fubftance, even fecluding every confideration of their external operations. We would rather be content with this plain way of fpeaking, than to fay with fome, that the foul, confidered in itself, without any operation ad extra, cannot be conceived to be in any ubi or place, from which it would follow, that if the foul does not operate without itself, it has no ubi, and is incapable of every change of place after death. But we don't remember, that any has explained, whether, and what it then operates without itfelf. Of a kin to this is that inference from the fubject relating to the condition of the feparated foul, that by heaven and bell, we are only to understand the ftates of happi nefs and mifery, which is crude and indigested.

•

fouls,

bodies.

XXVII. We need not be very follicitous about of the the place of thofe feparate fouls, which were foon place of to be reunited to their bodies, by a miraculous re- which furrection: nor here give too great a loose to our cu were to be riofity: nor venture to intrude into those things which foon unitwe have not feen, Col. 2. 18. The facred writings ed to their fay nothing diftinctly on that fubject. The fafelt courfe is to commit thofe fouls to the hands of God; who has wifdom abundant to affign them a proper place of reft for that time, and of whofe goodness and justice, we need entertain no apprehenfion, that he will do them any injuftice. This is their glory, this their falvation, that, in whatever place they are, they are still for the glory of God, and in his favour and grace. This is the language of modefty, to determine any thing peremptorily, would be only prefumption,

ers with

XXVIII. Let us now fee, what happinefs the The fouds fouls of the righteous enjoy, when they are fet of believ free from the body in heaven. And firft, It is God and their happiness, that they are with God and Chrift Chrift in in glory, John 12. 26, where I am there fhall also my glory." fervant be. John 17. 24, Father, I will, that they alfo whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am. Be lievers even here are with Chrift by faith and love a

2

Y 4

Chrift

Chrift with the father cometh to them, and manifests bifelf to them, John 14. 21. And they find an incredible reft to their fouls, in that gracious presence of God and of Christ. It is good for me to drary neat to God, Pf. 73. 28. But the greatest nearness, they are fovoured with in this life, is mere distance from "God, if compared with the future ftate of the foul; whilst we are at bome in the body, we are abfent from the Lord. 2 Cor. 56. And hence it was, that Paul bad a defire to deport, and to be with Christ, Phil. 1. 23.

And feeXXIX. Secondly, Being in the prefence of God, him in the they fhall alfo fee him in the light of glory. That is, light of glory. they fhall attain to that knowledge of the most bleffed God which fhall be fufficient both to perfect and content the understanding, and with refpect to this, that vition of God, which is allowed them in this world, is mere darkness and blindness, as we have formerly hinted Of this vifion our Lord fpeaks, Mat. 58, bleffed are the pure in heart, for they fhall fee God. And they fhall fee God. ft, In the works of glory, which are now made known in heaven, wherein his moft illuftrious perfections will thine forth with far greater clearnefs, than in the works both of nature and grace. 2dly, In the face of Jefus 'Chrift, whom they will continually contemplate face to face, and very familiarly and intimately know, John 17. 24, that they may bebeld my glory, which thou hast given me. 3dly, More immediately, in himfelf; fo far as man is capable to approach to God: in a degree and meafure incomprehenfible to us.

eft de

light.

And love XXX. Thirdly, This vifion of God, who is effenhim with tial truth, thall be accompanied with the most holy the great. and, at the fame time, the moft delightful love of the fame God, who is alfo perfect goodness: nor can it otherwife be. For, when the understanding beholds, and, without interruption, contemplates God himfelf and his moft defireable perfections, not in a fallacious appearance, nor with obfcure and confufed

ideas, as here, but in their native light, the holy will cannot but be enflamed with most ardent love to them. That happy foul, not only in the light of God, beholds God as the fountain of light, but is, on every hand, furrounded with the flames of divine love; by which it continually gives love for love, And that love makes it feel neither weariness, nor *uneafinefs in the prefence, contemplation and frui tion of God; while new pleasures, one after another, Iarifing from the intimate poffeffion of the chief good, fupremely beloved, and its unvaried complacency, charm the foul. For, that love is not a love of longing, but of fruition, that had long been wifhed for And this is that charity, which the Apoftle, 1 Cor 13. 8, declares, abides for ever, when even faith and hope are no more.

1

XXXI. Fourthly, To perfect love is conjoined And are the most perfect conformity of the foul to God, conforma in holiness and glory. If Mofes was fo favoured, bleto him. that rays of unusual light fhone from his face. eafter his familiar converfe with God in the mount, which vet can fcarce be compared with that familiarity of intimate accefs, which the bleffed enjoy >in heaven; how great, do we think, muft that effulgence of divine glory be, which the infinite goodness of God communicates to the fouls, who are the objects of his love, and who perfectly love him? What the firft-born Son of God is, in a most eminent de gree, and in a way altogether peculiar to himself, viz. the brightness of the father's glory, Heb. 1. 3, that also they shall be in their mealure; even perfectly, according to that state, tho' only fo far as mere creatures can be, that Jefus may be the first born among many brethren, Rom. 8. 29.

XXXII. Fifthly, From all these things taken to Whence a gether, a joy arifes more than inexpreffible, more more than than glorious; of which that joy, we have already ineffable joy arises. defcribed, Seat V. is but a faint and tranfient image. For, as the bleffings of grace are infinitely exceeded by thofe of glory, fo the foul also, in a state of glory,

Yet more

to be pected at the last day.

is capable of thofe that are more excellent, is a far better judge of them, and enjoys them much more perfectly, hence alfo the joy flowing from them muft be much more excellent. In Mat, 25, 21, it is called, the jay of the Lord. Becaufe, ift, It proceeds from, and is freely bestowed by the Lord. 2dly, It has the Lard for its object, P. 16. 11, in thy prefence is fulnefs of joy, at thy right hand there are pleasures for ever more. 3dly, and lastly, It is the most excellent and worthy of the Lord.

t

XXXIII. There can be no doubt, but the things we have thus far mentioned, are most cxcellent yet they are, not the compleat fulrefs of that ftate; nor do they fully contain that abundance of happinefs and glory, which the Gofpel commands us to hope for. And for this reafon, the facred writings - frequently put off the confummation of our happinefs, till the glorious coming of our Lord: as 2 Tim, 1. 12, I am perfuaded, that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day and v. 18, the Lord grant unto him, that be may find mercy of the Lord in that day. 2 Tim. 4. 8, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord fball give me at that day. Pet. 1. 5, the falvation ready to be revealed in the last time. And, 1 Pet. 5.4. when the chief Shepherd fhall appear, ye hall receive a crown of glory, that fadeth not away: add Col. 3. 4, and 1 John 3. 2. From thefe teftimonies we are, by no means, to conclude, that the fouls of the righteous fhall be, till then, without all fenfe of hap pinefs, 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 refpect Compleated. For certainly, it cannot be denied, that there is a great difference between that meafure of happiness, which the fouls of believers enjoy, while they, are feparated from the body, and that confummation of glory, which is to be revealed at the last day; and that becaufe, the happiness of a

part

part is not to be compared with that of the wholes fince even that part, which is already received into heaven, has not attained to that perfection, which the Golpel has promifed: as we will prefently 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 lorrow and a punishment in part, while they are fhut up in prifon, they are referved for the coming of the judge, Auc for quæst. & Refpos, quæst. 20. Who is faid to be Athanafius. And Chryfostom, places thefe fouls as in a kind of porch. Bernard called it a ball, Serm. 3. de San&tis, distinguishing three ftates of men, or of fouls, the first, in the tabernacle; the fecond, in the ball the third, in the house of God. Which however, doma sel is to be understood with caution, not that the fouls' of believers are out of heaven, and have not the vi fion of God; but we are to think, that then they will obtain their most perfect happinefs, when they fhall be re-united to their bodies.

n

lievers

in fub

XXXIV. The things, which the laft day will con- The botribute to the confummation of happiness, we we dies of be comprize chiefly under three heads. First, the bo-fhall be dies of believers, when raifed in glory, fhall be re-raised in ftored to their fouls. The Apoftle has fully treated glory. on this fubject, Cor. 15. The bodies indeed, fhall The fame be the fame, which believers, as was their duty, ftance. 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 Chrift and religion. For, both the justice 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 mortal put