ever will terminate in the fame point. For we may fafely conclude, that the Son will raife the dead, and quicken them hereafter, in the fame manner in which himself and many dead perfons have been already raised. We have by this time, I hope, fufficient grounds for this conclufion. And indeed St. Paul affures us, that the Lord Jefus Chrift fhall change our vile body that IT may be fashioned like unto his glorious body.* For how, or when fhall he do this, if not in the GENERAL refurrection at the last day, and by a change of THAT body which was depofited in the ground? Our vile body is not to be changed for ANOTHER body, but is ITSELF to be fafhioned like unto Chrift's glorious body. Would it not be prima facie ridiculous to attempt torturing the paffage to any other sense ?

Though what has been here offered can, I think, fcarcely fall short of bringing conviction to a mind open to it, yet it will be greatly corroborated by other paffages and particulars, and especially by the doctrine

Phil. iii. 21.

contained

contained in the fifteenth Chapter of the first Epiftle to the Corinthians, which is almost totally spent upon this fubject. In truth, there are more reafons than one for our not paffing by that Chapter. If we read this portion of Scripture with due attention, and impartiality, we fhall be led, I prefume, to this unavoidable conclufion, that the bodies of all men shall be raised, if not abfolutely, totally, or numerically, yet really and truly the fame as they died; or, in other words, that the bodies which shall be raised shall, with their respective fouls, conftitute the fame perfons that lived before in the world: nor can this doctrine be invalidated by metaphyfical fubtilties, and oppofitions of Science falsly fo called; which are much lefs calculated to fatisfy, than to perplex and confound us. If the import of such paffages as the following, it is fown in difhonour, it is raised in glory; it is fown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is fown a natural body, it is raised a Spiritual body; behold I fhew you a mystery; we shall not all fleep, but we shall all be changed in a mo

† v. 43, &c. 51, &c.

ment,

ment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the laft trump; for the trumpet fhall found, and the dead fhall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed; for THIS corruptible must put on incorruption, and THIS mortal must put on immortality; if the manifeft import of these texts can be evaded, fo may the most studied paraphrase, or the most careful illustration of them. There will be no fuch thing as intelligible language to be found. The cafe is, the human body undergoes many changes in a course of years, e. g. from infancy to old age, which, I fuppofe, it will be granted, are the changes of the fame body, properly fpeaking, ftill. For though it may not be eafy to fay precifely in what the ratio of identity confifts, we may fafely fay, than an almoft infinite number of changes and modifications, which might be fuppofed, do not affect it. There are very few names which have a stronger claim to deference than that of Mr. Boyle; and it is an obfervation of his, that "there is no faying what the utmost "human art or contrivance may be able to « effect; much less what means, even phyfical

"ones,

"ones, God is able to use for the repro"duction of bodies; of which the necessary

66

conftituent parts may be preferved confif"tently with numberless changes from the "cradle to the grave, and after death." Our great Creator at least knows what properly constitutes identity much better than we can tell him; and therefore without entering fully into the ftate of the controversy as maintained long ago by Dr. Stilling fleet and Mr. Locke, (which would be little better than continuing a game of words,) I fhall content myself with pointing out to you one or two instances of cavil, and quibble, and captiousness in the latter, which plainly enough indicate him to have been galled in many places, and are indeed altogether unworthy both of himself and his argument.

The Bishop, in vindication of his own and the catholic tenet, cites thefe words of our bleffed Saviour, all that are in the graves Shall hear his voice, and shall come forth. "From hence, says Mr. L., your Lordship

argues, that these words, all that are in the grave, relate to no other fubftance, than "what was united to the Soul in life; be"caufe a different fubftance cannot be faid "to be in the graves, and to come out of "them. Which words of your Lordship, "if they prove any thing, prove that the "Soul too is lodged in the grave, and raised "out of it at the last day. For your Lord

ship says, can a different fubftance be faid to "be in the graves, and come out of them? So "that according to this interpretation of "these words of our Saviour, no other fub"ftance being raised but what hears his "voice, but what, being called, comes out "of the grave; and no other fubftance com

ing out of the grave, but what was in the

grave; any one must conclude, that the "Soul, unless it be in the grave, will make "no part of the person that is raised, unless, "as your Lordship argues against me, you "can make it out, that a fubftance which "never was in the grave, may come out of "it; or that the Soul is no fubstance." *But

* Ibid.