SECTION VIII QUERY VIII. Since though all Chriftians own the Refurrection of the fame Body for Subftance; yet they also own, there will be a mighty Change in it, with respect to thofe Qualities that fall fuit it to the Heavenly Regions, and to the Operations of our perfected Spirits there, (and that conformably to fuch Paffages of Scripture as thefe, I Cor. xv. throughout. 2 Tim. fi. 18. 2 Cor. v. 10. John v. 28, 29. Acts xxiv. 15. &c.) How can thofe Quakers pretend to believe that great Article of our Chriftian Religion, who violently oppose this Doctrine? Who expound the cleareft Paffages of Scripture that speak of the Refurrection of the Dead, even all thofe in the 1 Cor. xv. of a Spiritual and Mystical Refurrection from the Death of Sin, to a Life of Righteoufnefs, i. e. of a Refurrection *See W. Penn's already paft? Who deny the Refurrection of the fame numerical Invalidity of J. Body? Who reproach it as a carnal Refurrection, and cenfure it to Faldo's &c. be as abfurd a Doctrine, as that of Tranfubftantiation, and fitter for Mahometans than Chriftians to expect? (a) If it be objected, that the Apoftle Paul diftinguifbes between a natural and fpiritual Body, and afferts the Refurrection of no other than a fpiritual Body. (b) (a) Id. Reafon a gaint Railing page 134. 138. (b) Thomas Elwood's Anfw. to G. Keith's first Narrative, p. 149. Answer, What the Apoftle afferts is, That that which is fown a natural (or animal) is raised a fpiritual Body, i. e. that that Body which was here in its prefent Conftitution and Qualities fuited to this animal (c) Life, fhall be raised with very different Qualities, and fuch as are fuitable to its Union with a glorified Spirit. But that he means the fame Body for Subftance is evident; for (faith be) this Mortal (pointing at his own Body, for nothing else was Mortal in him) fhall put on Immortality, and this Corruptible fhall put on Incorruption, I Cor. xv. The fame Body that is fown in Corruption, Difhonour, and Weaknefs, fhall be raised in Incorruption, Glory, and Power, I Cor. xv. 43, 44. 'Tis our vile, Bodies that fhall be fashioned like to CHRIST's And indeed our (d) glorious Body, Phil. iii. 21. Bodies can never be truly faid to be raised from the Grave, if nothing of their former Substance remain. A new and numerically different Body cannot be faid to rife again. Nothing can arise but that which fell, not to be quickned again, but that which was dead. Every one must receive at the laft Day the Things done in his Body, 2 Cor. v. There will indeed be a marvellous Change made (e) in our Bodies by His Power, who is able to fubdue all Things to Himfelf, of which we have a fenfible Specimen in our LORD's Transfiguration on the Mount. But to deny (as the Quakers do) the Refurrection of the -fame numerical Body, is to deny the fcriptural Doctrine of the Refurrection of the Dead. And this the Apostle Paul juftly calls erring, concerning the Truth, to the overthrowing the Faith of Men, 2 Tim. 2. 18. REPLY. TH REPLY. Phil. 3. 21. HO' we apprehend no natural Decay in the general Frame and Structure of this WORLD, ye we queftion not, but by the Power of GOD, who made it, it may be diffolv'd or changed in that great Harveft, the laft, great, and general Day of Judgment, when we believe (notwithstanding what our Adverfaries alledge) that fame JESUS CHRIST who was crucified, buried, rofe again, afcended and is glorified with the fame Glory he had before the WORLD began, will in His own proper glorified Body, as the heavenly Man, come in great Power and Glory to judge both the Juft and Unjuft, Quick and Dead, who shall change our flefbly, vile, and mortal Body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious Body, according to the Working, whereby he is able to fubdue all Things to himself. Every Man's Soul being vitally united to a diftinct, spiritual and angelical Body, proper to it, as fhall please the Divine Being, the great and good Maker and Giver thereof; which Body we believe will as far tranfcend this natural and corruptible Body, as the Bodies of Angels, to whom we fhall be equal, do the Bodies of Flesh, Blood, and Bones; nor dare we determine with what Bodies we fhall arife, or of what the ALMIGHTY will form our RefurrectionBody, being well pleased with what he is pleased to give us, and knowing, Thou Fool belongs to the unneceffary Medler. SCRIPTURE SCRIPTURE PROOFS. See those that follow my Reply to Section I. and to them add, 1. Thef. 4. 14. to the end. OR if ye believe JESUS died, and rofe a will GOD bring with Him; for this we (ay unto you by the Word of the LORD, that we which are alive, and remain unto the Coming of the LORD, fhall not prevent them which are afleep; for the LORD himfelf fhall defcend from Heaven with a Shout, with the Voice of the Arch-angel, and with the Trump of GOD, and the Dead in CHRIST fall rife first; then we which are alive, and remain, fhall be caught up together with them in the Clouds to meet the LORD in the Air; and fo fhall we ever be with the LORD; wherefore comfort one another with thefe Words. Dan. 12. 2, 3. Wife Shall fhine as the ny to Righteousness as Mat. 13. 43. Luke 20. 35. to 39. And many of them that fleep in the Duft of the Earth fhall awake, fome to Everlasting Life, and fome to Shame and Everlasting Contempt; and they that be Brightness of the Firmament, and they that turn ma the Stars for ever and ever. Then fhall the Righteous fhine forth as the SUN in the Kingdom of their FATHER. But they which fhall be accounted worthy to obtain that World, and the Refurrection from the Dead; nei ther Marry, nor are given in Marriage, neither can they die any more; for they are equal unto the Angels and are the Children of the Refurrection. Now, that the Dead are railed, even Mofes fhewed at the Bush, when he calleth the LORD, the GOD of Abraham the GOD of Ifaac, and the GOD of Jacob; for he is not the GOD of the Dead, but of the Living, for all live unto Him. 2 Cor. 5. 1, 10. For we knew, that if this Earthly Houfe of this Tabernacle were diffolv'd. we have a Building of GOD, an Houle not made with Hands, Eternal in the Heavens. For we must all appear before the Fudgment-Seat of CHRIST, that every one may receive the Things done in his Body, a cording to that he hath done. whether it be good or bad. 1 Cor. 15. 35. to 45. But fome Man will fay, how are the Dead raised up, and with what Body do they come? THOU FOOL That which thou foweft is not quickned, ex cept it die, and that which thou lowest, thou fowest, not that Body that shall be, but bare Grain it may chance of Wheat, or of of fome other Grain; but GOD giveth a Body as it hath pleafed Him, and to every Seed his own Body. All Flesh is not the fame Flefb, but there is one kind of Efb of Men, another Flesh of Beasts, another of Fifbes, and another of Birds. There are alfo Coeleftial Bodies, and Bodies Terreftrial; but the Glory of the Cœleftial is one and the Glory of the Terreftrial is another; there is one Glory of the Sun, and another Glory of the Moon, and another Glory of the Stars, for one Star differeth from ano ther Star in Glory ifo alfo is the Refurrection of the Dead. it is fown in Corruption, it is raifed in Incorruption; it is fown in Dishonour, it is raifed in Glory; it is fown in Weakness, it is raised in Power; it is fown a Natural Body, it is raifed a Spiritual Body; there is a Natural Body, and there is a Spiritual Body. Authorities from our own Writers. To thofe that follow my Reply to Section I. add thefe; BY John Crook's Truth's Principles, 1663. P.1 Y this Gift of GOD in our Hearts, we further believe that Chrift Fefus rofe again from the Dead, according unto the Scriptures, and fits at God's right Hand in a glorious Body; and we believe that our low Eftates, and bumbled Bodies, fhall be made like unto his glorious Body, thro' the working of his mighty Power, whereby he is able to fubdue all Things unto himself, and that this Mortal fhall put on Immortality. p. 22. because we dare not be fo foolishly inquifitive, ás to fay, With what Bodies fhall they arife; therefore do fome fay, We deny both the Refurrection of CHRIST, and of all that are and fhall be Dead; but this alfo is falfe, for every Man thall be raised in his own Order, but CHRIST the first Fruits, 1 Cor. 85.23. 19. T. Elwood's An- Tis a known thing, that as we have always afferted a Refurrection of Bodies. fo we have always denied the Body which is to be raised,to be the fame Body that died, with refpect to Grof nefs and Carneity; and that firft, from the Principles of our Oppofers about it, who hold that it is wonderfully chang'd, and therefore 'tis a wonder it should be the very fame. Secondly, From the Reafon and Nature of the Thing, which will not admit a Natural Carnal Body to be a fuitable Habitatian for a glorified Soul in Heaven to dwell in; nor to be the G fame |