John 5:28–29

Hitherto Christ hath given divers proofes of his Godhead and equality with the Father, and amongst the rest, one from his quickening of those who are spiritually dead; and hath declared his supreme authority to absolve and condemne, and to governe and judge all, as God incarnate. Now finding the Jewes but amazed and astonished at this doctrine, he labours to put them from that, by producing a new proofe of his power and Godhead to be shewed in the resurrection, by quickening the dead, raising them up, bringing them to judgement, and sentencing them according to their works. And by this instance, he confirmeth what he said of his power to quicken dead soules, by a proofe which they would think more marvellous; and holds out a particular evidence of that authority, ver. 27. wherein in his humane nature he should so be visible Judge, as yet his procedure should prove him to be true God also. Doctrine 1. Christs glory hath but little roome and place in our narrow hearts, when it is set before us; and in his humanity and state of humiliation, hardly will men give unto him the glory of his God-head; for they but marvelled at these things, as that which their hearts could not receive. 2. As it is commendable for men, when Christ manifests himselfe and his glory in the Word, to close with it by faith, and beleeving, to admire, and wonder at that infinite depth of excellency in him, which cannot be comprehended; So to misbeleeve and wonder, and be astonished at what Christ saith, because we cannot comprehend it by sense or reason, is the great and ordinary sinne of too many hearers; for, such was the fruit of the Jewes hearing, reproved by Christ, marvel not at this. 3. Christs power for quickening and converting sinners, and his having authority to execute judgement, should not be thought strange of, considering what he is, and that wonders are ordinary with him; Marvel not at this, saith he. Christ hath still more and more proofes of his God-head to let forth, if need be, and the proofe of his God-head and power in the general resurrection, may stay our hearts from distrustful wondering at what he declareth of himselfe; for, Christ refutes their wondering at what he had said, by this new proofe. Not that the resurrection of the body is a greater proofe of power in it selfe, then the quickening of a dead soul, wherein all the powers and faculties of man, are prone to resist Gods operation, whereas mens dead bodies have an obediential subjection to his power; But this proofe of his power is more visible and obvious to mens senses then the other, and more difficulty appears in the work, to carnal reason, which takes not up the power of spiritual death, and thinkes it easie to work on a man having a reasonable soul and bodily ear, then on dead bodies having no sense nor understanding to hear his voice; And therefore Christ proveth the one by the other. 5. How impossible soever it seem to carnal reason, yet it is clear from the word, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, that both godly and wicked may receive a full recompence according to their wayes; and that for this end, there shall be a reuniting of the soul to the body in the grave, to make them living persons againe; for, they that are in the graves, shall hear his voice, which presupposeth that their souls shall be united to their bodies in their graves. 6. Albeit the time of the resurrection, and general judgement, be unknown to any, save to God only, Matth. 24.36. Yet it is certainly coming, and all are bound to minde that it is so; for, the hour is coming, in the which they shall hear his voyce, &c. See Jam. 5.9. 7. This resurrection will be universal, of all, whether dead sooner or latter, none of the godly will be lost, but will meet in that general assembly, nor shall any of the wicked shift this day of compearance; for, all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, &c. Whereby we are not to seclude those who shall be changed, 1 Cor. 15.51. as if no notice should be taken of them in that day, though they need not a resurrection; Nor yet are we to seclude others, who never got a grave, but were torne, drowned, burnt, or devoured by wilde beasts and monsters; for, all will be delivered up, Rev. 20.13. Only under this, as the most usual course taken with dead bodies, all the dead are comprehended, and by this evidience of power on them who are rotten and resolved to dust in their graves, proof is given how easie it is for him to raise up all. 8. This universal resurrection will be of the same bodies that lived on earth, and were laid in grave, which as his omnipotencie can effectuate, so his justice, purchase and promise requires, that the same body should receive the reward of its wayes, and that he should not lose his purchase; for, they that are in the graves or, the same body that lived, and was laid there, being dead, shall hear his voice, see Job 19.25, 26, 27. 9. The mean employed in the resurrection, is the voice of Jesus Christ, who shall descend with a shout, 1 Thess. 4.16. and with the sound of a Trumpet, sounded by Angels, and backed with his authority, Matth. 24.31. which not onely those who remaine and are alive, but those who are dead shall hear all the world over, (their souls having now re-entred into their bodies) and shall call them out, to the terror of the wicked, and comfort of the godly; for, all that are in the graves, shall hear his voice. 10. The souls of men being united to their bodies, and their bodies endowed with qualities sutable to the estate for which they are appointed, shall at the call of Christ rise out of their graves, and be brought before the judgment seat of Christ, the godly rejoycing to go meet their bridegroome, and the wicked forced to appear, who could wish that hills and mountains would cover them; for, they shall hear his voice, and shall come forth. 11. In the day of the resurrection, and general judgment: there will be onely two sorts of persons, good, or evil, and all the godly will be reckoned to have done good, how small soever the degree of their goodnesse hath beene, and how many faults soever they have had, if their course and way hath aimed at good; yea, the evil deeds of such as sincerely close with Christ, if it were but at their death, shall be forgotten: And on the other hand, all the wicked shall be accounted evil-doers, how many soever moral vertues they have had, or albeit they have beene painted hypocrite; and that because they have not made their peace through Jesus Christ: for, there shall be onely then, they that have done good, and they that have done evil. 12. Albeit there may be many mistakes in this world, and the godly may be misconstructed and slandered, and the wicked and hypocrites may be cried up, and seeme to be very good; yet in the day of judgment, mens wayes will appear in their true colours, and their actions and wayes shall be clearly known to the Judge, who will distinguish and rank them accordingly on his right and left hand, for then it will be clear, who have done good, and who have done evil 13. According as men live in this world, and die and go out of it, accordingly will they be found in the resurrection and judgment, without any change; for, in that day, men are reckoned according as they have done good or evil, to wit, in this life. 14. Albeit Christ will not reward men for their good works, as he punisheth them for their wickednesse, in the generall judgment; Yet he will proceed in that day according as their works shall evidence their state, that they have been beleevers in Christ, or living in the bond of iniquity, to punish them for the one, and to reward them of free grace, according to the other; Therefore, will it be taken notice of in that day, who have done good, and who have done evil, See Matthew 25.34, — 45. 15. Albeit the Lord see it fit, for wise reasons, to let common lots befall the wicked and the godly, within time, and albeit the wicked may prosper in the world, when the godly, holding fast their integrity, are in deep distresse; Yet in the resurrection and general judgment, God will give a full and final recompence to men according to their wayes; for, the Godly shall be raised up, and brought to judgment, that they may be entered into the possession of a blessed and eternal life, wherein they shall enjoy God and Christ, and the company of Saints and Angels, and sing Hallelujahs for ever: And the wicked, to get the sentence of condemnation passed by the Law and Gospel, execute upon them; and to be in the pit, tormented with the Devil and his Angels for ever; And they shall be raised by vertue of that sentence, and by the power of the Judge, to have it executed, and not by vertue of Christs life and resurrection, and their head, 1 Cor. 15.23. for, they shall come forth, they that have done good, to the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.