revelation. We aro not told that the earthly body and the resurrection-body shall consist of tho same particles. In fact, the apostle seems expressly to combat such a notion; fur he says, " Thou sowest not that body which sl,all be" (ver. 3i), and in ver. 50, "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of Goel." But then, if not the same particles, what particles? what form? 'l'he apostle meets this by reference to the Divine power as now seen in creation: "All flesh is not the same flesh." There are celestial bodies-the organisms of angels-bodies, yet greatly differing from the terrestrial bodies. The light of the" lamps of the firmament" greatly varies in glory and beauLy. So there will be great contrast between the body 110w and then. God by what he has done shows what he can do, and so this part of the difficulty vanishes: But the greater part remains. If the resurrection-body has not the same particles now possessed, how can it be the same, and how can there be any fimess in speaking of the resurrection of the body? Our experience supplies a. sufficient answer. Sameness of particles is not essential to identity. The particles in our present body are in constant flux. At no two moments do we possess precisely the same: we are always throwing off some and taking on others; and, separated only by the interval of a few years, science leads us to conclude that the body has lost all the old particles and is constituted entirely of fresh ones. Yet bodily identity does not disappear. The resurrection-body will be i<lentificd with our present body. As with the seed, to each a" body of its own" (ver. 38). Identity is in this life a great mystery to us; we cannot tell now what is necessary to it. But there is nothing in our partial knowledge of it which should lead us to doubt the doctrine of the- resurrection of the body. With larger knowl.ed_ge apparent difliculties doubtless would disappear. The resurrection-body will be very different to the present whilst iJ.entified with it. God will give a body as it shall please him (ver. 38). Note: It is no mark of wisdom to deny the resurrtctic,n of the body. 'l'he inspired apostle addrtsses the denier as "'l'hou fool" Many priuing themselves in wisdom tumble into the morass 0f folly.-ll. Ver. 40.-The two glories. The apostle appears to be rrferring to the differences between the organisms-the spiritual bodies-of the inhabitants of heaven and the bodies of human beings on earth. But in a wider sense we may understand his state- ment that "the glory of the ctlestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another." 'l'he glory of things belonging to a fallen world is one; the glory belonging to thiugs of • an unfallen world is another. 'l'he things of man fallen contrasted wit-Ii the things of the God-Man unfallen. 'l'he natural as opposed to the ~piritual. I. 'l.'HE GLonY OF THINGS TEnnEsTnIAL. 1. Slig,'1t. Showy, hnt delusive. Money, human leamiug, earthly power, worldly pleasures,-thesc nre attractive, but the glory of the best of them is small. Innumernble testimonies have been borne to thi~ fact, difficult for those to credit who are cnptivateu by the gaudiness which they mistake for glory. 2. Marred. When we spealc of earthly things we think of them in their highest perfection; our conception is npt to be ideal. Experimentally we find that the natural glory is greatly marred. 3. Uncertain. 'l'he flame flickers and darkness is threatened. Much depends upon our health, surroundings, position, as to whether things terrestrial have glory in relation to ourselves. Changes are often sudden and complete, and that which erewhile we pronounced glorious becomes simply detestable. '!'hat which pleases us to-day may disgust us to-morrow. Alas! with tbiugs terrestrial there is no improvement upon intimate acquaintance. 4. Brief. At best the glory is short-lived. 'l'he sun soon goes down. When most needed the glory often dis- appears. 5. Unsatisfying. Something more glorious is ever craved for. '£he more glorious may be expected from that which is of the earth, and when not found in it, the disappointment is often bitter. Earthly things have a firework glory. II. 'l'HE GLORY OF TllINGS CELESTIAL. 1. Great. Solid and substan1ial, not flashy. This is natural, fur they are of Gocl. In their glory there is more of substance than of shadow. 2. .Sot fluctuatiug. 'l'hey are fixed stars, not meteors. Thero is in them certainty. They are stable. 3. increasing. In our experience. \Ve discover fresh glory ever. In things terrestrial we sooc coru'l to the entl of tho tether; in things celestial we never do. We ever find more to excite our wom!Pr nnd to cause us del1~ht. 4. Eternal. 'l'he glory ab:des undimmed, and shall blaze forti:. for over. We arc immortal• and as Jong as we endure shall tile glory of those celestial truths which Christ revcab "538 THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORIN'l'HIANS. [err. xv. 1-58.
to us. 5. Sati.'ifyi'.ng. The cry of the soul is responded to. There is no disappointment. The fcl'ling of unsupplied want vanishes. At Inst the soul is at rest. III. Tnnms CELESTIAL MAY DE SECURED IN THE LIFE TERRESTIUAL. Christ brincrs them to us here. The "strait gate" admits us to them. The Holy Spirit reveals them. In Christian worship and work we begin to enjoy them. IV. '!'~E RELATIYE GLOHY SHOULD INFLUENCE OUR CHOICE. \Vhen we may have the better, 1t 1s folly to choorn the worse. \Ve may have both if we will not be absorbed unduly by the inferior. But amidst the glory of 'the terrestrial we have to choose the glory of the celestial, and to place it first. This is the better part. Moses is a splendid example of wise choice, and Abraham, and Paul, who counted all terrest.rial thincrs 0 but loss that he might secure the celest.ial.-H.