eradicate all corruptible matter, for incorruption

shall be put on.

We fhall then know the love of

Christ which (in this ftate) paffeth knowledge, and be

filled with all the fulness of God. church is Chrift's body, the

Eph, iii. 19. The

fulness of him, all

dwelling in him; and he will fill them all, be all fulness to them, and be all in them. Eph. i. 23. Our bodies will not only be purged from all their grofs and corruptible matter, which is now a clog and a weight, but they fhall be spiritual-There is a natural body, and there is a fpiritual body. This dead weight fhall give place to an eternal weight of glory. 2 Cor. iv. 17. It fhall be raised in power; power to bear this eternal weight of glory, and power to bear the fight of seeing God the Father; for the pure in beart fball fee Ged. Matt. v. 8. In that day I fhall

fhew you plainly of the Father. In this power the body will be a fit companion for the foul; it will be vigorous, alert, and, for its agility, as the angels of God in heaven. Matt. xxii. 30. Hence, in the delightful fervice of God there will be no fainting, no weariness, though we shall fing falvation to God and the Lamb for ever and ever. Rev, v. 13.

We are to be led by the Lamb to the fountain of living waters, Rev. vii. 17; and, the foul and body both being spiritual, we shall drink of the river of God's pleasure, Pfalm xxxvi. 8; which will fill us with divine fulness as faft as we can pour it forth in bleffings, praises, and thanksgivings; together with the afcriptions of power, and riches, and wif

dom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and bleffing, to God and the Lamb. Rev. v. 12.

Our bodies will be raised in glory. I think our bodies will be fiery, or have a fiery appearance. Which may be gathered from the following paffages-Our Our bodies (fays Paul) are to be fashioned like unto the glorious body of Christ. We (fays John) fhall be like him; we shall awake with his likeness. And the glorified humanity of Chrift is thus defcribed And I faw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it; from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I faw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about. Ezek. i. 27. Divine light will fhine through them with fuch a radiance of celeftial glory as will equal, and in many things exceed, all the luminaries of heaven. Then fhall the righteous fhine forth as the fun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to bear, let him hear. Matt. xiii. 43.

At this time alfo, and at the confummation of the marriage of the Lamb, the fpoufe will be perfumed with all the powders of the merchant. Song iii. 6. Awake and fing, ye that dwell in the duft: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall caft out the dead. Ifa. xxvi. 19. The odour of the Lord's facrifice, with which the church will be perfected, the fweet favour of her glorifying grace with which the will be adorned, will be wonderful.

garments fmell of myrrh, and aloes,

All her Lord's

and caffia, out of

the

the ivory palaces. Pfal. xlv. 8. And this divine fragrance will be spread all over her-We are a fweet favour unto God now, 2 Cor. ii. 16; but how much more then?

All the priests that attended in the holy place, near the holy of holies, were perfumed. Exod. xxx. 35, 37; much more fo in the holy of holies, eternal in the heavens. Sanctifying grace makes the church a bed of Spices now, Song vi. 2; then what will glorifying grace do? Prayers in the hearts of believers are golden vials full of odours, Rev, v. 3; but perfect praises in heaven muft exceed them. As perfumed, God accepts us in his dear Son in this life; and in Chrift we shall ever remain a sweet favour. I will accept you with your feet favour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries. Ezek. xx. 41, Awake and fing,

ye that dwell in duft: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth fhall caft out the dead.. Ifaiah

xxvi. 19.

We have reafon to believe that Adam was very handsome, as he was the figure of him that was to come, Rom. v. 14; who is faid to be fairer than the children of men, Pfalm xlv. 2. It is faid of David, that he was ruddy, of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to; prudent in matters, and a comely perfon, and that the Lord was with him. 1 Sam. xvi. 12, 18. And no doubt but Chrift was much like him in perfon. All defects and deformity came into the world with and by fin; and, when this evil caufe

04

is removed, the difagreeable effects will cease.-He that is perfect fhall be as his master. Luke vi. 40.

That he might prefent it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any fuch thing; but that it fhould be boly and without blemish. Eph. v. 27. All fuperfluity, deformity, or deficiency, rendered a Levite under the law unfit for the priesthood, or fervice of the fanctuary; nor will it be admitted in the true tabernacle above. There will be no fpot of fin, no wrinkle of old age, nor the fcar of old wounds, nor any fuch thing as deformity.-Leaḥ will appear without tender eyes, Jacob without halting, and Paul without deformity or temptation, and Timothy without his bilious complaint. The church fhall be perfect in one, John xvii. 23; and no imperfection can ftand before God. Chrift was a lamb without blemish and without fpot, and we shall be like bim, and fee him as he is.

There will be a perfection of fight. The remains of the old vail hangs heavy upon us in this ftate; it is a darknefs that is often felt; the difmal gloom upon the mind keeps us from looking to the end of things, and from feeing them as they really are-We look through a glass darkly, 1 Cor. xiii. 12, and fee by the mirror of faith. Faith is the vifive

faculty of the heaven-born foul, which, like the moon, borrows all her light from the fun; for, if the Sun of righteousness shine not, if the Lord's countenance be not lifted up, we are walking in darkness, and have no light; we can only trust in

9.

the name of the Lord in the dark, and stay ourselves
upon an absent God-With thee is the fountain of
light: in thy light fhall we fee light. Pfalm xxxvi.
For now we fee through a glass, darkly; but then face
to face: now I know in part; but then fhall I know
even as also I am known. For we know in part, and
we prophesy in part. But, when that which is perfect
is come, then that which is in part fhall be done
away. 1 Cor. xiii. 9, 10, 12.
heart, for they fhall fee God.
fweet fight in the face of Jefus Chrift is the ultimate
end of hope, the fulness of expectation, and the
fuperabounding banquet of all holy and heavenly
defires, which shall fill them even to fatiety. There
we fhall fee face to face, and know as we are
known.

Blessed are the pure in
Matt. v. 8. And this

We fhall fee poor Adam and Eve, our first parents, to whom the first promife was revealed; and Abel, the protomartyr, the first victim to fatanic rage and cruelty; and Noah, the fecond stock, the first fhip-builder and navigator, who went a twelvemonth's voyage in a fea without a fhore; and the venerable Abraham and Sarah, our myftic parents, whofe bodies for many years were fo barren, and their faith fo fruitful, as even to conceive and enjoy many nations at once. There we fhall fee Ifaac, the grand type and figure of the mystic birth of all the promised feed; and Jacob the mighty wreftler, who overcame both heaven and earth when he had but one leg to stand upon. There will be poor peevish Jonah, wellpleased,