The Christian Warfare Part 2, Book 3 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
Of the speciall happinesse and felicitie of our bodies in the kingdome of heauen.
ANd this shal be the happines of our soules.§. Sect. 1. That we shall be freed from all bodily wants and grieuances; as hunger and thirst. Our bodies likewise shall be freed from all euill, and replenished with all good; and first they shall hauehave all their defects and wants supplied, and all imperfections taken away. They shall then bee freed from hunger and thirst, and consequently shall hauehave no need of meate and drinke. And this our Sauiour implieth, where he saith, that in the resurrection wee shall be like the Angels of Matth. 22. 30.God in heauen; and plainly expresseth it to his Apostle Iohn, where describing the state of the blessed, he saith, they shall Apoc. 7. 16.hunger no more, neither thirst any more. To which purpose one saith, that here we hunger and thirst, and hauehave need to be satisfied:August. serm. in fest. pasch. tom. 10. c. 1533. but though wee hauehave this want in our way, we shall in our countrey hauehave satietie. The reason whereof is cleere and manifest; for seeing our bodies shall be immortall and incorruptible, therefore no part of their substance can consume or waste, and consequently they shall need no refreshing or reparation by meate and drink. Againe, to need meate and drinke are infirmities of nature, which growing to extremitieAugust. de Symb. ad Cetechum. lib. 2. cap. 11. cause death; but (as one saith) there shall no infirmitie and corruption rise with vsus; and by the same reason, neither shall wee then hauehave those things which ordinarily serue for the supplie of these infirmities and imperfections. OnelyOnly wee shall then hauehave that bread of life, which for our sakes came downe from heauen, and that fountaine of life, of which whosoeuer drinke shall neuer thirst, with whose presence our soules shall be satisfied, according to that of the Psalmist: They shall be satisfied with the fatnes of thine Psal. 36. 8.house, and thou shalt giuegive them drinke out of the riuer of thy pleasures; for with thee is the well of life, and in thy light shall we see light. Now if any obiect that the Scriptures make mention of eating and drinking in the kingdome of heauen; and that our Sauiour Christ promiseth to appoint a kingdome to his Disciples, where they should eate and drinke at his table: theLuke 22. 29. 30 answere is, that these are but borrowed speeches, whereby the holy Ghost fitteth himselfe to our capacitie, that hee might giuegive vsus some taste of these heauenly ioyes in these earthly actions, which in their owne excellencie, are vntounto vsus vnconceiuable. Euen as Wisedome is said to hauehave killed her victuals, drawne ou… her wine, and prepared her table. WhichProu. 9. 2. bodily actions cannot agree to wisedome which is of a spirituall nature, but are only borrowed speeches whereby the excellencie and profit of Gods spiritual graces, as the knowledge of God a good conscience, and ioy in the holy Ghost are noted and signified. And if it be further alleaged that the Angels themselues and our Sauiour Christ after his resurrection, are said to hauehave eaten and drunken; we are to know that in them both, they were actions of power, and not of any necessitie; and our Sauiour did not eate for hunger, but that he might shew the truth of his humane nature, by these naturall actions of eating and drinking; neither were these meates and drinkes turned into nourishment, or to the increasing, or preseruing the substance of his bodie, but were again dissolued into their first principles and elements. Now if any epicure placing a great part of his happinesse in eating and drinking, shall thinke in this respect that our estate shall be worse because wee shall not hauehave the pleasure of meate and drinke; let him know that our pleasure and delight shall be infinitly more, in our participation of our spirituall nourishment the bread and water of life. And if hee shall aske what imployment wee can hauehave, when as wee shall hauehave no vse of these naturall actions, it is all alike (as one saith) as ifPlutarch. Quicquid nobis nunc exhibet deus cum prosperè exhibet, nō est gaudiū beatorum, sed consolatio miserorum. August. in Psal. 144. the daughters of Dana… should be carefull what to doe, if they had filled their leaking vessell. For hunger and thirst are among those punishments which are due vntounto sin, from which when we are deliuered, we are restored to a degree of happinesse; and these meates and drinkes being taken at the best, are the comforts of pilgrims, and not the delights of the blessed; and howsoeuer it is good to hauehave them when wee want them, yet it is better not to want them, then to hauehave them.
So we shall not in this heauenly happinesse stand in need§. Sect. 2. Of other worldly wants from which our bodies shall be freed. of sleepe, seeing we shall not be spent or wearied by labour; nor shall need to hauehave our spirits refreshed, seeing wee shall liue by the al-sufficient spirit of God, which can neuer neede any renouation. We shall not there need physick, seeing we shall enioy perpetuall health, nor no more clog our stomacks, and emptie our purses, with these lothsome drugges, seeing after we hauehave tasted of the tree of life, we shall be priuiledged and preserued from all diseases. We shall not there want clothes, seeing God will giuegive vntounto vsus the aApoc. 7. 9.long white garments of immortalitie, that neuer can bee worne out; which shall be so beautifull and glorious, that (like the sun) we shall be best adorned, when we hauehave no other couering, but our owne resplendent and maiesticall brightnes. Wee shall not in these ioyes need the ayre to coole our heate and keepe vsus from stiflings neither yet breathing and respiration, seeing we shall not liue any longer by the helpe of this animall facultie, but (as the Apostle teacheth vsus) shall be immediatly quickened by bRom. 8. 11.Gods holy spirit, which also giueth life to Christ our head. We shall not there need the sun, for cApoc. 2. 25. and 22. 5. Esay 60. 19. 20.the glory of God shall illighten that heauenly city, and the lambe shall be the light of it. To this purpose also the Prophet Esay saith: Thou shalt hauehave no more sunne to shine by day, neither shall the brightnesse of the moone shine vntounto her: for the Lord shall be thine euerlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Thy sunne shall neuer goe downe, neither shall thy moone be hid; for the Lord shall be thine euerlasting light▪ and the d…es of thy sorrow shall be ended. And because this sunne neuer setteth, there shall neuer be any night there; and consequently no need of any watch to keep the gates of that city, or of the helpe of candle light, as the Apostle speaketh. And yet though the gates bee stil open,Apoc. 22. 5. …o vnclean dApoc. 21. 27.thing can enter into that holy city, it being the nature of that land to put to slight al hurtful vermine, and the poysonous brood of the old serpent. In a word, in this fulnesse of ioy we shall not want any thing, for e1. Cor. 15. 28.God shall be vntounto vsus all in all; and he who is fGen. 17. 1. andal-sufficient shal also be our g15. 1.exceeding great reward.
And as wee shall hauehave all our bodily wants supplied with§. Sect. 3. Of the manifold euils from which our bodies shall be deliuered. al maner of good, and our defects and imperfections wholly abolished; so also shall our bodies bee freed from all those positiue euils, wherewith in this life they are so much troubled and afflicted; for there shal be no more curse, hGal. 3. 10.because there shall be no more sinne; and consequently there shal be no plagues and punishments, which are contained and comprised in the malediction. There shal bee no faintnesse, because no trauell; nor languishing wearinesse, because we shal enioy perpetual rest▪ there shal be no ser…itude and bondage, because we shal al enioy the liberty of the sons of God; nor base subiection, seeing we shal al iApoc. 1. 6. 2. Tim. 2. 12.reigne as kings, acknowledging fealtie vntounto none but to the great monarch of heauen and earth, who also will require no other tribute of vsus, but praise and thanksgiuing for al his benefits. There our bodies shal not be parched with kApoc. 7. 16.heate, seeing we shal hauehave a comfortable shade and refreshing vnderunder the shadow of Gods wings, and the tree of life; neither shal they bee pinched with chilling cold, seeing the sun of righteousnesse wil continually shine vponupon vsus, and comfortably warme vsus with the beames of his louelove. They shal not there hauehave any monstrous shapes, blemishes, and deformities, but be restored to perfect beautie, seeing these are the fruits and effects of sin, which must of necessity cease, when their cause ceaseth. There they shall not be molested with wounds and skarres, nor worne out and consumed with sicknesses and diseases; there shal be no loathsome leprosies, nor spreading plagues, nor pining consumptions, nor raging feuers. There the head shall be free from megrims, the hands from palsies, the feet from gouts, the eyes from dimnesse, the eares from deafenesse, the ioynts from lamenesse, the bones from aches, and the whole body both from desperate diseases, and the smallest maladies. In a word, as the body shall bee priuiledged from entertaining these harbingers of death, so shall they bee freed from giuing any more lodging to that al-killing tyrant; for then not only the sting of death, but euen death1. Cor. 15. 54. it selfe shal be taken away.
And these, with many more, are the euils from which our§. Sect. 4. Of the good things which shall be communicated to our bodies; and first spirituall qualities. 1. Cor. 44. 45. bodies shall be deliuered. The good things, and excellent parts, which shall be communicated vntounto them, are diuers. As first, they shal be spirituall bodies, as the Apostle also testifieth: It is sowne a naturall body, and is raised a spirituall body. There is a naturall bodie, and there is a spirituall body: As it is written, the first man Adam was made a liuing soule, and the last Adam was made a quickening spirit &c. Whereby we are not to vnderstand that the substance of our bodies shall bee spirituall, or that they shall bee turned into spirits; for wee shall rise with the same bodies, consisting, in respect of their substance, of flesh and bones, as they now doe. Neither doth the Apostle say that wee shall become spirits, but that wee shall hauehave spirituall bodies. Now it is one thing to bee a spirit, or spirituall substance, and another thing to hauehave a spirituall body; for a spirit hath neither flesh nor bones, but a spirituall body hath both. Againe, it is vnnaturall and impossible for a body to bee changed into a spirit, seeing they hauehave not the same matter; and contrary also to the Scriptures, which teach vsus, that man shall rise to inherit glory: now a perfect man consisteth as well of a body as of a soule; and therefore hee cannot bee all spirit, but must hauehave as well a corporall as a spirituall substance. …ore, holy Iob professeth his assurance, that he should see God in his flesh, and that he the very same, and not another should see him, and that his owne eyes should behold him. Finally, such as our Sauiour Christs body was, such also shall ours be; but hee had a true, materiall▪ and physicall body, consisting of flesh and blood, which might not onelyonly bee seene, but also handled; for so himselfe saith; Behold my hands and my feet, for it is I my selfe; Luk. 24. 39.handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as you se… me hauehave. Neither is that obiection of any force, that we shall be like the Angels in heauen, and therefore spirits; seeing the contrarie rather followeth; we shall bee like them, andMat. 22. 30. therefore not the same. And not like them in all things, but in not eating and drinking, marrying, and giuing in mariage, and such like. Whereas therefore the Apostle saith, that we shall hauehave spirituall bodies, and opposeth them to naturall and physicall bodies, it is not to be vnderstood generally of all naturall bodies, but of such alone as wee now hauehave, which are subiect to mortality and corruption. Neither is it his meaning, that they shall bee spirituall in regard of their substance, which shall be one and the same as now it is, but in diuers other respects. As first, because they shall be quickened by the spirit of God, and be preserued and continued in their liues, by the vertue and vigour of this spirit, which dwelling primarily and aboue measure in Christ our head, is from him communicated to vsus who are his members; and shall no more liue by their animall facultie, nor need for the preseruation of their liues, meate, drinke, clothing, sleepe, physicke and such like helpes, which are altogether necessary in this state of mor…ality. In which respects they shal cease to be naturall bodies, as they shall bee freed from these animall faculties, of nourishing, encreasing and multiplying by generation; for no more shall they liue by vertue of meate and drinke thrice concocted; first in the stomacke, turning it to chylus; then in the miseraicke veines and liuer, conuerting it into blood; and lastly in the seuerall parts, when it is turned into their substance, either for the augmentation or preseruation of the body; but shall be spirituall and heauenly, liuing without all these helpes, by sole vertue of Gods spirit, and that life which they communicate from Christ their head, and so shall in respect of this spiritual quickening become spirituall, euen as the wax of the candle being kindled by the fire becommeth a flame, and like vntounto the fire whereby it is kindled. But yet it shall remaine naturall, as it still retaineth his owne substance, and the faculties of reason, sense, and motion, whereby it shall still bee guided and gouerned; by vertue of that power which our soules shall receiue from the spirit of God. Againe, they may bee called after the resurrection, spirituall, because they shall in all things bee subiect to Gods spirit, and bee by it wholly ruled and gouerned; for that which in this behalfe the soule is in this life to the body, that in the life to come shall the spirit of God be to both soule and body, obeying it in all things, not in part onelyonly and imperfectly as in this world, but most perfectly, wholly, and willingly▪ without the least dislike or reluctation. In which respect also it may bee called spirituall, as it doth attaine vntounto spiritual, angelicall, and most absolute and free obedience. And with this agreeth the iudgementAugust. de fide & symbolo cap. 5. tom. 3. of that worthie ancient. When as (saith he) we heare that our bodies are to become spirituall, we are not so to vnderstand it, as though our body should bee changed into a spirituall substance, and so become a spirit; for neither our body now which is called animall is not changed into a soule, but retaineth his owne substance. But that is said to be a spirituall body, which is so in all things subiect to the spirit of God, as befitteth that heauenly habitation, all humane fragility, and earthly infirmity, being changed and turned into heauenly purity, and immortality. Finally, our bodies shall be spirituall, in regard that they shall be indued and adorned with spirituall qualities; for to this end the Apostles discourse wholly tendeth, not to shew that they shall hauehave their substance spirituall in the resurrection, but onelyonly1. Cor. 15. their qualities; that whereas now they are mortall, corruptible, earthly, and indued with earthly qualities, as heauines, slownesse, faintnesse, weakenesse and the rest; they shall then become immortall, incorruptible, heauenly, and indued with heauenly and spirituall qualities.
Now these spirituall qualities are diuers: as first immortality;§. Sect. 5. Of some spirituall qualities wherewith our bodies shall be adorned; as immortalitie, and agility. Luk. 20. …6. 1. Cor. 15. 53. vers. 42. for our Sauiour Christ saith, they shall die no more, for as much as the saints shall bee equall vntounto the Angels, and are the sonnes of God, &c. And the Apostle telleth vsus, that our mortall must put on immortality. So by the same reason they must needs be incorruptible: for as he speaketh in the same chapter; our bodies are sowne in corruption, and raised in incorruption: and againe, our corruptible must put on incorruption. VntoUnto this wee may adde their agility, and their quicke, nimble, and light motion; for being glorified, they are perfectly ruled by the soule, and yeeld vntounto it ready seruice, not being now hindred by their waight or sluggishnesse, from the present performing of any action wherein it will imploy them: so as they shall bee able to ascend, as well as descend; as we see in the example of our Sauiour, ascending into heauen in the sight of his Apostles; and to moue from place toAct. 1. 9. place with incredible swiftnesse, not being at all hindred by their waight. For if (as one saith) lead, which naturally sinkethAugust. de resurrect. corporum. Serm. 4. tom. 10. Serm. 47. to the bottome as soone as it is cast into the water, may by the art of the workeman bee made in such a forme, thin, hollow, and like a boate, that it wil swim and flote aloft; shal we thinke that God cannot giuegive that ability to our bodie, that the workeman to the lead? And if the water which is naturally heauie, can be made so thin and subtill, that it hangeth in the aire, and is caried about with the wind; how much more may a glorified body, quickened by Gods spirit, be freed from it dull heauinesse, and hauehave power to ascend, and to moue which way the soule pleaseth to guide it? Againe, we see by experience, that the heauier a body is, the slower it naturally is, and vnfit for motion, and the lighter it is, the more swift and nimble; and yet who seeth not, that a mans body which is leane and weake, though it be light, yet moueth slowly; and that his body who is in good liking, strong and vigorous, though it bee more heauie, is quicke and swift in motion? If therefore health can worke this great difference, and make that which is heauie to be caried by another, light to be caried by it selfe; euen as the want thereof maketh that heauie to it selfe, which is light vntounto another; how much more shal this be effected by immortality, and the quickening vertue of Gods powerfull spirit? But whether this motion shall be equal in swiftnesse to our souleAugust. de Spirit. & anima lib. cap. 65. Erunt quippe ula corpora vt animus agili…, vt sol perspicua. August. de cognit. verae. vitae lib. cap. 45. Thom. Aquin; Supplem. quaest. 83. art. 1. and thoughts, and whether our bodies shall be able in an instant to passe from place to place, as some do iudge; or whether they shall onelyonly moue with great and extraordinarie speed, passing whither they wil, though it bee in great distance, in a very short time, wee cannot determine; howsoeuer I thinke this latter much more probable. Finally, our bodies being freed from their earthly grosnesse, shal bee subtil and of a much more fine and pure substance, not by diminution of their quantitie, for in this respect it shall retaine al his dimensions, not by reason of any rarefaction, as water is made subtill, in the mists and clouds; for then our bodies could not be felt, as our Sauiour Christs was after his resurrection; but in respect of the compleate perfection of it, in it essence and kind, which perfection it hath from the dominion of Gods spirit dwelling in it, and of the glorified soule which doth informe it, vntounto which it is subiect; and by reason of this perfection which it hath from them, is fit and able for the performing of all actions and motions of the soule wherein it will imploy it; for otherwise it would still be a burthen and hinderance to the soule as it is in this life. And in respect of this subtility; whereby it is fitted to be subiect, and as it were the ready instrument of the soule, it cannot bee hindred in it motion▪ by the opposition of any solid body, nor yet included, imprisoned, or violently detained in any place. Of which wee hauehave an example in our Sauiour Christs body after his resurrection, which by reason of the subtility thereof did suddenly appeare vntounto his Apostles, andLuk. 24. 31. presently againe disappeared, and also did come amongst them into the roome where they were, the doores beingIoh. 20. 19. shut; not by penetrating their substance, which is against the nature of a body, consisting of flesh and bones; but by their inuisible yeelding to giuegive passage to this most perfect body, that it might hereby bee imployed in such actions as his holy spirit, and most diuine soule thought fit. Finally, to this subtiltie we may also referre that most acute, quicke, and exquisite perception and comprehension of the senses, which the glorified body shal hauehave, and the puritie of the affections, whereby (notwithstanding they communicate with the body) they shall bee most obedient and seruiceable to the mind, and no more trouble and disturbe it with their grosnesse and impurity.
VntoUnto these spiritual qualities we may adde diuers others,§. Sect. 6. That our bodies shall be indued with great strength, and freed from suffering any hurt. as namely, they shall bee indued with great power and strength, and enioy for euer most perfect health: and whereas now the soule being a spirit, mighty, and powerfull, cannot shew it strength, because of the weaknesse of the body, which is it organ and instrument; in respect whereof we see by experience, that it exerciseth it functions and actions more strongly or weakely, according to the measure of bodily strength and health which it vseth and imployeth: in our heauenly countrie our bodies shall enioy such perfect health, and bee indued with such powerfull strength, that they shal match the ability of the soule, and become so fit for it in vigour and might, that it shall not as it doth now hinder the actions thereof with it weaknesse, and wearines, but become a perfect and sufficient instrument for all imployments. And this quality the Apostle attributeth vntounto it, where he saith, that it is sowne in weakenesse▪ but is raised in power. 1. Cor. 15. 43.So also they shall be indued with impassibility, and bee freed from suffring any hurt or detriment from any outward agent, to which in this life they are so much subiected; and consequently they shall bee freed from all alteration, diminution, and corruption: for seeing all passion or suffering proceedeth from an ouerbearing power of the agent ouer the patient; and for as much as nothing can thus ouerrule, but by ouercomming the forme of the patient, which resisteth all outward force as long as it hath any ability: and finally, seeing our humane bodies shal be perfectly subiected vntounto our soules, by which they are informed, euen as the soule also is perfectly subiected vntounto God; by whose vertue and power they are defended from all outward violence, hurts and iniuries; therefore necessarily they become impassible, and free from euill, because there is no outward agent able to ouercome our powerfull soules, and the more powerfull spirit of God; nor so strong and mighty to hurt our bodies, as they are to preserue and defend them.
Finally, they shall bee adorned with most compleat and§. Sect 7. That our bodies shall be beautifull, and of a comely stature and proportion. perfect beautie, and that both in respect of the comely and due proportion, and symmetrie of al the parts and members, and fit quantity and stature of the whole body; and also in respect of the colour and complexion. So that then our bodies shal be freed from al maimes, defects, and monstrous shapes, from all deformities, blemishes, and disgraces; from al disproportion, and vnseemely shape of the members one with another, and in themselues: and the whole man shal bee adorned and graced with a goodly shape, feature and comelinesse. And as there shal bee perfection of al the parts of the body, so also of the whole in respect of age and stature. For although wee can gather little concerning this point directly and plainely out of the Scriptures, yet may it be inferred by consequence, and concluded by good reason; for if old age and childhood be the infirmities and imperfections of man, the one not hauing attained the perfection of nature, and the other being past it, and the middle age most compleat and perfect, and seeing both a giantlike and dwarfish stature, are the aberrations of nature, and much more imperfect then a proportionable person, and a body of a conuenient and comely quantity; then it wil follow hereupon that al the saints of heauen shal bee of a middle and perfect age, and though not of an exact equality, yet of a comely and goodly stature, for as much as in the state of blessednesse al imperfections and infirmities shal bee taken away, and that which is most perfect and excellent shal be receiued and inioyed. And of this I am the more certainely persuaded, because God in the first creation, making man his most perfect creature, did make him neither a child nor old man, but of a middle and perfect age, nor yet of huge stature (for giants came long after, through that monstrous and vnequal matching of the sons of God with the daughters of men) nor ofGen. 6. 4. dwarfish smalnesse, in which there is no maiesty or comelinesse; but of such a meane and conuenient stature, as might make maiesty and beauty meet to gether; and therefore seeing our resurrection shal be a renouation, and (as it were) a new and more perfect creation, then the first in Adam; it is more then probable, that there will bee a conformitie, and likenesse betweene them, sauing that the latter shall be much more perfect and excellent, God then purposing to shew his extraordinarie goodnesse, merciemercy, wisdome and power, in aduancing the blessed estate and condition of the vessels of grace, whom he hath chosen to honour and euerlasting glorie. Againe, if the Lord promiseth to his Church, euen in the state of imperfect regeneration, such a vigorous and flourishing condition, that there should bee neither child nor oldEsa. 65. 20. man amongst them, in respect of the infirmities and weakenesses of these ages, but all should bee of full and perfect strength; how much more will he conferre and bestow vponupon vsus this vigorous perfection and strength in our renouation and state of glorie? Finally, we know that our Sauiour Christ continued in this life to his perfect age, and before ye time, wherin according to the common course of nature, his bodie shuld hauehave declined, he laid it aside by death, and after rising againe, he ascended with it into glorie in this perfect age. From which some not improbably doe gather,Credibilius accipitur & probabilius plenas …tates resurrecturas, vt reddatur munere quod accessurum erat tempore. August. de resur. corporum serm. 4. tom. 10. serm. 147. §. Sect. 8. That our bodies shall be shining and glorious. Exod. 34. 30. that seeing we shall be made conformable vntounto our head in glorie, we shal not be vnlike him in this vigorous maturitie and perfect age; but shal, if we die in our infancy, attaine vntounto that perfection and ripenes, by the vertue and power of God, which time & continuance here would hauehave brought vsus vntounto; and if wee die in old age, shall by the same diuine might, bee freed from al the infirmities thereof, and be renewed and restored againe to our perfect, vigour, strength and beautie.
VntoUnto this symmetrie and fit proportion of al the members and parts, shall be added the other part of beautie, consisting not onelyonly in the pleasing mixture of those two liuely colours of white and red, but also in the bright shining, and glorious maiestie of the body. For if Moses mortall and earthly bodie, being but a while conuersant with God, did so participate of his glory, that his face did shine, when hee returned into the congregation, so as Aaron and the people could not looke vponupon him, till he had cast a vaile ouer it; how much more shal ours, being glorified, immortall, and heauenlie, when they shall be continually conuersant with God, and inioy his glorious presence for euermore? And if our SauiourMatth. 17. …. Christ, before he was glorified, in his temporary transfiguration, did shine like the Sunne in his glorious brightnesse, and had euen his clothes made as white as the light, then shall we also the members of his bodie, be conformable to Christ our head, & be like vntounto him in this glorious quality, though not in equalitie. And this also the Scriptures plainely testifie; for so Daniel saith, that they who be wise, shal shine as the Dan. 12. 3.brightnes of the firmament, and they that turne many vntounto righteousnes, shall shine as the stars for euer and euer. Which is to be vnderstood comparatiuely, namely, that these shal as much excel other of the Saints in glorious brightnes, as the firmament the earth, or the starres the firmament: for when Christ simply speaketh of the shining brightnes of ye Saints, he saith of them all, that the iust men shal then shine as the Sunne in the Matth. 13. 43.kingdom of their Father. The which glorie and brightnes shal extend euen to their very garments, and robes of immortality and righteousnes; for, as ye Apostle saith, the spouse of Christ, the Church, shal be arraied with pure linnen and shining. To thisApoc. 19. 8. August. de rectitud. cathol. conuers. tract. tom 9. purpose one saith, that men in the kingdom of heauen shal be like vntounto the Angels, not in substance, but in blessednes; and the iust shal shine like the Sun in the kingdō of their Father: and if the brightnesse of the bodie shal match the light of the Sunne, what doe you thinke shal be the glory of the soule? Now if we further adde, that this beautie and brightnesse, shal be ioyned with great maiestie and glorie, what can bee added to this excellencie and perfection? but herein we shal us much excell the Sunne, as a liuing reasonable, and glorified creature excelleth another which is destitute of life, senseles and meerely natural; at which the Apostle aimeth, where he saith, that though our bodie be a1. Cor. 15. 43.sowne in dishonour, base and contemptible, yet it is raised in glorie. The which may further appeare, if we consider that the Scriptures in many places teach vsus, that in the resurrection to this heauenly happinesse, our bodies shal be like the glorified bodie of our Sauiour Christ; for so the Apostle telleth vsus, that bRom. 8. 29.God hath predestinate vsus to be made like to the image of his Sonne, that he might hee the first borne of many brethren. So elsewhere hee saith, that such c1. Cor. 15. 48. 49.as is the earthly Adam, such are they which are earthly; and such as is the heauenly Adam, such are they also that are heauenly. And as we hauehave borne the image of the earthly, so shall we beare the image of the heauenly. And in another place he affirmeth, that d2. Cor. 3. 18.we all behold, as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord with open face, and are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, as by the spirit of the Lord. And againe he saith, that when eCol. 3. 4.Christ, which is our life shall appeare, we shall appeare with him in glory. But most plainely in the Epistle to the Philippians hee teacheth vsus, that fPhil. 3. 21.Christ Iesus shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like vntounto his glorious body, according to the warking, whereby he is able to subdue all things to himselfe. And with him agreeth the testimonie of the Apostle Iohn, as being both guided by the same spirit; g1 Iohn 3. 2.We know (saith he) that when he shall appeare, wee shall be like vntounto him. And as this is confirmed with plentifull testimonies, so it standeth with good reason; for seeing Iesus Christ is our head, and we the members of his body, decorum and comlinesse requireth, that wee should bee conformable and like vntounto him; for ill would it beseeme a glorious head, to hauehave an inglorious bodie, and not to hauehave the rest of the members sutable with it in maiestie and perfection. Now if we further inquire, what is the glorie of the bodie of Christ our head, the Apostle Iohn, who did behold it but through these dim spectacles of mortalitie wil tel vsus, that his face shine Apoc. 1. 16.as the Sunne shineth in his chiefe strength; and yet this was but a glimpse of his glory, such as this blessed Apostle was capable of in this fraile condition, and could behold with his weake sight; and therefore our Sauiour himselfe further saith, that at the last iudgement, the Sonne of man shall come in Matth. 16. 27.the glorie of his Father. In comparison of whose shining brightnesse, and most glorious maiestie, the Sunne is but a shadow, yea grosse and palpable darkenesse. Seeing therfore Christ shall be like vntounto his father, and we like vntounto Christ, how beautifull and glorious shal we be at the day of his blessed appearing? Now if we would know by what meanes our earthly bodies shal be made thus beautifull, and full of glorious maiestie, it is by that communion which we shall hauehave with Christ our head, by his spirit, and by that communion which we shall hauehave. with God through him. For he being vnited to the Godhead, and we vntounto him, it followeth herevpon, that as he communicateth with his father in glory and maiestie, so wee also communicate with him, and by this conduit pipe, hauehave the streames of glory and happinesse from God, who is the fountaine of al maiestie and blessednesse, deriued vntounto vsus.