That which thou sowest, is not quickened, except it Dye. God giveth it a body; as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. When the Bodies of men are put into the Grave, they are sown there; they will spring up at last, although' it may be long first. There is also a notable Representation of the Resurrection, by that which some Naturalists Observe, viz. That if Plants are Consumed to Ashes, & those Ashes turned into Salt, out of that Salt there may be made to spring up the perfect form of the Plants so Dissolved. Is it not then possible, for Bodies that are turned to Dust •nd Ashes, to be Restored to Life again, by the Power and Wisdom of GOD? But •t is the holy Scripture, that gives us to understand, that there is not only a Possibility, or a Probability; but a Certainty of ••e Resurrection of the Dead. From •ence it is, that the Servants of God do ⟨p. 114⟩not only Think that there shall be a Resurrection, but they are Sure of it. Wherefore when Christ told Martha, that her dead Brother should rise again, she replied, I Know that he shall rise again in the Resurrection at the Last Day, Joh. 11.24. The Resurrection is asserted in the Scriptures of the Old Testament. Therefore the Jewish Church believed it: Their Faith of the Resurrection was built in special on that Scripture, Dan. 12.2. Many of them that sleep in the Dust of the Earth shall awake, some to everlasting Life, and some to Shame and everlasting Contempt. Sometimes in the Scripture, (and indeed very often) All denotes Many; and sometimes Many is put for All: So tis in the Scripture mentioned. In the first Promise made to Fallen man, the Resurrection from the Dead is Comprehended, viz. That the Seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents Head, Gen. 3.15. Therein is implied, that Christ should destroy the works of the Devil; therefore that he shall deliver from Sin and Death which are the works of the Devil. Th• ⟨p. 115⟩great Plot contrived in the Head of the Old Serpent, was to bring an Eternal Death, both of Body and Soul upon all Mankind: The bruising of the Serpents Head intimates, that Christ has disappointed the Plot, and delivered his Elect from that Death which Sin has brought upon them. Hence the Servants of God that Lived in Ancient times, before the Scripture was written; believed the Resurrection.
That which thou sowest, is not quickned, except it Dye. God giveth it a body; as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. When the Bodies of men are put into the Grave, they are sowen there; they will spring up at last, altho' it may be long first. There is also a notable Representation of the Resurrection, by that which some Naturalists Observe, viz. That if Plants are Consumed to Ashes, & those Ashes turn'd into Salt, out of that Salt there may be made to spring up the perfect form of the Plants so Dissolv'd. Is it not then possible, for Bodies that are turn'd to Dust •nd Ashes, to be Restored to Life again, by the Power and Wisdom of GOD? But •t is the holy Scripture, that gives us to un•erstand, that there is not only a Possibi•ity, or a Probability; but a Certainty of ••e Resurrection of the Dead. From •ence it is, that the Servants of God do ⟨p. 114⟩not only Think that there shall be a Resurrection, but they are Sure of it. Wherefore when Christ told Martha, that her dead Brother should rise again, she reply'd, I Know that he shall rise again in the Resurrection at the Last Day, Joh. 11.24. The Resurrection is asserted in the Scriptures of the Old Testament. Therefore the Jewish Church believed it: Their Faith of the Resurrection was built in special on that Scripture, Dan. 12.2. Many of them that sleep in the Dust of the Earth shall awake, some to everlasting Life, and some to Shame and everlasting Contempt. Sometimes in the Scripture, (and indeed very often) All denotes Many; and sometimes Many is put for All: So tis in the Scripture mention'd. In the first Promise made to Fallen man, the Resurrection from the Dead is Comprehended, viz. That the Seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents Head, Gen. 3.15. Therein is implied, that Christ should destroy the works of the Devil; therefore that he shall deliver from Sin and Death which are the works of the Devil. Th• ⟨p. 115⟩great Plot contriv'd in the Head of the Old Serpent, was to bring an Eternal Death, both of Body and Soul upon all Mankind: The bruising of the Serpents Head intimates, that Christ has disappointed the Plot, and deliver'd his Elect from that Death which Sin has brought upon them. Hence the Servants of God that Liv'd in Ancient times, before the Scripture was written; believed the Resurrection.
