be, till then, without all sense of happiness; but only, that what they have till then been favoured with, is but a kind of prelibation, till the work of falvation fhall be in every ref pect completed. For certainly it cannot be denied, that there is a great difference between that measure of happiness, which the fouls of believers enjoy, while they are separated from the body, and that confummation of glory, which is to be revealed at the last day; and that because the happinefs of a part is not to be compared with that of the whole, fince even that part, which is already received into heaven, has not attained to that perfection, which the gofpel has promised; as we will presently more fully fhew. Hence alfo, the ancients faid, that the fouls of believers have, indeed, a joy, but it is only enjoyed in part; as finners have a forrow and a punishment in part, while they are fhut up in prison, they are referved for the coming of the judge, Auctor quaft. & Refpos. quat. 20. Who is faid to be Athanafius. And Chryfoftom places thefe fouls as in a kind of porch. Bernard called it a ball, Serm. 3. de Sanctis; distinguishing three ftates of men, or of fouls, the first in the tabernacle; the fecond, in the hall; the third, in the house of God. Which, however, is to be underftood with caution, not that the fouls of believers are out of heaven, and have not the vifion of God; but we are to think, that then they will obtain their most perfect happinefs, when they fhall be reunited to their bodies.

XXXIV. The things, which the laft day will contribute to the confummation of happinefs, we comprife chiefly under three heads. First, the bodies of believers, when raised in glory, shall be restored to their fouls. The Apostle has fully treated on this fubject, 1 Cor. xv. The bodies indeed, fhall be the fame, which believers, as was their duty, tenderly cherished in this life, in which as in temples dedicated to the moft holy God, they glorified God, and often underwent fo many afflictions for the cause of Christ and religion. For, both the juftice of God, the comfort of the godly, and the very term refurrection, which can only be applied to what fell by death, do require them to be the fame. But though they are to be the fame as to fubftance: yet they fhall be fo changed as to qualities, that they will feem to be altogether different: "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mor tal put on immortality, then fhall be brought to pafs the faying that is written, Death is fwallowed up in victory," 1 Cor. xv. 53, 54. Great therefore fhall be the change of the body, but the fame fubject fhall remain, which the Apostle inti mates by the term THIS, as if he had pointed to his own body.

And

And to what purpose is the repetition of the fame particle, four feveral times, but to remove all ambiguity, and every cause of hesitation? And in fine, how otherwife can death be faid to be fallowed up in victory? Ought it not rather to be faid, that death fwallowed up our bodies uses or as it is in the Prophet, which may also be tranflated for ever, if the fame numerical bodies do not rife?

XXXV. Moreover, we cannot here but admire the almost incredible goodness of God. The divine mercy was willing to blefs our bodies alfo with a participation of heavenly felicity. But their prefent conftitution renders them incapable of fo great a glory. As herbs and flowers wither and fade by the exceffive heat of the radiant fun, fo alfo our bodies, fuch as we now carry about with us, are unequal to bear the heavenly glory; "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingom of God," I Cor. xv. 50. Where flesh and blood do not denote our nature, corrupted by fin, but the very fubftance of the human body, with thofe infirmities of animal life, which naturally follow it. Our flesh is from blood; blood from meat and drink and in blood confifts that animal life, from which the body is called animal, v. 44. By flesh and blood therefore is fignified the nature of the human body, as it is nourished and preferved in this life, by taking in meat and drink, and by the circulation of the blood. But fuch flesh and blood is incapable of the heavenly glory. What then? Is God to diminish the heavenly glory, that our body may also be admitted to have fome participation of it? By no means. He will rather change the qualities of our body, and of terreftrial, make it heavenly, and of animal, fpiritual, fo as thus to bear a fuitable proportion to the glory, wherewith it fhall be endowed, v. 40, 43. But who, while he ftill remains on this earth, can take in this heavenly language? Who can form an idea of fuch a spiritual body? And yet it is evident from undoubted teftimonies of holy writ, that the righteous fhall have this granted to them, and we are to look for it from our Saviour, the Lord Jefus Chrift, "who fhall change our vile body, that it may be fafhioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working, whereby he is able even to fubdue all things unto himself,” Phil. iii. 21. that we may fine forth, not as to our foul only, but also as to our body," as the fun in the kingdom of our Father," Mat. xiii. 43.

XXXVI. The fecond thing, in which the laft day. fhall contribute to the confummation of our happiness, is such a great effulgence of the divine perfections in the works of glory, that a more illuftrious neither the understanding can conceive, nor

the

the heart wish for. Undoubtedly the foul of man, immediately upon its reception into heaven, moft diftinctly fees very many things in and concerning God, which on earth it understood only by the faint glimmering light of faith: but yet God has poftponed the full display of his glory to that day. And therefore that vision of God, which we maintain to belong to the feparate foul, though more evident than we can now well conceive; is not yet fo perfect, but a greater measure of new light may be fuperadded. For, as knowledge depends most of all on the revelation, or discovery of the objects; fo that knowledge cannot be brought to its perfection, while a great part of the objects lie concealed. But a great part of the objects in the contemplation of which our mind fhall be employed, lie concealed, till a new heaven and a new earth are made, wherein dwelleth righteoufnefs. Indeed, the more illuftrious the works of God are, with which the bleffed find themselves furrounded, the greater is the pleasure, with which they contemplate the glory of God therein. But what more illuftrious, than to fee this vaft univerfe, delivered from the bondage of corruption, and brought into the glorious liberty of the fons of God, which this created world with earneft expectation waited for? Rom. viii. 19, 21. What more noble and divine, than that general judgment, in which they fhall hear themselves not only acquitted, their enemies not only condemned, but themselves also appointed to judge angels in Christ their head? 1 Cor. vi. 3 What more illuftrious, than that general affembly of all the elect, from the beginning of the world to the last day, who, being cloathed with heavenly bodies, fhall each of them fhine, as the fun in the kingdom of their Father? And with what pleafing aftonishment may we imagine, the foul will look upon its body, which it formely knew to be fubject only to very many and great infirmities, but shall then behold it glittering with fuch a blaze of light, as that it may feem, not indeed, equal to, but yet greatly refembling the glorious body of Chrift? And as, in all these things, it can admire nothing but the effulgence of the divine glory, may it not be faid, while it beholds them, to fee God himself in a moft eminent manner? Hence Johii fays, 1 John. iii. 2. " but we know, that when he fhall appear, we shall be like him; for we fhall fee him as he is." And David in like manner promifes himself, only after the refurrection, that contemplation of God, which gives the moft full fatisfaction, Pf. xvii. 15. "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteoufnefs: I fhall be fatiffied, when I awake with thy likenefs." To this alfo we are to

refer

refer that of Paul; "For now we fee through a glafs, darkly but then face to face: now I know in part, but then shall I know even as also I am known,” 1 Cor. xiii, 12. That is, in a manner most perfect and altogether divine, a more excellent than which cannot, it feems, be the portion of any creature. For, both the object fhall be moft clearly reprefented, as well in its most glorious operations as in its immediate illapfe, or entrance into the mind, in a manner which at present we cannot explain; and the fubject will be disposed in the best manner, in order to behold and obferve in God, whatever can complete its happiness.

XXXVII. Thirdly, That day fhall bring the bleffed to that fruition of God, which fhall be much more perfect and imme-` diate, than whatever they had enjoyed before. As long as there are fome believers, who are still in this miferable life; as long as the bodies of the elect, who are departed out of it, are detained in the prifon of death, and lie hid in the duft, the faints in heaven cannot be ignorant, that very many remains of that power, which, fin had gained over man, must ftill fubfift. And confequently fomething must be wanting to the full perfection of their joy. And feeing the effects and remains of fin are not yet abolished in their own bodies, and in believers not yet made perfect, who, together with them are members of the fame myftical body; which is the reason, why God does not communicate himself to them, but by the intervention of a Mediator. But, by, the refurrection, death itself, which is the laft enemy, fhall be abolished, i Cor. xv. 26. and caft into the lake of fire and brimftone, Rev. xx. 14. never more to have any power but over the enemies of God and of believers. Nor fhall there be any member of the whole myftical body of Chrift, which fhall not be perfectly holy, and absolutely subject to him. And after all the remains and effects of fin, fhall be entirely destroyed, nothing shall hinder God from communicating himself immediately to men without the intervention of a Mediator, as he does to the holy angels. We are of the opinion, with the best interpreters, that this is the meaning of Paul, in 1 Cor. xv. 28. and when all things fhall be fubdued unto him, then fhall the Son alfo himself be fubject unto him, that put all things under him, THAT GOD MAY BE ALL IN ALL.

XXXVIII. To this happiness likewise belongs a boundless and immutable eternity: without which, it would in reality be no happiness. For, no good, how great foever, that one is poffeffed of with a fear of lofing it, can, by its fruition, yield

that

that perfect and folid joy, which is requifite to happiness. Wherefore happinefs is called eternal life, Matt. xxv. 46. Rom. ii. 7. and a crown of glory, that fadeth not away, 1 Pet.. v. 4. and an incorruptible crown, 1 Cor. ix. 25. and the Apostle declares concerning the righteous, I Theff. 4. 17. that they fball ever be with the Lord.

XXXIX. Here it is usual to enquire whether there will be any difference of degrees among the bleffed. In this question, indeed (though we utterly disclaim the proud doctrine of the Romanifts concerning the disparity of glory, founded on the inequality of merits) the arguments of thofe, who think, that God will crown the unequal measure of the gifts of grace with a difparity of gifts of glory, feem more probable to us. To this purpose are thofe fcriptures, Rom. ii. 6. " who will render to every one according to his deeds," and 2 Cor. v. 10. "that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done." By which words is not barely fignified the quality of the free reward, which shall be granted the righteous according to their works; but alfo the quantity of that reward, answering in a certain proportion to their works. Which is exprefsly explained by the Apostle, 2 Cor. ix. 6. "he which foweth fparingly, fhall reap alfo fparingly: and he which foweth bountifully, fhall reap alfo bountifully." Moreover, that this harvest, and its diverfity, or different product, is erroneously confined to this life, appears from comparing this place with Gal. vi. 8. " he that foweth to his flefh, fhall of the flesh reap corruption: but he that foweth to the spirit fhall of the spirit reap life everlasting." To the fame effect is 1 Cor. iii. 8. " he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man fhall receive his own reward, according to his own labour." Where it is clearly enough declared, that the proportion of the reward will be adjusted to that of the labour. Nor unlike to this is the difcourfe concerning the refurrection of the dead, I Cor. xv. 40, 41. "there are alfo celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the fun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differeth from another star in glory." Where firft, the bodies laid aside at death are compared with those affumed at the refurrection and then, the celeftial bodies are faid to differ very much in glory from each other. As the fun, moon, and stars, are all truly celeftial bodies, but greatly unlike in glory. And to what purpose is that diftinct mention of fun, moon and VOL. II. ftars,