15. 2 Thes. 4. &c. What additions shall then be made to the saints' blessedness, lies more remote from our apprehension; in as much as Scripture states not the degree of that blessedness which shall intervene. We know, by a too sad instructive experience, the calamities of our present state, and can therefore more easily conceive, wherein it is capable of betterment, by the deposition of a sluggish, cumbersome body, where those calamities mostly have their spring: but then we know less where to fix our foot, or whence to take our rise, in estimating the additional felicities of that future state, when both the states to be compared are so unknown to us. But that there will be great additions is plain enough. The full recompense of obedience, and devotedness to Christ, of foregoing all for him, is affixed by his promise to the resurrection of the just; The judgment-day gives every one his portion according to his works. Then must the holy, obedient christian hear from his Redeemer's mouth, Come ye blessed of the Father, inherit the kingdom, &c. Till then the devils think their torment to be before their time. It is when he shall appear we shall be like him, and see him as he is. That noted day is the day of being presented faultless with

jects than instruments at all of them; that the whole esence of these acts is antecedent to the motion of the spirits; and that motion certainly (but accidently) consequent, only by reason of the present, but soluble union the soul hath with the body. And that the purity and refinedness of those spirits doth only remove what would hinder such acts, rather than contribute posiitively thereto. And so little is the alliance between a thought, and any bodily thing, even those very finest spirits themselves; that I dare say, whoever sets himself closely and strictly to consider and debate the matter with his own faculties, will find it much more easily apprehensible, how the acts of intellection and volition may be performed without those very corporeal spirits than by them. However suppose them never so indispensibly necessary to those more noble operations of the soul, it may easily be furnished with them, and in greater plenty and purity, from the ambient air, (or æther) than from a dull torpid body; with some part of which air, if we suppose it to contract a vital union, I know no rational principle that is wronged by the supposition, though neither do I know any that can necessarily infer it. As therefore the doctrine of the soul's activity out of his earthly body, hath favor and friendship enough from philosophers; so I doubt not, but upon the most strict and rigid disquisition, it would be as much befriended (or rather righted) by philosophy itself; and that their reason would afford it as direct and more considerable defence than their authority.

In the mean time, it deserves to be considered with some resentment, that this doctrine should find the generality of learned pagans more forward advocates than some learned and worthy patrons of the Christian faith; which is only imputable to the undue measure and excess of an, otherwise, just zeal, in these latter, for the resurrection of the body; so far transporting them, that they became willing to let go one truth, that they might hold another the faster; and to ransom this at the too dear (and unnecessary) expence of the former: accounting, they could never make sure enough the resurrection of the body, without making the soul's dependance on it so absolute and necessary, that it should be able to do nothing but sleep in the mean while Whereas it seems a great deal more unconceivable, how such a being as the soul is, once quit of the entanglements and encumbrances of the body, should sleep at all, than how it should act without the body.

exceeding joy. And divers things there are obviously enough to be reflected on, which cannot but be understood to contribute much to the increase and improvement of this inchoate blessedness. The acquisition of a glorified body. For our vile bodies shall be so far transfigured, as to be made like [conform to] the glorious body of the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: (ueraσxnματίσει, σύμμορφον. Phil. 3. 20. 21.) And this shall be when he shall appear from heaven, where saints here below are required to have their commerce, as the enfranchised citizens thereof, and from whence they are to continue, looking for him in the mean time. When he terminates and puts a period to that expectation of his saints on earth, then shall that great change be made, that is, when he actually appears, at which time the trumpet sounds, and even sleeping dust itself awakes; (1 Thes. 4. 14. 15. 16.) the hallowed dust of them that slept in Jesus first, who are then to come with him. This change may well be conceived to add considerably to their felicity. A natural congruity and appetite is now answered and satisfied, which did either lie dormant, or was under somewhat an anxious restless expectation before; neither of which could well consist with a state of blessedness, every-way already perfect. And that there is a real desire and expectation of this change, seems to be plainly intimated in those words of Job, All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come: (chap. 14. 14.) Where he must rather be understood to speak of the resurrection than of death (as his words are commonly mistaken, and misapplied;) as will appear by setting down the context from the seventh verse, for there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground: yet through the scent of water, it will bud and bring forth boughs like a plant. But man dieth and wasteth away; yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth, and dryeth up; so man lieth down, and riseth not till the heavens be no more: they shall not be awaked nor raised out of their sleep. O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret till thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come. Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee; thou wilt have a desire to the work of thy hands. He first speaks according to common apprehension, and sensible appearance, touching the hopeless state of man in death; as though it were less capable of reparation than that of some inferior creatures, unto the end of ver. 10. And then gradually discovers his better hope; betrays this faith, as it were obliquely, touching this point; lets it break out, first, in some obscure glimmerings, (ver. 11. 12) giving us, in his protasis, a

similitude not fully expressive of his seeming meaning, for waters and floods that fail may be renewed; and in his Apodosis more openly intimating, man's sleep should be only till the heavens were no more: which till might be supposed to signify never, were it not for what follows, ver. 13. where he expressly speaks his confidence by way of petition, that at a set and appointed time, God would remember him, so as to call him out of the grave: and at last, being now minded to speak out more fully, puts the question to himself, If a man die, shall he live again? and answers it, All the days of my appointed time, that is of that appointed time which he mentioned before, when God should revive him out of the dust; will I wait till my change come; that is, that glorious change, when the corruption of a loathsome grave should be exchanged for immortal glory; which he amplifies, and utters more expressly, ver. 15. Thou shalt call, and I will answer; thou shalt have a desire to the work of thy hands: Thou wilt not always forget to restore and perfect thy own

creature.

And surely that waiting is not the act of his inanimate sleeping dust; but though it be spoken of the person totally gone into hades, into the invisible state; it is to be understood of that part that should be capable of such an action; as though he had said I, in that part that shall be still alive, shall patiently await thy appointed time of reviving me in that part also, which death and the grave shall insult over (in a temporary triumph) in the mean time; and so will the words carry a facile, commodious sense, without the unnecessary help of an imagined rhetorical scheme of speech. And then, that this waiting carries in it a desirous expectation of some additional good, is evident at first sight; which therefore must needs add to the satisfaction and blessedness of the expecting soul. And wherein it may do so, is not altogether unapprehensible. Admit that a spirit, had it never been embodied, might be as well without a body, or that it might be as well provided of a body out of other materials; it is no unreasonable supposition, that a connate aptitude to a body, should render human souls more happy in a body sufficiently attempered to their most noble operations. And how much doth relation and propriety endear things, otherwise mean and inconsiderable? or why should it be thought strange, that a soul connaturalized to matter, should be more particularly inclined to a particular portion thereof? so as that it should appropriate such a part, and say it is mine? And will it not be a pleasure, to have a vitality diffused through what even more remotely appertains to me, have every thing belonging to the suppositum perfectly vindicated from the tyrannous dominion of death? The returning of the spirits into a benumbed or sleeping toe or finger, adds a contentment to a man which he wanted before. Nor is it hence necessary the soul should covet a re-union with every effluvious

particle of its former body: a desire implanted by God in a reasonable soul will aim at what is convenient, not what shall be cumbersome or monstrous. And how pleasant will it be to contemplate and admire the wisdom and power of the great Creator in this so glorious a change, when I shall find a clod of earth, a heap of dust, refined into a celestial purity and brightness? when what was sown in corruption shall be raised in incorruption; what was sown in dishonor, is raised in glory; what was sown in weakness, is raised in power; what was sown a natural body, is raised a spiritual body? when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal, immortality, and death be wholly swallowed up in victory? So that this awakening may well be understood to carry that in it, which may bespeak it the proper season of the saints' consummate satisfaction and blesssedness. But besides what it carries in itself, there are other (more extrinsical) concurrents that do further signalize this season, and import a greater increase of blessedness then to God's holy ones. The body of Christ is now completed, the fulness of him that filleth all in all, and all the so nearly related parts cannot but partake in the perfection and reflected glory of the whole. There is joy in heaven at the conversion of a sinner though he have a troublesome scene yet to pass over afterwards, in a tempting, wicked, unquiet world; how much more when the many sons shall be all brought to glory together? The designs are all now accomplished, and wound up into the most glorious result and issue, whereof the divine providence had been, as in travail, for so many thousand years. It is now seen how exquisite wisdom governed the world, and how steady a tendency the most intricate and perplexed methods of providence had, to one stated and most worthy end. Especially the constitution, administration, and ends of the Mediator's kingdom, are now beheld in their exact aptitudes, order and conspicuous glory; when so blessed an issue and success shall command and crown the whole undertaking. The divine authority is now universally acknowledged and adored; his justice is vindicated and satisfied; his grace demonstrated and magnified to the uttermost. The whole assembly of saints solemnly acquitted by public sentence, presented spotless and without blemish to God, and adjudged to eternal blessedness. It is the day of solemn triumph and jubilation, upon the finishing of all God's works, from the creation of the world, wherein the Lord Jesus appears to be glorified in his saints, and admired in all that believe: (2 Thes. 1. 10.) upon which ensues the resignation of the Mediator's kingdom (all the ends of it being now attained) that the Father himself may be immediately all in all. 1 Cor. 15. 28. How aptly then are the fuller manifestations of God, the more glorious display of all his attributes, the larger and more abundant effusions of himself, reserved (as the best wine to the last) unto this joyful day! Created

perfections could not have been before so absolute, but they might admit of improvement; their capacities not so large, but they might be extended further; and then who can doubt but that divine communications may also have a proportionable increase, and that upon the concourse of so many great occasions they shall have so?

CHAPTER XI.

I. An introduction to the use of the doctrine hitherto proposed. II. The use divided into. First. Inferences of truth. Secondly. Rules of duty. 1. Inference, That blessedness consists not in any sensual enjoyment. 2. Inference. The spirit of man (since it is capable of so high a blessedness) is a being of high excellency.

I. And now is our greatest work yet behind; the improvement of so momentous a truth, to the affecting and transforming of hearts: that (if the Lord shall so far vouchsafe his assistance and blessing) they may taste the sweetness, feel the power, and bear the impress and image of it. This is the work, both of greatest necessity, difficulty, and excellency, and unto which, all that hath been done hitherto, is but subservient and introductive. Give me leave therefore, reader, to stop thee here, and demand of thee before thou go further; Hast thou any design in turning over these leaves, of bettering thy spirit, of getting a more refined, heavenly temper of soul? art thou weary of thy dross and earth, and longing for the first fruits, the beginnings of glory? dost thou wish for a soul meet for the blessedness hitherto described? what is here written is designed for thy help and furtherance. *But if thou art looking on these pages with a wanton, rolling eye, hunting for novelties, or what may gratify a prurient wit, a coy and squeamish fancy; go read a romance, or some piece of drollery; know here is nothing for thy turn; and dread to meddle with matters of everlasting concernment without a serious spirit; read not another line till thou have sighed out this request, "Lord keep me from trifling with the things of eternity." Charge thy soul to consider, that what thou art now reading must be added to thy account against the great day. It is amazing to think, with what vanity of mind the most weighty things of religion are entertained amongst christians. Things

*Dissoluti est pectoris in rebus seriis quærere voluptatem. It is a mark of a trifling mind to seek amusement in serious things. Arnob.