to an higher ftate of perfection. They therefore who contend that things fhould be as perfect, at the beginning as at the conclufion of his administration, are wiser than God.

Ver. 47. The fecond man, the Lord from heaven, is heavenly. This tranflation is supported by the Vulgate verfion: Secundus homo de cælo, cæleftis; The fecond man from heaven, is heavenly and by the Borner MS. Gr. and Latin: and by one of Valefius' MSS. mentioned by Bp. Pearce: all which have here, gan. Nevertheless I have marked the words, is heavenly, as not in the Greek, because, although I think it was fo written by the apoftle, I would not alter the present text either on conjecture, or on flight authority. In the Vulgate, the word Lord is wanting, having, as Tertullian tells us, been added by Marcion. Yet I am of opinion it is the true reading.

Ver. 48. As the earthy, &c. The apostle divides all mankind into two forts, earthy and heavenly; and tells us, that as the earthy man, fuch alfo the earthy men: and as the heavenly man, fuch alfo the heavenly men. But the question is, Whether the likeness of the earthy to the earthy, and of the heavenly to the heavenly, be a prefent or a future likeness? Our tranflators feem to have been of opinion, that the apostle speaks of men in the prefent life, and of their likeness to the earthy and the heavenly man, in the temper of their mind. For to fhew this, they have in their tranflation fupplied the fubftantive verb in the present tenfe, as is the earthy, fuch are they also that are earthy and as is the beavenly, fuch are they also that are heavenly. But I rather think the apostle defcribeth mankind, as they are to be in the world to come: and that the likenefs to the carthy and to the heavenly man, is a likenefs in body which is to take. place after the refurrection. And therefore, in the tranflation I have fupplied the fubitantive verb in the future tenfe: Such alfo the earthy, fhall be. And in fupport of my tranflation and opinion, I obferve, that throughout the whole of this difcourfe concerning the refurrection, it is the body only which is fpoken of. This is evident more especially from ver. 44, 45, 46, 47. where we are told, that it is fown an animal body, but raised a fpiritual body: that there is an animal and a spiritual body allotted to the

righteous,

48 As the earthy man Adam was after the fall, fuch alfo the earthy men, the wicked, shall be at the refurrection. And as the heavenly man Christ is at prefent, fuch alfo the heavenly men, the righteous fhall be.

49 For as we, the righteous, have borne the image of the earthy man in our body, because we were to live a while on earth, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly man in our body at the refurrection, because we are to live for ever in heaven.

50 And this I affirm, brethren, becaufe a body compofed of flesh and blood, fuch as ours is at prefent, cannot enjoy the kingdom of God, where there are no objects fuited to the fenfes and appetites of fuch a body;

righteous, in the different ftages of their existence; that they derive their animal body from Adam, but their spiritual body from Chrift; that their spiritual body is not firft given to them, but their animal, and then that which is fpiritual; that the first man Adam being from the earth, his body was earthy, but the fecond man being the Lord frora heaven, his body is heavenly. Wherefore, when the apoftle tells us, ver. 48. As the earthy, fuch alfo the earthy, and as the heavenly, fuch alfo the heavenly, it is plain that he speaks only of the body of the earthy and of the heavenly men. This appears likewife from ver. 49. where he fays, As we have borne the image of the earthy man, namely in this life, (Cogecoμer xα) We fball alfo bear the image of the heavenly man, namely in the life to come. For to fhew that he fpeaks of our bearing the image of the earthy and of the heavenly man in our body only, he adds, ver. 50. And this I affirm, brethren, because flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither can corruption inherit incorruption: 1 affirm, that in the life to come, we shall bear the image of the heavenly man in our body, because a body confifting of flesh and blood, as is the body we have derived from the earthy man, cannot inherit the kingdom of God. That the righteous after the refurrection, are to bear the image of the heavenly man in their spirit, I do not deny. I only contend that it is not taught in this paffage of fcripture,

Ver. 50.-1. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. This is that happy place which Chrift hath gone to prepare for the reception of his people, John xiv. 2. In that place, bodies compofed of flesh and blood cannot live, because, as is faid in the commentary, it affords no objecta fuited either to the fenfes, or to the appetites of a fleshly body. See ver. 44. note.

2. Neither

cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

51 Behold, I fhew you a mystery; we shall not all deep, but we fhall all be changed,

52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the laft trump, (for the trumpet fhall found,) and the dead fhall be raifed incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

53 For this corruptible muft put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

σιλειαν

Θες κληρονομησαι * δύναται, εδε ἡ φθορα την αφθαρσίαν κληρονομεί.

51 Ιδε, μυςηριον ύμιν λεγω παντες μεν 8 κοιμη θησομεθα, παντες δε αλλα γησομεθα·

52 Εν ατομῳ, εν ριπη οφ θαλμέ, εν τη εσχατη σαλ πιγγι, (σαλπισει γαρ) και δι νεκροι εγερθησονται αφθαρτοι, και ήμεις αλλαγησομε θα

53 Δεί γαρ το φθαρτον τετο ενδύσασθαι αφθαρσίαν, και το θνητον τετο ενδύσασ θαι αθανασιαν.

2. Neither can corruption inherit incorruption. A fpirit clothed with a corruptible body, like our present bodies, cannot enjoy objects that are incorruptible. They are not capable of enjoying the divine vifion, nor of performing the exalted fervices, nor of relifhing the pure plea fures which conftitute the glory and felicity of the kingdom of God.

Ver. 51. But we fhall all be changed. To prove that the righteous when raised from the dead, fhall bear the image of the heavenly man in their body, the apoftle affirmed, ver. 40. that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God: and that corruption cannot inherit incorruption. Wherefore, left this might have led the Corinthians to fancy that the righteous, who at the coming of Christ are found alive on the earth, in fleshly corruptible bodies, could not inherit the kingdom of God, unless they died and were raised incorruptible, the apoftle told them that they are not to die; but that to make them capable of inheriting the kingdom of God, their body is to be changed. Wherefore, though the expreffion, We shall not all die, but we fball all be changed, be general, yet as the difcourfe is concerning them who are to inherit the kingdom of God, the expreffion, we shall all be changed, must be restricted to them alone: confequently, though it be true of the wicked who are alive on the earth at the coming of Chrift, that they fhall not die, it does not follow, from the apoftle's faying, we Shall all be changed, that the wicked are to be changed. Befides, it is no where faid in scripture, that the wicked, whether dead or alive, at

the

2

corruption inherit incor- neither can a body subject to diffolution, ruption. ' live in a state where every thing is incorruptible.

51 Behold, (λyw, 55.) I tell you a mystery; we fhall not (uev, 237.) indeed all die, but we fhall all be changed, '

51 Behold I make known to you a fecret of great importance; namely, that we the righteous fhall not all die; but fuch of us as are alive at the coming of Chrift fhall all be changed: our corruptible body fhall be changed into an incorruptible body.

52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for it fhall found, and then the dead in Chrift fhall be raised incorruptible, and we the righteous who are alive, shall be changed: our bodies fhall be made incorruptible, after the righteous are raised.

53 For, to make us capable of inheriting the kingdom of God, this corruptible body must become incorruptible, not liable to diseases; and this mortal body must become immortal, not liable to death.

the coming of Chrift, fhall obtain the honour of incorruptible heavenly bodies. See Theff. iv. 16. note 5.

Ver. 52.-1. At the last trumpet; for it fball found. At the giving of the law from Sinai, there was heard a great noife, like the founding of a trumpet, exceeding loud, which founded long and waxed louder and louder. In like manner, at the descent of Christ from heaven, a great noife, called the trumpet of God, 1 Theff. iv. 16. will be made by the attending angels, as the fignal for the righteous to come forth from their graves. And this noife being made at Chrift's command, it is called by himself his voice, John v. 25. After the righteous are raised, the trumpet hall found a fecond time; on which account it is called here the last trumpet. And while it founds, the righteous who are alive on the earth, fhall be changed.

2. And then the dead fhall be raifed incorruptible. Though this expreffion be general, yet for the reafons mentioned, ver. 51. note, it must be restricted to the dead in Chrift, of whom the apoftle is difcourfing. Befides, as the circumftance mentioned, i Theff. iv. 16. The dead in Chrift shall rife first, demonftrates that the wicked are not to be raised at the fame time with the righteous; the expreffion, the dead fhall be raised incorruptible, does not relate to them.

Ver. 53. For this corruptible body must, educaodai adagлiav, put on incorruption. That cax, body, is rightly fupplied here, fee ver. 42.

note.

note. The word advoara, literally fignifies to go into a place, and metaphorically to put on, or go into clothes. But the metaphorical meaning must not be infifted on here, as implying that our corruptible body fhall have one that is incorruptible put over it for an outward covering. These ideas are incongruous, and therefore the meaning is, This corruptible body must be changed into one that is incorruptible, as mentioned, ver. 51.-The righteous who are alive at the coming of Christ, inftead of dying and rifing again immortal, fhall, by the power of Chrift, have their corruptible mortal bodies changed in a moment, into incorruptible immortal bodies: and by that means be fitted for inheriting the kingdom of God, equally with those who are raised from the dead incorruptible.

Ver. 54. Death is fwallowed up for ever. So the original phrafe , may be tranflated, being often used by the LXX. in that fenfe, as Whitby hath proved. This circumftance likewise fhews, that in his difcourfe concerning the refurrection, the apoftle had the righteous chiefly in view. For it cannot be faid of the wicked, who are to fuffer the fecond death, that death is fwallowed up in any fenfe with respect to them, or that God hath given them the victory over it, ver. 57. by the refurrection. Bp. Pearce in his note on this verse obferves, that the LXX. tranflation of Ifa. xxv. 8. here quoted, runs thus: xaTi davar oxvoas, Death having prevailed, hath fwallowed up: But that in Theodotian's verfion, the words are the fame with the apoftle's.

Ver. 55. Where, O death! is thy fling? Where, O grave! is thy victory? The word dồng, tranflated the grave, literally fignifies the invifible world, or the place where departed fpirits, both good and bad, remain