hen the soul is most closely united
and fully possessed of that which is its peculiar and satisfying good,
when it leaves the body in the dust, and escapes out of this prison unto
that glorious liberty.

But yet, there is besides this an additional comfort comprehended in the
verse read,--that the sleep of the body is not perpetual, that it shall
once be awakened and raised up to the fellowship of this glory, for though
a man should be abundantly satisfied if he possess his own soul, yet no
man hateth his own flesh. The soul hath some kind of natural inclination
to a body suitable unto it, and in this it differs from an angel, and,
therefore, the apostle, when he expresseth his earnest groan for the
intimate presence of his soul with Christ, he subjoins this correction--not
that we desire to be unclothed, but clothed upon it, 2 Cor. v. 1-4. If it
were possible, says he, we would be glad to have the society of the body
in this glory, we would not desire to cast off those clothes of flesh, but
rather that the garment of glory might be spread over all, if it were not
needful because they are old and ragged and would not suit well, and our
earthly tabernacle is ruinous, and would not be fit for such a glorious
guest to dwell into, and therefore, it is needful to be taken down. Well,
then, here is an overplus, and, as it were, a surcharge of consolation,
that seeing for the present it is expedient to put off the present
clothing of flesh, and take down the present earthly house,--yet that the
day is coming that the same clothes, renewed, shall be put on, and the
same house repaired and made suitable to heaven, shall be built up,--that
this mortal body shall be quickened with that same spirit that now
quickens the soul, and makes it live out of the body, and so the sweet and
beloved friends, who parted with so much pain and grief, shall meet again
with so much pleasure and joy, and, as they were sharers together in the
miseries of this life, shall participate also in the blessedness of the
next,--like Saul and Jonathan, "lovely and pleasant in their lives," and
though for a time separated in death, yet not always divided. Now this is
the highest top of happiness, to which nothing can be added. It is
comprehensive of the whole man, and it is comprehensive of all that can be
imagined to be the perfective good of man.

It is no wonder, then, that the apostle reckons this doctrine of the
resurrection amongst the foundations of Ch