424 RESURRECTION OF THE SAME BODY. mankind, and yet all mankind agree to call Methuselah the same man, and his body the same body, though it be maintained by the continual succession of new particles of matter, since they are united to the same soul. This seems to he sufficient for this purpose. This objection may be answered two ways, (i.) that as these Constituent and unchangeable particles of the body do not come within the notice of the bulk of mankind, so neither does the continual change and successionof new particles by perspiration and nutrition conic within their notice ; and therefore the bulk of mankind call it the same body because it appears in the gross to be the same : But if you prove it is not the same by insensi- ble alterations, I may prove it is the same by these insensible un- changing parts. In one case the alteration is insensible ; and the constituent particles abide unchanged without sensible notice in the other case ; and if one disputant borrows his objection from philosophical ideas, the other may borrow his solution from phi- losophical ideas too. It may be answered (2.) that the language of scriptureand the reasons for the resurrection of the body, in some respects the same with that which was buried, are so strong, that I think they cannot well be answered without supposing so many particles of the same body which was buried to be raised again, as may be sufficient upon somejust principles to give it the name of the same body, and there can be no more required. 2. The similitude which the apostle uses in that discourse concerning agrain of wheat, v.87, 38. plainly teaches us, that though there should be but a very few of the same individual particles raised from the dust, and mixed with a multitude of other new particles, yet these few are sufficient to denominate it the same body, so far as the apostle's argument requires it. For it is evident that when a grain of wheat is sown into the ground, far the greatest part of the grain quickly dies and rots in the earth ; and there are buta very few small particles of the same grain which compose the germen or bud of the new plant, and which do really grow up into, and help to form and com- pose the new stalk and the ear of corn, together with the addi- tion of a multitude of other new atoms borrowed from the earth and water. In the same manner the apostle leads us to suppose there may,be a few of the same original and essential parts of the body of a man which are buried in the grave, which are the original, the spring and foundation of the new-raised body, though there may be thousands of other new atoms mixt with theta. Now it is easy to suppose, that the power and providence o#',God.mey according to this supposition, preserve and raise the same body at the resurrection. For if the new-raised body has
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=