CLXXXV. SERM. are fenfible, and that not only to help our understandings to a more eafy conception of things, but likewife to move and roufe our affections, which while we are in the body, and immersed in sense, are commonly moft powerfully wrought upon, by fenfible representations of things. And therefore hell is defcribed to us by fuch things as affect the fenfe of feeling, because that is capable of the greatest and fharpest pain; and the enjoyments of heaven by the fense of fight, because that is the nobleft of all our fenses; and the primary and proper object of it is moft delightful, and of the moft spiritual nature of any corporeal thing. : 1. Sight is the nobleft and most excellent of all our fenfes and therefore the frame of the eye is the most curious of all other parts of the body, and the dearest to us, and that which we preserve with the greatest tenderness. When the apostle would fet forth the mighty affection which the Galatians bore to him, he says," they would have plucked out their "very eyes for him." 'Tis the most comprehenfive fense, hath the largest sphere, takes in the most objects, and difcerns them at the greatest distance. It can in a moment pafs from earth to heaven, and furvey innumerable objects. It is the most pure and fpiritual, and quickest in its operations, and approacheth nearest to the nature of a spiritual faculty. Of all our fenfes, it carries the greatest evidence and certainty along with it, and the reports of it are the most certain and unquestionable. Hence we ufe to fay, that one eye-witnefs is more than ten ear-witneffes. When Job would exprefs to us the moft perfect knowledge of GOD, he does it by fight, Job xlii. 5. "I have heard of thee by the hearing of the 66 CLXXXV. ear; but now my eye fees thee:" that is, he had SERM. a more perfect and clear discovery of GoD and his perfections, than ever he had before. And to mention but one thing more; it is that fenfe which is more apt to work upon our affections. Segniùs irritant animos demifja per aures, Quàm quæ funt oculis commissa fidelibus ; "The things which we hear reported, are not fo "apt to move our pity, or anger, or love, as the "things which we fee with our eyes." So that in all thefe refpects, of the dignity and excellency, the largeness and comprehensiveness, the spirituality and quickness, the evidence and certainty of this sense, and the power it hath to raise our affections, it is the fittest to represent to us the nobleft employment and operation of our fouls in the ftate of glory. 2. The primary and proper object of this sense, is the most delightful, and of the most spiritual nature of any corporeal thing, and that is light. "The light of the eye rejoiceth the heart,” Prov. xv. 30. "Light is fweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the ແ eye to behold the fun," Ecclef. xi. 7. It is the pureft and most spiritual of all corporeal things, and therefore GoD chooseth to represent himself by it. "GOD is light, and in him is no darkness at all." And thus I have done with the fecond thing I propounded to speak to; namely, that thus much in general we certainly know of the happiness of our future state, that it fhall confift in "the fight of "GOD." I should now proceed to the third thing, namely, wherein our likeness to GOD fhall confift but this I fhall refer to another opportunity. SERMON CLXXXVI. Of the happiness of good men, in the future ftate. SERM. The fe I JOHN iii. 2. It doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know, that when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall fee him as he is. N these words are four things worthy of our confideration. IN First, the prefent obfcurity of our future state, as cond fer- to the particular circumftances of that happiness which good men fhall enjoy in another world. "doth not yet appear what we shall be." mon on this text. "It Secondly, what we know of it in general; that it fhall confift in the perfect knowledge and enjoyment of GOD; both which are comprehended in that expreffion, "We fhall fee him as he is.” Thirdly, wherein our likenefs and conformity to GOD fhall confift. "This we know, that when "he fhall appear, we fhall be like him." Fourthly, the neceffary connexion between our likeness and conformity to GOD, and our fight and enjoyment of him. The two firft of thefe I have spoken to. I shall now proceed to the Third, namely, wherein our likeness and conformity to GOD fhall confist, We know that when "he fhall appear, we fhall be like him." In thefe two two things, in the immortality of our nature, and in SERM. the purity of our fouls. In this I. In the immortality of our nature. mortal state, we are not capable of that happiness which confifts in the vifion of GOD, that is, in the perfect knowledge, and perpetual enjoyment of him. The imperfection of our ftate, and the weakness of our faculties, cannot bear the fight of fo glorious and refplendent an object, as the divine nature and perfections are: "we cannot fee GoD and live." The frailty of our mortal condition is unequal to sustain fo great a weight of glory; to be fure it is incapable of eternal felicity: nothing but an immortal nature can be happy for ever. And therefore the fcripture tells us, that when our bodies fhall be raised, the quality and condition of them fhall be quite altered, and that our bleffed SAVIOUR fhall by his almighty power make a mighty change in them, from what they were in this mortal state, Phil. iii. 20, 21. "Our converfation is in heaven, from whence alfo we look for a SAVIOUR, the LORD JE"SUS CHRIST; who fhall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is ❝able even to subdue all things to himself." And the apostle tells us more particularly, wherein this change doth confift, 1 Cor. xv. 42. "It is fown in "corruption, it is raised in incorruption; it is fown "in dishonour, it is raised in glory; it is fown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is fown a na"tural body, it is raised a spiritual body." These corruptible, and vile, and weak, and grofs bodies, which we wear and carry about us for a while, and at laft put off, and lay down in the grave, 46 CLXXXVI. SERM. fhall by the power of GoD at the refurrection, be CLXXXVI. refined and advanced into fpiritual and vigorous, I. glorious and immortal bodies. Our bodies are now but a tabernacle, a temporary and moveable dwelling that shall shortly be taken down; but at the refurrection, they fhall become a fixed and fettled habitation, a house that shall never decay, nor come to ruin. So the apoftle tells us, 2 Cor. v. 1. "We "know that if our earthly houfe of this tabernacle were diffolved, we have a building of GOD, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” And when this bleffed change fhall be made, " mor"tality fhall be fwallowed up of life; for this cor"ruptible must put on incorruption, and this mor"tal must put on immortality." And there is a neceffity of this, in order to our perfect happiness. For that is not a perfect happiness, which shall expire and have an end, which it must have, if we were ftill liable to mortality. And therefore the apostle is peremptory, that there must be fuch a change, because our bodies, as they are now conftituted and framed, are utterly incapable of the happiness of the next life. Ver. 50. "Now this I fay, brethren, "that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom " of GOD." Where by flesh and blood, the apoftle does not mean, as many have imagined, our finful and impure nature; but our frail and mortal nature, confifting of fuch grofs materials as flesh and blood are, for the maintenance and fupport of which, there is continual need of new recruits, and fresh fupplies of nourishment by meat and drink. Such a nature as this, which is neceffarily mortal, "can"not inherit the kingdom of GOD," which is a ftate of perpetual and endless happiness. And that the |