4. For (1), the foundation of our resurrection is the resurrection of Jesus Christ, as he himself says, “Because I live, ye shall live also.” John 14:19. “I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” John 11:25. “I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.” Job 19:25. “For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” 1 Cor. 15:21, 22.
5. (2) This is also founded upon God's veracity. “Thy dead men shall live.” Isa. 26:19. “Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live. Behold, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, O my people.” Ezek. 37:5, 12. “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Dan. 12:2. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. The hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” John 5:25, 28, 29. “And I saw the dead, both small and great, stand before God.” Rev. 20:12.
6. (3) It is also founded upon the [pg 370] omnipotence and glory of Jesus Christ. As in the resurrection of Lazarus, he was glorified, when he cried out, “Lazarus, come forth” (John 11:43); so will he also, in the last great day, manifest his power and glory, by showing himself to be the Lord of the dead and living. Rom. 14:9. “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death; O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction.” Hosea 13:14.
7. (4) The divine justice is also engaged for the confirmation of this truth. As it has received fulfilment in that sentence, “Thou shalt surely die” (Gen. 2:17); so also must it be fulfilled in our resurrection after a complete satisfaction for sin. For when sin itself is at an end, the wages of sin ought to have an end likewise. This is strictly agreeable to the justice of God.
8. (5) This is also further confirmed to us by the examples of those who have been already raised from death unto life. Such was the case of the widow's son (1 Kings 17:22); the Shunammite's son (2 Kings 4:35-37); the dead body that was raised by touching the bones of Elisha (2 Kings 13:21); the daughter of Jairus (Matt. 9:25); the widow's son at Nain (Luke 7:15); Lazarus (John 11:43); and Tabitha (Acts 9:41).
9. (6) Christ hath redeemed both soul and body to everlasting life.
10. (7) The beautiful parables derived from nature, as the grain of wheat, in John 12:24, claim attention. The apostle says: “Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened except it die,” etc. 1 Cor. 15:36, etc. Upon this account, burying-places are, in the German tongue, called God's fields (Gottesacker).
11. A third comfort against the fears of death is, the fruit of Christ's resurrection; that is, that eternal, incorruptible, and immortal state purchased for us by Jesus Christ. For as by the transgression of the first Adam, all his posterity were made subject to death; so by the obedience of the second, all are restored to life and immortality. Upon which account it is said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Rev. 21:5. This renovation consists in an entire freedom from sin, misery, and death, and is a state of righteousness, joy, and eternal life. For this cause it is also called Paradise: “In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” Ps. 16:11. If it be Paradise, it follows, that no grief, pain, sorrow, or sighing: no hunger, thirst, cold, heat, or any other evil, can enter there. These all belong to this transitory life, but that eternal life is “an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away;” as we are told by St. Peter. (1 Peter 1:4.) This is, indeed, the glorious fruit of Christ's resurrection: for by Christ all things are renewed and restored; corruption is changed into incorruption; that which was transitory, into that which is eternal; our filthiness, into spotless purity; our grief, into joy; our sorrows, into triumphs; our sins, into righteousness; the divine anger into mercy; the curse into blessings; our poverty into riches; our diseases into health; our contempt into honor; our reproach into glory; our disquiet into everlasting rest; our miseries into pleasures; our death into life. Now death is the entrance into this blessed state: so that temporal death is the gate to everlasting life, and all these joys.
12. The fourth consolation against the fear of death, is prayer. So we [pg 371] read of the Son of God, that “being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly.” Luke 22:44. And “in the days of his flesh, he offered up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears, unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared.” Heb. 5:7. Indeed, the prayers of dying people are strong and earnest; they proceed from the bottom of the heart, ascend through the clouds, and reach the ears of the Almighty. “The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.” Ps. 145:18. “I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him.” Ps. 91:15. “Fear thou not, for I am with thee; I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Isa. 41:10.
13. The fifth consolation is, the glorification of our bodies. “Our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working, whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself.” Phil. 3:20, 21. What greater glory can we conceive, than that our bodies shall be, like the glorified body of Jesus Christ? He showed us his glorified body upon Mount Tabor (Matt. 17:2; Mark 9:2, 3), that he might inflame us with a desire of the same glory. Oh! what a glorious temple of God shall our body then be! Of this, the royal and priestly garments under the law, were but a faint shadow and resemblance.