[Footnote 15] 1 John iii, 2.
[Footnote 16] 2 Corinthians iii, 18.
[Footnote 17] John xvii, 24.
[Footnote 18] Kings x, 8.
[Footnote 19] Revelation ii, 7, 17. iii, 12, 21. vii, 14, 15, 17.
[Footnote 20] Revelation xxi, 24. xxii, 3, 4, 6.
[Footnote 21] 2 Samuel xix, 30.
[Footnote 22] Psalm xxxi, 1. xvi, 5, 6, 8, 11.
[Footnote 23] 1 John iii, 1. Genesis xviii, 27. 1 John i, 3. iv, 16.
[Footnote 24] Matthew xiii, 43. Romans viii, 17. 1 Corinthians vi, 2. Revelation iii, 21. John xvii, 21.
[Footnote 25] Numbers xxiii, 19.
[Footnote 26] Esther vi, 11.
[Footnote 27] Psalm lxxxvi, 10.
[Footnote 28] John xvii, 21-23.
§ 9. (5.) We must add that this rest contains a sweet and constant action of all the powers of the soul and body in this enjoyment of God. It is not the rest of a stone, which ceaseth from all motion when it attains the centre.—This body shall be so changed, that it shall no more be flesh and blood, which _cannot inherit the kingdom of God; but a spiritual body. We sow not that body that shall be, but God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body._[29] If grace makes a Christian differ so much from what he was, as to say, _I am not the man I was_; how much more will glory make us differ? As much as a body spiritual, above the sun in glory, exceeds these frail, noisome, diseased lumps of flesh, so far shall our senses exceed those we now possess. Doubtless as God advanceth our senses, and enlargeth our capacity, so will he advance the happiness of those senses, and fill up with himself all that capacity. Certainly the body should not be raised up and continued, if it should not share in the glory. As it hath shared in the obedience and sufferings, so shall it also in the blessedness. As Christ bought the whole man, so shall the whole partake of the everlasting benefits of the purchase. O blessed employment of a glorified body! To stand before the throne of God and the Lamb, and to sound forth for ever, _Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honor, and power. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing; for thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, and hast made us unto our God kings and priests. Alleluia; salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God. Alleluia, for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth._ O Christians! this is the blessed rest; a rest, as it were, without rest; for _they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come_.[30]—And if the body shall be thus employed, oh, how shall the soul be taken up! As its powers and capacities are greatest, so its actions are strongest, and its enjoyments sweetest. As the bodily senses have their proper action, whereby they receive and enjoy their objects, so does the soul in its own action enjoy its own object, by knowing, remembering, loving, and delightful joying. This is the soul's employment. By these eyes it sees, and by these arms it embraces.
[Footnote 29] 1 Corinthians xv, 50, 44, 37, 38.
[Footnote 30] Revelation iv, 11. v, 12, 9, 10. xix, 1, 6. iv, 8.