FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   >>  
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 _
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   >>  



Top keywords:
harvest
 

fruits

 

Christ

 

explained

 

immortal

 
called
 
perfect
 

natural

 
principal
 

Passover


Cruden

 

barley

 
temple
 

brought

 
evidence
 

reference

 
threshed
 
quarters
 

offered

 

question


nation

 

sanctified

 

parched

 

bruised

 

sprinkled

 

winnowed

 

priest

 

received

 

offering

 

incense


handful

 
raised
 

condition

 

retain

 

deformed

 
decrepid
 

complexions

 
extricated
 

earthly

 
tenement

materials
 

subtle

 
infants
 
contend
 

compares

 

philosophy

 
agreement
 

raising

 
spiritual
 

presume