Cap.42 capable of that greatnefs of Gods communication;

but time will come when as God will communicate himself in a more glorious maner, and in that I bleís my felf, and therefore I will not regard any of Gods communication of himself to me here, but in order unto that glorious communication of God to me hereafter. And thus we have feen fomething of the recompence of reward, comparing it with what we have here. Now fecondly, we are to compare it with the condition of Adam in the estate of Innocency.

As for the eftate of Adam in Paradife, it was a bleffed condition, yet far under the happiness of the Saints in the recompence of the reward. For Adams body was but natural, and his Paradise was but a natural Paradife; and a poffibility there was he might lofe his happiness: and if he should. have stood, there fhould not have been that glorious diftinct working of the three Perfons of the Trinity about mans happiness, that there now is: and therein especially lies the difference.

Thirdly, compare it with the Angels, and you fhall finde in Scripture fome expreffions of the happiness of the Saints, beyond the happiness of the blessed Angels themselves. For the union that the Saints fhall have with the Deity, is a nearer union in divers refpects, then the union that the Angels have with the Deity and the righteoufnefs wherewith the Saints ftand righteous before the Lord, is an higher righteousness, then Adam or the Angels should have

been in.:.

First, the union that the Saints have with the Deity, is a nearer union then that of the Angels. First,

the

the humane nature in general, that is advanced to an Cap.42. higher dignity then all the glory of the Angels put together: Because there is an Hypoftatical union between the humane Nature and the Divine in Christ. Again, we have many expreffions in Scripture of the union of Saints with the Deity; whereby it appears, their union is nearer then the union of the Angels: They are called the friends of Chrift; They are faid to have fellowship with Iefus Chrift, 1 Cor. 1.9. They are the Brethren of Chrift, They are Co-heirs with Jefus Chrift; There are no fuch expreffions of the Angels. And yet, there are nearer expreffions of their union; they are the Spouse of Chrift, the Bride; the Angels are but as the fervants. They are the members of Chrift, and are made one with Chrift: They are thofe that are to be one with the Father, as the Father and the Son are one: Iohn 17. 21. Chrift there prays, As thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: he never prayed fo for the Angels. Laftly, they are faid to be loved of the Father, with the very fame love wherewith he loved the Son: now though God loves the Angels, yet it is not faid that he loved them with the fame love that he loved his Son: These are the expreffions we finde in Scripture, concerning the near union that the Saints have with the Deity in fome refpects beyond the Angels; but of the union of the Saints with the Deity, we shall fpeak of more when we come to fpeak of the reward pofitively. And then the righteoufnefs wherewith they ftand righteous before God, is greater then the righteoufnels of Adam in Paradife, or the Angels, because it is the righte oufnefs of the fecond Perfon of the Trinity; and that

Cap.43. is of an higher nature, and a more glorious righteoufnefs, then the righteoufnefs of any meer creature. Now the righteousness of the Angels, though it be perfect in its kinde, yet it is not a righteousness of fuch an high nature, as that righteousness which is the Son of God. And thus of this recompence of reward comparatively.

CHAP. XLIII.

The perfection of the bodies and fouls of the Saints in glory.

N

Ow thirdly,let us confider it pofitively; now in this pofitive confideration, these things are to be followed: First, the perfection of their natures that they shall be raised to: Secondly, the glory that shall be put upon them at the day of Judgement: Thirdly, the poffeffion of Heaven: Fourthly,the having God to be their Portion: Fifthly,their bleffed communion with Jefus Christ: Sixthly, their communion with the Saints and Angels: Laftly, the eternal Sabbath that they are to keep in Heaven. Under thefe feven heads, all that we have to say concerning the pofitive reward of the Saints, may be contained, Firft, the perfection that their natures fhall be raised unto; and in that confider these three things: First, the perfection of their bodies: Secondly,the perfection of their fouls: Thirdly,the perfection of the whole man. First, the perfection of the bodies of the Saints is no little matter; and because so long as we are in the flesh and live by sense,

they

they are bodily things that do affect us; therefore I Cap.43. will shew a little the perfection of the bodies of the Saints they shall have much of the recompence of the reward in their bodies. In the general, their bodies fhall be made like the glorious body of Fefus Chrift, Phil. 3.21. Certainly the body of Chrift is very glorious, in the transfiguration of Chrift,which was but a little glimpse of his glory, how glorious was the body of Chrift In Rev. 1. Saint John had a little glimpse of the representation of Chrift, and how glorious is it fet forth the body of the meaneft Saint fhall be like the glorious body of Christ: What is that? I will go no further then that I finde in 1 Cor. 15. 42, 43, 44. and there are four things that fet forth the glory of the bodies of the Saints, when they come to attain the recompence of reward: First, it is raised in incorruption: Secondly, it is raised in glory: Thirdly, it is raised in power: Fourthly, it is raised a fpiritual body. First, every Saint of God shall have an incorruptible body, there fhall be no more death: it fhall be made incorruptible in regard of that fulness of the presence of God with it:If fpices,& enbalming of dead bodies can keep them fo long as they do fometime from fmelling, furely the glorious prefence of God with the body, fhall have infinite more power to keep the bodies of the Saints incorruptible. What would we give if a Phyfitian were able to give us a potion to make our bodies incorruptible, that they fhould never dye yet as they are now, it is hardly worth the defiring to have them incorruptible; but when they fhall be glorified, and incorruptible too, that is glorious. They fhall be incorruptible, not subject

514

* Omnis

per patiens,

impoffibile

debi itatur

materiam

of

the

Cap.43. to any fuffering as God is able to binde up active power of a creature that it fhall not be able to paffio fit per viuriam act, fo he can binde up the corruptible power, that it agentis fufhall not work to corruption: as in fire God can binde up the power of fire, that it cannot burn; fo eft aute, u God can binde the up power any creature that quid domi- hath any corruptible power, that there fhould not be netur fuper patiens, nip the leaft paffion that tends to corruption. *All fufinquantum ferings come from the prevailing of the stronger aDominium gent over the patient; and when any fuffer, it comes forma pro from fome kinde of inability of the form of the paria fuper tient, whereby it begins to leave the matter in fome patientis degree:now the bodies of the Saints fhall be fo formCorpus au- ed with fuch an excellent form,and fo filled with the tem bumiglory of it, as that there can be no power external or quicquid in internal,that shall prevail against this form to weaken co cft, erit it. And befides,the reason that is given why the Heaubjectum vens are incorruptible,may be given why the bodies anime r of the Saints fhall be incorruptible: the Heavens are tionale ficut of fo excellent a form, that the capacity of the matfè fub- ter is fully filled up; and there may be truth in that jecta crit reafon: fo the bodies of the Saints being in their deo in cor- bleffed estate into which they shall be raised, they fhal pore glorio have fuch full fatisfaction with the form wherewith To non poterit effe ali they are informed, that there fhall not be the leaft qua muta-propenfion to receive any other from.

num &

nima ter

Deo, & i

tio contia

difpofitione

Secondly, it is raised in glory, and that conllam qua fifts in these two things: Firft, in the admirable perficitur beauty of it: Secondly, in the wonderful luftre bama and fplendor of it: First, in the admirable beauty tione corpo of it, having all parts in proportion and exact temper, whatsoever can make one beautiful shall impaffibilia, Thom, in Add. q. 82. Art. 1,

ra erunt

ra

be