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fince we can perceive, that however fudden the change from mortality to immortality, which these laft Chriftians may have, quick as thought; yet, they shall gain no advantage of precedency to the dead in Chrift, in this allotment. However, thefe inftantly changed ones, fhall join the dead in Christ; and attend, with them, the fummons to meet the defcending Lord, when he comes to finish his mediatorial reign, in the catastrophe, or conflagration of this earth and the heavens; the final, total deftruction of fin and death.

Since of that day knoweth no man, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son himself. Mark xiii. 32. It is highly probable, new fignatures, or inveftitures of dignity and state will be given to the Chriftian's Lord; which are implied, and intended, in his defcending from beaven with a fhout, with the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God. And these honours conferred on him, in confequence of his having conducted, with approbation, the whole scheme of his mediatorial reign. God having gathered together all things in Chrift, 'both which are in the heavens, and which are on earth, even in him. Eph. i. 10. When the body of Chrift is edifyed; and all are come in the L 4

unity

unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man, unto the meafure of the age of the fulness of Christ. chap. iv.

12, 13.

The refurrection body will then be inftantly given to all the dead in Christ, or to all who fleep in him, as they die, or fleep in him; otherwise, those who are alive and remain at the laft, would have the advantage, in their inftantly being changed and meeting their Lord.

And because the refurrection body is not a natural, but a fpiritual body, this opinion stands confirmed, I Cor. xv. 44, 46.-There is a natural body, and there is a Spiritual body. Howbeit, that was not first which is fpiritual, but that which is natural, and afterward that which is fpiritual.

But if there be a natural body, and a spiritual body which fucceed each other, they are effentially different and have no connexion or dependence, as confequentially arifing one out of the other.

Befides, fleeping in Jefus, does not neceffarily fuppofe lefs than a reft from our labours, pains, and forrows; a peaceful, calm enjoyment of exiftence; a freedom from

frailty,

frailty, infirmity, and death. It fignifies a mode of being diftinct from that of this mortal state. 1 Theff. v. 10. He died for us, that whether we wake or fleep, we should live together with him.

Can any thing be more exprefs, than the declaration of fleeping in Jefus, being the fame with living in, or with him? whether waking or fleeping we live together with him.

Again, fleep denotes no more than the fhort ceffation of the vital functions in this organized body, which fhall foon recover their healthy and vigorous condition.

John xi. 11. Lazarus fleepeth. I go to awake him out of fleep.

Matth. ix. 24. The maid is not dead, but Sleepeth. Compare Mark v. 39. Luke viii. 52.

The knowledge which Jefus had, of their not being defigned to continue under the disabilities of death, but that they should quickly be recovered to life; gives the metaphor fo much propriety and beauty, when he faid, the maid is not dead but sleepeth. q. d. she is not to continue in that condition; that power which refides with me, will revive, and reinvigorate her bodily organs. So that her death fhall

be

be no more than as a fhort fleep. Not but that he was really and truly dead. Since therefore he had power to recover to a renewed use and exercise, the animal functions of the mortal body; how eafy is it to fuppofe him, by the fame power, capable of providing the spiritual refurrection-body, upon the total disabilities of this natural mortal

one.

In like manner we read, Matth. xxvii. 52. Many bodies of faints which flept, arofe. They, as Lazarus, had a refurrection in the fame. bodies. But then, thefe inftances were not famples of the general or universal resurrection of the dead, who have fpiritual bodies; they were occular demonftrations, nevertheless, of that fovereign power which God has given the man Christ Jefus over the dead.

Daniel indeed fpeaketh of many of them that fleep in the duft of the earth, who shall awake, fome to everlasting life, and fome to fhame and everlasting contempt. Dan. xii. 2.

Which I confider as only a reprefentation, in vulgar phrase and idiom, of the state of the dead, whofe bodies have been committed to the duft of the earth. Agreeably to the ori

ginal defignation, duft thou art, and unto duft Gen. iii. 19.

thou shalt return.

Even Adam himself, the common father of mankind, was not, in any farther refpect, duft, than as his body was formed of the dust of the ground, ch. ii. 7. For God breathed into his noftrils the breath of life, and man became a living foul. If therefore the duft fhall return to the duft as it was, and the Spirit Shall return to God who gave it, Eccl. xii. 7. Then fleeping in the duft of the earth, can only be a vulgar, or popular representation of the dead.

Alfo the New Teftament scriptures fpeak of Chrift, as the refurrection and the life! Joh. xi. 25. I am the refurrection and the life.

1 Cor. xv. 21, 22, 23. That fince by man came death, by man came alfo the refurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, fo in Chrift fhall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Chrift the first fruits, af terwards they that are Chrift's at his coming.

But as death cuts off men in fucceffion, it is very reasonable to conclude, they are in fucceffion recovered to life, by him who is the refurrection and the life. Thus all men

are

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