SERMON XL.

ANAETAZIE. THE RESURRECTION; or,
THE REWARD OF HOLINESS.

LUKE XX. 34, 35, 36.

JESUS ANSWERING, SAID UNTO THEM, THE CHILDREN OF THIS WORLD MARRY, AND ARE GIVEN IN MARRIAGE: BUT THEY WHICH SHALL BE ACCOUNTED WORTHY TO OBTAIN THAT WORLD, AND THE RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD, NEITHER MARRY, NOR ARE GIVEN IN MARRIAGE: NEITHER CAN THEY DIE ANY MORE; FOR THEY ARE EQUAL UNTO THE ANGELS, AND ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOD, BEING THE CHILDREN OF THE RESURRECTION.a

THESE Sadducees did, in very deed, argue

like themselves; that is, like men who

did not believe a refurrection.

Whether our Lord's anfwer convinced them of their error, or how far their prejudices might excuse them before God, is not material for us to know; efpecially fince this point is now put out of all manner of doubt amongst Chriftians, by the refurrection of Jefus Chrift our Lord from the dead. But this is very material to be observed, that their

* See Job xix. 26. Ifaiah xxv. 8. Matth. xxv. 34. John xi. 26. Rom. viii. 18. I Cor. v. 7. XV. 19, 42-45, 58. 2 Cor. v. I. Eph. i. 18. I Pet. i. 3 .3. 1 John iii. 2. Rev.xx. 14.

error

error proceeded from their not knowing the Scriptures.

This was their great crime; they would not believe a future ftate, because they could not answer all the objections that the wanton wit of man could invent against such a state. The truth is, they were very fond of every thing that might confirm them in their unbelief, and neglected the fcriptures, which alone could have given them a fure account of what they doubted.

And thus it will always be, where people will not believe the word of God, when it is not agreeable to their own weak reafonings.

However, we are no lofers by these people's infidelity and curiofity; for in convincing them of their error, our Lord has made known one of the most important and comfortable truths; namely, That at the general refurrection, fuch as have behaved themselves worthily in this life shall become immortal as the angels; that instead of a natural or animal body, which stands in need of food and air to fupport it, they fhall have a spiritual body which will need neither; that in that ftate there will be no need of marriage to preferve their kind, for they shall never die, but shall continue in the presence of God, in a state of perfect happiness for ever.

And let us not imagine, that there was no need of fuch a revelation as this to encourage us to do what God expects from us, in order

to

to our happiness. They that know any thing ⚫ of themselves, know very well with what difficulty we are brought even to think of another life:-but to love it better than this; to deny a prefent pleasure for one that is to come; to fuffer here in hopes of being rewarded hereafter; there was an abfolute neceffity that the reward should be very great, and very certain; and fo it is: They which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, fhall be equal unto the angels; that is, after death they shall be happy, and immortal as they.

And who is it that affirms this? No less a person than the Son of God; whom God fent from heaven on purpose to make known to us this, amongst other things, That men may be much happier in the next world, than they can poffibly be in this, if it be not their own fault; particularly, he affures them, that after the refurrection they fhall never die any more; their inheritance fhall be for ever; they shall receive a crown of glory, that fadeth not away.

It is true, these are general expreffions; but the apoftle tells us why the happiness of the next life is not defcribed more particularly:-Eye (faith he) hath not seen, nor ear beard, neither have entered into the heart of man to conceive, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him; that is, It is utterly impoffible fo to defcribe or to compare the ftate of the life to come to any thing we fee, or hear, fo as to be able to comprehend it. For

b I Cor. ii, 9.

For this, we muft either believe God's word, or continue unbelievers to our own great lofs. We are to live here by faith, not by fight; that is, we muft order our conversation not by what we fee, or can understand, in this world, but by what we believe and expect in the next.

But then, that Chriftians may not be charged with being too eafy of belief, in expecting an happiness which they are never like to enjoy, God has been pleased to give us the utmost proof that men in reafon can defire, that all the glorious things that are spoken of the city of God, the habitation of the bleffed, are certainly true: he has, I fay, given us affurance of this in raifing our Lord from the dead.

To this the apoftles and first chriftians appealed, as to a matter of fact, of which they had been eye-witneffes, for the truth of which they were ready to lay down their lives, and at laft did fo. And the providence of God fo ordered matters, that the enemies of chriftianity should have nothing in reason to say against the truth of Chrift's refurrection. They fet a watch upon his grave; their own watch informed them of what had happened when he rose from the dead; they were forced to give them money to ftifle the truth, and fet about a lie; and yet they themselves had not the affurance to perfift in this lie, when Peter and John told them that to their own certain knowledge he was rifen from the dead; they had not then the face to fay, that his dif