large;
--but the above is in perfect agreement with the philosophy of St.
Paul, (1 Cor. 15,) where he compares the raising of the spiritual body
to a grain of wheat sown in the earth. I would not be understood to
say that this natural body of flesh and blood is ever to rise. No one,
I presume, will contend that infants, youth and decrepid age, and
those who are born deformed will be raised in that condition and all
retain their various complexions. I believe, however, that there are
those subtle materials in the natural body which, when extricated from
the earthly tenement, and completely developed, shall produce the
immortal being; and that these are as perfect in the infant as in the
man.

We will now conclude by anticipating and answering one or two
principal objections. It may be objected that, if any one arose
immortal before Christ, he could not have been "the first-born from
the dead" as stated in Col. i. 18. This does not mean _first_ in the
order of time, but in _rank_. It means _principal_, and is explained
by the connecting phrase--"that in all things he might have the
_pre-eminence_." It is more particularly explained in Rev. i. 5. "Jesus
Christ the faithful witness and the first-begotten of the dead and the
Prince of the kings of the earth." In connexion with this, we will
introduce 1 Cor. xv. 20. "But now is Christ risen from the dead and
become _first-fruits_ of them that slept." This also has reference to
_rank_ and not to _first_ in the order of time. In evidence of this,
we will quote Cruden,--"The day after the feast of the Passover, they
brought a sheaf into the temple the _first-fruits_ of the barley-harvest.
The sheaf was threshed in the court, and of the grain that
came out they took a full homer; i.e. About three pints. After it had
been well winnowed, parched and bruised, they sprinkled over it a log
of oil; i.e. Near a pint. They added to it a handful of incense; and
the priest that received this offering shook it before the Lord
towards the four quarters of the world; he cast part of it upon the
altar and the rest was his own. After this every one might begin their
harvest. This was offered in the name of the whole nation, and by
_this_ the harvest was sanctified unto them."

Here let the question be asked--Was this sheaf called the
_first-fruits_ because it was ripe before the whole harvest? No; it was not
cut till the harvest was ripe. Was it called _first_ because the
harvest would be _