Christs eternal existence, and the dignity of his person asserted and proved in opposition…

Thirdly, How is this an evidence and assurance to all good Christians, of their happy and glorious Resurrection?

1. The Resurrection of Christ doth prove that there shall be a Resurrection.

2. That to the faithful it shall be a blessed and glorious Resurrection: 1. There shall be a Resurrection, it is necessary to prove that; partly because it is the foundation of all Godliness, if there were not another Life after this, there were some ground for that saying of the Atheists, Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall dye, 2 Cor. 15.32. If there be no future estate nor being after this Life, let us enjoy the good things of the World whilst we can, for with in a little while death cometh, and then there is an ⟨p. 152⟩end of all. These Atheistical discourses and temptations to sensuality were more justifiable if men were annihilated by death, no, the soul is immortal and the body shall rise again, and come into the judgment, and unless we live Holily, a terrible judgement it will be to us. Partly because we cannot easily believe that the same body shall be placed in heaven, which we see committed to the Grave to rot there. Of all Articles of Religion this is most difficultly assented unto, now there is relief for us in this business in hand, Christ is the first-born from the dead. There were many praeludia resurrectionis, foretokens and pledges of the Resurrection given to the old World, in the Translation of Enoch, the Rapture of Elijah, the reviving of these few dead ones which I spake of before, but the great and public evidence that is given for the assurance of the World, is Christs rising from the Grave; this makes our Resurrection 1. Possible. 2. Easy. 3. Certain and Necessary.