WHether the Soul in the State of Separation acts independently of Matter, purely by the strength of her own powers, or whether in order to the better understanding her self and other Beings, she makes use of a Body of Air shaped out into such Limbs and Sences as she hath occasional employment for; whether or no the want of her old companion is supplied this way, is uncertain. But whatever abatements of happiness the pious Soul may suffer for want of a suitable Body between the time of Death, and the General Judgment, then we are sure this inconvenience will be removed, and it will be repossessed of its antient Seat out of which Violence or Nature had forced it.

Now this certainty of the Resurrection is a Doctrine, which helps the meanest understanding to conceive the Nature of the Happiness of the other World, and consequently must needs prove a great and universal encouragement to the practice of our Duty. For in regard we have always been used to dwell in these houses of Clay, the generality would not have been so well able to apprehend the happiness of pure and uncompounded Spirits; but would have been apt to have thought that the loss of their Bodies would have deprived them of no small part of themselves; and consequently would not have been so willing to resign them or expose them to hardship and inconvenience upon the account of Religion: But now since we are assured that this visible part of us, which we are so well acquainted with, shall be quitted only for a time, and then restored us with all desirable advantages; yet Mortality shall be swallowed up of life, and we shall exchange the Image of the earthy for that of the heavenly; what can we more rationally infer than the last verse of this Chapter? Wherefore be ye stedfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord in as much as no part of our being is lost, and consequently no part of our labour is in vain in the Lord.

That by the Image of the earthy is meant that mortal corruptible body which we have derived to us from Adam, is plain from the verse before the text; The first man was of the earth earthy, the second man is the Lord from Heaven, and then it follows, as we have born the Image of the earthy we shall also bear Image of the Heavenly.

Now because the nature of opposite qualities is best discovered by their being compared, therefore that it may the more plainly appear wherein the advantage of changing the earthy for the heavenly consists; I shall in the

First place mention those inconveniencies and defects to which our bodies are subject now.

2. I shall endeavour to prove that the qualities of glorified bodies will be opposed to those defects, and free from those inconveniences we are now sensible of.

3. I shall draw some practical conclusions from the consideration of this difference.

1. Those bodies we now have are inconvenient upon these following accounts.

1. Because of the weakness and uselessness of them when we have them first.

2. Because their best condition is but of a short continuance.

3. Because our being liable to the disorders of passion proceeds in a great measure from them.

4. Because they make us subject to pain.

5. Because they hinder the operations of the mind in its pursuit after truth and knowledge.

1. They are inconvenient upon the account of the weakness and usefulness of them when we have them first.

Though our deriving our Beings from those of our own Nature, and coming Infants into the World, is a great promoter of kindness and good correspondence, and tends very much to support of Government and Society; yet it must be granted, that we lose something (tho not so much) by it another way. For the Soul at her first entrance, by reason of the indisposition of the body, is uncapable of acting rationally, and is forced to wait till she hath fit instruments to work with; and when we do begin to judge of objects, we measure the good and evil of them by the pleasure of inconvenience which the body receives from thence: Now because we are accustomed at first for several years together to make our sences Umpires of the value of things, this forestalls our judgment, with a good opinion of them, which makes us more inclinable to please them afterwards, and gives our reason a greater trouble in the managing of them than otherwise it would have had.

Besides in our Infancy unpleasant and frightful things make a deep impression upon us both because of the fluid and pliable nature of the Brain, and because we have not judgment to discover the worst of things nor strength to resist them, and therefore through our own weakness, and the indiscretion of those we sometimes happen to converse with; we are apt to take up odd prejudices, and to be possess'd with unaccountable fears, which the reason of our whole life often finds impossible to conquer: It must be granted therefore that Adam had a great advantage above his posterity, by being created a perfect man, without running through the weakness and folly of Infancy and Childhood: For in regard his Body was prepared for the Soul to act in at their first meeting; he was not so liable to be imposed upon by ill customs, and senseless imaginations, because he was always capable of judging of them: And therefore his desires and fears must be better proportioned to the nature of things; than they would have been if his reason had come to him byassed and tinctured with those impressions, which the long weakness & unserviceableness of his body had made upon it.

A 2d Inconvenience of our Bodies is, that the highest condition they are capable of arriving at, is but of a short continuance: They are a considerable part of our lives a working up into any tolerable degree of usefulness, before which time they signifie little more to us than the Bodies of Brutes do; and when they are once fitted for the service of the Soul, and we begin to understand what they are good for, it is not long before they decline into Age and Indisposition, and that which seem'd to be a Palace before, turns to a Prison, and hath little either of pleasure or convenience in it. For though our Youth is not placed upon such a precipice as immediately to tumble from its highest station into a decrepit condition; yet when life is going down the Hill, its motion is not so slow, but that it may be perceived in a little time, especially if it be pushed forward by any accidental distemper.

1. The Sences grow flat, and do not enjoy and relish their respective objects with that quickness and eager satisfaction which they formerly did. But if this was all the alteration we were liable to, we ought possibly rather to account it an advantage than a loss, because the lessening of sensual delights would rebate the edge of our desires, and make them submit to the Laws of Religion with less reluctancy. But the flower of Youth does not only go off quickly, but which is more to be regretted, the fruit of it too; and the abatement of the Sences vigour, is usually followed with an apparent decay of strength. Thus life, when it is once fermented to the height, hath its spirits continually flying off, till it is drawn to the Less, and that part of it only remains which oftentimes makes us uneasie both to our selves and others: so that when the mind is embarked in any design of considerable length and advantage; it is usually set a shore upon the other World before it hath reached its intended port; or else forced to spend that stock of time and abilities which remains, in stopping the Leakage and piecing up the ruins of the Vessel; which is not only a hindrance of the main business, but is likewise a very troublesome employment.

A 3. Inconvenience of our bodies consists in their making us subject to passion; That our passions, at least the violence of them, are immediately caused by the motion of the spirits, that is the finer parts of the Blood, will appear, if we consider, that those who have a greater stock of spirits supplied them from youth or intemperance, are soonest overborn which disorders of this nature.

'Tis true, God made our minds subject to the impressions of Passion upon a very good account; that by such unusual commotions within us, we might be awakened, and as it were roused up to pursue those things which are useful, and avoid the contrary, with the greater vigour and industry: For if we had nothing but dry reason and cool Blood to contrive and execute for us, our apprehensions in many cases would be too flow, and our endeavours faint: But notwithstanding the advantage the Passions were design'd to give us, as they are commonly managed, they do more harm than good: For we are apt either to place them upon wrong Objects, to fly them to too high a pitch, or to continue them upon us when they ought to be discharged, which makes us hasty in our Resolutions; injurious and careless in our words and actions; they make us dote almost to Frensy upon trifles, and by being too kindly entertained by us, improve a sudden disgust against our Neighbour into a setled and habitual malice; infinite almost are the indecencies and sins which the ill Government of our Passions betrays us to; they discompose the whole frame of mind and body, disquieting the one, and disordering the other; the effects of them are different according to their nature, and the power they have gotten over our reason; sometimes they make men languish and pine away with envy or desire; sometimes through an excess of fear they betray them into worse inconveniencies than those they were afraid of: Some are said to have absolutely lost their wits in their anger, and raved themselves into Bedlam; and others we may observe are over-joyed to perfect folly and ridiculousness.

Now, though a great part of our present vertue and future reward depends upon the due management of our Passions; neither can they come up to this height which I have mentioned, without our own fault; yet in regard our bodies are the immediate instruments of their violence, we must grant they are inconvenient upon this account: For if our reason was quick enough to apprehend and pursue our interest of it self, without being spurred upon duty by Passion; if the mind had sufficient power to command the body upon its utmost, without being concerned with its motions any farther than it thought fit; our condition would be much more perfect and secure: For if we knew we are naturally invincible, we need not give our selves the trouble of standing upon our guard, then we should be free from all inward tumults and the ill consequences of them; and then, as the power of Passion declined, that of Reason would grow up and flourish; and the pleasures of the mind would more than counter-ballance those which we lost by shaking off some of our correspondence with the body; and we might have delight equal to those of a corporeal transport without the violence and danger of them.

4. Our bodies are inconvenient, because they make us liable to suffer pain.

It must be confessed that the state of separation does not exempt us from having ungrateful perceptions, but in some respects makes us more obnoxious to them if we lye under any moral indisposition: For when the Soul is disengaged from the oppression and soil of the body, it will act upon it self with greater vigour, and make the Springs of Thought go much smarter than they do now; so that ill men will be made much more powerful to torment themselves; insomuch that it may be a question whether all the Fire, and Feinds in Hell, are a greater punishment to the wicked than the guilt of their own Consciences; besides, the Passions which I have mentioned, when they are violent, bring an easiness along with them.

But then the reason why I distinguish pain from the trouble which proceeds either from passion, or the more abstracted and immediate operations of the mind, is, because the Soul is not only liable to this disturbance purely upon the account of its Union with the Body, but because it is perfectly out of our power to prevent it. For, let a man be never so innocent and compos'd, let Prudence and Religion secure him never so well against Vice and Passion; yet there is no fence against bodily pain: This proceeds from those motions over which the Will hath little or no command; and when we consider what a vast number of parts the Body consists of, many of which are very fine and slenderly tyed together (otherwise they would be unserviceable) and upon this account are easily put into disorder, when we consider how ignorant the generality are of the frame and constitution of their Bodies; of the due proportion, and quality of their nourishment; how careless and immoderate they are often in their Labours, Recreations and Passions, to which if we add the sometimes sudden alterations of seasons, & many other unavoidable accidents, when we consider all these things, I say, we have great cause to admire and bless the providence of God that our bodies are not oftener put out of order than they are. Now, though some decays of the Body are unobserved by us, yet generally when there is any considerable jarr made in the wheels of this curious Machine; when the harmony of the humours is disturb'd; when the strings are wound up too hard, or too slack; when any thing of this nature happens, the Soul usually hath notice of it, which unacceptable news is that which we call pain, which is sometimes so pungent and afflicting, that it makes all worldly blessings insignificant to us, insomuch that there are not many who have experienced any accute distemper, who would not, if it were put to their choice, prefer health and poverty, to violent pains and diseases, though supported and gilded over with never so much wealth and honour.

Now if it be asked why God hath made the Soul so deeply sensible of the injuries which the Body receives, I suppose these following Reasons (without adding any more) may be a sufficient satisfaction to such an enquiry.

1. Therefore we may rationally conclude that God hath made the Soul liable to impressions of this nature, that we might be more careful to preserve the body from falling into decay. Pain I observed before was an unwelcome and grating sense of some injury which the body suffered, now if the Soul was not intimately affected with alterations of this nature, and concerned upon its own account to procure the welfare of its companion; we have reason to believe a great many bodies would be very indifferently provided for. For the mind would be so much taken up with its own business, that were it not admonished of the necessities of the Body by partaking of the inconveniencies of them, they would be often neglected; men of Covetous, Ambitious or Contemplative minds, rather than have their designs, and pleasures interrupted, would be apt to deny the body its due maintenance in eating and sleeping; if they were not importuned, and as it were forced upon justice; by the trouble and uneasiness of watching and abstinence, were it not for the pain of a wound or distemper, we should often let them run till they were incureable: In this case many would serve their bodies as they do their houses, which because they do not feel them smart when they decay, they let them drop for want of timely repairing.

A second reason why God made the Soul sensible of bodily pain, may be, that its virtue might have the fairer tryal. To be above the threatnings of ill men, and to submit to any pain and hardship, rather than depart from those Opinions and Practices which we believe to be right and necessary, is an argument of true greatness of mind, and the highest testimony of a good man. Now the Body, by laying us open to almost all sorts of injuries we are capable of receiving, gives us an opportunity of exercising our Patience and Fortitude in suffering in obedience to God's commands. To these virtues the imperfection and defenceless state of our Bodies advances us; for, were we proof against all misfortune, we should be uncapable of this honour; for patience supposes us to lye under the sense of a present evil; take away the affliction, and there will be no appearance of the virtue left behind; neither can Fortitude have any place, except we believe our selves within the reach of danger; for what courage can it be to encounter any thing, when we know it's impossible for us to be hurt?

A third Reason why God hath subjected the Soul to bodily pain, is, for the correction of our vices. Many sins do naturally bring indisposition and diseases upon the Body, the dread and experience of which does not seldom restrain and bring us off from them: Besides, pain and sickness, by convincing men how insignificant, or rather troublesom their life is to them, & what a slender hold they have of it, are oftentimes a good expedient, not only for the reclaiming those vices which depend upon the ill use of the Body, but of a general Reformation: For, did mens Bodies fret out like their cloaths, without any considerable trouble to those that wore them, we have reason to believe the Soul would fare much the worse for it, and be oftener sent into the other World in an unprovided and forlorn condition.

So that without question, we are as much bound to thank God for the infirmities, and pains which flow from our constitution, as for the health and pleasure of it. Besides, we have reason to account it a great mercy that God hath bound the Soul so gently to the Body, that a short struggle, if it happens to prove boisterous, will let it loose; so that according to Epicurus his Maxim, it's impossible for that pain which is violent to continue long, whereas, had the Union of the Soul and Body been so strong, that a man might have continued under the sharpest torments for some months or years together, how difficult would patience have been then? what an advantage would the worst men have had over the best, and have been able by their cruelty to have almost tyred out the bravest and most resolute virtue.

5. The present constitution of our Bodies is inconvenient, because it hinders the mind in her pursuit after knowledge. Knowledge next to goodness is the highest exaltation of humane nature, and sets us at the greatest distance from the Brutes beneath us: Now that the present condition of our Bodies does hinder our proficiency in this so excellent an accomplishment, appears from what has been said already. As

1. Because we are born Infants, and the body is unfit for the Soul to exercise its functions in; in which state of our infancy we pass a great many wrong judgments upon things, so that when we come to the use of our reason, we are not only void of true knowledge, but have a great many things to unlearn; which mistakes it's very difficult to shake off. Now though these prejudices relate chiefly to our proficiency in the knowledge of natural causes, yet it must be aknowledged in the

Second place; That the passions which the Body subjects us to, are sometimes an occasion that we do not examine things with that deliberation and indifferency which is necessary to the finding▪ out moral Truth; and consequently make us inclinable to some practical Opinions rather than others: For according as the particular Byasse of our Bodies disposes us to any excess of hope or fear, of anger or pleasure; if we are not careful, our apprehensions of Religion will bend into a compliance with the Genius and Tendency of these passions. For when Reason is either bribed, or discomposed by the Affections, it is than more likely to pronounce amiss upon things, than when the mind is even and impartial: For example, a man of a melancholick and gloomy temper, if he gives way to it, will be in some danger of perplexing his imagination with infinite and unreasonable fears concerning God Almighty, as if he was a Humoursom or implacable Being; and consequently such a person may be more easily proselyted to the Doctrines of Superstition, or despair: Whereas another of a bolder and more sanguine Constitution, will be rather tempted to presume too much upon Gods goodness, magnifying his mercy to the prejudice of his wisdom and justice: And if he happens to fall upon ill Books or Company, he will be dispos'd to dilute his Creed with Principles of Libertinism, that so he may make it more agreeable to the Complexion of his Body, and reconcile it with the use of unlawful pleasures: But here we must observe that these motives do but incline; they by no means force us upon mistakes; so that then when we are swayed by them, it is our own fault: The reason why I mentioned them, is, that we might take the greater care to enquire into the particular defects, and propensities of our temper; and form our judgment with a suitable caution and suspition of our selves.

3. Bodily pain is likewise no small impediment to the enlarging our understandings, because while it continues upon us, it takes off our thoughts from other things, and fixes them only upon that which troubles us: And oftentimes when it is over, it leaves such ill effects behind it by altering the Texture of the Brain or Blood; that the mind hath not fit instruments to assist it in the work of close and constant Meditation.

4. The generality are forced to spend a great part of their time in providing for the necessities of life, so that they have little leisure to attend to the improvement of their minds: But let them not be discouraged upon this account if they take care to live well in this World; their utmost curiosity and thirst after knowledge shall be satisfied in the next; without being encumbered with that labour and difficulty which attends very inconsiderable Attainments here. Then as the Apostle informs us, We shall know even as we are known, and see God as he is, in whom all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge are hid. 1 Cor. 13. Joh. 1. 3. To what hath been said upon this Argument if we add that considerable number of hours which those who are most covetous of their time are obliged to spend in eating, sleeping and recreation; we shall see that he had great reason for his Opinion, who hath told us, that Art is long, and Life but short.

But notwithstanding these inconveniencies with which our bodys are attended in this state of imperfection, we are not to complain as if God had dealt hardly with us; because they are not just such as we could desire them; let us rather consider that if the conveniencies of them were much less than they are, it was more than God owes us; besides, how impatient soever men may sometimes be under extremity of pain, yet their general behaviour is a plain argument that they have no contemptible Opinion of their Bodies, for they are commonly loath to leave them when they are at their worst condition: Let us therefore be thankful that God hath made them so commodious for us now, and hath promised to improve them to the utmost of our wishes afterwards; which brings me to the second thing at first propounded, viz. to shew.

That the Qualities of Glorified Bodies are opposed to those defects, and free from those inconveniencies we are now sensible of.

1. They will be very much refined, and consequently fitter for the Soul to act with. It shall be raised a spiritual body, 1 Cor. 15. 44. which implies that it shall be changed into an exalted and vigorous condition: All grossness and feculency which adheres to it now, shall be purged off; all unevenness and roughness of parts will then be filed into an exact serviceableness, and the Soul will no longer labour under the disorders of an unweildy and incompliant constitution: The Body will then be exactly at its beck, and execute all its commands with pleasure, and dispatch. That Quality which we call Heaviness, which hinders our motion, and confines us to the lower part of the World, will then no more molest us; for the Refined Body by its nearer resemblance to the Air about it, the improved Activity of its Spirits, and the greater force the Soul will in all probability have to set them a work. By these advantages we shall be enabled to meet the Lord in the Air, and fly up into the Regions of light and happiness; and that the Soul may be the better accommodated, the Sences will be improved in two respects beyond what they are now.

1. They will be larger, that is, able to take in more objects at a time, and reach them at a father distance than they can now.

2. They will be quicker, that is, whatever notices they convey to the Mind, will be more intimately and vigorously communicated to it: Upon which two accounts they must afford the Soul a much greater pleasure than they do now. And that the Sences will be thus improved, follows from a principle, which every one that owns the Resurrection must grant, namely, that Glorified Bodies will be endued with far greater Activity than they are at their highest condition here; now we know men have a more full and delightful use of their sences in their youth than at any other time.

Now of all the sences, those of Seeing and Hearing are not only the most instructive to the mind, but likewise the most refined, and as I may say, the most creditable sences: Therefore we need not question but they will accompany the Bodies of the Saints to Heaven and possibly that of Smelling too; but as for the two other grosser sences, they belong to a State of imperfection, and are too coarse and insignificant to have much employment there; for ought we know they may be changed into two new ones of a more spiritualized and refined nature; which it is not possible for us to understand or conceive till we are possessed of them; which we shall cease to wonder at if we consider that were a man born Deaf or Blind it would be impossible for him to have the Vulgar notion of sound or colour: Nay, I may add, he could have no imaginable Idea of these qualities except he received some description of them from others.

2. And as the Bodies of the Saints will be defective or superfluous in nothing, but be exactly fitted for the service of the Soul, so likewise they will be much more splendid & grateful than now they are; which is another property of the Image of the Heavenly: Instead of those obscure and unamiable qualities they appeared in here, they will be decked with light as with a garment, and be cloathed with Majesty and Honour; they will then be all beauty and brightness without any disfiguring blemish, any scars remaining, except of those wounds they have received in their Masters cause, which then probably will shine out with a more orient and distinguishable lustre. This is indeed to bear the Image of the Heavenly, of which we are assured from more places than the Text. As Philip. 3. 21. the Apostle affirms, Our Saviour shall change our vile Bodies, that they may be like his glorious Body, a representation of which we have at his Transfiguration, though I believe but a faint one, and yet the Evangelists tell us, his face shone like the Sun, and his Raiment with the Reflection was white and glistering. Mat. 17. Luk. 9.

3. The Bodies of the Saints will be impassible: They will then be fortified against all accidents and diseases, and be no longer subject to any painful or dishonourable alterations; Time and death will have no power over them. St. Iohn after he hath described the general Resurrection, Rev. 20. in the 21 chap. v. 4. proceeds to mention the unchangeable happiness of the Heavenly Inhabitants, where enlarging upon their privative advantages, he informs us, that there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away; that is, the states of imperfection and mortality is over, Whereas, did not all things stand at a stay; were not the perfections of the Body permanent and unalterable, secured against all injury and decay; if there was not pain, we may be sure there would be sorrow to lose the least part of so glorious a condition. Now which way our Bodies shall be made immortal, signifies not much to know; possibly they may have such an advantageous change from the Laws of Motion, from the Figure of their parts, or the temperature of the Climate, as may preserve them from suffering any alteration, or loss of parts; or if the parts do fly off as they do now, it's easie with God to supply them with new ones immediately made fit, without the trouble of eating, or concoction: But whether by any of these ways, or which of them they will continue immortal, whether by the settled course of Providence, or by Miracle, is neither material to dispute, nor possible to determine; that they will continue so, we are sure, for as with him that hath made this Promise, nothing is impossible, so likewise he is Faithful and cannot deny himself. It is more proper for us to prepare our selves by a vertuous Life for so blessed an immortality, than vainly to enquire into the mystery of it: The best way of satisfying our curiosity is to endeavour to be accounted worthy to obtain that World, and the Resurrection from the dead; for we need not doubt but that those who are possessed of this priviledge will understand the causes which make it such; and that the goodness of God will enable the Saints to explain the Philosophy of their happiness.

Now from what we experience here, we may in some measure conceive how considerable an addition it will be to our happiness to have our Earthy part refined into such a state of perfection as I have been describing: To have the wisdom and experience of Age without the sickness and uneasiness attending it; and the sprightlyness and vigour of youth separated from its usual rashness and indiscretion. What a glorious change must it be to have these inobsequious, and cadaverous Bodies possessed of the three only desirable qualities; being made to the height of our wishes suitable, illustrious, and immortal?

I shall now in the

Third place proceed to draw some inferences from the consideration of the different state of our Bodies here, and hereafter.

Therefore the consideration of the frail condition of our Bodies here, and the improvements they will be advanced to hereafter, ought to make us entertain a low opinion of the pleasures of sence; both because we are permitted but a short enjoyment of them, and because they are only fit for us while we are in a state of imperfection: We should consider that the Body is not able to provide for it self; it's pleasures are not of it's own growth, but must be supplied from Forreign Parts, and consequently are infallible marks of our want and dependance; and therefore to have a strong desire for, or high Opinion of these things, does but discover our own weakness to be the greater; and that we preposterously value our selves upon the Poverty of our condition: What are these satisfactions but only short respits from bodily pain and trouble? for after the uneasiness of hunger and thirst is over, the pleasure of eating and drinking immediately ceases; and to continue the action any longer is more a burthen, than a refreshment: Those therefore who are capable of the greatest bodily pleasure, must have the strongest sence of want and uneasiness upon them; for unless they are thus prepared, it will be flat and unaffecting to them.

Now who would desire a Fever only for the satisfacton of drinking in it; or be in love with extreme poverty because of the unusual pleasure which is then taken in receiving the Charity of others?

The Body therefore is only so far to be indulged as is necessary to put it into the best condition to be employed by the Soul; for as it should not be tyrannized over, that being the way to make it both troublesom and unserviceable; so on the other side, we should be careful to maintain the Soveraignty of the mind; that whenever Reason and Religion requires it, we may have power to controul our sences, and be pleased with the victory: But on the contrary, to make the Soul a Slave to the Body; to employ the powers of Reason (the Image of the Glorious God) in providing for the gratification of the Animal Life; is a most degenerous and dangerous abuse of so great a priviledge: And when God hath made us little lower than the Angels, ought we not to blush to make our selves less than the Beasts that perish? Now that sensuality does degrade us in this manner is apparent, it being unquestionably more scandalous and uncreditable to abuse the use of Reason, than to want it; for the one only argues natural incapacity; which because it could not be prevented, is no just reproach to any Being; but the other besides ingratitude to the Doner implies most egregious folly; for what can be more senceless than to be inapprehensive of the Prerogative of our nature, and to misapply and squander away the fairest opportunities of being happy?

A man that makes himself a Beggar by ill Menage, and Luxury, is in the true estimation of things a much more despicable person than he that is born to that low condition, and fixed in it by those impotencies and defects of body or mind which were irresistably forced upon him. The rational Brute therefore is most certainly the meanest, because he stupidly undervalues the dignity of his Being, and employs the highest qualities in the most sordid drudgery. Whereas other creatures act according to the Instincts and Appetities which Providence hath put into them, it being as impossible for them to rise above their natures, as it is dishonourable for us to sink below ours. But this practice is not only dishonourable but dangerous, for if we give our selves up to the disorders of Appetite, and make our Bodies instrumental in sinning; besides the diseases which intemperance often exposes them to here, we shall find the sad consequence of it in the other World; where they will be joined to the Soul only to encrease its misery by putting it into a new capacity of suffering. For the Apostle assures us, if we live after the Flesh, and make Provision to fulfil the Lusts thereof, we shall die, for to be carnally or sensually minded is death, and that we cannot expect to live hereafter except we mortify the deeds of the Body, Rom. 8. 6, 13.

Secondly, We ought to be contented with the trouble, the present infirmities of our Bodies may put us to.

God hath made our Bodies of a frail Constitution, and liable to many inconveniencies; that we might aspire after a higher and more confirmed happiness; and not place it in the satisfaction of our sences, which are so easily made unacceptable to us by diseases, or quickly stupified and worn out with Age. Besides, upon the account that our Bodies make us liable to pain and diseases, we have thereby an occasion of exercising many virtues, which otherwise we could not have: If we were not liable to pain and uneasiness, there could be no such thing as a contented Poverty; and an humble Resignation to providence in affliction and distress; the essence of these virtues would be lost in such impregnable circumstances: For to be contented when a man neither feels, nor fears any evil, is not so much a commendation, as a necessary action; it being as impossible to be troubled when we have what we have a mind to, as to be perfectly pleased when we have not: I confess to be thus fortified against injury and want, argues a great happiness of nature, but a moral perfection it is not; and consequently deserves admiration, but not reward. The Honour of our Christian warfare consists in the laboriousness and hazard of it, and the strength of our virtue lies in the weakness of our condition; and though we are made a little lower than the Angels, yet (with all respect be it spoken to those superiour Beings) upon this account we seem to have some advantage of them; for their station being above the reach of misfortune, makes them incapable of suffering upon the score of Virtue and Religion. We ought not therefore to complain because God hath made our Bodies liable to many inconveniencies here; but to resist the temptations they expose us to, with resolution to bear the pains and infirmities of them, with submission and contentedness, considering that in a discreet and Christian management of these things, a great part of our obedience, and future reward consists: It is not long before we shall be dismist from this service, and when death shall be swallowed up in Victory, and this mortal shall put on immortality, then it will be a pleasure to survey the difficulties of our past life, and the very thoughts of our former troubles will be an addition to our happiness.

And therefore

Thirdly, we ought not to be over-timerous, lest we should impair the strength of our Constitution, but lay it out freely upon Religious and Worthy Actions.

Health is not chiefly to be desired for the sensual pleasure it affords, but because we are then in the best condition to serve God, and to be useful to the society we live in: Let it not therefore be our great aim to keep our Bodies in Reparation, and ingloriously slumber out our time for fear of wearing them out too fast; but according to our several Stations and Callings, let us diligently employ them for our own real interest, and that of others; making them contribute to the improvement of Reason, and the exercise of Virtue: If they decay in such service, they will fall with honour, and rise with advantage. The best way of consulting their future advancement is, not to dote upon them now: If we would have them flourish in immortal youth, and beauty hereafter, we must neither be too fond in indulging, nor too curious in adorning of them: We must not out of an effeminate niceness to preserve their agreeableness, decline any proper austerities, or opportunity of doing good. In short, if we expect these earthy Bodies should bear the Image of the Heavenly, we must employ them generously and religiously; suffer the inconveniencies of them with Patience and Christian Courage, and please them with temperance and reservedness.