Death a deliverance, or, A funeral discourse, preach'd (in part) on the decease of Mrs. Mary Doolittle, (late wife of Mr. Thomas Doolittle, minister of the Gospel in London) who departed this life the 16th of Decemb. 1692 by John Shower.

CHAP. VI. That the Same Body, for Substance, is to be Raised again at the last day. And what the Change will be of these Bodies hereaf∣ter, from what they now are.

SECT. I.

IF it be inquired, How can the same Body, after so many Changes, be rai∣sed and re-united to the Soul? And what need is there of Asscrting, That it shall be the same? It ought to be consi∣der'd, that the very word Resurrection, doth suppose, or imply this, That the Bodies of Men shall hereafter be truly the same with those that died. It is the Body falls to the ground, when the Spi∣rit goes upward; That Body that then fell, is to be raised again, and no other Body than that. This Mortal Body shall be quickened by the Spirit of Christ, that now falls, to the ground: The same Flesh that was separated from the Soul at death, shall be united to it again: The same Temple that was destroyed, shall be re-built; The same Tabernacle that was dissolved, shall be raised. We are

bid to fear God, who can destroy Soul and Body in Hell, Mat. 10.28. What cause of fear, if this very body be not to be raised? This Corruptible must put on Incorruption, this Mortal put on Immertality: As the Body of Christ, which is our Ex∣emplar, with which he rose, was the same that he deposited in the Grave; and as the bodies of those whom our Sa∣viour raised, when he was on Earth, were the same with those in which they died. And how shall the Graves, and Sea give up their Dead at the Last Day, Rev. 20.13. What need of this, if the same Bodies are not to be raised? for they can give up no other Bodies than what they received. These Recepta∣cles of the Dead, might be suffered to be quiet for ever, and the Bodies that rest there to remain there for ever, if we do not expect the same Body to be raised.

And as the Body was the Servant of

the Soul, in good or evil actions, He that did good or evil in one Body, is not to be Rewarded or Punished in ano∣ther: for that other Body would not be a part of the whole. Our present bo∣dies are the Members of Christ, and the Temples of the Holy Ghost, and he will not suffer them Eternally to be lost. What words can more plainly express, that it is the same body for substance, than the putting on of Incorruption, and Im∣mortality; declaring, that the Corrup∣tible, Mortal Body, that is laid in the Grave, is that which shall be Immortal and Incorruptible?

This has been the common opinion of Christians in all Ages. Upon this account the Primitive Christians were so careful of the Bodies of their decea∣sed Friends, manifesting their belief, that their Souls should meet these Bodies a∣gain. On this account their Pagan Ad∣versaries, to show their spite and malice, when they had burnt their bodies to

ashes, scattered their dust in the Air, or had thrown them into Rivers; that, if it were possible, they might deprive them of all hopes of a Resurrection, and make it impossible; Some of them tri∣umph'd, saying, Now let us see whether they can rise again, whether their God can help them, or deliver them out of our hands.

SECT. II.

But though the bodies shall then, for Substance, be the same, with those we now have, yet the modes and qualities of them will be so altered, that they will be quite another kind of bodies, than those we have for the present. In refe∣rence to this Expected Change, the A∣postle saith in this Chapter, ver. 7. That we walk by Faith, not by Sight. We do not yet know what our Happy State, by that Change, will be; but in another place he doth more particularly speak of it, and more distinctly, viz. 1 Cor. 15.42, 43, 44.

1. That our vile bodies, Sown in Dis∣honour, shall be Raised in Glory; shall be made Glorious, like the Glorious Body of Christ, Phil. 3.21. That which is sown in dishonour, shall be raised in Glory, and bear the Image of the Heavenly Adam: Shall be like the Glorious Body of Christ in Per∣fection of Parts, even in External form and figure, and it may be stature too. But, for certain, how vile and mean soe∣ver the matter of these bodies now be, however they may corrupt and putri∣fie in the Grave, they shall come forth in a bright and beautiful form; Com∣pared to which, the most Exquisite Beauty is but Darkness and Deformity. For the Righteous shall shine as the Sun, in the Firmament of their Father, Matth. 13.43. As the Stars of Heaven differ from a Clod of Earth, or a Carrion in the Ditch, so will their Glorified Bodies from this Earthly House. The very activity, sprightfulness, and joy of their Glorified Souls, will make their faces shine, and give the Countenance an amiable Air. Yea, Solomen, in all his Glory, was not arrayed like one of these Chil∣dren of the Resurrection, glittering with Heavenly brightness, and deck'd with Light, as with a Garment. The beams of Christ's Glory, who is the Sun of

Righteousness, shall reflect a Lustre up∣on them, besides what shall be trans∣mitted from their Glorified Souls.

Our Lord gave a Specimen of this at his Transfiguration, and his Glorified Bo∣dy is to be the Pattern of ours; His face did then shine as the Sun, Matt. 17.2. the Substance remaining, there was a Glorious Appearance: For he had the same Lineaments in Tabor, as at the foot of the Mount; otherwise Peter could not have distinguished him from Moses, and Elias. But his Body now in Heaven doth more excel in Glory that Body he had on Earth, than the Glory of the Sun surpasses that of a Glow-worm; not only from the Glory of his Soul, but of his Divinity shining through it. What a wonderful Change must pass on the bodies of the Glorified Saints, to make them capable of beholding this Glory of Christ; when a little Glimpse of it on Mount Tabor, was more than a Mortal Eye could bear; it cast Peter in∣to an Exstasie? Our Lord forbad his Disciples to speak of the Glory of his Transfiguration, till after he was Risen

from the Dead; but now is willing, and hath commanded it should be spoken of, all the World over, that our thoughts and apprehensions may be raised, to consider that Glory, which this did but imperfectly shadow and represent. For if before his Resurrection, and Ascensi∣on, the Human Nature of Christ had such a Glory, how much more in Hea∣ven? and we shall be like him. Moses on the Mount did so shine, that the People were afraid to come near him, and he was forced to cast a Vail upon his Face. One ray of Christs Glory on the Holy Martyr Stephen, made his Countenance shine with an Angelical Lustre. And when he shall appear, we shall be like him; he will then be admired of all them that believe: We shall be like him who is the Blessed and only Potentate, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, who alone hath Immortality, dwelling in that Light which no man can approach un∣to; whom no man hath seen, or can see, 1 Tim 6.15, 16.

2. There will be a change of these bodies in respect of Spirituality. It is sown a Natural body, and raised a Spiritual one. The grossness and Feculency that now adheres to it, shall be purged off. Not Spiritual in opposition to Corporeal,

that is a Contradiction; but in oppositi∣tion to Natural; of a Spiritual Nature in opposition to this infirm flesh; a body raised to the highest degree of Excel∣lence, as near the Angelical State as a body can be brought. It is called our House, from Heaven, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, not an House that is to descend from Heaven to us, but that is of an Heavenly Nature, all of a Peice with Heaven. So Purified, as to be Assimilated to the Hea∣venly Region, where we are to dwell for ever. The first Man was of the Earth, Earthly; the second Man is the Lord from Hea∣ven: And from each of them we par∣take of an answerable Nature. As is the Earthly, such are they that are Earthly, even all of us in our fleshly State having earth∣ly bodies from an earthly Adam, and na∣tural bodies from the natural Adam. And as is the Henvenly, such are they that are Heavenly: For Christ will make them like himself; and as he hath an Heaven∣ly Spiritual body, and not an Earthly. Natural body, so shall his Members have, that they may be like him. And as we have born the Image of the Earthly, in having a Natural Fleshly body, we shall also bear the Image of the Heavenly Adam, in having a Spiritual Body, not needing the use of Meats, or Drinks,

or any of the refreshments or pleasures of the animal Life, or be imployed in any of those Acts, whereby the body is now denominated Natural, and suited to this Earthly State. But our bodies shall then be Spiritual, suited to the Life that Angels and Saints live in Heaven; every way greatly refined, and the Activity of our Spirits improved, without the de∣fects and infirmities of flesh and blood; shall be invested with Caelestial Qualities, depending wholly on the Soul, and yielding ready obedience, and con∣formity to its desires and motions, exe∣cuting all its Commands with pleasure and Dispatch. Yea, the imployment and operations of the body shall be raised above those in the present state, as much as the Imployment of a King exceeds that of a Scullion. This Spiritual Body one represents by Organized Light, as a torch or wood that looseth its drossy and foggy qualities, when heightened into a pure flame, or minerals heightened into Spi∣rits.

3. The Bodies of the Saints shall be changed from weak and passive, into Active and Powerful Bodies. Sown in Weakness, but raised in Power. They are now dull and sluggish, but then they shall be nimble and active, like the Body

of Christ, that, at his Ascension into Hea∣ven, being done in one day, moved many thousands of Miles in an hour; the di∣stance between the highest Heavens and this Earth, being computed to be some hundred millions of Miles: They shall be raised with Angelical Agility and Strength: He that is weak among them shall be as David; he that is as David, shall be as an Angel of God; moving without difficulty, and without weariness. Now we often find the Body cannot keep Peace with the Soul, the Flesh is weak when the Spirit is willing, but it shall be raised in Power. It is now liable to Diseases and Passions, can do little and suffers much; but no Diseases or Infirmities shall here∣after hinder its motions, or impair its Health. A glorified Body will move without weariness, and fast without hunger, and wake for ever without need of refreshment: Herein there will be a suitableness to the Activity of a glorified Soul; and without this they could not bear the weight of the Heavenly Glory: Besides, they are to indure to all Eterni∣ty, without reparation by meat, and drink, and fleep.

4. They shall be Incorruptible, and Immortal. It is sown in Corruption, it is raised in Incorruption. This mortal

shall put on Immortality, They shall dye no more, but live for ever. Therefore the day of the Resurrection, is called the Redemption of our Bodies; They shall not be liable to be put out of tune by in∣firmities, and pains, and numberless dis∣eases, as now; which often make Life it selfe a Burden. They shall be Immor∣tal, without needing that Labour by day, or sleep by night, which now we bestow to supply their Necessities, and repair their decays, and prevent Death. Now the Body has the seeds of Mortality and Corruption, but shall then be refined from all such Principles; There shall not be a tendency to Death, in the nature and constitution of the Body; such will be the glorious Change, that they cannot dye any more, 20. Luk. 36. They that were raised by Christ when on Earth, they dyed again, their second Life was no more exempt from death, than their First: But at the Resurrection, Mortality shall be swallowed up of Life, it shall lose its power and force for ever.

Notes

• Resurgere non est nisi ejus quod cecidit. Tert. advers. Marc. l. 5. c. 9.
• Photii Bibliotheca. S. Nilt Oratio, Prima & Se∣cunda in Patch. p. 1528, &c.
• Si quidem Sola Anima praeclaras edidit Officii Actiones Jola eriam Coronetur. Sin autem Corpus quo∣que partem sustinuerit Certaminum, coronetur etiam A∣nima unà cum ipso Corpore. Hoc enim justum, & a∣quum, & Convenicntissimum est. Isid. Pelus. lib. 4. Epist. 201.
• See more of this in Dr. More's Mystery of God∣liness, l. 6. c. 4. With Dr. Beaumont's Observati∣ons thereon; And Dr. Bury's Naked Gospel, Part. 1. Chap. 11. With Mr. Nichols's Answer.
• Mr. Charnock, of Christ's Exaltation, Vol. 2. P. 1093.