Moses Choice, Treatise · Part 3 · Chapter 43
CHAP. XLIII. The perfection of the bodies and ſouls of the Saints in glory.
NOw thirdly, let us conſider it poſitively; now in this poſitive conſideration, theſe things are to be followed: Firſt, the perfection of their natures that they ſhall be raiſed to: Secondly, the glory that ſhall be put upon them at the day of Judgement: Thirdly, the poſſeſſion of Heaven: Fourthly, the having God to be their Portion: Fifthly, their bleſſed communion with Jeſus Chriſt: Sixthly, their communion with the Saints and Angels: Laſtly, the eternal Sabbath that they are to keep in Heaven. Under theſe ſeven heads, all that we have to ſay concerning the poſitive reward of the Saints, may be contained; Firſt, the perfection that their natures ſhall be raiſed unto; and in that conſider theſe three things: Firſt, the perfection of their bodies: Secondly, the perfection of their ſouls: Thirdly, the perfection of the whole man. Firſt, the perfection of the bodies of the Saints is no little matter; and becauſe ſo long as we are in the fleſh and live by ſenſe, they are bodily things that do affect us; therefore I will ſhew a little the perfection of the bodies of the Saints: they ſhall have much of the recompence of the reward in their bodies. In the general, their bodies ſhall be made like the glorious body of Jeſus Chriſt, Phil. 3. 21. Certainly the body of Chriſt is very glorious; in the transfiguration of Chriſt, which was but a little glimpſe of his glory, how glorious was the body of Chriſt? In Rev. 1. Saint John had a little glimpſe of the repreſentation of Chriſt, and how glorious is it ſet forth? the body of the meaneſt Saint ſhall be like the glorious body of Chriſt: What is that? I will go no further then that I finde in 1 Cor. 15. 42, 43, 44. and there are four things that ſet forth the glory of the bodies of the Saints, when they come to attain the recompence of reward: Firſt, it is raiſed in incorruption: Secondly, it is raiſed in glory: Thirdly, it is raiſed in power: Fourthly, it is raiſed a ſpiritual body. Firſt, every Saint of God ſhall have an incorruptible body, there ſhall be no more death: it ſhall be made incorruptible in regard of that fulneſs of the preſence of God with it: If ſpices, & enbalming of dead bodies can keep them ſo long as they do ſometime from ſmelling; ſurely the glorious preſence of God with the body, ſhall have infinite more power to keep the bodies of the Saints incorruptible. What would we give if a Phyſitian were able to give us a potion to make our bodies incorruptible, that they ſhould never dye? yet as they are now, it is hardly worth the deſiring to have them incorruptible; but when they ſhall be glorified, and incorruptible too, that is glorious. They ſhall be incorruptible, not ſubject to any ſuffering: as God is able to binde up the active power of a creature that it ſhall not be able to act, ſo he can binde up the corruptible power, that it ſhall not work to corruption: as in fire God can binde up the power of fire, that it cannot burn; ſo God can binde up the power of any creature that hath any corruptible power, that there ſhould not be the leaſt paſſion that tends to corruption. *Omnis paſſio fit per victoriam agentis ſuper patiens, impoſſibile eſt autē, ut quid dominetur ſuper patiens, niſi in quantum debi itatur Dominium formae pro priae ſuper materiam patientis: Corpus autem humanum & quicquid in eo eſt, erit perfectè ſubjectum animae rationale ſicut anima per fectè ſubjecta crit Deo. & i deo in corpore glorioſo non poterit eſſe aliqua mutatio contia diſpoſitionē illam quâ perficitur ab anima; & hac ratione corpora erunt impaſſibilia, Thom. in Add. q. 82. Art. 1.All ſufferings come from the prevailing of the ſtronger agent over the patient; and when any ſuffer, it comes from ſome kinde of inability of the form of the patient, whereby it begins to leave the matter in ſome degree: now the bodies of the Saints ſhall be ſo formed with ſuch an excellent form, and ſo filled with the glory of it, as that there can be no power external or internal, that ſhall prevail againſt this form to weaken it. And beſides, the reaſon that is given why the Heavens are incorruptible, may be given why the bodies of the Saints ſhall be incorruptible: the Heavens are of ſo excellent a form, that the capacity of the matter is fully filled up; and there may be truth in that reaſon: ſo the bodies of the Saints being in their bleſſed eſtate into which they ſhall be raiſed, they ſhal have ſuch full ſatisfaction with the form wherewith they are informed, that there ſhall not be the leaſt propenſion to receive any other from.
Secondly, it is raiſed in glory, and that conſiſts in theſe two things: Firſt, in the admirable beauty of it: Secondly, in the wonderful luſtre and ſplendor of it: Firſt, in the admirable beauty of it, having all parts in proportion and exact temper, whatſoever can make one beautiful ſhall be in the bodies of the Saints; if we could extract all the beauty of all the men and women in the world, and put them into one, it were but as a deformed thing in regard of the meaneſt of the bodies of the Saints in Heaven; and much of the beauty will be not onelyonly from their exact temper and comelineſs that God ſhall put upon them; but likewiſe from the excellency of their ſouls within them, and from the unſpeakable joy, and cheerfulneſs of the heart; And then the ſplendor and the luſtre of their bodies, ſays 2.the Scripture, They ſhall ſhine as the ſtars in the Firmament: look what ſplendor is in the ſtars, ſuch ſhall be in theſe clay bodies of ours, Daniel 12. 3. Yea, they ſhall be in greater ſplendor then the ſtars, they ſhall be as the Sun, Matthew 13. 43. He that hath ears to hear let him hear, and believe this, that it ſhall be ſo, that the bodies of the Saints ſhall ſhine more glorious then the Sun in its ſtrength. You will ſay, How is it poſſible that this ſhould be? yes, this is but according to that expreſſion in Phil. 3. 21. Who ſhall change our vile bodies, that it may be faſhioned according to his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able to ſubdue all things unto himſelf. It does not require a greater power to raiſe from the leaſt degree of glory to the higheſt poſſibility, as it is to make a thing out of nothing; and therefore the making of the leaſt creature out of nothing, will argue more power, then making the bodies of the Saints to ſhine brighter then the Sun in the Firmament. Now certainly, God in the glorifying of the Saints, will manifeſt that power that he did in the creating of the world; and if it does not require ſo much power to raiſe their bodies into ſuch a glorious condition, as to create a creature out of nothing; then there is no reaſon why we ſhould not believe this. We know when Moſes had been but forty days on the Mount with God, when he came down among the Iſraelites, his face did ſo ſhine, that they were not able to behold it: ſurely the glorified bodies of the Saints, being eternally preſent with God, ſhall ſhine far more gloriouſly then Moſes face did: and that is for the ſplendor of them.
Thirdly, it is ſown in weakneſs, and raiſed in power: now the ſtrength and power of them appears in theſe 3.four things: Firſt, in that the body ſhall be able for to attend the ſoul in the moſt high operations; 1.here if the ſoul be exerciſed about any high and glorious object, the body preſently fails: as in the extaſies of the Prophet, when God revealed himſelf extraordinarily to Daniel, his body failed; He fainted, and was many days ſick, Dan. 8. 27. But there ſhall be that power in the body, as it ſhall be ſerviceable to the ſoul in the moſt high and glorious operations that it ſhall have, when God ſhall manifeſt himſelf in the fulleſt way that poſſibly can be.
Secondly, in that it it ſhall every moment to all eternity, without any intermiſſion, be exerciſed in the 2.higheſt things that a body can be in, without any wearineſs.
Thirdly, there muſt be a great deal of power to be able to bear the weight of glory that ſhall be put upon 3.them: 2 Cor. 4. 17. Our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding, and eternal weight of glory; ſuch a weight, as certainly if the body were not by the power of God upheld, it were impoſſible it ſhould bear it: here we finde, when there is great joy in the heart, the body is not able to bear it; but then there ſhall be a power to bear the weight of glory they ſhall have.
And the laſt, is that which I finde expreſſed in Luther, namely, The bodies of the Saints ſhall have 4.that power, as to toſs the greateſt mountains in the world like a Ball. And I finde it in an expreſſion of Anſelem, It ſhall be ſuch power, as they ſhall be able In futuro ſeculo ſic juſtus fortis erit, ut etiam ſi velit, terram commovere poſſit; et ſic è converſo injuſtus imbecillis ut nec etiā vermes amovere queat ab occulis ſuis Anſel. li. de ſimil. cap. 52.to ſhake the whole earth at their pleaſure: and we cannot think this incredible upon that ground that was named before: there is not ſo much difference between the raiſing a thing from the loweſt degree of power, to the higheſt poſſibility; as in raiſing a thing from nothing to the loweſt degree of power. Suppoſe a creature had but ſo much power now, as to ſtir the leaſt mote that is in the Sun; to raiſe this power ſo high as to ſtir the whole earth, does not require ſo much power as to make a thing out of nothing: and if God do intend to manifeſt his power in glorifying the Saints, and in making of them powerful; why ſhould we not think, that God will extend that poſſibility of power that is in the body to that heighth? certainly, glorious ſhall be the power of the bodies of the Saints: and that is the third thing.
Fourthly, it is ſowen a natural body, and it ſhall be raiſed a ſpiritual body; not that it ſhall be turned into 4.a ſpirit: It ſhall remain a body; but the ſpiritualneſs conſiſts in three particulars.
Firſt, that it ſhall be in a ſpiritual condition; they ſhall have no more need of meat, or drink, or clothes, 1.or marriage, or the like, that now the body ſtands in need of: the Angels themſelves ſhall have as much need of meat, and drink, and clothes as their bodies ſhall: ſo ſays Chriſt; They ſhall not be married, nor given in marriage, but they ſhall be as the Angels in Heaven.
Secondly, the ſpiritualneſs of the body conſiſts 2.in the abſolute ſubjection of the body to the ſpirit, as to be fully and abſolutely ſerviceable to the ſpirits of the Saints, which here they are not. Here many times is a ſtrife between the ſpirit and the fleſh; the ſpirit is willing, when the fleſh is not; but then there ſhall be an abſolute ſubjection of the body to the ſpirit: As here the ſpirit of a carnal man is called fleſh, becauſe his ſoul is ſerviceable to the fleſh, to make proviſion for the ſins of the fleſh, his ſoul is counted carnal, the wiſdom of the fleſh is enmity againſt God: As the ſoul now is as it were carnal, becauſe it is ſerviceable to the fleſh, ſo the body ſhall be ſpiritual, becauſe it ſhall be ſerviceable to the ſpirit: for you to have ſuch a body as to be ſerviceable to your ſouls, as you would deſire, it were a great bleſſing, time will come when it ſhall be ſo.
Thirdly, the ſpiritualneſs of the body conſiſts in 3.the agility of the body; the ability it ſhall have to move up and down which way it will, and that ſuddenly; they ſhall move in the Heavens, as the birds do in the ayr. I remember an expreſſion that Luther Ubi velit spiritus ibi protinus crit corpus Aug. li. 22. de Civit. cap. ult.hath, that the body ſhall move up and down like a thought. And Auguſtine ſaith, They ſhall move to any place they will, as ſoon as they will. Theſe words we do not finde in Scripture; but lay this for a ground, that whatſoever we can expect for the excellency of a body, it is that we ſpeak of, or beyond it; and then we have a great deal of liberty to invent what expreſſions we can for our comfort: certainly there ſhall be that happineſs of the body that ſhall come to that we ſpeak of, or to more.
Fourthly, ſome make the ſpiritualneſs of the body to conſiſt in the tranſparency of it; Aquinas ſays, 4.It ſhall be ſo clear and tranſparent, that all the veins, Corpora beatorum non tantum fore extrinſecus ſplendida ſed etiàm intrinſecus diaphana ac tranſparentia; ut occulis intuentium appareant venae humores, viſcera, …ervi, ac tota omniū partium harmonia. Thom. in Ad. q. 85. Art. 1. ad 2 Vlp.and humors, and nerves, and bowels ſhall be ſeen, as in a glaſs.
Now brethren, the reaſons why God will reward the Saints in this part, are, Firſt, becauſe humane bodies, as well as humane ſouls, have an hypoſtatical union with the ſecond perſon of the Trinity; and therefore God rejoyces to raiſe humane bodies, as well as humane ſouls unto happineſs. Secondly, Chriſt ſuffered ſo much in his body; therefore God will glorifie the bodies of the Saints. Thirdly, our bodies are part of the members of Chriſt; our bodies are joyned in a myſtical union with Jeſus Chriſt. Fourthly, our bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghoſt, and God will glorifie his own temples. Fifthly, our bodies are in part ſanctified as well as our ſouls, and therefore ſhall alſo be glorified. Laſtly, our bodies ſhall be glorified, for the further terror and 4.confuſion of the damned; becauſe they in their bodies 5.ſhall ſee the glory of the Saints, and be confounded. 6.Here you ſee a way to get your bodies in a bleſſed condition: here is a ſtir for clothing of our bodies, but there ſhall be a cloathing with immortality: you that have ſickly and weak bodies, remember this, you ſhall one day receive your bodies in another maner then you have them now. Euſebius tels us of one of the children of the Macchabees that were put to death for the profeſſion of the truth; when they cut off his members, ſays he, I have received theſe from Heaven, and now I do give them unto the God of Heaven, and I hope I ſhall have them again: Let us be willing to put our bodies to pain; if our bodies ſuffer hunger, or thirſt, or nakedneſs, or be tyred, or ſuffer Impriſonment, or any violence be offered to our bodies in the cauſe of God, What great matter Ne vincat caro iu ſuā perditionē, el vincatur in gloriam.is it? we ſhall receive our bodies in another maner. The overcoming of the fleſh is the deſtruction of it, but the overcoming the fleſh, is the glory of it.
When we ſpeak of the happineſs of our ſouls, we are not ſo capable of it; but when we ſpeak of the happineſs of our bodies, we are ſenſible of that. Now certainly, there ſhall be much more for our bodies, here is a way to provide for your bodies: Lay up proviſion for your fleſh, is ſpoken as an argument of a carnal heart, in Rom. 13. 14. the Apoſtle exhorts them, not to make proviſion for the fleſh, to fulfil the luſts thereof: but there is a way of laying up proviſion for the fleſh that is lawful, and that this day I exhort you too. If you love your bodies, be godly: if you did believe theſe things were ſo, would not theſe make you love godlineſs? if I ſhould come unto you, and ſhew you how you might get ſome good for your bodies, then I ſhould prevail with you: give ſome credit to that we ſay now, if you will not believe theſe things, I may ſay unto you as the Prophet ſaid unto the Noble man that would not believe there could be great plenty, ſays he, Thou ſhalt ſee the great plenty with thine eyes, but thou ſhalt not eat of it; ſo if you will not believe the great things that the Miniſters of God ſpeak of in his name to you, your eyes ſhall one day ſee thoſe deſpicable, contemptible bodies of the Saints in this glory, though you ſhall not be partakers of any of it.
Now for the perfection of the ſoul: As the ſoul is of a far larger extent then the body, ſo it is more 2.capable of happineſs then the body is; and that being the proper ſeat of godlineſs, ſo it ſhall be the more rewarded: What ſplendor ſhall the ſoul have Qualis erit ſplendor animarum cum ſolis ſplendorem habebit lux …orporum?(ſays Bernard) when the body ſhall ſhine gloriouſly as the Sun? All that we can ſay for the ſoul for the preſent, becauſe we underſtand ſo little of the ſoul, is, That the ſoul ſhall not depend upon the body, as it does now for its operation. And the ſoul ſhall no way be hindred by the body, as now it is hindred here. And all the faculties of the ſoul ſhall be extended to the utmoſt: Now if an infinite power can extend the leaſt degree of power to ſuch an heighth in the members of the body; much more can an infinite power extend the faculties of an immortal ſoul, that is capable of a great deal more power then the body is. Beſides, as the faculties are extended, ſo all the graces of Gods Spirit, that the Saints of God have here, ſhall be extended to the heighth, and they are capable of a higher extention then any thing that is natural; for the more ſpiritual a thing is, the more capable it is of extention. As the plant is more capable to be drawn out to an higher excellency then a ſtone, and the ſenſitive creature to an higher excellency then the plant; and the rational creature to an higher excellency then the ſenſitive, and grace, which is ſupernatural, can be extended to an higher excellency then the natural: Beſides, what increated excellency we might imagine could poſſibly be put upon it ſhall be; who could have thought that the humane nature ſhould have had an hypoſtatical union with the body of Chriſt? and as God hath done for the bodies of men, more then all the Angels could have invented: ſo there is to be communicated to the ſoul more then can be invented.
Thirdly, the perfection of body and ſoul, does conſiſt in the majeſty of the perſon being united together: you know when Chriſt was here in the fleſh, in the eſtate of his humility, when he did let out but one beam of his majeſty, thoſe who came to apprehend him were not able to ſtand, but fell backward; if Chriſt by letting out ſome ſmall beams of his majeſty, could make men fall backward, how glorious muſt he needs be, when thoſe full beams of his majeſty ſhall be let out? the majeſty of the Saints ſhall have ſome proportion with his, and that very great, which muſt needs follow from that which hath been ſaid. We read of Stephen, that when he ſtood before the Councel arraigned as a malefactor, it is ſaid, They looked upon his countenance, and it was as the face of an Angel: O what majeſty will appear in the countenances of the Saints hereafter! And as in Adam in the eſtate of Innocency, there was ſuch majeſty in his countenance, that all the beaſts were afraid of him, what will be the majeſty of God in his Saints then, as they ſhall be hereafter? It is ſaid of Baſil, when he was ſent for to be taken by his Perſecutors, being in holy exerciſes, there appeared ſuch a majeſty in his countenance, that thoſe that came to take him, were not able to ſtand before him. There is a majeſty in the countenance of Gods people, when they walk cloſe with God; but how much more will there be majeſty in their countenances hereafter? So that you ſee Gods people ſhall not onelyonly be glorious within, as the Kings daughter is glorious within; but Pſal. 42.they ſhall be glorious outwardly. And ſo much for the firſt thing, The perfection of the natures of the Saints.