The Resurrection Compared to Awaking Out of Sleep

    THE RESURRECTION COMPARED TO AWAKING OUT OF SLEEP

    "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth, shall awake," Da 12:2.

    PARALLELS.

    I. DEATH, we have already showed, is called a Sleep; and after a man hath had his full Sleep, he awaketh: so when the dead have lain their full time appointed by the Almighty in the grave, they shall be quickened, and come to life again.

    II. Some fall into such a sound Sleep, that they must, when there is occasion for it, be awakened: so the dead are fallen into such a fast or sound Sleep, that they must be awakened: "Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the grave shall hear his voice," Joh 5:28.

    III. When a man is thoroughly awakened, he rises up: so when the dead are quickened by the mighty power of God, they shall rise out of the grave, sea, or wheresoever else they lay asleep.

    IV. There is a great difference between one man's awaking out of Sleep, and another's; some are awakened before they are willing, and arise up with great horror and amazement; when others awake in a sweet, peaceable, and quiet manner, &c. So there will be a great difference between the awaking of the godly and the ungodly, at the last day.

    1. The godly shall arise sooner than the ungodly: "The dead in Christ shall rise first," 1Co 15.

    2. The saints of God shall awake in Christ's likeness; their vile bodies shall be fashioned, and made like Christ's glorious body: but the wicked shall appear base and vile in that day: let them lie down in never so great pomp, and external grandeur, yet alas, when they awake, they will appear most vile and contemptible.

    3. The godly shall awake with glorious robes upon them, fit for the consummation of their marriage with the Lamb, the Prince of the kings of the earth: but the wicked shall awake in a poor, miserable, and naked condition: what robes shall they have on, unless they be the filthy rags of their own righteousness, with which they were clothed, whilst they lived in this world?

    4. The godly shall have sweet and heavenly company about them, in the Morning, when they awake from Sleep; nay, more than all, they shall enjoy the glorious presence of Jesus Christ himself: but the ungodly, when they awake, shall be in the midst of devils, and damned spirits; they must be their companions for ever.

    5. The godly shall, when they awake, have glorious attendants in the day of the Resurrection, viz., the holy angels of heaven: but the wicked shall have no other attendants, than the black retinue of the bottomless pit.

    6. The godly, when they awake, are led into the King's palace, to be married to the Bridegroom of their souls, and to receive every one of them a crowa of glory:: but the ungodly awake, as condemned malefactors, to be led to the place of execution.

    7. In a word, the godly shall awake with songs of joy in their mouths; but the wicked shall awake with tears and dismal cries: the one to receive the sentence, "Come, ye blessed of my Father;" the other to receive the sentence, "Go ye cursed," &c., "Some awake to everlasting life; and some to shame and everlasting contempt," &c.