THE doctrine of the resurrection was altogether unknown to the heathen world, and but imperfectly known even to the Jews themselves. The idea of bodies, once mouldered into dust and scattered over the face of the earth, being ever restored, and re- united to their kindred souls, appeared so visionary, as to be wholly inadmissible and incredible. But St. Paul shews, that the resurrection of our blessed Lord was a fact established beyond the possibility of doubt ; and that he had risen " as the first-fruits," which would assuredly be followed by an universal harvest ''. True it was that a great change would take place in the body, such as was necessary to fit it for its future state of existence : but still it would be the same body in reality, just as the wheat, which, when sown in the ground, first dies, and then rises substantially the same, though in a very different form*". To the question. What shall be done with those who shall be living upon the earth at the last day ? He answers. That they shall undergo a change equivalent to death and resurrection : and the man- ner in which this shall be effected he represents as a mystery, which in former ages had been wholly unknown, but which from inspiration he was now enabled to proclaim. However death had seemed hitherto to triumph over the many successive gene- rations that had existed upon earth, there should at last be an end of his reign, and he himself should be triumphed over by all who belong to Christ.
That we may all have a fuller view of this mystery, we will endeavour to shew, I. The victory that awaits the Christian —
Christians, like others, appear to be overcome by death —
[They, as well as others, yield to the stroke of death. Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, all have died : two only of all the children of men have been exempted from the common lot : and the time is quickly coming when every one of us must die; (for •' the body is dead because of sin '^;") and must " return to the dust" from wlience we sprang"^.]
'^ ver. 20, 23. b ver. 35—38. ^ Rom. viii. 10. ^ Gen. iii. 19.