Ver. 44:

Ift. That God is wont to proceed by Ser. III. degrees, and carry on his Work through various Changes and Transformations to Perfection, There is a Natural Body, and there is a Spiritual Body. Howbeit that was not first which is Spiritual, but that which is Natural, and afterward that which Ver. 46. is Spiritual. The Refurrection Body will therefore be the Confummation of God's Work; He will have then accomplifh'd His Defign, and given the fi nifhing Stroke to his Rational Creatures: By this myfterious Method,the Wisdom, Power, and Goodness of God gradually display themselves, till they fhine forth in their full Luftre; and the Happiness of His Creatures advances step by step, till they have attain'd the utmost Height they are capable of.

2dly, St. Paul fuggefts to us, that Man as he is now, is unfit for Heaven; the Glory of it is too bright for Mortal Eyes to behold, the Pleasure of it too perfect and exalted, for, a corruptible Being to enjoy; Now this I fay, Ver. 50 Brethren,that Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God; neither doth Corruption inherit Incorruption. To what a degree then must we be rais'd, how must our Nature be refin'd and exalted, that we

may

Vol. II.may bear fome proportion to our Joys and Pleasures; fince thofe are to fpring from the Beatifick Vision, from a clofe and intimate Union with the Father and our Lord Jefus, and from a fami liar Converfation with the Angels of God?

Phil. iii.

21.

3dly, St. Paul here teaches us, that we fhall in the Refurrection be transform'd into the Likeness of Christ now . 48, 49. Glorified. As is the Earthy, fuch are they that are Earthy and as is the Heavenly, fuch are they alfo that are Heavenly. And as we have born the Image of the Earthy, we shall also bear the Image of the Hea venly. This is the fame thing which he afferts in thofe Words, Who shall change our vile Body, that it may be fahioned like unto his Glorious Body, according to the working whereby he is able even to fubdue all things to himself. Parallel to this is that place of St. John. Behold, what manner of Love the Father hath beftowed upon us, that we should be called the Sons of God: Therefore the World knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the Sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we knov, that when he shall appear, we shall be like him: for we shall fee him as he is. Now, tho' I do not doubt but, that our Savi

i John iii.

I, 2.

our's

our's Transfiguration upon the Mount, Ser. III. may ferve to give us fome Idea of his Glorified Body; yet I am tempted to think that he did not appear in all the Glory there, which he was afterwards array'd with in Heaven, because the Apoftles were then able to bear the Splendor, but when afterwards he appear'd to St. Paul in his Heavenly Glory, it Aas ix. 8. ftruck him Blind. But

AЯts

44.

4thly The Apostle is not content to tell us these things in general, concerning the Refurrection of the Body; but gives us a particular Defcription of it, namely, that of a Corruptible, Vile, Frail, Natural Body, it fhall become an Incorruptible, Glorious, Mighty, and Spiritual one. It is fown in Corruption, it is raised in Incorruption: it is fown in Dishonour, it v. 42, 43," is rais'd in Glory; it is fown in Weakness, it is rais'd in Pomer: it is fown a Natural Body, it is rais'd a Spiritual one. And 'tis here very obfervable that the Apostle takes it for granted, that we may well enough understand what Incorruption, Glory, and Power fignifies, when attri buted to the Body by their Oppofition to that Corruption, Difhonour, and Weaknefs, which is vifible in a dying or a dead Body; but well knowing, that a Spiritu

al

Vol. II. al Body, was a Term not so easily intelligible, he goes on to give us as much Light to this, as I think we are now capable of. There is a Natural Body, and 2. 44, 45⋅ there is a Spiritual Body. And so it is written, the first Man Adam was made a living Soul, the laft Adam was made a quickning Spirit. Where two things are plain.

ift. That as the Body is now called, sõμa fuxindy, a Natural Body, on the account of the conjunction of the fux or Soul with it; fo the Refurrection Body is call'd, suæ æveνjuaτibν, or a Spiritual Body, upon the account of the vμ or Spirit; because this fhall be communcated to Man in the Resurrection so fully, and united to him fo intimately, that it fhall not only poffefs the Soul, but overflow and diffuse it self thro' the Body, and confequently purifie, refine and invigorate it, and then it fhall be like Chrift's Glorious Body..

2dly. From hence we learn the vast Difference there is between the first Adam and the fecond, between Paradife and Heaven, between a State of Innocence and a State of Perfection and Glory. The first Man Adam was made a living Soul, the laft Adam was made a quickning Spirit. So vaft is the Distance be

tween

tween Paradife and Heaven, and be-Ser. III. tween the Image of the Earthy Adam, which we now bear, and that of the Heavenly Adam, which we fhall bear in the Refurrection.

Thus I have in fome part evinced the Greatness of our future Reward, by fhewing you the thing it confifts in, namely, the Perfection and Excellence of that Body with which we fhall be cloath'd in the Refurrection: I am now to fhew you,tare

What will be the natural Confequences of this: Thefe are three.

1, Deliverance from all Evil. 2dly, The Fruition' of all heavenly Good.

3dly, An eternal Continuance in this

bleffed State; of each but a Word.

ift, Deliverance from all Evil. Now all Enemies are put under the Feet of Chrift, for the laft Enemy that shall be destroy'd is v. 2642. Death, Therefore when this corruptible fball have put on Incorruption, and this mor- v. 54tal fhall have put on Immortality, we fhall have nothing to do but to enjoy and bless God, nothing to do but to fing Hallelujahs, and offer up Glory and Power and Bleffing to God for evermore: We shall never more feel or fear Evil, for then shall be brought to pafs the Saying that is written, 56, 57.

E

Death