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congenial atoms and fubftances to re-unite. And then, what I borrowed I borrowed of my neighbors and fellow-creatures fhall be restored, and what I lent fhall be repaid me again. And when by this, all the particles fhall be detached from ftrangers and foreigners, and worked into contact each with each of its own; it is more than probable, that there will remain no more, than the general fum and weight of a human body in its proper fize. Then out of this mass, thus in contact, the new body will iffue, or fpring forth as the new wheat out of the old grain: and every particle, both liquid and folid, that the old body ever poffeffed as its own real contents, fhall contribute and impart out of itself to the existence of the new.

So this will not be patching up the old body thus collected, and bringing it to life again, but caufing a new body to iffue out of the old ma terials, as the ftalk grows out of the grain which is fown in the earth. For the present body is only the feed of a human body, fown in the earth and water. It is fown a natural body, in corruption, difhonor and weakness; and a fpiritual body is to be extracted out of the materials of the

old

old; raised in incorruption, glory and power. The refurrection-body therefore, is not the old body reanimated, but a kind of quinteffence extracted by divine power and art, out of the old, raifed, and refined to a fpiritual and fublime mode of existence, wherein it fhall never be liable to corruption, dishonor or weakness. But though there will be no deformity, yet there will be as real a difference, and marks of distinction between perfon and perfon, as now is, discourse here alluded to, glories of the ftars. All human bodies raifed in the favor of God, will bè inexpreffibly beautiful and grand; but every one will appear ftriking, by fome diftinct beauties, peculiar to itself.

which the apoftle in the

illuftrates in the different

This work was done in the resurrection of Chrift himself. For, as above, if one rofe for all, then all rofe in him. Therefore he fays, I am the refurrection and the life. It is already done, though the manifeftation of it will not take place till the last day. And as herein, the work of God upon the human body is carried to the utmost flate of perfection, and cannot be mended; a fabbath of reft, fatisfaction and joy muft enfue, because, as

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before, nothing more can be done to make it immortal, powerful and glorious.

Laftly, upon the fame morning and moment, all nature paffed into her new and final state, and confequently muft ufher in a fabbath-day. This, as we faid above, was the day wherein the works of God were finished, when nature received a new birth, or fecond creation. This fhe was to have received if fin had not entered. But in a certain sense, being a partner in man's a finner, and muft die. along with her creator. pangs and convulfions at

apoftacy, she is become And fo fhe did myftically She was feen in dying the time he expired.

Here was fuch dying as never will be again. The creator died in infinite agony; the earth died trembling and broke her heart, though a rock; the heaven died, and her face not only turned pale, but black: fun, moon and ftars died; every man, every creature and every atom died and expired at once. This brought on the general funeral of the univerfe and its maker; and now ftrictly speaking, the dead bury their dead. For God is dead and buried by those who were dead

in him, which terminated in the general refurrection of all. The creator rofe and the creation with him, and paffed into a new state.

This was foretold by the prophet Isaiah, 65. 57. Behold I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former fhall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be you glad and rejoice in that which I create: for behold I create Jerufalem a rejoicing and her people a joy. The fubjects proposed as a matter of joy are new heavens and a new earth, which God, by the prophet promises to create. This new creation does not mean giving heaven and earth their first existence, but their second, wherein the old things become new. Or as we faid before, it is giving the universe a new condition, bringing it out of its initial, into its compleat flate. The heavens and the earth, men and things, paffed, by a fecond creation, into their final ftate of perfection.

Yet being an

This is a matter of great joy. object of faith and not of present fight, it is not at all attended to; but made by moft a matter of jeft and ridicule. But be you glad and rejoice in

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that which I create, lays God, for behold I create Jerufalem a rejoicing and her people a joy. That is, be glad and rejoice, for heaven and earth, and all their inhabitants fhall at once be created anew. He exhorts men before hand to rejoice in the work, for he knew that on account of its invifibility for thousands of years, they would flight it. And Peter, in his fecond epiftle affures us, That there would be fcoffers and mockers of this subject, walking in their own lufts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for fince the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the creation. Which ignorant lye he confutes, and then afferts, Nevertheless we, according to his promife, look for new heavens. and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. And in what follows, he makes it abfolutely neceffary for chriftians to believe this, and remain firm and immoveable in it, in order to their de liverance from fin, and poffeffion of future glory.

The apoftles were certain that this would appear in due time, because it had myftically taken place already. They call it fometimes, an univerfal reconciliation of all things. So Paul, Colloffians

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