Serra. CXII. of an Holy andVirtrebu.r Life. 59 and in the perfe& exercife of Love and Friendfhip, in the Converfation of the haft and wifett Company, free from felf intere(t, and all thofe urifociable paf- fions of Envy andJealoufie, of Malice and Ill-will, which fpoil the Comfort of all Converfation in this World; and, in a word, free from all other Paffion or Defign, but an ardentand almoft equal delire to contribute all, thatby all means pofilble they can to the mutual Happinefs of one another : For Charity reigns hi Heaven, and is the brighteft Grace and Virtue in the Firmament of Glory, far out(hining all other; as St. Pant, who bad hinifelf been takenup into the third Heaven,. does exprefly declare tous. Farther yet, this bleffed Rate cònfifts more particularly in there two things: In having our Bodies raifed and refined to a far greater Purity and Perfe&ion, than ever they had in this World ; and in theconfequent Happinefsof the whole Man, Soul and Body, fo ftrietly and firmly united as never to be parted again, and foequally match'd as to be no trouble or impediment to one another. (r.) In having our Bodies raifed and refined to a greaterPurity and Perfei;tion, than ever they had in this World. Our Bodies as they are now are unequally tempered, and in a perpetual flux and change, continually tending toCorruption, becaufe made upof fuch contrary Principles andQualities, as by their perpetual confli& are always at work, confpiring the Ruin and Diffolution of them ; but when they are raifed again, they (hall be fo tempered and fo refin'd, as to be free from all thofe deftruaive Qualities, which do now threaten their change and diffolutión : and the they (hall (till confift of Matter, yet they (hall be purified to that degree, as to partakeofthe Immortality of our Souls, to which they fhall be united, and to be of equal duration with them. So the Scripture tells us, I Cór. t 5. 5 a, 53. That our dead Bodies fhall be raifed incorruptible : for this cor- ruptible misti put on incorruption, and thismortal muff put on immortality. Our Bodies when they arelaid down in the Grave are vile Cárcafes, but they 111a11 be railed again Beautiful and Glorious, and as different fromwhat they were before, as the Heavenly Manfions in which they are to refide for ever are from that dark Cell of the Graveout ofwhich they are railed; and Hiatt then be en- dowed with fuch a Life and Strength and Vigour, as to be able without any change ordecay to abide and continue for ever in the fame (fate. OurBodies in this World are grofs Flefh and Blood, liable to be affeeted with natural and fenfual Pleafures, and tobe afflicted with natural Pains and Difeafes, to be pre[( with the natural neceffìties of Hunger and Thirft, and obnoxious to all thofe Changes end Accidents to which all natural things are fubjeet: But they/hall be raifed fpiritual bodies, pureand refin'd from all the dregs of Matter; they ¡hall not hunger, nor thirft, nor be difeafed, or in Pain any more. Thefe Honfes ofClay, whofe Foundation is in the daft, are continually decaying, and therefore Rand in need of continual Reparation by Food and Phyfick: but oar Honfe which it from Heaven, (as the Apoftle calls it) (hall be of fuch tatting and durable Materials, as not only Time, but even Eternity it felf, (hall make no impreffion upon it, or caufe the leaf( decay in it. They (fays our Bleffed Saviour) who [hall be accounted worthy to obtain that World, and the Refnrretlion from thedead, cannot die any more : but(hall be like the Angels, and are the children ofGod, i. e. fhall in fome degree partake of the Felicity and Immortality of Godhintfelf, who is always the fame, andwhofe years fail not. Nay, the Apofile exprefly tells us, that our Bodies after the Refurre&ion (hall befpiritual Bodies, fo that we (hall then be as it were all Spirit, andour Bodies [hall be fo railed and refined, that they (hall be noclog or impediment to the Operation of our Souls. And it mu[t needs be a great comfort to us whilft weare in this World, to live in the hopesof fo happyand glorious a change; when we confider how our Bodies do now op- prefs our Spirits, and what a melancholy and dead weight they are upon them, bowgrievous an Incumbrance andTrouble and Temptation they are for the molt part to us in this mortal (rate. (a.) The bleifednefs ofthis (tateconfilts likewife in the confequent Happinefs of the whole Man, Soul and Body, fo (tri&ly and firmly united as never to be parted again, and fo equally matched as to be no trouble and impediment to one another. I 2 In
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