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ly united to a man's foul here, notwithstanding, as it is alledged, * that they, in fucceffion, have all of them made up his Body; yet this is no way repugnant to the Identity of the Living and Raised body: For we are told, and very Juftly too, that though the particles of the body be changed; yet it still continues the Jame Organized body, to which they are in fucceffion vitally united. If it therefore continues the fame Organized body, in that Removal of particles; then it will at the Refurrection be the fame Body, though it may not confist of All the particles that have ever been vitally united to it; fuppofing that it be made up of that matter, which was a part of it in this life: And that fuppofition is already confirm'd, as well from the Principles of him who oppofeth it, as from our Saviour's Teftimony, that all that are the graves fhall hear his voice and shall come forth: From which the Learned Prelate having, in this Controverfy, excellently reason'd, that these words can re

3d. Letter, p. 174.

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late

late to no other fubftance, than what was united to the foul in this life, because a Different fubftance cannot be faid to be in the graves, and to come out of them; his Adverfary thus Fallaciously decries this cogent Argument, by charging an Abfurdity upon it.

This interpretation of our Saviour's words, if it prove any thing, proves that the foul too is lodged in the grave, and raised out of it at the last day; because no other fubftance being raifed but what hears his voice, and no other fubftance hearing his voice, but what being called comes out of the grave, and no other fubftance coming out of the grave, but what was in the grave, any one must conclude that the foul, unless it be in the grave, will make no part of the perfon that is raised, unless it can be made out, that a substance which was never in the grave may come out of it, or that the foul is no fubftance. In answer to this plaufible Fallacy 'tis fufficient to observe, that the Soul, having all along Existed in its Separation from

3d. Letter, p. 169.

the

the Body, cannot Strictly be faid to be Raised; but still it is a Subftance, and a Part of the person that is Raised, hears his voice, and comes out of the grave, though it be not that part which is fo Raised. The text affures us, that the Body, That part of man which shall be Raised, will be the fame that was united to his Soul here; because That alone can be faid to be in the grave, and to come out of it. And this Truth is, with as little fuccefs, opposed by the fame Author, in his Interpretation of St. Paul's discourse, about the feed fown, * That which thou foweft, thou foweft not that body that shall be, but bare grain: From which, as he reprefents it, the Argument ftands thus; + If the Body that is put in the earth in fowing, is not that Body which fhall be, then the Body that is put in the grave, is not that, i. e. the fame, Body that fhall be.

But there is a very Different account of this paffage, and a very fatisfactory one, given by Tertullian; who obferves, that

* Co. xv. 2.

† 3d. Letter, p. 185t

in these words, that which thou fowest is not quicken'd except it die, where the very fame Individual grain is faid to be Quicken'd which Dies, we are taught, that the very fame Humane Body which Dies fhall be Quicken'd in the Resurrection; fo that the Context is to be Interpreted confiftently with these words: And therefore he condemns that very Mifapplication of the Text, which is now mention'd, as Foreign to the intention of the Example.

And indeed the Oppofition between the Body fown, and that which shall be, is so stated, that it does not give us the least reafon to fufpect, that the Body which fhall be Raifed will not be the Same that Dies: Thou foweft not that body that shall be, but bare grain: where the Body that shall be, is not opposed to that which is fown, confider'd Abfolutely, but in this respect, that it is fown Bare grain, whereas it does not spring up Bare grain, but Improv'd and Adorn'd. In like manner fhall our Bodies be Raised

*Lib. de Refur. c. 52.

again, not only restored to life, but with the addition of New and Noble Qualities, Incorruptibility and Immortality.

But 'tis obfervable, that though St. Paul's defign in this Allufion was to point out the Different Qualities of the Dead and Raised body, yet his application of it is fo expreffed as to be a full proof, that the Same body fhall rise.

It is fown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption; It is fown in dishonour, it is raised in glory: 'Tis the very fame thing, that is the fubject of Different Qualities from what it had before. And this is ftill more evident from what is further afferted, This + corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality; by which nothing can be understood, but that the Same body, which is Corruptible and Mortal now, fhall hereafter be clothed with Incorruptibility and Immortality: And therefore the Apostle adds, that when this fhall be done, then shall be brought to pass the Saying that is written, Death is fwal

* 1 Cor. xv. 422 43. καὶ τὸ θνητὸν ΤΟΥΤΟ.

† Ν. 53. τὸ φθαρτο, ΤΟΥΤΟ, . 54. lowed

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