom to God.' So Ps. xlix. 15, * But God shall deliver my soul from the grave ; for he will receive me ; ' so all shall rise by the power of Christ, but with great difference : the godly with boldness, joy, and ravishment; the wicked with fear, shame, and astonishment.
The uses of which are.
Use 1. First, To 7nagnify and rely upon this mighty pouter of Christ, by which we shall rise again out of the grave, and from the belly of rottenness.
2. Secondly, Therefore to labour to feel the jwicerof Christ here in this life to thy conversion and conscience quieting, or else thou shalt feel the power of Christ to thy terror at the day of judgment.
3. Thirdly, Seeing all shall rise again at last, through the power of Christ, therefore let us not doubt but that the Lord will raise us out of all troubles whatsoever in the best time, as we see, Ezek. xxxvii. 3, the Lord there asks the prophet, ' Son of man, can these dead bones live' ? then he bade him prophesy upon those bones, and bone ran to his bone, and the
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flesh and sinews grew on them again, so that there stood up a great army. Now God applies this, ver, 11, ' Son of man,' saith he ' these bones are the whole house of Israel, which did He in captivity and bondage ; ' where- fore God shewed the prophet that as he was able to raise these dead bones, so he was able to bring his people out of captivity and bondage again ; therefore doubt not but thy God will raise thee out of thy troubles, what- soever they be. So Ps. Ixxxvi. 13, David confesseth, ' Great is thy mercy towards me, and thou hast delivered my soul out of the lowest grave.' This the saints have found, and this thou shalt find to thy comfort, there- fore make a right use of the power of Christ.
The fifth point is, in what estate our bodies shall rise again.
Point 5. That is, into an estate of glory. Now our bodies are mortal and mutable, subject to a number of infirmities, hunger, cold, nakedness,^ sick- ness, and pains ; now they are lumpish, dull, and heavy in the service of God, but at the resurrection then our bodies shall be made immortal, with- out subjection to any infirmities of nature, having strength to perform our own actions ; in this goodly estate shall our bodies rise in.
If a physician should out of his art and skill give us such a potion that we should never hunger nor thirst after it, and to be freed also thereby from all griefs, pains, infirmities, and diseases, how would one strain to his utmost to buy such a potion ? Yet such a potion the Lord hath freely provided for us at the last day, when he will give us such a cup to drink of as we shall never hunger, thirst, or feel any more pain, how should we therefore long and desire after the coming of Christ ! We see what our Saviour says. Mat. xviii. 8, ' It were better for a man to enter heaven hurt and maimed, than otherwise to be cast into hell in never so great perfection of parts.' But thanks be to God, we may enter into heaven, and have all things in the state of perfection. Therefore how should this make us strive to be God's people, that we may attain unto this so excellent an estate ?