登陆注册
5214200000455

第455章

To understand what the apostle means when he says that we shall all come to a perfect man, we must consider the connection of the whole passage, which runs thus: "He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things.And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets;and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come to the unity of the faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ: that we henceforth be no more children, tossed and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in Him in all things, which is the Head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body, unto the edifying of itself in love."(5) Behold what the perfect man is--the head and the body, which is made up of all the members, which in their own time shall be perfected.But new additions are daily being made to this body while, the Church is being built up, to which it is said, "Ye are the body of Christ and His members;"(6) and again, "For His body's sake," he says, "which is the Church;"(7) and again, "We being many are one head, one body."(8) It is of the edification of this body that it is here, too, said, "For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edification of the body of Christ;" and then that passage of which we are now speaking is added, "Till we all come to the unity of the faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ," and so on.And he shows of what body we are to understand this to be the measure, when he says, "That we may grow up into Him in all things, which is the Head, even Christ: from whom the whole body filly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part." As, therefore, there is a measure of every part, so there is a measure of the fullness of the whole body which is made up of all its parts, and it is of this measure it is said, "To the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ." This fullness he spoke of also in the place where he says of Christ, "And gave Him to be the Head over all things to the Church,(1) which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all.'(2) But even if this should be referred to the form in which each one shall rise, what should hinder us from applying to the woman what is expressly said of the man, understanding both sexes to be included under the general term "man?" For certainly in the saying, "Blessed is he who feareth the Lord,"(3) women also who fear the Lord are included.

CHAP.19.--THAT ALL BODILY BLEMISHES WHICH MAR HUMAN BEAUTY IN THISLIFE SHALL BE

REMOVED IN THE RESURRECTION, THE NATURAL SUBSTANCE OF THE BODY REMAINING, BUTTHE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF IT BEING ALTERED SO AS TO PRODUCE BEAUTY.

What am I to say now about the hair and nails? Once it is understood that no part of the body shall so perish as to produce deformity in the body, it is at the same time understood trial such things as would have produced a deformity by their excessive proportions shall be added to the total bulk of the body, not to parts in which the beauty of the proportion would thus be marred.Just as if, after making a vessel of clay, one wished to make it over again of the same clay, it would not be necessary that the same portion of the clay which had formed the handle should again form the new handle, or that what had formed the bottom should again do so, but only that the whole clay should go to make up the whole new vessel, and that no part of it should be left unused.Wherefore, if the hair that has been cropped and the nails that have been cut would cause a deformity were they to be restored to their places, they shall not be restored;and yet no one will lose these parts at the resurrection, for they shall be changed into the same flesh, their substance being so altered as to preserve the proportion of the various parts of the body.However, what our Lord said, "Not a hair of your head shall perish," might more suitably be interpreted of the number, and not of the length of the hairs, as He elsewhere says, "The hairs of your head are all numbered."(4) Nor would Isay this because I suppose that any part naturally belonging to the body can perish, but that whatever deformity was in it, and served to exhibit the penal condition in which we mortals are, should be restored in such a way that, while the substance is entirely preserved, the deformity shall perish.For if even a human workman, who has, for some reason, made a deformed statue, can recast it and make it very beautiful, and this without suffering any part of tile substance, but only the deformity to be lost,--if he can, for example, remove some unbecoming or disproportionate part, not by cutting off and separating this part from the whole, but by so breaking down and mixing up the whole as to get rid of the blemish without diminishing the quantity of his material,--shall we not think as highly of the almighty Worker?

Shall He not be able to remove and abolish all deformities of the human body, whether common ones or rare and monstrous, which, though in keeping with this miserable life, are yet not to be thought of in connection with that future blessedness; and shall He not be able so to remove them that, while the natural but unseemly blemishes are put an end to, the natural substance shall suffer no diminution?

同类推荐
  • 酒人觞政

    酒人觞政

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 杂纂三续

    杂纂三续

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Autobiography of a Slander

    The Autobiography of a Slander

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说弘道广显三昧经

    佛说弘道广显三昧经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 念诵结护法普通诸部

    念诵结护法普通诸部

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 异界无尽打脸系统

    异界无尽打脸系统

    仙子当你的世界还是一片混沌之时,我就开始装逼了!中二少年疾空琉月偶然得到了超级系统!穿越各大异界走上了逆天装逼的道路,励志要让世人为他膜拜痴狂。。。。。。
  • 平桥稿

    平桥稿

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 僵神怒

    僵神怒

    当美女与帅气僵尸相爱会如何?他是被她那滴沉入湖底的鲜血唤醒的沉睡千年的僵尸......他苦苦修炼,不顾一切只为留在她身边,然而这个世界绝不允许异类的存在,杀戮接连而来,道与魔的交锋,僵神一怒,浮尸百万!只为那被人唾弃的爱恋,全然放弃了修炼成仙的夙愿。
  • 权少的新妻

    权少的新妻

    这是一部关于男人追女人、男人宠女人的现代爱情故事。这是一个有家世有背景、有能力有手腕男人的商界风云录。这是一个普通小白领的职场奋斗励志史。当一本正经遇到玩世不恭,是谁笑了?当一招一式遇上不择手段,是谁赢了?当爱情至上遇上道德道义,是谁让步了?当恩怨情仇遇上生死考验,是谁退缩了?**********记得那天他说:等我,你的未来我接手。而这一等,就是五年。而五年之后的再遇:他是高高在上的大总裁、她是崭露头角的小策划,两人在Y视的竟标会上争了个你死我活。而他与她的纠葛,自然远不止此……***********本故事纯属虚构,如有雷同,纯属巧合。
  • 紫阳真人悟真篇三注

    紫阳真人悟真篇三注

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 认命不如拼命

    认命不如拼命

    认命的人,不会摆脱不幸,不会减弱不幸,不会驱走不幸。只有拼命的人,才能使不幸变成幸运,才能把失败转化为成功!拼命是一种勇气,是一种力量,拼命是生存的一种姿态,是比站起来更重要的姿态,是强者的象征。只有抱着一往无前的精神和必胜的信念,拼命做好每一件事情,才可能到达卓越的巅峰!
  • 游戏崩坏中

    游戏崩坏中

    游戏服务器崩坏,一群玩家穿越进了游戏世界。融入游戏?想办法回家?还是先解决眼前肚子咕咕叫的问题吧。吴忧对着眼前紫红色虫子肉发起愁来,到底是闭着眼生吃呢还是睁着眼生吃呢?这是一本披着游戏皮的异世界探险小说,一群玩家穿越到异世界后开展的热热闹闹的冒险生活。
  • 墨脱的白莲花

    墨脱的白莲花

    他哀求地看了我一眼。这样的眼光会让任何女人心软,哪怕他为的是别的女人。我叹气,放下茶杯,坐直了身体,认真地说:“不管你要说什么,我要先说明我的立场。我只是到墨脱来玩的,我跟望远镜毫无关系,跟白玛更是没有牵扯,我不知道我们之间怎么发生误会的。只希望白玛不要针对我。你去转告她好吗?”一口气说完,我喝了口茶润喉。“她说没有误会。她说望远镜喜欢你,她希望你把望远镜让给她。她说你是个好女孩,她不会害你。”多么老套的说辞,老套的情节,我差点把嘴里的茶喷了出来。
  • 我是你的克星

    我是你的克星

    “听我说!从你进公司就注意到了你,把你带到身边做事也是因为不想你离我太远。你可以把我的表白当作一个项目预案,好好考虑!过几天答复我也行的,但是不要让我等太久!”
  • 金箓设醮仪

    金箓设醮仪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。