Tillotson - BX5037 T451 1712 v2

62 The prefent andf itrere Advantage, &c. Vol. I. put a glory upon them like to that of the glorified Bodyof ourLord ; and when this glorious change is made, when this corruptible bath put on incarruption, and this mortal bath put on immortality, then ¡ball come topaf: the faying that is written, Death i:froallowed upin vitïory ; and when this laflenemy is perfeCtly fubdued, we [hall be fet above all the Frailties and Dangers, all the Temptationsand Sufferings of this mortal [late; there will then be no fiefhly lull: and brutilh Pallions to war againflthe Soul ; no law in our members to rife up in Rebellion againft the law of our minds; no Difeafesto torment us, no danger of Death to terrifie us ; all the Motions and Paffons of our outward Man [hall then be perfectly fu&je& to the Reafonof ourMinds, and our Bodies (hall partake ofthe Immortality ofour Souls. How lhould thisConfideration bear us up under all the Evilsof Life and the fears of Death, that theRefurre&ion will be a perfel Cure of all our Infirmitiesand Difeafes, and an effectual Remedy of all the Evils that we now labour under; and that it is but a very little while that we (hall be troubled with thefe Frail, and Mortal, and Vile Bodies, which (hall fhortly be laid in the duff, and when they are railed again, (hall become Spiritual, Incorruptible, and Glorious. And if ourBodies (hall undergo fo happy a change, what Happinefs may we imagine (hall thenbe conferred upon our Souls, that fo muchbetter and nobler part of our felves! As the Apoftle reafons in another cafe, Doth God take care of Oxen ? Hath he this Confideration of our Bodies, which are but the brutifh part of the Man? What regard will he then have to his own Image, that (park of Divinity which is for ever to reticle in thefe Bodies? If upon the account of our Souls, and for their fakes, our Bodies (hall become Incorruptible, Spiritual and Glo- rious; then certainly our Souls (ball be endued with far more Excellent and Di- vineQualities: if our Bodies (hall in fome degree partake of the Perfe&ion of our Souls in their Spiritual and Immortal Nature; to what a pitchof Perfection (hall ourSouls be raifed and advanced ! even to an equality with Angels, and to force kind ofparticipation of the DivineNature and Perfe&ion, fo far as a Creature is capable of them. Il. The Comparifon which is here in the Text, and which I have largely ex- plain'd, between the manifeft Inconveniences of a Sinful and Vicious Courfe, and the manifold Advantages of an Holy and Virtuous Life, is a plain dire&ion to us which of thefe two to chufe. So that I may make the fame appeal that Mofes does, after that he had at large declared the Bleffìngs promis'd to the Obe- dienceofGod's Laws, and the Curfe denounc'd againft the Violation and Tranf- greffion of them, Dent. 30. 19. I call Heaven and Earth to record againft you this day, that I have fit beforeyou lifeand death, bleffing and curling; therefore chufe life, that youmay be happy in Life and Death, and after Death to all Eternity'. I know every one is ready to chufe Happinefs, and to fay with Balaam, Let me diethe death ofthe righteous, and let my latter endbe like his : but if wedo in good earne(t defire the End, we muft take the Way that leads to it; we mull become the Servantsof God, and have ourfruit unto holinefs, if ever we expel, that the end (hall be everlafling life. SER-

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