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its Parts perhaps are putrify'd and corrupted, or dry'd and moulder'd into Duft and Afbes: This Difficulty, (as you fhall fee by and by in its proper place) will be entirely taken away, if we confider, how this wonderful Work will be effected: That 'twill not be by Nature or Second Causes, but by the Eacid. Infinite and (k) uncontroulable Pow.

lib. 3.

er of the most High. Nay, that most
Learned Roman, Varro, (as he is
quoted by St. Austin, de Civ. Dei,
Lib. 22. Cap. 28.) tells us of some
Aftrologers, that they did exprefly
affert the Refurrection of the fame
Body; and that it should be reuni-
ted to its own Soul four hundred and
forty Years after their Separation.
Virgil informs us from the Ancients,
That many of those Souls, which
dwell in the happy Groves of Elyfi-
um,
after a Thousand Years Con-
verfation there, fhall be fent back in-
to this World, and return into Hu-
man Bodies. But how near a kin
(I pray) is this to the Chriftian

Doctrine, which affures us That
the Saints will at the laft Day come
down from Heaven, after a long

Sepa

.

Separation and Divorce, to re-enter their glorious and immortal Bodies? In short, I do not fee, how the grof fest of the Atomical Philofophers themfelves, can be excufed for their Infidelity in this Point. Even thefe M) Men, if they will but ftand to their own Principles, can be no Enemies to a Refurrection: For if by the for tuitous Concourfe of Atoms, playing and toying up and down in an immense Space, the World and all things in it were at first made; Why, when the fame World is, according to their Hypothefis, diffolv'd, and its Atoms all floating again in а Vacuum as before, they fhould not each of them by the very fame Chance luckily hit upon their Kindred Atoms, and at length combine together into their former Bodies no Man can imagine. Nay, fuch Confiderations as thefe, (if what (1) Pliny, and Nat. be true) cap. 55. (m) Saint Hierom fay, be oblig'd Democritus and Epicurus them-(m) comfelves to acknowledge it. Thus ment. in then does this Queftion of our Apo- aft. cap. ftle appear to be very proper, rational, I and pertinent, from the Principles and Tenents of the most eminent and learn

2

Hift. lib.7.

Ecclefi

ed

ed Pagans themselves, which render the Doctrine of the Refurrection credible. It will fo,

2. If we confider, That the Divine Oracles do exprefly affert it: (*)Mat.25. 31, 32. When the Son of Man (fays (n) our Lord) full come in his Glory, and all the Holy Angels with him, then shall be fit upon the Throne of his Glory. And before him fhall be gather'd all Nations; and he hall feparate them one from another, as a Shepherd divideth the Sheep from the Goats. Here is an Universal Appearance of all Mankind before the Tribunal of their Judge, to receive the Things done in the Body, according to that they have done, whether it be Good or Bad. For that this Judgment is to pass upon all in their Bodies, he declares beyond all exception in the 5th of St. John, v, 28, 29. The Hour is coming, (fays he) in the which, all that are in the Graves shall hear the Voice of the Son of God, and shall come forth; they that have done Good, unto the Refurrection of Life; and they, that have done Evil, unto the Refurrection (0) Pearfon of Damnation. For, as a very Learned (o) Prelate of our own has irrefragaCreed, pag.

upon the

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bly prov'd, and (p) Slichsingius him- (1) In lofelf is forced to confefs, these Words cum. cannot poffibly be understood of a Spiritual Refurrection, or of a Refurrection only from the Graves of Ignorance and Impiety. St. Paul is likewife much upon this Subject. In his first Epistle to the Corinthians, he glorioully difcourfeth throughout a whole Chapter, of its Certainty, Univerfality, and Tremendous Circumftances And in the Fourth Chapter of his First Epistle to the Theffalonians, he refumes and defcants with equal Triumph upon the fame Topick. What St. Paul thus foretold, St. John had the Honour to behold in a Vision. I Saw the Dead (fays (q) he) Small (9) Rev.20. and Great, stand before God. And the 12, 13. Sea gave up the Dead, which were in it and Death and Hell deliver'd up the Dead, which were in them; and they were judged every one according to their Works. That afflicted Servant of God, the Holy Job, plainly inftructed the Jews in this point, many Ages before, by the Pen of Mofes. I know (says (r) he that my Redeemer liveth, and (†)cap, 19. that he shall stand at the latter day upon the Earth. And though after my Skin

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Worms

Worms deftroy this Body, yet in my Flesh hall I fee God: whom I shall fee for my Self, and mine Eyes fhall behold, and not another; though my Reins be confumed within me. For thefe Words (how

ever Grotius and fome others, are wil ling to understand them) do, I conceive with St. Hierom, and the Ancients, and the generality of Orthodox and Learned Writers of these later Ages, manifeftly rife above the Reftauration of his Temporal Felicity, to the Joys and Triumphs of his Glorious Refurrection. In a Word, The Holy Scriptures do so frequently, as well in the Old as New Testament, deliver this Doarine, That we must either deny them to be the Word of God, or acknowledge he has fufficiently declar'd, that the Refurrection is the determinate purpose of his Will. Which being so, we are fure likewife in the

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3d Place, That this Question of our Apostle is very Proper, Ra tional, and Pertinent, because the Divine Will determines it, the Divine Power is able to effect it. And indeed, that Man, who thinks otherwife, muft needs entertain very

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