CONTENTS. CHAPTER I.-The Argument from Reason, CHAPTER II.-Distinction of Personal and Bodily Identity, - CHAPTER III.-The True Body of the Resurrection as inferred by Page ANASTASIS; OR THE DOCTRINE OF THE RESURRECTION, &c. INTRODUCTION. The Knowledge of Revelation Progressive. THE proposition which is virtually embodied in the heading of the present section, flows by natural sequence from the general and universally admitted truth, that the human race itself is progressive, not merely in physical continuity, but in mental development. That our collective humanity, like each individual that composes it, passes through a childhood, a youth, and a meridian manhood, can scarcely be a question with any one who casts his eye at the page of history or the universal analogies of nature. We should be far from doing violence to truth, should we slightly alter the poetic aphorism, and read-" Progress is heaven's first law." If so, the thesis may stand unassailable, that the knowledge of Revelation, like that of Nature, is destined to be continually on the advance. So far as the latter is concerned it will not be denied by the reflecting mind, that even at this period of the world man has arrived but at the threshold of that august temple of Truth into which he is called to enter, and to become a worshipper at its inmost shrines. He is now in the scene of his pupilage-in the lowest forms of that school in which he has been set to learn the lessons of the universe. In this capacity he has two great volumes placed before him which are to be the theme of his perpetual pondering-the volume of Nature and the volume of Revelation. In regard to both these volumes we know not how to resist the belief that the same great law holds good, viz. of gradual development. No one can entertain a doubt that it has thus far been by slow and toilsome steps, that natural science has achieved its triumphs. The arcana of creation have hitherto been laid open fact by fact, and principle by principle. Ages elapsed before even the true method of prosecuting physical inquiries was fixed by the genius of the immortal author of the Organon. And at the present day Geology, for instance, is but just beginning to unwrap the bandages which have swathed for countless centuries the mummy globe which we inhabit. And so in every other field of the naturalist's investigations the process of discovery has been. alike tardy and gradational. Who can question that the most advanced outposts of the territory conquered by the science of this generation, will have dwindled and become scarcely perceptible to the retroverted eye of the philosopher of 1944 ? If such then be the case with the book of Nature, is there any reason to doubt that the same law obtains in regard to the book of Revelation? Is there the least ground for surprise or offence at the intimation, that there may be new discoveries in Revelation, as well as in physical science?—that the diligent study of the sacred volume may open new and unexpected views of truth leading to the most momentous results? There is doubtless a strong predisposition in pious minds to rest in the persuasion, that all the important truths of Revelation have been long since ascertained and fixed, at least in their grand outline. It will perhaps be admitted that its doctrines and disclosures may be more clearly and accurately defined in detail-that the different parts of the great scheme may be more nicely discriminated, balanced, and adjusted—that its separate dis tinguishing features may be brought out in bolder relief, and their various relations and consequences more distinctly exhibited. But still it is supposed that the system as a whole is well settled and incapable of extending its bounds. The inass of Christians probably look upon the progress of Truth somewhat as they do upon that of a conquering power, like that of Israel in Canaan, which has completely overrun the limits of the invaded country, and attained the ne plus ultra of territorial acquisition, but which yet has a good deal to do within those limits in achieving an entire subjugation, and in parcelling out the region under the new regime. Or, to vary our illustration somewhat, the views entertained by many, perhaps by most, of the Christian world, on the subject of Revelation, are similar to those entertained on the subject of Geography. We are conscious to ourselves of understanding the general form, dimensions, and divisions of the earth. Its great continents and oceans-its mountains, rivers, and islands—are all mapped out to our mind's eye. And so also of its political distributions into empires and states. We feel entirely assured of having mastered-of having brought within our mental ken-all the grander features of the globe which we inhabit. And if the question were asked what farther knowledge we expect to acquire on this subject, we should at once reply, that our acquaintance with particular regions-their local aspect-their peculiarities of soil, production, and climate -the manners and customs of the races that inhabit them may be indefinitely increased. So in the field before us, we admit the possibility of a greater amount of information as to the particulars of revealed truth-the clearing up of certain verbal difficulties and obscurities in the sacred textand the happier illustration of certain passages from the manners and usages of Oriental life-while at the same time we no more look for any farther grand and momentous |