Jer. 8. Fifth Chap. 2d Ep. to the CO R I N T H. 67 4. 'Tis diftirid from the Body, as to weaknefs andperfetlion, astopleafure and pain. r. As to weaknefs andperfellion. The Soul periflieth and decayed) nor with the Body, when the Body droopeth and languifheth, the Soul is well and jocund ; yea better than it was before; there are diflin& periods of time, beyond which 'tis impossible to add a Cu- bit, or hairs breadth tootles ftature. But the Soul is ever growing. forward to its perfeûi- on. And multitude of years,though they bring on much weaknefs, yet increafe wifdom, yob 3z. 7 Yea the Soul is ftrongeft,when weakeft;dying Chriftians-have manifefted the highefl excellency under bodily infirmities, and when leaft of the Life of Nature, molt Glorious expreffions of the Life of grace, z Cor. 4. t 6. For though the outward man peri/h, the inner man is renewedday by lay. z. As to pleafure and pain, joy and comfort. When all the joys of the Body are gone, the joys ache Soul are inlarged, as when the Bodies of the Martyrs were on the rack under torturings, their Souls have been .filled with inward Triumphings, and their Con- folation, z Cor. r. 5. alfo aboundeth by Christ. When their flesh is fcorched, their Souls are refrefhed. 5. They are difin& in the Commands God bath given about it, Chrift hath Com- manded us to take no thought for the Body, Matti. 6. z5. But he never Commanded us to take no thought for the Soul; rather the contrary, Deut. 4. g. Only take heed to thy felf, and keep thy Soul diligently. The great mifcarriage ofinen,is becaufethey pamper their Bodies, and egleâ their Souls, all their care is to keep their Bodys in due plight, but never regard their Souls, which were more immediately given them by God, and carry the moil livelycharaterof his Image, and are capable of his Happinefs. z. The Soul is not only diftind from the body, but can live and exercife its operations apart from the body. Thereare many arguments from reafon to prove it, but let us con- fider Scripture; which should be reafon enough to Chriftians. That it can do fo, appear - eth by that expreffion of Paul, z Cor. t z4 z, 3. I knew a man in (brill, fourteen years ago, whether in the Body, or out of the Body, I cannot tell, God knoweth, such an one carryed .up to the third Heaven. If Paul had been of thisopinion, that the Soul being feparated from the Body is void of all fenfe, he mull then have known certainly, that his Soul remained in his Body, during this rapture, becaufe according to this fuppoution,in that flare alone could he fee and hear thofe things which he faw and heard. And that argument is not contemptible to prove the possibility, where among other things 'tis Paid, Death cannot feparate us from the love of God inChrift. Therefore the Soul liveth in a state to injoy him in a fenfe of his love to us, and our love to him. 3. That the Souls of the Saints, not only can live apart from the Body, but assay fo; And are perfectly with the Lord, as foon as they flit out of the Body. This I shall prove from chele particulars taken from Scripture. r. From Luke z;. 43. This day (halt thou be with nie in paradife. This was faid to the . penitent Thief,and what was Paid to him will be accdmplifhed in all the faithful, for what Chrift prdmifeth tohim,he promifeth it to him as a penitent believer,and what belongeth to one Convert belongeth to all in a like cafe.Therefore if his Soul in the very day of his death were tranflated unto paradifeours will be alfo.NowParadife is either the Earthly or theHeavenly;not the firft,which is no where extant,being defaced by theFlood.If it were in being,what have feparateSouls to do there?That was a fit place forAdam inInnocency who had a Body and a Soui,and was to eat ofthe fruit of the Trees of the Garden.By Paradise is meant Heaven,whither Paul was rapt in Soul,which he calleth bothParadife and the third Heaven,z Cor. i z.4.And there all the Faithful are when once they have pail the Pikes,and have overcome the Temptations of the prefent World, Rev. z. 7. 7o him that avercometh widt I give to eat of the trerof life which is in the malt of the paradife of God.Well then, there the Thief was not in regard of his Body, which was difpofed of as men pleafed,but his Soul. And when Mould he be there ? This day. 'Twas not a Bleffednefs to commence Tome fifteen hundred or two thoufand years afterward. 'Tis an anfwer to his quando, the penitent Thief denied when he came into his kingdom he would remember him ; Chrift fheweth he would not defer his hope for fo long a time, but his delire should be accom- plished that day,'tis not adjourned to many days,months,or years,but this day.Thou (halt prefently injoy thy delire. z. The Second place is, Phil. r. z 3. Ideftre'to bediffolved,and to be with Chrifi which is far better. To be with Chrift is to be in Heaven,for there Chrifl is at the right hand of God, Col. 3. t. The Apoftle fpeaketh noilthis in regard of his Body,for that could not be prefently upon his di(folutïon,till it was railed up at the lait day, but in regard of his Soil. This ftate that his Soulwas admitted into, was much more better if compared with t he ttlz
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