and this is the force of his Argument: The Body of the fame man in this life does at Different times confift of Different matter, and therefore his Body at the Refurrection may be made up of Different matter from what it confifted of in this life; and yet he will be the fame man that did exift in this State, as much as he is the fame man in the feveral periods of this life, though the Substance of his Body be Different at one time, from what it is at another.

But this Argument will not only admit of an Answer, but may also be Retorted as a very good Argument to prove, that to the constitution of the fame man in the Refurrection, the fame Numerical Body, as well as the fame Soul, is neceffary; if it be true, as it is exprefsly affirmed by this Author, that * the Identity of man confifts in nothing but a Participation of the fame continued life, by confiantly fleeting particles of matter, in fucceffion vitally united to the fame Organized body. From which this Argument may

*Eff. B. 2. ch. 27. §. 5.

be

be drawn: If New particles of matter, added to our Bodies, do become a part of us, folely by their Participation of the fame continued life; it hence follows, that if the fame man who lives here, fhall rife from the dead, his Body in the Refurrection will not confift of any Matter, which did not become a part of it in this ftate, by a Participation of the fame continued life. Indeed the Continuance of life is not, as 'tis represented, neceffary to the Identity of man; for our Bleffed Saviour was the fame man, before his Death, and after his Refurrection. However, according to this Author's own account, a Body made up of New particles of Matter cannot confift with the Identity of man, unless that New matter hath partaken of the same continued life.

And this may be a good reason of rejecting other confequences urged, against the Identity of the Body at the Refurrection, from the change of particles in the Body here. Though the Body at the Refurrection may not confift of all the particles of matter, that have ever been vital

ly

ly united to a man's foul here, notwithftanding, 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 fame 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 confift 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 in 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.

G

late

late to no other substance, than what was united to the foul in this life, becaufe 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 raised 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 fubftance 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 obferve, 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 Substance, and a Part of the perfon 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, oppofed by the fame Author, in his Interpretation of St. Paul's discourse, about the feed fown, * That which thou fowest, thou foweft not that body that shall be, but bare grain: From which, as he represents it, the Argument ftands thus; + If the Body that is put in the earth in Sowing, is not that Body which shall be, then the Body that is put in the grave, is not that, i. e. the fame, Body that shall be.

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

I Co. xv. 37.

† 3d. Letter, p. 185.