HAVING lately seen the Bodies both of a pious Father & Son ^‖ lying under the Power of the Grave & Death together, and within the view of this House; what a spring of Consolation are the words be­fore us, both with respect to them and others who have deceased in the Faith and are lying in their Graves about them? I will ransom them from the Power of the Grave, I will redeem them from Death, &c.

[Page 2] BUT who is this that undertakes this mighty Work▪

BY the 4th, 5th, 9th & 10th Verses of this Chap­ter, compared with other Scriptures, it seems very plain, that the Person here speaking is no other than He who since is called CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD, THE SAVIOUR. For there we read,—Yet I am the Lord thy God from the Land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no God but me; for there is no Saviour besides me: I did know Thee in the Wilderness, in the Land of great Drought,—O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self, but in me is thine Help: I will be thy King: where is any other that may save Thee? &c. Characters especially that of a SAVIOUR, that are ex­presly ascrib'd to CHRIST, exclusive of others, in the clea­rer Revelations of the Gospel. And if we diligently search the Scriptures ^*; we shall find Him sometimes assuming the Appearance and Denomination of a Man, and sometimes of an Angel, long before He became incarnate, and under each of these asserting his supream Perfections and his distinguishing Offices for his Co­venant People.

BUT to show precisely that CHRIST is the great Redeemer here speaking; I need only mention those illustrative Passages in Heb. 11. 9, 10, 14. and 2 Tim. I. 10. For in the former of those Places, He is ex­presly called, The Captain of their Salvation, and the Destruction of him that has the Power of Death, and the Deliverance of his People from the Fear and Bon­dage of it, are precisely attributed to Him: and in the latter, He is said to have abolish'd Death, as well as to have brought Life & Immortality to Light by the Gospel.

IT is then the Almighty SON OF GOD, that here says,—I will ransom them from the Power of the Grave, &c.

[Page 3] AND it is very observable that in the Parts of the Chapter which both go before and follow our Text, He is full of dark Predictions of the Temporal De­struction of the Tribes of Israel: But as if He were weary with the affecting View, or at least would give a glimmer of Light to support and comfort the pious Souls among them; He seems here on a sudden to rise into a tender Resentment of their deplorable Bondage under the Power of Death and the Grave, and into a fixed Resolution to deliver his People and destroy those their devouring Enemies. I will ransom them from the Power of the Grave, &c.

To show his righteous and holy Displeasure at the Sin of his People, He first permits the Grave & Death to get them into their terrible Power & Captivity: But when He comes to see how cruel are these re­morseless Enemies, and the extream Destruction they have bro't his People to; He is fired with an holy Indignation against these Destroyers, He is resolv'd to be avenged on them, and to rescue the Prey out of their Mouths.

IT is as if He had said, ‘I am resolved to ransom them from the Power of the Grave: I am resolv'd to redeem them from the jaws of Death: O Death! Thou hast been a Plague to my People; I will be a mortal Plague to Thee: O Grave! Thou hast been their cruel Destroyer; I will be thy utter Destruction: Thou hast had no Relenting or Pity on them, and I will have no Pity on Thee, but Repentance shall be hid from mine Eyes for ever.’

WHAT a glorious Friend and Redeemer is this—Awake & Sing ye that dwell in the Dust: For thy Dew is as the Dew of Herbs, and the Earth shall cast out the Dead, as it does the Plants that seem to be perished in Her. ^† i. e. The Power of CHRIST upon you, like the nightly Dew, shall gently revive and refresh your languish'd Bodies, and in the Morn­ing make you to rise out of the Earth & flourish.

[Page 4] BUT our Observations from the Words are these,

1. THAT the Grave and Death have a dreadful and destroying Power, even over those that are dear to CHRIST or are his Covenant People.

2. THAT this Almighty Saviour beholds his Peo­ple under this dreadful Power, with a most ten­der Pity for them, and an holy Indignation at those devouring Enemies.

3. & lastly, THAT in this active Pity and Indigna­tion, He is inflexibly resolv'd to Ransom and Re­deem his People from their Power, & to Destroy those Enemies of theirs for ever.

OBS. I. THAT the GRAVE and DEATH have a dreadful and destroying POWER, even over those that are dear to CHRIST or are his Covenant People.

THAT they have such a Power over impenitent and graceless Sinners, is no wonder. They not only deserve it and are under the Sentence of Condemna­tion to it; but they are also constantly provoking the most High GOD to abandon them thereto. But that the sanctified and pardoned, in whom the Image of CHRIST is formed, in whom He dwells & reigns, and who are dearly beloved of Him; that Death and the Grave should have such a Power over these, and there should be no apparent Difference between them and others, seems somewhat strange & mysterious to us.

To illustrate this I shall therefore show you these Two Things,

1. SOMETHING of the dreadful and destroying Power of the Grave and Death over true Be­lievers. And,

2. How come they to have such a Power over them.

I. SOMETHING of the dreadful & destroying Power of the Grave and Death, and the lamenta­ble State of Believers under them.

[Page 5] AND here, tho' the Power of the Grave be men­tioned first, yet inasmuch as Death is the first that seizes and leads them Captive, we will first consider this in its dreadful Power, and then the Grave to which it carries them as into a doleful Prison, from whence there is no Deliverance but by an Almighty Hand.

1. THE dreadful and destroying Power of DEATH.

AND how extreamly terrible would this Enemy appear, if we were to survey this lower World, and either reflect on all its Cruelties thro' the Ages past, or could take a view of the numberless Destructions it is even now a making among the Sons of Men.

IN how many places is it without any Mercy seizing and destroying the render Infants, even before the Birth: it allows them never to see the Light, and even turns the Wombs that quickned them into Graves to consume them.

IN how many places is it snatching the pleasant Offspring from the Mother's Breasts, and from the Fathers Arms, and bearing it away from their Sight for ever.

IN how many places is it seizing the lovely Child, while it shrieks for help, and neither the Parents Tears, nor the physicians Skill can save it from the merciless Devourer.

IN how many places is it stopping the Sprightly Youth in his joyous and swift Career, and cutting off both his blooming Life and Hopes together.

IN how many places is it utterly parting the dearest Friends: in how many, rending from the Husband the Desire of his Eyes, and from the Wife her cheif Delight and Guardian.

How many anxious Parents are forc'd to leave their poor shiftless Children crying out after them. The Aged bereft of their Sons and Daughters, the Supports and Hopes of their declining Years: and others whose venerable Aspect & Piety & Affection for their Children, render them most dear and desire­able, [Page 6] must be made to groan under heavy Burthens▪ and at last to part from their mournful Families, and remove into Darkness. Their Eyes that have seen them shall see them no more; and the Places that knew them shall know them no more!

IN short, this cruel and irresistible Enemy neither spares the Old nor Young, nor the Rich nor Poor, nor the High nor Low, nor the Bond nor Free. Not can the Comely, nor the Strong, nor the Wise, resist his destructive Power; nor will he spare the Guilty that most earnestly desires an Hour for Repentance, nor yet the Good that wou'd have an Age to serve the World. No Objects, Accomplishments, Devices, Skill or Prayers can avail to save them.

AND for the cruel Methods of his destroying the Sons of Men—they are too many and various now to think of. I shall only mention a few Particulars.

ON some He lays his iron Hands, and racks them in their tender Joints and Sinews, till their Souls and Bodies are forc'd assunder. In some He kindles an hot glowing Fire that quickly parches and burns up the Life. Some He brings and keeps in great Distress for want of necessary Length of Breathing, till they can bare no longer, their Strength & Spirits fail, and their Breath expires. Some He on a sudden pierces with gashfull Wounds and intollerable Torments: some He kills as quick as Lightning: some He Strangles, and some He Crushes all to pieces.

IN such various Methods does this Cruel Enemy express his dreadful Rage and Violence among the Sons of Men.

BUT let us now behold this King of Terrors as He usually comes on with his gastly Looks and destroying Power.

AND here He often first begins to blast their Strength, and then to oppress and pain their Hearts. He makes them restless Day and Night. He drinks up their Spirits, and works like Poyson, like the Gall of Asps within them. He throws their inward parts [Page 7] and Juices into great Disorders: and as He comes on nearer, He binds and chains the vital Powers, He fills the Windows of the Eyes with Darkness, He makes the Throat to sound with a dismal Rattle, the out­ward Parts to chill and stiffen; and the Face that us'd to bloom and smile, He makes to look with Distress and Horror.

AND now come on the doleful Groans, the dying Throws and Struggles, the fainting Gasps for a few Breaths more—the Strength is gone, the Life ex­pires, the Soul is vanish'd, the Jaws fall down, the Countenance turns wan and horrid; the Corpse be­comes as cold as Clay, it quickly runs to Putrefaction; and by casting out insufferable Smells, it forces us to bury it in the midst of Grief and Lamentations.

THIS is something of the Power of Death. We proceed now

2. TO consider something of the dreadful and destroying Power of THE GRAVE, and the lamentable State of Believers under it.

AND here we must leave their Souls that are be­come invisible to mortal Eyes, and only view their lifeless Bodies as they lie in that gloomy Cavern.

THERE they are covered up with Earth, and as Job expresses it, their Beds are made in Darkness ^‡. There they are forever hid from the Sight and Con­verse of the Living. The devouring Worms may swarm and seed upon them. Their Skin grows mouldy and black as a Coal. Their Flesh consumes and putrifies; and as it wasts away, it changes into a muddy Substance, and Rotteness enters into all their Bones.

AND Oh! how hideous is now the Sight of that which was once a lovely and delightful Body! The Linnen that bound the Parts for a while together, is turn'd to dirt of the darkest Hue, and the Joints dis­solved. The Bones lie bare and black—the Eye­balls, [Page 8] the Cheeks, the Lips are eaten out, the Jaws wide open, the Teeth appearing last, and the moul­dering Ribs will let you see that the Heart & Reins are consumed within them.

THIS is something of the destroying Power of the Grave, and the lamentable State of the Bodies of Be­lievers under it: and how affecting is it that they must be there confin'd as in a doleful Dungeon full of Dead Men's Bones and all Uncleanness, as CHRIST discribes it ^‖, and even there must lie till they are turn'd to Rotteness and filthy Earth

AND thus we see Believers, tho' they are ever so dear to CHRIST, yet in these respects if we look no further, there is no Destinction between them and others, and even the vilest of the Sons of Men; and indeed often their very Bones and Dust are mix'd to­gether.

LET us therefore now consider

II. HOW comes this to pass that Death and the Grave have such a dreadful Power over them.

TO this I must but answer briefly; that we may get out as soon as possible, of these Sorrowful Con­templations.

Now it is by their Original Sin and Fall in their first Parents, that these dreadful Enemies have thus got­ten them into their Power. And tho' CHRIST has purchased them a compleat Redemption from every Evil; yet He is pleased for wise Intentions to apply the Purchase and redeem them by Degrees, till He brings the Work to its design'd Perfection.

FIRST He rescues them from the moral Dominion of Sin and Satan at the very Instant of their true Con­version. He then delivers them more and more from their prevailing influence, as they are marching on to the Heavenly Places. At the Moment of Death, He compleatly redeems the Soul from Sin & Sorrow, and puts an utter End to the Polution and Influence [Page 9] of Sin in their Bodies. And then He suffers the Power of Death and the Grave to prevail, that He might bare his Witness against the Sin of his People, and that his almighty Power may the more appear and shine, in raising their dissolved Dust to Life, and forming so vile a Substance into Glorious Bodies.

BUT in these dark and melancholly Scenes it is now time to come to our

II. OBS. THAT this ALMIGHTY SAVIOUR be­holds his People under this dreadful Power of the Grave and Death with a most tender PITY for them, and an high RESENTMENT against those their Enemies.

THESE mouldering, vile & destroyed Bodies were once inlivened with rational, active and immortal Souls. Yea they once were sanctified together by the HOLY SPIRIT, and became his Temples. In them He condescended to reside, and there He dwelt and wrought with Pleasure. In them He gave a deadly Blow to Sin, and made an hopeful Progress in their spiritual Life & Purification. He employ'd them as active Instruments of Righteousness to GOD, as the Apostle speaks, ^* and of great Good and Comfort among the Children of Men. In them He show'd his most excellent Wisdom, Goodness, Power and Workmanship, with the alluring Beauties of Reli­gion. And on them He began to mark the Lines of the Image of CHRIST.

WITH these Bodies of theirs as well as with their Souls combined, the SON OF GOD has entred into a sacred Covenant of Union, much like that of Marriage between a Wife & Husband; but in this it differs, that even Death it self shall never dissolve it. In them He us'd to have an holy and delightful Fellowship, for them He died and rose again, and for them He there­fore bares a constant and most dear Affection.

IN short, He made them the precious Members of his mystical Body; and how often have they wro't [Page 10] and suffered and spent their Strength and Ease in his laborious Service? How much have their Eyes been exercised in Reading his holy Oracles, and surveying his wonderous Works; their Feet in Traveling to his worshipping Assemblies; their Ears in Hearkning to his holy Word; their vocal Organs in speaking forth his Praises; and their Hands and Arms in a vast variety of Actions for his Interest and Honour? How often have their Hearts been oppress'd with Grief for the Sins of others & themselves against Him, their tender Nerves fatigued and pained, and their Lives consumed in Sufferings and Labours for Him.

YEA, When they gave up the Ghost, they gave it in the Exercise of Love to CHRIST, of Desires to be with Him, and resigned both their Souls and Bodies into his Almighty Hands, into his tender Care and Keeping: Hoping that He would not always leave their Souls in the State of Separation, nor let their Bodies always see Corruption; but that He wou'd kindly watch their mouldering Earth, and not despise their broken Image, but in the Morning which shall rise with his Appearance, that He wou'd then remem­ber and restore their destroyed Bodies, quicken them with their returning Spirits, make them of an Immor­tal Constitution, raise them from the Dungeon of the Grave, and bring them forth to Light and Liberty; that in their Flesh and with those longing Eyes they might see Him on the Earth.

AND now the Death of these must needs, as the Psalmist tells us ^†, be very Precious in his sight, i. e. In their very Death and Dissolution they are dear and precious to Him. In all their Afflictions, and especially the most sharp Affliction of this distressing Hour, He must needs, as much as is consistent with his happy State in Heaven be afflicted also. He has a Fellow feeling with them in these bitter Sufferings which He once felt Himself when He lived & dyed [Page 11] among us ^‡. And if it were consistent with his FA­THER'S Will, CHRIST would never suffer Death to hurt or touch them, and much less to separate those dear Companions their Souls and Bodies, and bring their Bodies into such a wast and lamentable State.

CHRIST must needs behold the strugling Contest with great Concern. And when the vile Body is be­reft of Life and Soul, He does not leave it: When 'tis carried to the Grave, He goes down with it Thither: His gracious Presence dwells with it there: and there He tenderly watches over it, that not a Dust may be lost that may be a convenient material to be put into the Building again. While the Carcase lies putrifying, in all it's Noisomeness and Blackness, He does by no means despise it; but He Pities it, and accounts the Dust of his Temples to be precious while it lies in Destruction and Ruins.

AND from Pitying the broken Remains of his People under the cruel and inglorious Power of Death and the Grave, He highly Resents the Injuries those devouring Enemies have done them, and the base Con­dition they have brought his beloved People into. Their Souls in Paradice have also a longing Desire for their destroyed Bodies: And they continually Cry with those under the Altar, ^‖ to THIS MIGHTY RE­DEEMER, to rescue them from the Power of these inveterate and vile Enemies and take Vengeance on them. And with the Sight of the deplorable Condi­tion of their Bodies in the Grave, and the earnest Cry of their separate Spirits, HE cannot but be mov'd with an high Indignation against these their cruel & re­morseless Destroyers.

AND this brings us to the

III. and last OBS. viz. THAT with this active Pity & Indignation, He is inflexibly resolv'd to RAN­SOM, and REDEEM his People from their Power, and to DESTROY those Enemies of theirs for ever.

[Page 12] HIS Pity to his People remains the same as long as their Bodies he under the Power of these Destroyers. Even in the midst of all his Glory in the Worlds above, He will never be satisfied till He sees them delivered. Nor will He content himself with Re­deeming them only; but he will also go on to Avenge Himself on their implacable Enemies. And as they were inexorably bent on his People's intire Destructi­on; He will now have no Mercy on them, but extir­pate them for ever. This is his unalterable Bent and Purpose, and as soon as ever the FATHER permits Him, He will effectually accomplish it.

AND here we may consider these two things.

1. IN what respect does CHRIST Ransom and Re­deem them, and destroy their Enemies.

2. WHEN and in what Manner will He accomplish this glorious Work.

I. IN what respect does CHRIST Ransom and Redeem his People from the Power of the Grave and Death, and destroy those Enemies.

Now, Ransoming seems to intimate a sufficient Price laid down for their Redemption; and Re­deeming signifies the happy Action He performs in consequence of the Ransom paid, and their effectual Deliverance: and these two several Terms seem plainly then to point to those two various Methods whereby He works it for them; (1) By his Suffi­cient Purchase, and (2) By his Almighty Power. Agreable to this we read of Ransom and Deliver­ance, Job XXXIII. 24. Then He is gracious unto them and saith, DELIVER them from going down to the Pit; I have found a RANSOM. And thus we read of the REDEMPTION of the PURCHASED Pos­session, Eph. 1. 14. There is first the meritorious Purchase of this Possession, and then the effectual Redemption of it.

1. CHRIST will meritoriously RANSOM them from the Power of the Grave and Death, by the suffi­cient Purchase He has made when He was here on Earth.

[Page 13] IT is for this great End that He the ONLY BEGOT­TEN SON of THE FATHER became incarnate, that He became a Man, a Servant that in our humane Nature He yeilded a perfect active Obedience to the Will of GOD; that therein He suffered the Divine Wrath to the utmost, due to his People; and at length gave way to Death, and was led as a Captive into the Grave; tho' He saw no Corruption there. Heb. II. 14, 15. Forasmuch then as the Children are Partakers of Flesh and Blood, He also Himself like­wise took Part of the same; that thro' Death He might destroy him that had the Power of Death, that is, the Devil; and deliver them who thro' Fear of Death, were all their Life time subject to Bondage.

A Figure of this we find in the typical Laws of Moses, Exod. XXI. 30; where we read of a Ran­som for the Life of a Man, to save him from Death: and in Exod. XXX. 12. of a Ransom for the Soul or Life, to save from the destroying Plague. But the Redemption of the Soul is precious: and no meer Man can by any means Redeem his Brother, nor give to God a Ransom for him; that he should still live for ever and not see Corruption, Psal. XLIX. 7—9. Nor are they a whit more able to give a Ransom suffici­ent to Redeem them from Death and the Grave, when they have seen Corruption. For this End therefore our Blessed SAVIOUR appeared in our Na­ture, obey'd and died: and thus he tells us, Mat. XX. 28. Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministred unto, but to minister, and to give HIS LIFE a RANSOM for many.

AND that this Price is sufficient to ransom his Peo­ple from the Power of Death & the Grave, is evident from its being of infinite Dignity, and therefore of infinite Value. For it is no less then the infinitely low Condescension, the perfect Obedience, the Labours, the Sufferings, the Life of Him that is GOD, tho' now most amazingly joined to our inferiour Nature: and hence the Apostle observes, Acts XX. 28. The Church of GOD which He has Purchased with his own Blood

[Page 14] BY this Price He has therefore sufficiently Purchased the Ransom of his captivated People, their eternal Redemption from Death and the Grave, and the Power of exerting his Vengance on those implacable Enemies

BUT then

2. HE will REDEEM them effectually, by the infinite Power of his Godhead.

OF this He has given us an illustrious Specimen, when on the third Day after He died, He broke the strong Chains of Death: He conquer'd Him who had the Dominion of it: He baffled the combined Powers of Darkness: they found it utterly impossible to hold him a moment longer: He arose to immortal Life: He broke open the Prison of the Grave: He led Captivity captive: and having spoiled Princi­palities and Powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it, Col. II. 15.

In the midst of Thousands of Chariots and Angels, He ascended to Heaven. He sat down at the Right Hand of the Throne of GOD, far above all Principal­ities & Powers, and Might & Dominion & every Name that is named, not only in this World, but also in that which is to come. And all things are put under his Feet: and He is the Head over all things to the Church, which is his Body, the Fullness of Him that filleth all in all, Eph. 1. 20,—23.

THERE He entertains the pure and seperate Spirits of deceased Believers in his blisful Presence. And will one Day come & open their Graves, and enliven their Sleeping Dust: and then He'l fashion them into Buildings like his own most glorious Body, by that mighty Power whereby He is able to subdue all things unto Himself, Phil. III. 21.

AND then

3. & lastly, HAVING thus Redeem'd his Peo­ple, He will utterly destroy the Power of those E­nemies over them.

DEATH with all it hideous Train shall never more subdue or touch them: Nor shall the Grave con­sume or swallow them any more for ever. But GOD [Page 15] shall wipe away all tears from their Eyes: and there shall be no more Death among them, neither Sorrow, nor Crying, neither shall there be any more Pain: for the former things shall be passed away, and GOD will make all things new. ^* Their glorious Life shall be perfected in Immortality, and neither Death nor the Grave shall be ever seen or heard of more.

BUT

II. WHEN and in what Manner will CHRIST accomplish this glorious Work.

TO which I Answer—At his SECOND COMING, when He shall appear in Flaming Fire in these very Heavens, and come down with all the Angels and Spirits above, to destroy his Enemies and deliver his People.

IN a moment, in the twinkling of an Eye, to the great Surprize of the drowzy World, shall the Trumpet Sound, the Voice of the Arch Angel and the Trump of GOD. ^† The Sun shall be darkned, the Moon shall not give her Light, and the Stars shall fall from Hea­ven, and the Powers of the Heavens shall be shaken. And then shall appear the Sign of the SON OF MAN in Heaven, and the ungodly Tribes of the Earth shall mourn; for they shall see the SON OF MAN coming in the Clouds of Heaven, with Power and great Glory, Mat. XXIV.

MILLIONS of shining Angels will make up his Train. He will descend from Heaven with a mighty Shout. His Glory will inlighten the World, the Fire shall burn before Him, and it shall be very tempestous round about Him. For behold the LORD will come with Fire, and with his Chariots like a Whirlwind, to render his Anger with Fury and his Rebuke with Flames of Fire: and the Hand of the LORD shall be known towards his Servants, and his Indignation to­wards his Enemies, Isa. LXVI. 14, 15.

AND now the Earth shall shake, and the GRAVES fly open & discover their Slain. The Dust of the Righteous shall immediately fly and join and rise into [Page 16] glorious Bodies. They that were sown in Weakness, Corruption & Dishonour shall now be raised in Power, Incorruption & Glory: that were sown mere natural and earthy Bodies, shall now be raised Spiritual and Heavenly Bodies; that once bare the Image of the Earthly Adam, shall now bare the Image of the Hea­venly: ^‡ and Mortality shall be swallowed up of Life ^‖ for ever.

AND as the Dead Saints shall first be raised incorrup­tible & immortal; so the Saints that shall then be found Alive on Earth, shall be Chang'd immediately, and made incorruptible & immortal like them. And when this corruptible shall have put on Incorruption, & this mor­tal shall have put on Immortality; then shall be bro't to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in Victory: O Death where is thy Sting! O Grave where is thy Victory! The Sting of Death is Sin, and the Strength of Sin is the [...]; But Thanks be to God who giveth us the Victory, thro' our Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. XV. 52, &c.

THESE are the express Assertions of Divine Reve­lation. But why should it be thought impossible or difficult either to Reason or Nature that the Dead should be raised?

[...] behold an Heap of vile and filthy Earth, suppose the Mould of some dead humane Bodies, in the early Spring lie bare and void of every Growth—Let but the genial Warmth & Dews come on; how many thousands of beauteous and living Stalks and Flowers will the moving Dust soon rise and form into? And how much more would it surprize us, were our Eyes but fine and piercing enough to see the various Particles of the dirty Mass, attracting, moving, join­ing, and in a most curious manner ranging themselves in their proper Places, to form, rear up and perfect such a living Grove of Herbs, as our SAVIOUR tells us, that even Solomon in all his Glory was not arrayed like one of these. ^* And tho' they quickly wither, moulder and return to their Dust again; yet when the [Page 17] following Spring comes on, the very same Materials will again rise up into a new & living Grove, as beauteous as the other.

NOR does it in the least avail, to say, that these arose from Seeds which there lay hid, and now their Roots expanded and drew the Parts which were their proper Nourishment.—For what are Seeds but ten­der Plants already formed by the invisible Power of GOD, and infolded in proper Teguments to protect them from outward Injuries? And if you were to see their fine Materials running into the curious Form and disposing themselves along into every Part till they come to constitute a perfect living Plant in miniature, compos'd of a vast Variety of Coats and Vessels; would not this be still as wonderous as the other?

AND is it not as equal with the Power of GOD to cause this Dust to run and form into an humane Body, as into a curious and beauteous Vegetable? And when He has form'd the Body, to inspire and unite the Soul, as He once has done in an other way before? He that orders the Course of Nature as He pleases, can in a moment change the Course, and make it every whit as natural for the Bodies of Men to rise up out of the Dust as the Stalks of Plants, or as He used to form the Bodies of Animals out of earthy Substances in their Parents Bodies. And the one will then be as easily comprehended, and be no more wonderous or super­natural than the other.

IN short, The Rise & Resurrection of Herbs out of the Mould of Humane Bodies, or of any other, and the constant Forming these animal Structures out of earthy Substances conveyed only thro' their Parents, are lively & continual Instances of the Future Resurrection. And how easy is it to conceive, that in the Morning of that illustrious Day, when GOD will come to create the Earth and these lower Heavens anew, that the same ALMIGHTY SPIRIT who once formed Adam immediately out of the Ground, will then fall upon and in like manner move the Dust of Believers and raise it up into glorious Bodies.

[Page 18] AND if the Manner represented in Ezekiel's Vision, be, as 'tis very likely, the Symbol of the Resurrection.—The Graves will first be opened: The Dust will then form into the larger and lesser Bones; and then behold a shaking▪ and the Bones come together, Bone to his Bone, in their several Sockets. Upon this the Sinews and the Flesh are formed on them, and the Skin covers them: and then the SPIRIT OF GOD breathes the Soul the Breath of Life into them, that the Slain may live: and upon this they rise and stand upon their Feet an exceeding great Army. See Ezek. XXXVII. 1,—14.

AND when He forms them thus anew, He will leave their Sin, and so their Frailty and Mortality perfectly out of their Frame & Constitutions. In their Formation He will fit their Bodies for the pure and perfect SPIRITS that are to inhabit and rule them. And He will put every Particle of the corporeal Sub­stance under their absolute and mighty Power, which will be enough to render them immortal and impassi­ble; and always full of Beauty, Life and Vigour.

AND O! How will the Raised and Glorious Com­pany then Triumph over the Grave and Death; when they shall be thus redeemed from them, and with joyful Eyes shall see those cruel Enemies now vanquished at their Feet and destroyed for ever▪ The Grave shall no more cover them, nor Death approach them any more. And then ‘the Ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with Songs and everlasting Joy upon their Heads: They shall obtain Joy & Gladness, and Sorrow & Sighing shall flee a way.’

BUT we must Conclude with a brief IMPROVEMENT.

AND

1. WHAT dreadful Havock then does SIN produce in the World.

[Page 19] WE need only look on the Dying and on the Dead, and open a Grave; and we shall clearly see it in it's dreadful Horrour. Every Funeral and every Grave is a Monument of it.

2. HOW deeply should this serve to humble us in our sad Subjection to Death, the Grave and vile Corruption.

LET us but realize that vile and lamentable State, when we shall come to be a Prey to those Destroyers and to lie down under their prevailing Power; and it is enough to abase the proudest Mind, whither lifted up with the vain conceit of its present Splendor, Strength or Beauty. For how can Pride in these in­dure the trampling Power of Death, or Honour flourish in the corrupting Grave?

3. WHAT a glorious Person and Redeemer does CHRIST appear, how highly admired should He be in our Eyes, how gladly welcome to our Hearts, and how exalted with our Praises.

How glorious did He once appear, when in his own Person He vanquished the Power of the Grave and Death, and led Captivity captive? But O! how much more glorious, when He shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels, in Flaming Fire—when He shall come to be glorified in his Saints, and to be admired in all them that believe,—in that Day? ^‡ Then as the Prophet speaks, ^‖ He will ap­pear in his glorious Apparel: He'l come travelling on in the Greatness of his Strength: He'l speak in Righteousness, and He'l be mighty to Save. He'l tread his Enemies in his Anger: He'l trample them in his Fury▪ the Day of Vengeance will be in his Heart, and the Year of his Redeemed come: and when He sees there's none to help them: his own Arm will bring Salvation to Him, and his Fury will uphold Him: and He'l tread down all their Enemies in his Anger, and bring down their Strength to the Earth.

[Page 20] 4. OF what vast Importance is it then that we become HIS PEOPLE now, that so we may be the happy Sharers in this great Redemption.

FOR these alone shall have their part in the First Resurrection: and Blessed & Holy are they; for on such the Second Death hath no Power, but they shall be Priests of GOD and of CHRIST, and shall reign with Him a Thousand Years. But the rest of the Dead shall lie under the Power of Death and the Grave till the Thousand Years expire: and then the Sea shall give up the Dead which are in it, and Death and the Grave shall deliver up the Dead in them: ^* and they shall rise indeed, but rise to Shame and ever­lasting Contempt. ^† They shall be judged every one according to their Works; and Death and the Grave i. e. those who are in them, shall be cast into the Lake of Fire. And their Worm shall never die, and their Fire shall never be quenched ^‡.

5. WHAT a vast INCOURAGEMENT is here for every true Believer in the near Approaches of these destroying Enemies.

WHAT tho' they look with cruel and relentless Rage; you have a glorious FRIEND that is mightier than they, to Pity and help you, and to crown your Conflict at last with Victory. He will be with you in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, that you may fear no Evil. They are only vile and sinful Bodies that shall be destroyed by them: and this that they may leave their burthen some Corruptions in the Grave behind them, and rise in Glory. And then your soli­tary Place of Burial shall be glad for you: it shall rejoice & blossom as a Rose: it shall blossom abun­dantly and rejoice even with Joy and Singing: You shall see the Glory of the LORD and the Excellency of our GOD.

WHEREFORE strengthen ye the weak Hands and confirm the feeble Knees: Say unto them that are of a feeble Heart, Be strong, Fear not: Behold your GOD [Page 21] will come with Vengeance, even GOD with a Re­compence, He will come and save you. ^‖ He will open your Prison Doors, and tho' you dwell in the Land of the Shadow of Death, He will cause his Light to shine upon you: He will restore your wasted Substance and bring you forth, O Prisoners of Hope! into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of GOD.

5. WHAT a CONSOLATION is there for the Bereaved Friends and Relatives of deceas'd Believers in the gloomy Contemplation of the present State of their decaying Bodies under the dreadful Power of Death and the Grave.

WHILE we sadly mourn to see them with their changed Visage, and to think how they are putrifying and wasting in the Pit of Corruption; how greatly should it comfort and rejoice us to hear these words of CHRIST—I will ransom them from the Power of the Grave, I will redeem them from Death, &c. Is not this reviving Voice enough to raise our drooping Spirits, and transport our Views from their present melancholly Scene to their future joyous Resurrection?

AND has the Widow lost a kind and tender HUS­BAND, or have the Children lost a most affectionate and lovely FATHER, ever concern'd and active for our Good & Welfare; Let us indeed go down to the Grave after Him, and there behold the lamentable State of His lifeless Body, with that of our dear Son and Brother lying by it,—That we may the more admire the Power of CHRIST, which is able to change these corrupting Bodies, and to form and quicken and make them like his own; to shine, as those of the Righteous shall, even like the Sun, in the Kingdom of their Father.

7. and lastly, LET us take care to IMITATE the Holy EXAMPLES of our believing Relatives that are gone before us.

[Page 22] THEIR Love to GOD and CHRIST, their Zeal for his Glory, their humble Resignation to Him, their Hatred of all Iniquity, their Family Religion and Government, their Readiness to shew Kindness to Men; and their Love to their Country, to it's People and Interests both civil & sacred, and the great and noble Design of our Fore-fathers hither, for Freedom of Conscience, for Scriptural Pureness of Worship, and Sobriety of Manners. In such things as these, and in every Virtue and Excellence; Let us, as, the Apostle exhorts us, ^* be Followers of them who thro' Faith and Patience are gone before us, and we trust are now in their Souls inheriting the Good of the Promises.

IN Fine,

LET the CHILDREN of RELIGIOUS PARENTS ever Remember, the many affectionate Counsels and Warnings given them, the teaching and quickning Examples set them, the fervent Prayers that have been made in their Ears, the sacred Name & Cove­nant they have been Baptized into, their early Devo­tion to GOD, and the awful and yet if they are Wise the happy Relation wherein they stand to the GOD of their Fathers.

LET them be exceeding Careful and beware of A­postacy; least he provoked Spirit of GOD should de­sert them, least they become the flagrant Instances of his fiery Vengeance, and all their great Advantages with their Parents themselves should rise up hereafter in Judgment against them to confound them and condemn them and aggravate their destinguishing Punishment.

BUT O! Let them choose the GOD of their Fa­thers for theirs: Let them openly acknowledge their Covenant, and devote themselves to his Service: and let them make it their Business to Praise and exalt Him. And how will their Parents rejoice among the Angels in Heaven, to hear of their Repentance [Page 23] and Faith & Profession of CHRIST, of their frequent Meeting with Him at his Table, and of their agreable Lives on the Earth? But O! How gladly will the separate Souls of such Parent & Children meet and salute among the Spirits of the Just made perfect in the Realms above: and with what higher Exults of Plea­sure and Joy will they Rise out of the Dust together, and shine, and behold each other in the Morning Light of the Appearance of their great REDEEMER?

FOR then those wonderous Words will come to pass, in Isa. XXV. 7—9. with which I close—He will destroy the Face of the Covering, i. e. The Clods of the Grave, cast over all his People and the Vail of Mortality spread over all Nations. He will SWAL­LOW UP DEATH IN VICTORY, and the LORD GOD will wipe away Tears from off all Faces, and the Rebuke of his People shall He take away from off all the Earth: For the LORD hath spoken it. And it shall be said in that Day; ‘Lo this is—OUR GOD, we have waited for Him, and He will save us; This is THE LORD, we have waited for Him, we will be GLAD and REJOICE in HIS SALVATION.’