Philippians 3:21 – Richard Sibbes

[page 198 of volume 5]

Who shall change our vile body.

The words are plain, and shall need no exposition; therefore we will briefly come to the doctrines.

1. And first, We may observe hence that our bodies are base; and thus are the bodies not only of wicked profane men, but of the servants and dearest children of God; all are vile. And that in these respects.

First, In life our original is base. We are dust, and to dust we must return, Genesis 3:19; and our continuance is full of change, subject to diversity of estates, sickness, health, pain, ease, hunger, fulness. And base we are, because we are upheld by inferior creatures. We enter into the world by one way, but go out by divers deaths; some violent, some more natural, and by divers sicknesses loathsome to the eyes, to the nostrils, and especially when we are nearest our end, whereas our countenance is pale, our members tremble, all our beauty is gone. But after we are departed, so loathsome is this our carcase, it must be had out of sight; yea, though it be the body of the patriarch Abraham, Genesis 23:4. For as the body of man is the best temper, so the corruption thereof is the most vile. The best countenances of the greatest personages are the most ugly, ghastly objects of all others, by so much the more, by how much they were the more excellent; so much the greater is their change. And yet are we not to conceive of this body so as though there were no glory belonging to it; for, first, it is God’s workmanship, therefore excellent, and so excellent as the heathen man Galen, being stricken into admiration at the admirable frame thereof, breaks out into a hymn in praise of the Maker. And David could not express it, but says, ‘I am wonderfully made,’ Psalm 139:14. God made this his last work, as an epitome of all the rest.

Secondly, We are told that we owe glory to our bodies; and therefore we are bidden that we should not wrong our bodies; and the Scripture speaks infamously of self-murderers, as of Judas, Saul, Ahithophel. They are branded with a note of shame and reproach. And God, to shew the respect we owe to our bodies, hath provided to every sense pleasing recreations, as flowers for the smell, light for the eyes, music for the ear; to be brief, he made all things for the bodily use of man.

Thirdly, These bodies of ours are members of Christ, redeemed and sanctified temples of the Holy Ghost, as well as of our souls. And therefore we must take heed, when we read of the base terms that are given to the body, that we do not mistake. For it is true in regard it keeps the soul from heaven, it is the grave of the soul; but indeed it is the house, the temple and instrument of the soul. But being misused, it proves an untoward dark house, an unwieldy instrument.

We are to take heed, therefore, of the error of those who afflict it by writing and declaiming against it, or by whipping of it, when, alas! it is the sin of the soul, the unruly lusts and affections, that are the causes of all rebellions in us; and if the body doth rebel, as often it doth come to pass since the fall, this proceeds from the corruption of the soul yielding to the body aid to serve the lusts; and God hath appointed a religious abstinence as a means to tame such lusts and weaken them, which it were to be wished were used oftener than it is.

Quest. But it will be said, Are the bodies of Christians base, for whom Christ shed his most precious blood?

Ans. I answer, While we live here, we are in no better condition than others, as concerning our bodies. Hezekiah is sick; Lazarus hath his sores; David and Job troubled with loathsome diseases; and thus it is fitting it should fare with us.

For, first, Christ laid us this example. He took our base, ragged nature on him. He hungered and thirsted, was pained, and death had a little power over him. And shall we desire a better estate than our master, our head, had? or do we ever think to partake with him in happiness, that will not partake with him in his mean estate? The decree of God is, that to dust we must, as all the rest of our fellow-saints and servants shall.

Secondly, Hereby God doth exercise our faith and hope; causing us to look and expect a better resurrection; and by this means are our desires edged to a better life, for else would we set up our rest here, and make this our paradise.

Thirdly, As yet there is sin in us; from the danger whereof, though we be delivered, yet there is a corruption that remaineth behind in us; and by this he will teach us the contagion of sin, and teach us to see how the devil hath deceived us, by the effects thereof bringing pain, torment, and loathsomeness.

Fourthly, It shows God’s wisdom in vanquishing sin by death, which is the child of sin; for by it shall we be purged from sin, from corruption both of body and mind, and thus is our base estate made a way to our excellent estate hereafter.

We must therefore moderate our affections to the best things of this life. Health is changeable, and will not continue. Beauty is a flower of a stalk. The flower quickly fades away and perisheth. The stalk that is more base continues longest. Flesh is grass, either cut down by violent death; or if by age, the longer it lives the baser it is, and increases continually therein till death, whereas it is most base.

It is therefore foolish for any to swell because of beauty or strength, which at the best are but curious excellencies of abase body; and far more sottish are they that think to resist old age and God’s decree, by trimming up and painting a withered stock. This is not the way to conquer vileness. But if we will be rid thereof, labour for the meat that perisheth not, John 6:27 But that which maketh us endure to everlasting life is, with Mary, to choose the ‘better part, that shall not he taken away.’ ‘Meat for the belly, and the belly for meat: but God shall destroy both the one and the other,’ 1 Corinthians 6:13.

And let this be as a cooler, to quench the base wildfire of love; and consider what is it we so affect. It is but beautiful dust, a painted sepulchre, a body that after death will be vileness itself, that while it breathes it is full of rottenness, the matter of worms, supported it may be by a carrion soul, that whether it willeth or nilleth must leave it and go into a far worse place.

And contrarily, in the last place, it should teach us to be at a point, cheerfully to honour God by sacrificing ourselves to him when he calls for vs. Count it no shame with David to be vile in the eyes of men for God’s cause. If the worst could be imagined, which cannot he, we had as good perish with usage as with rust. But this is the only way to be glorious, to avoid vileness, even to sacrifice our bodies and all in a good cause. What though the world esteem vilely of us, as good for nothing but the shambles, Romans 8:36; shall we fear them? No. Fear him that can destroy both body and soul. It is better to go to heaven without a limb, than to go to hell with a sound healthful body. Therefore when temptations of The world do begin to provoke thee, say to thy flesh with Bernard, Stay thy time; the time is not yet to be happy.

And therefore, to conclude, our sold is but a stranger here; we must entertain it well into this house of our body. It is but a guest, use it not basely. It is no ill guest. It gives us sight, taste, speech, motion. When it goes away, our body is but a dumb, dull, base lump of earth. Nay, when it is gone, whilst the body is in the ground, the soul having a most vehement and earnest desire to be knit to it again, puts God continually in mind of raising it up at the last day of the general resurrection, and of glorifying it in a holy, eternal, and happy estate.

2. Secondly, Out of the words we may observe, that these vile bodies of ours shall be changed. This we receive as an article of our faith; and yet were it believed truly as it ought, it would work a strange alteration in the minds and manners of men, contrary to that they are now; and howsoever it is not embraced, yet it remains a grounded truth, that these bodies of ours, sown in corruption, shall rise incorruptible, 1 Corinthains 1:15. It was foretold in way of consequence in paradise; for the head of the serpent could not be broken but by conquering death, which is the last enemy. It was figured out unto us in Aaron’s dead sear rod that budded, and Jonah’s deliverance out of the belly of the fish, where he had been three days and three nights. It was believed of all the fathers, Hebrews 12:1, seq. And for security before the flood Enoch, and after the flood Elias, were taken up in their bodies.

And besides, it is not contrary to reason. I do not say that reason can reach unto it. For Christ he is alive still. The dust whereof we are made, and whither we go is preserved. It is not annihilated. And why cannot Christ raise a body out of the dust, as at the first make it out of dust. Why should he not be as able to quicken dust now as at the first? and especially, seeing the soul is reserved in heaven to this end, till the day of his second coming.

Nay, it is not contrary to the course of nature. We see every year summer comes out of winter, day out of night, youth out of infancy, man’s age out of youth. And the apostle in the Corinthians, ‘Thou fool, the corn is not quickened except it die,’ 1 Corinthians 15:30. Nay, we see what strange changes are daily wrought by art; and shall we think God’s almighty power cannot work far more strange effects?

Use. The use therefore is to instruct us if we believe that Christ shall change these vile bodies, then sure the same bodies shall rise that died; for change is of qualities, it abolisheth not substances. And therefore Job’s confidence herein is remarkable, Job 19:20, ‘Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold,’ speaking of Christ; so is it, 1 Corinthians 15:53, ‘This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality,’ and the ancient creeds had, credo resurrectionem carnis hujus.

Secondly, It is very unequal that one body should honour or defile itself, and another body should be honoured or damned. It is comfortable therefore to us that love our bodies and honour them, that they shall rise again and we shall enjoy them for ever.

Thirdly, Christ our surety he raised the same body that was crucified; and therefore the same bodies here that fulfil the measure of the sufferings of Christ here, shall partake of his fulness in glory.

Use 2. A second use is for comfort. Is this a life of changes? Let it not daunt us, but know they are all to end in glory, and they all tend to bring us thither. We ever change for the better, and the last change of all is the best of all. And therefore let us endure these changes with a light heart.

Use 3. In the third place, Who is the author of this change in us? The text saith that ‘Christ shall change us.’ John 6:30 and 40, ‘I will raise them up at the last day,’ saith Christ, of those that know him and believe on him. He is furthermore our head. Now we know the body must be conformable to the head. If it be crowned the body is crowned; and therefore, Romans 8:11, the apostle saith, that if the Spirit dwell in us that did dwell in him, the Spirit that raised him up will raise us up also.

Thirdly, Christ is a whole Saviour. He therefore will raise up our bodies as well [as] our souls; for he is the Saviour of both. He hath delivered both from hell; he will raise up both to heaven.

Fourthly, he is the second Adam. As we did bear the image of the first Adam in corruption, so must we bear the image of the second Adam in glory.

Fifthly, he is the seed of the woman, that must break the serpent’s head; and therefore he must work this change.

Sixthly, Christ changed his own body, being burdened with all our sins; and therefore, as an exemplary cause, shall much more raise us up. For sin being once overcome, which is the sting of death, what can keep us in the grave?

Use 1. Let this strengthen our faith in the consideration that we have such a strong Saviour, that nothing shall be able to separate us from his love, nor to take us out of his hand.

Use 2. Secondly, Make it a ground how to direct us how to honour our bodies; not making them instruments of sin against him, but so to use them, that we may with comfort and joy expect and desire his coming to change these vile bodies.

 Use 3. Thirdly, Let us labour to assure ourselves of our parts in this change, in this resurrection. This we shall know if we find Christ’s Spirit in us. The same Spirit that raised up him, if it be in us, will raise us up also, Romans 8:11. For the first resurrection is an argument of the second; and he that finds his understanding enlightened, his will pliable, his affections set upon right objects, will easily believe the second resurrection of his body. Secondly, If we hope for this change, and so hope that we are stirred up thereby to fit ourselves for it, to cleanse ourselves. Thirdly, If we grow in grace, 2 Peter 3:18, it is a sign that we have an entrance into Christ’s kingdom; for God doth ever honour growth, with assurance of a blessed estate.

Use 4. Fourthly, This should comfort us in time of death, considering we lose nothing but baseness, and our bodies are but sown in the earth; and this deposition which God committeth to the fire, air, earth, and the water, they must render up again pure and changed by Christ. And, therefore, it was a foolish conceit of the heathen to burn the martyrs’ bodies, and to cast their ashes into the water, thereby to put them out of hope of their resurrection, not knowing God is as able to raise them out of fire and water as out of earth.

Use 5. Fifthly, This ought to administer comfort to us at the death and departure of our friends out of this life, knowing that they are not lost; that the earth is but a house and a hiding-place-for them to sleep in; and that at length God will not forget to raise them up with the residue of his saints. He will change them, and make them like his glorious body; and this was the use made by the apostle, 1 Thessalonians 4:18.

Use 6. And lastly, Pray to God to teach us to number our days, so as we may apply our hearts to wisdom, Deuteronomy 32:29. Rut when is the time of this blessed change? It is not laid down, only it is implied by the word ‘shall,’ that the time is to come. But out of all question it is meant at the last day, and not before.

First, Because nil are to be gathered together, oven those that were buried four thousand years ago, must stay till the number he fulfilled; and it will make for God’s glory that we should all meet together to attend on him, with multitudes of angels, so as they cannot be perfected without or before us, and we shall not prevent those that are asleep, 1 Thessalonians 4:15.

Secondly, It is for the comfort of Christians that are weak, that the martyrs and constant professors of Christ should he pledges of their rising, who continually cry, ‘How long, Lord?’ Revelation 6:9.

Thirdly, God wills that things should now be carried as in a cloud, and that the last day should he a day of revelation; which could not be, if before there should be this change.

For use. This must teach us to desire that day, and pray for the hastening thereof; till when, the souls in heaven are not perfectly happy. For all must be brought in before they can be made perfect. And therefore they desire and hope for, and pray for, to be united to those bodies again, that they lived withal, and so dearly loved.

But who are these that shall be thus changed? The text saith, ‘our bodies;’ that is, our bodies that have had ‘our conversation in heaven.’ And, therefore, those that have had no part in the first resurrection, they shall have no part in the second. The baker and butler of Pharaoh all shall arise and be lifted out of prison, but some to the resurrection of life, and others to the resurrection of condemnation. But to proceed.

That we may be fashioned like unto his glorious body.

So that Christ shall be the exemplary cause, as well as the efficient cause of our resurrection. For he is our head and our husband; and it is reason we should he suitable to him, and be ruled by him. He came not to make himself like us, but us like him. He first must be a king, blessed and anointed, and a Son. The head makes us like to him, kings, blessed and glorious. Enoch and Elias, though before his real incarnation, yet they ascended by virtue of his resurrection, and so shall we. They are glorious like to him; so shall we in his good time and pleasure.

Quest. But how?

Ans. I answer, In these particulars:

First, As he is immortal, never to die again, so shall we. We shall be freed from all sin; and so, consequently, from all mortality.

Secondly, We shall be incorruptible. We shall have no corruption within us or without us, as it is, 1 Corinthians 15:53. We shall be embalmed with the Spirit, that shall cause us to remain for ever incorruptible.

Thirdly, We shall be unchangeable; always the same, without sickness of body, or indisposedness of mind.

Then, in the fourth place, we shall he in perfect strength. Here we contract to ourselves weakness by every little thing, as alteration of air, study, and the like; there the body shall be enabled to every thing. But here we are wreak, unfit, and soon weary of any duty, soon tired in prayer, weary in hearing, so as even Moses his arms must be supported, Exodus 17:12.,

Fifthly, We shall have beauty and comeliness, the most lovely complexion and proportion of parts. There shall be no dregs in our body: all shall be, spent by death; far better than after physic, which notwithstanding brings the body into a quiet repose. All wants shall be supplied. What is misplaced shall be reduced into right order. And therefore, what though we lose limbs for Christ’s sake, he will not be indebted to us; none shall go thither maimed.

Obj. But some will say, Christ himself retained wounds after his resurrection, and therefore much more shall we be imperfect.

Ans. I answer, This was a voluntary dispensation. He suffered them to appear for the faith of Thomas, not of necessity.

Sixthly, These bodies of ours shall he spiritual, as it is 1 Cor. xv. 53, seq. A natural body is upheld by natural means, as meat, drink, physic, but then shall there be no need of such things. Christ shall be all in all to us. And again, our body shall obey the spirit. Now the body keeps the spirit in slavery, but then shall it readily yield to every motion of the spirit. The ubiquitaries when they speak of the spirituality of Christ’s body, they would have it in all places. But they may as well conclude, because we shall have spiritual bodies, therefore our bodies also shall be in all places like to Christ’s body. The ground of the glory of these bodies shall be the beatifical vision, and our union with Christ. If our beholding him here in his ordinances be of such a power as to transform us from glory to glory, 2 Corinthians 3:18, what a change shall be wrought in us when we shall see him as he is! And if his first coming had that power to make all things new, 2 Corinthians 5:17, much more when he cometh the second time in glory shall he make all things new and glorious.

Use 1. This therefore, in the first place, should encourage us in all causes of dismay and trouble, rather than we will offend God to lose our bodies, knowing that we give them to God, and shall receive them again with advantage.

Use 2. Secondly, Labour we to make our bodies instruments of his honour, that honours us; and let us honour our bodies wherein are the seeds of immortality, and glory in so using them as that they be carried to the grave with honour.

Use 3. Let us also honour the bodies of the deceased saints of God, and the places of their sepulture, as cabinets wherein the precious dust of the holy saints are laid up in keeping.

Use 4. And let us not be like them without faith, that think the bodies are lost for ever that are cast into the grave; like children seeing the silver cast into the furnace, think it utterly cast away, till they see it come out again a pure vessel.

Use 5. And when we die, let us not trouble our minds with the discomfortable thoughts of worms, rottenness, darkness, and the like; but with the eye of faith let us look beyond these, on the haven whither we are going. This made Job, though covered all over with ulcers, to say with a cheerful heart, ‘My Redeemer liveth, though after my skin worms consume this flesh,’ Job 19:26.

Use 6. If we want limbs to our bodies, to comfort ourselves, the resurrection will restore all things.

Use 7. Furthermore, Let us serve here with our best endeavours. It is but a while, and it shall not be in vain. Is it not better thus to do and partake of this blessed change, than to spare this vile body, and pamper it by sacrificing all, or to employ all our time in the serving and pleasing others; and to that end not to care to prostitute ourselves to all manner of filthiness? What shall we get by these courses? but at the resurrection of the just, when we should lift up our heads because our redemption draweth nigh, then shall we be overcome with shame, grief, terror, and horror of conscience. But happy are we therefore, if in a good course we can so resign up ourselves, so as to be resolute with Esther, ‘If I perish, I perish,’ Esther 4:16; ‘if I live, I live to Christ; if I die, I die to him,’ Philippians 1:21. What I have committed to him he will keep. I am assured thereof; and therefore I will not offend him for any pleasure or profit whatsoever. These resolutions had the patriarchs and God’s saints, and these made them die with comfort.

According to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things to himself.

The word that is translated ‘working,’ may and doth signify powder; and so it was translated heretofore, and is to be so meant. But the words being plain, we will come to some observations.

Doct. 1. And first of all observe, That Christ hath a power able to subdue all things to himself; and this he hath by virtue of his office of mediator-ship, and this in respect of God to reconcile and appease him. Secondly, In respect of opposite powers to overcome all of them. Thirdly, In respect of the persons to be saved, that he might free them from all ill, and raise them to all happiness; and these things requires a power that must be above all created powers. For God could not be appeased but by an infinite price, the blood of one that is God. And we could not be defended from sin and hell—whose power is the greatest of all finite power—but by a power beyond it; and such a power as must regenerate and renew us, notwithstanding the opposite power of the devil, and our corruptions within us, which is a greater work than the work of our creation. And all this he hath done. ‘He hath subdued him that had the power of death, the devil,’ Hebrews 2:14. He hath subdued diseases and winds with a word, and with a word he smote his enemies to the ground. He hath subdued all ill of the body and mind, forgiving sins, opening our hearts, subduing our corruptions, and death hath yielded to his power. ‘O death, I will be thy death.’

Doct. 2. In the next place, as Christ hath this power, so he will use this power for the good of his saints; and this he will do because whatever Christ is, he is for the good of his church. He is powerful, merciful, and loving for his church’s sake. And secondly, Because our bodies do require it. For it must be an infinite power that makes the body of dust. And therefore though Christ was the Son of God, declared from the beginning, yet it was said he was mightily declared to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead, Romans 1:4. For from a privation to a habit there can be no regression by a natural course; and therefore for our bodies to return from dust, must be by a supernatural infinite power of one that is God. Let those that are enemies to Christ his members consider this. Against whom do ye strive? even against the Almighty, who in his humiliation was able with a word to strike his enemies to the ground; and now being in glory, how fearful and terrible should his power be to such? who should learn betimes to kiss the Son, before they perish in the midway, Psalm 2:12. And for his children, let them comfort themselves that are under the government of so powerful a majesty; for he will bruise all their enemies under them. Nay, they are already all conquered. And let them consider of all his promises, and apply them to his power. It is a powerful Saviour that said, ‘Come to me, all you that are heavy laden, I will raise you up,’ Matthew 11:28. It is he that is able to subdue all things to himself, that promises, ‘My grace shall be sufficient for you,’ 2 Corinthians 12:9. He is a prophet, to instruct fully; a priest, to satisfy God’s wrath to the utmost; a king, to subdue all their corruptions. Thirdly, Let this encourage us to set ourselves against our corruptions. Some there are that having a little strove with their lusts, and finding that they have not gotten any sensible ground against them, they as out of hope and heart sit down with this opinion, ‘as good never a whit as not the better,’ and so yield up the bucklers. What a distrustful incredulous estate is this! Is not he God that hath promised? Is he not truth itself? Hath he said, and shall it not come to pass? Fear not those Anakims nor Canaanites. Depend on God in the use of the means, and let him alone with the performance of his promises. Fourthly, Despair of none, though never so weak, so long as they use the means; for Christ hath created all by his word, he will raise us up by his word, and will change us by his word; and by this word he is able to change others though never so obstinate. For so long as they are under the word and means, they are under the arms of an almighty power; and therefore, if any be in our power, or if we wish well to any, we should persuade them to prize the word and to use the moans. In the next place, this is a ground of trial of our estates. Would we know whether we are of the number of those that shall be raised up hereafter and changed? Then examine whether we have found this power changing us, and bringing us to grace here; for, Ephesians 1:19, 20, the same power worketh in us to believe, that raised up Christ. Do we then find our understandings enlightened, our wills conformable to his will? Do we find the strongholds of sin in us raised, and now spirits, new thoughts, new desires in us? Oh, those are blessed evidences of Christ’s almighty power in us, that will raise us up at the last day.

By this means also we may try our profession. Do we come by faith and religion, with pleasure and case? Alas! this is no sign of any powerful strong work in us. It is easy to go to church to hear the word or read it, to receive the sacraments. Contrarily, if we find an inward change, that our hearts are so altered as we can overrule our members contrary to our lusts, and contrary to occasions, then ‘stronger is he that ruleth in us than he that ruleth in the world,’ 1 John 4:4. It is easy to resist a temptation where none is. The mighty power of Christ is seen, when, being environed with temptations, we are enabled to resist. I pray, saith Christ, that thou should[st] keep them from evil in the world, and not that thou shouldst take them out of the world, John 17:15. If we be under crosses, if this Spirit and power of Christ be in us, it will enable us to bear all patiently, it will keep us from murmuring and fretting. It will also convince us of our natural estate, so as we shall see evident necessity of God’s almighty power to change us. This made the apostle Paul and the jailor to look about them for help. ‘Lord, what wouldst thou have me to do?’ And thus it will make us never to give God rest, nor Christ respite, till that power that shall raise up our bodies do raise up also our souls, and he shine in us by his Spirit that did bring light out of darkness, and fashion us as in his wisdom shall be most meet.

In the next place, the consideration of God’s almighty power should teach us not to be dejected or cast down at the reports of the afflicted state of the church abroad. It should bring us rather to God, to rely upon his goodness and power, for God is ever God almighty, and the same merciful God that ever he was; and therefore, we should pray for the church the more instantly, that God would give them beauty instead of ashes. We should urge him with his promise of building up and defending of his church, and destroying of antichrist; and let us make the resurrection of the body a ground to strengthen us in the belief thereof, as the return of the children of Israel from Babylon was sealed by the resurrection of the dry bones, Ezekiel 37:1, seq.; as also the apostle, from the resurrection of the dead, gathereth that God by that power hath and will deliver him, 2 Corinthians 1:9, 10.

Furthermore, when we are oppressed with any extremity, though never so great, by continual meditation of his promises, we should strengthen ourselves, and apply them to our present estate and condition, knowing that he that raised us out of dust will not suffer us to be buried in misery, but will with the trial give us a gracious issue at the last, by raising up our bodies at the last day by his almighty power, which made also the patriarch Abraham to hope above hope. What though our helps be few? It is no matter what the instrument is, so as Christ is the chief worker.

In the next place, This should encourage us to stand out stedfast in a good cause for the truth. Do not think with ourselves, Alas! I am but one, and a weak, silly man: what can I do against a multitude? Let not such thoughts discourage thee. Think of Luther, a poor monk, who alone set himself against the whole world, and wrought that effect that we have all cause at this day to honour the memory of him. It is not thou, but God in thee, that is able to confound all thine enemies; and therefore, with Moses, behold him that is invisible.

Yet further, This should be observed by a Christian, as a ground of his perseverance to the end; for when we know we are Christians, what can bereave us of our blessings? what can make our faith fail? It is God’s power that will keep us to salvation, and he that believeth shall have life, and shall not come into condemnation, John 6:39, 40, 44, 47, and many other places; and Christ, by his almighty power, sways all our life to our building up to salvation; and therefore in contraries we should believe contraries, that death will work life, misery happiness, corruption incorruption, and this vileness glory; for it is God’s order to work by contraries, that his power might the more appear.

And at the hour of death, then behold him that is thus able and all sufficient; that shall presently glorify our soul, and at length will raise up our body also, and unite it to our soul, to partake with it in glory and happiness; that will then quit us of all sin, corruption, death, change. All our enemies shall be trodden under our foot, and all this by his almighty power, whereby he is able to do far above that we are able to think; and therefore let us, with a holy admiration thereof, say with the apostle, Ephesians 3:20, 21, ‘To him be glory for evermore. Amen.’