then that it cā receiue or suffer suche vile vncleane lusts and tentations yea such a stained and defiled fleshe For afore the bodies of mē come in heauen they must be wholely perfectly altered that is clensed and purified from all filthinesse and frailty This did our sauioure teache also whan he answered to the question of the Saducees who denied the Resurrection of the dead Of the which I haue written much vpon the gospell of Mathew Holy Augustin saith also This doth sore hinder the Ethnikes and heretikes that vve beleeue that the earthye bodye is taken vp into Heauen for they thinke that into heauen there can come no earthy thing But they knovv not our scripture neither vnderstand hovve it is spoken of Paule it is sovven a naturall bodye and shall rise a spirituall bodye For this is not spoken to the intent as thoughe the bodye should become a sprite or be changed into a sprite For euē novv also our body vvhich is called naturall or soulishe and is naturall in deede is not changed into the soule and become the soule But therefore is the body called a spirituall body that it may so be prepared to dvvell in heauen VVhich thing commeth to passe vvhan al feblenesse and earthy blemish is changed into an heauenly purenesse and stedfastnesse All these are the vvords of Augustine CHAP. 18. The diuers errors that sprong about the article of the bodies resurrection HEtherto haue I told what the Scripture of the Prophets and Apostles doth hold testify concerning the resurrection of the dead and of our ood◠that is to sai our own true flesh◠namely that our true fleshe and body shall rise from deathe and be glorified in the resurrection and that the glorification dothe not therfore take away the verity of the bodi or make it nothing but dothe translate and bring it it into a more vprighte and better state so that neuerthelesse the true essencial substāce of the the body remaineth still Vpon this nowe to the commodity of the reader for a more euident declaration and vnderstanding of the aforesaid wordes I will shew what errors spring-vp cōcerning the resurrection of the dead that any good faithfull Christian may the better auoide the same That there haue ben many which denyed the resurrection of oure bodies and had it vtterly in derision all Stories declare In the which register the Philosophers for the most parte are reckened and estemed them Hymeneus and Philetus of whom Paul maketh mention In like maner are ther many recited of Ireneus Tertullian Eusebius Epiphanius Philastrius Augustine namely these the Simonians Valentinians Marcionites Cerdonians Carpocratians Caijnes Archontici Seuerians Hierarchits Seleucians Appellites and Manichees Among the Grekes also Latinistes there wer excellent mē that turned thēselues to the golden and yet earthy Hierusalem promising muche I wotte not what of a kingdom of the worlde to come after the resurrection ascribing vnto vs suche bodies as being partakers of the kingdom should also beholden wyth these earthye desires To these there is foūd yet the third part which as touching the substāce and state of the glorified bodies so saide and taught that they vtterly take away and ouerthrew the bodely nature and gaue vnto it no more nor other thing then a sprite Against the second sort speaketh holy Hierom that forasmuch as they were carnal they haue also loued onely the fleshe Against the third speaketh the saide Hierome that they being vnthankfull for the benefites of God would not haue and beare the flesh wherin Christ yet was borne and rose againe Wherevpon he geueth very godly coūsell that we tary in the meane way Namely that we esteme and make the glorified bodies no more spirituall then the perfectnesse property and truthe of the bodies maye permitte and suffer Contrarywise that we make them not altogether so carnall and vngostly that it myghte he thought howe that naturall and fraile bodies shall be in the glory Olde wryters say also that Origen did not perfectly confesse the resurrection of the fleshe but that in the resurrection he fantasied and imagined suche a body as hathe little difference from a sprite And therefore in Definicionibus Eclesiasticis there is a Chapter againste the saide Origen in maner folowing If that vvhich falleth doe stande vp againe then shall our flesh truely rise againe for the same falleth in very deede and shall not come to nothing as Origenes opinion vvas that there shoulde be made a shifting and change of the bodies namely that there shuld be geuen vs a nevv body for the flesh but euen the same fraile flesh that falleth of the iust and vniust shall vvithout feblenesse rise againe that because of sinne it may suffer paine or els according to his desertes continue in eternall honor and glory CHAP. 19. The errors of Origen concerning the resurrection confuted by Hierome BVt forasmuche as I haue once recited Origens opinion touching the resurrection of the body and somewhat recited the errors of some that deuided the resurrection declaring the scornful opinion of those whom they cal Chiliastes I wil shew nowe more largely what holye Hierome held of the resurrection of the dead and howe he confessed the true vprighte beleefe He speaketh to Pammachius concerning the errors of Ihon bishop of Hierusalem and in the same wryting he comprehēdeth the doctrine and opinion of Origen concerning the resurrection in maner folowing Origen sayth that in the church there be sprong vp tvvo errors the one from vs the other from the heretikes Namely that vve as the simple and louers of the flesh say that euen these bones this bloud and this flesh that is that oure face members and all the proportion of the body and the vvhole body it selfe shall rise againe at the last day so that vve shal also go vvith the feete vvorke vvith the hands see vvith the eyes and hear vvith the eares This saith he vve speake as simple homely grosse and ignorant people But the heretikes as Marcion Appelles Valentinus and madde Manes deny vvholely and vtterly the resurrection of the fleshe or body geuing saluation only vnto the soule and saying that oure vvordes are nothing vvhan vve affirm that according to the ensample and paterne of our Lord Iesus Christ vve shall rise againe saying that the Lorde himselfe rose in a fantasy or sprite and that not onely his resurrection but also his birth came to passe more in imagination than in very truthe that is that he vvas not borne in very dede but supposed to be borne Novve for the opinion and mind of both these parties Origen saythe it pleased him not namely that he abhorieth the flesh on oure side and the fantasye on the heretikes part for eche of them doth too muche And namely they of our side for that they vvold be again the same they vvere afore and the other for that they vtterly denye the resurrection of the bodies
but vvith the names of fleshe and bloud must the infirmity of the fleshe and bloud be vnderstand Item Lib. 1. Retractat cap. 17. In repeting and correcting certaine poyntes whych he had wrytten long afore in the booke de fide symbolo In the time of the Angelical chaunge saith he it shal not be fleshe and bloude but onlye a body c. This I spake of the changing of earthye bodies into heauenly c. But if one vvold vnderstand it so that the earthy body vvhich vve novv haue should so in the resurrection be altered and chaunged that these members and the substance of this fleshe shall not remaine no doubt he is not in the right vvay but ought better to be instructed considering that he is vvarned and monished thorovve the bodye of oure Lord vvhich after the resurrection appeared euen vvith the same members not only that he mighte be seene vvith eyes but handled also and touched vvith handes Besides this he testifieth that he hathe true fleshe vpon him vvhan he saythe handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye se me haue Therfore it is euideÌ„t and plain that the holy Apostle Paul denied not that the true substaunce of the fleshe should not be in the kingdome of god But rather vvith these vvords fleshe and bloud he vnderstode that either men vvhich liue after the fleshe should not haue the inheritance of heauen or else that there shoulde be in heauen no infirmity of the flesh at all This is a greeuous matter for vnbeleuers and hardly are they persuaded to beleue the resurrection but moste diligently and after my povver haue I treated thereof in the last boke de Ciuitate Dei. Yet handleth he of the resurrectioÌ„ not only in the last boke but also in the .13 boke de Ciuitate Dei he wryteth thus The Christian faithe doubteth verely nothing at all to confesse of our sauioure that also after the resurrection though novve in the spiritual fleshe yet also in his true flesh he did eate and drinke vvith his disciples Hereof are they called also spiritual-spiritual-bodies not that they therefore cease to be bodies but that thorovve the spirite vvhich geueth life they shal be preserued and remaine For like as these our bodies vvhich haue a liuing soule and yet be not named a spirite that geueth life but naturall or soulishe bodies and therfore are not soules but bodies so shall the glorified bodies be called spirituall Yet God forbid vve shoulde therfore beleeue that they shall be spirites but bodies shall they be vvhich shall haue the substaÌ„ce of the flesh And forasmuch as they are preserued and made aliue thorovve the spirite they shall suffer no greefe or infirmitye Then shal not man be eaâ—thy but heauenly not that the bodye vvhich is made of the earthe shall no more continue the same body but that thorovv the heauenly gift and grace he shall be so from henceforthe that being such a kinde and nature as can not perishe and altered from all infirmity he shal be able to dvvell commodiously in heauen Furthermore saith s Austen in the. 22. boke the 30. Chapter Hovv the bodies there shall moue I dare not rashly define for I can not comprehend it it passeth my vnderstaÌ„ding Yet shal their mouâ—ng and state euen as also their proportion be altogether beutifull and hovv so euer it shall be it shall be in that place vvher nothing can be but that vvhich is beutifull and comely yea vvhere the sprite vvil there straight shaâ—l the body be also Nether vvill the spirite any thing that is not very semely and comely bothe for him and it Thus haue I hetherto recited s Augustins beleefe to conclude this matter of the resurrection CHAP. 22. VVhat Aurelius Prudencius thought of the same J Will herevnto adde the verses of the excellent and christian man Aurelius Prudentius which do woÌ„derfully expres vnto vs the resurrection of oure fleshe and set it directly before our eyes MY body in Christ shall rise againe I speake it earnest for it is plaine VVhy vvould thou then I should despaire O flesh vvhan I do see so faire The vvay that Iesus Christ my Lord VVent after his death as saith his vvorde This is the ground and foundation My heart beleeueth vvith confession That I am sure and knovve certaine My body shall rise vvholely againe Not one heer lesse then vvas before Neither in greatnesse any more VVith strength and shape as it liued here Afore they it to graue did beare There is no tothe nor naile so small No heer so litle but though it fall Yet perishe it shall not finally But out of graue rise certainly God vvhich afore created me VVith shape and strength vndoubtedly VVhervvith I here on earth should liue No feble nor vveake thing me shall geue For vvhere any thing shall perishe at all It is olde feble So do not thou call Of our bodies the renouation Therfore is this my expectation VVhat sicknesse â–ª paine and aduersity VVhat 〈◊〉 in this â—ale of misery Out of this vvorld â—â—vve taketh avvay Shall vvhan I rise at the last day From death to life a nevv certaine be geuen me all together againe For seeing that death is ouercome It euer besemeth vs all and some Quietly to trust vvith stedfastnesse Our God vvill kepe vvith vs promesse Least vvhan vve come into the graue A man no hope then after haue VVhan he to life commeth eternall That he for his body mortall VVhich here so full of faultes vvas As brickle and fraile as any glas Shall haue a body of perfectnesse That colde can not nor hunger presse Though vveaknesse be at all season The strength of death and operation Therby in vs vvhat is consumed VVhan it againe shal be restored Then thorovv the povver vvherby vve rise VVe go to the father in perfect vvise This should right vvell content our hart Therfore my body regardeth no smart In Christ my trust is constantly VVho promiseth vs assuredly To raâ—se vs vp from earth at last Therfore be thou nothing agast For sicknesse nor for aduersitee Nor yet let thou the graue feare thee Let this euer thy comfort be That Christ prepared the vvay for thee VVherin himselfe is gone before Folovve thou and liue for euermore CHAP. 23. The bodies of vnbeleeuers shall verely rise againe BVt to the intent that no maÌ„ doubt touching the resurrection of the fleshe of the vnbeleuers I will bring forth certaine testimonies of holy Scripture which doe manifestly declare that the vnbeleuers or vngodly shall with their own true bodies rise againe The Prophet Esay in the laste Chapter of his booke sayeth they shall goe forth and loke vpon the bodies of them that haue vilely behaued themselues againste me for their wormes shall not die neither shall theyr fier be quenched all fleshe shal abhorre them With this sentence doth the Prophet play after the maner custome of those that haue sone
gon againe from Hierusalem they came to the Disciples minding to shew them and to geue them to vnderstād what they had sene and hard Then preuented they them and said the Lord is truly risen in deede and hath apeared vnto Simon Nowe while they were talking of suche things among them selues Iesus stode in the middes of them and said peace be vnto you But whan they sawe him they were sore afraid thinking that they had sene a spirit or some other vision Thē said the lord vnto them why are ye troubled And why doe thoughtes arise in your hartes Behold my hands and my fete CHAP. 4. The body of Christ rose again not a spirite but a true body NOwe that no man should thinke it to be another body which he had not afore his resurrection he addeth thereto immediatly It is euē I my self Handle me see a spirite hath not fleshe bones as ye see me haue And wyth that shewed he them his hands and his fete With this euident testimony of the Lord was S. Augustine moued boldly to saye that they ought not to be heard which deny the body of the Lord to haue risen againe as it was layed in the sepulchre For if it were not so he wold not haue saide to his disciples after the resurrection Handle me and see for a spirite hath not flesh bones as ye see me haue Now is it as much as to rob God of his honor if anye man wold thinke that the lord who is the truth it self had in any thing that he spake not sayd the truthe c. Thomas was not there when the Lord shewed him selfe aliue vnto his disciples but whan he came againe they told him with greate ioy what they had sene heard Neuerthelesse he thoughte it had not bene as they spake and he sayd except I see in his hands the print of the nailes put my finger into the holes of them and my hand into his side I will not beleeue it Therfore after .viii. days whan the disciples were assembled together againe Thomas with them Iesus commeth in while the dores wer shut and standeth in the middes among them and saith peace be vnto you Afterwarde sayde he vnto Thomas reache hither thy finger and beholde my handes put thy hande here also and lay it in my side be not faithlesse but beleuing Thomas answered and said vnto him my Lorde and my god For S. Paule also in the firste chapter of the Epistle to the Romaines doth out of the resurrection of the Lord proue the god-head thus which was borne of the seede of Dauid after the flesh and euidently declared to be the sonne of god after the spirit that sanctifieth and by that he rose again from the dead namely Iesus Christ our lord What cā be spoken more plaine more euidēt or more certain For freely did the Lorde sette before their eies his body which was hāged vpon the crosse that they might see it handle it For the body was pearsed with nails and marked with the printes therof Oute of this now it foloweth that the lord with his true bodye did verelye rise again and not a spirit And further the Lorde also sheweth himselfe vnto the seuen whych then were in Galile fishing at the sea of Tiberias The Euāgelist addeth likewise thervnto that it was not expedient for any of the Disciples to aske him who hee was for they knewe that it was the lord In the .28 chapter of Mathewe the eleuen Apostles saw the Lorde and worshipped hī as it is declared afore Some think that the same was the excellent appearing that Paul speaketh of saying Afterward was he sene of moe then fiue hundred brethren at once of whom many are aliue this day but some are a slepe or dead And in the same place dothe the Apostle make mention yet of two moe appearings saying after this was he sene of Iames then to al the Apostles And laste of all he was seene of me as of one that was borne out of due time Luke the Euangelist in the beginning of the Actes of the Apostles hath in maner collected all the probations together The Lorde sayeth he shewed himselfe aliue vnto his apostles after his Passyon and that by manye tokens appearing vnto them forty dayes and speaking of the kingdom of god S. Peter also instructing Cornelius in the Faithe of Christ said we are witnesses of all thyngs which he did in the lande of the Iewes and at Hierusalem whō they slue hanged on tree Him God raised vp the third day and shewed him opēly not to all the people but vnto vs witnesses chosen before of god for that intent which did eat and drinke with him after he rose frō death With these plain probations testimonies as I suppose it it is euidētly declared and sufficiently shewed that our Lord Iesus Christ with his owne very true body which hāged on the cros did vereli rise from the dead As touching the glorificatiō I shal speake therof when I come to the resurrection of the bodies and there will I shew more that the glorification dothe nothing minishe the veritye or truthe of the body read the sixt chapter CHAP. 5. The frute of the Resurrection of Christe NOw I wil declare the occasion whye I haue with suche diligence and so earnestly preased vnto this that Iesus christ with his true body did truly rise againe That is how profitable necessary it is so to beleue and what frute the true resurrection of Christ doth bring engender vnto vs And albeit that hereof as of a plentiful treasure muche might be spoken yet wil I comprehend it all in a short summe Thoughe we be cōplete made perfecte thorowe the deathe of Christ while the iust iudgemēt of god is satisfied the curse takē away the penalty recompenced and paid Yet saith Peter we are borne again thorow the resurrectiō of Iesus Christ vnto a liuīg hope For like a christ with his resurrection ouercame death so standeth also the triumph victory of our faith in the resurrection of Christ Therfore thorowe his death is sinne taken away by his resurrectiō is rightuousnesse brought againe For how could he with his death haue deliuered vs frō death if he himself had of death ben ouercome Or how could he haue obteined the victory for vs if he had bene destroyed in the battell himself Therfore thorow death is death discomfited and with the resurrection is life to vs restored Hereof commeth it that Paul sayth if Christ be not risen then is your faith in vaine and ye ar◠yet still in youre sinnes and so they that be a sleepe in Christe are lost And to the Romaines Christ sayth he was deliuered vp for our sinnes rose again◠for our iustification Heerevnto serueth it also that h◠wryteth in the. 10. Chapter I◠thou confesse the lorde Iesus with thy mouth and beleeue
in thinâ— hart that God raised him vp from the dead thou shalt be saued Tâ— the Philippians he sayth more ouer I count al things but lossâ— for the excellent knowledge sake of Iesus Christe Out of all this is there yet another thing concluded namely that not onli life is restored vnto vs but also that in the resurrection of the Lord the immortalitye of the soule is grounded faste and sure For so sayth the lord himself in the gospell I am the resurrection and the life he that beleueth on me thoughe he were deade he shall liue and whosoeuer liueth and beleueth on me shall neuer die Yet another frute also receiue we out of the resurrection of the lord namely that we are assured out of doute euen as if we had receiued wryting seale therof that our owne bodies likewise shal rise from death forasmuch as in the true resurrection of the body of Christ oure resurrection hath a fast and vmnoueable grounde For Paule sayeth Christe rosâ— from the deade is become thâ— first frutes of them that sleepe Foâ— by one maÌ„ came death by onâ— man came the resurrection of â— dead For as by Adam all die by Christ shal all be made aliue but euery one in his own order â–ª The first is Christe then they are Christes c. Now he that iâ— the first can not be alone the heaâ— also shal not forsake the meÌ„ber â–ª Seing then that Christ the head â— risen it must needes folow thaâ— we also as members muste riâ— again For euen in the same placâ— doth Paule conclude if the deaâ— rise not again theÌ„ is not Chriâ—â— risen againe And finally oute of the wordes of the holye Apostle Paul we learn that thorow the ensaÌ„ple of Christe that was raised vp we are not onli prouoked to take vpon vs a new life but that we also thorowe the power of Christ are renued that we mighte leade an innocent and holye life And thus haue I breefely compreheÌ„ded and declared the principall frutes of the resurrection of the Lorde CHAP. 6. Of the true Ascension of the Lordes body that arose a bodye and no Spirite and of his place vvhether hee vvent to be in MOreouer it shall be exdient to know to what place the true body of the Lorde was caried or came whether it was laid in the earthe againe or vanished away or turned into the nature of the Godhead or otherwise chaunged into a sprite In this poynt we affirm thus The right old Christian faith the vpright holy scripture the auncient Doctrine of the Christian church doth teach hold and coÌ„fes that Iesus Christ very goâ— and maÌ„ hath not laid away noâ— mixt together nor yet put of hiâ— natures the godhead the maâ—hode but that he kepeth stil bothe natures in theyr properties vâ—blemished that he ascended vâ— to heauen very true God maâ— For so we knowledge and confes in the Crede he ascended vp to heauen We finde also in the gospell of Marke so then when the Lord had spoken vnto them he was receiued into heauen sitteth on the right hand of god Item Ruffinus an olde wryter who hath declared the articles of the faith saith he asceÌ„ded into the heauens not thether where the worde that is God was not afore for he was euer stil in heauen and continued in his father â—ut thether wher the word that became man sate not afore Yet â—il we declare this more plainâ—y out of the gospel of Luke wher â—t is written thus and he led theÌ„ out into Bethanie lifte vp hiâ— handes and blessed them And â— came to pas as he blessed them he departed from them and waâ— caried vp into heauen Nowe if thou ponder euery thing heere thorowly thou muâ—â— needes acknowledge and beinâ— ouercome wyth the truthe thoâ— must nedes confesse that the very true body of the lord was nâ— layd away neyther turned intâ— the nature of the godhead but hâ— a very true maÌ„ who at one tiâ—â— is but in one place ascended aâ— was taken vp into heauen as â— to one place He led them outâ— saith he Who I prai the. Eueâ— the Lorde Iesus whiche vnto than by the space of forty daies had in very deede truely shewed himselfe vnto his disciples that he was risen from the dead with a very true essencial body Euen he the very same that had taken vnto him a true bodi led his disciples out vnto Bethanye froÌ„ thence brought he them farther to Mount Oliuet And in the same place lifting vp his handes no doubt bodely humain hands yea with the prints tokens of the woundes he blessed them â—amely his disciples that is he saluted them as the maner is of â—hose that take their leaue of vs And so departed he from them â— set his body corporally in heauen as in one place For afterward it foloweth yet more plaiÌ„ he departed from them that is he was caried into heauen For to be caryed may heare be spoken only of the body and in suche sorte departed he from them that his body was froÌ„ the earth taken vp into heauen And though all this be euidenâ— and plain in it self yet by the Euangelist Luke in the Actes oâ— the Apostles it is set forthe anâ— opened more manifestly For afore all things he testifieth that thâ— Lord arose with his owne true bâ—dy and that by the space of 4â— daies with many tokens euideâ—ces he plainli proued declarâ— his resurrection vnto the Disciples And immediatly he addeth therevnto that euen the very same body was taken vp into heauen For whan he had spoken these things saith he while they beheld him he was takeÌ„ vp on hie and a cloud receiued him vp out of their sight Lo the Lord was taken vp yea euen in their eye sight was he taken vp on hie so that a cloud receiued his very true body away froÌ„ the sight of their eyes I beseche you what can be more aptly or more conuenientli spoken of an essencial body It foloweth farther in the Euangelist Luke and while they loked stedfastly vp towards heauen as he went mark that wel beholde two men stode by them in white Apparell which also sayd ye menne of Galilee why stand ye gasing vp into heauen This same Iesus who is taken vp from you into heauen shal so come euen as ye haue seene him go into heauen Wherfore oure Lord Iesus is departed vp into heauen with his own true essentiall body yea euen with the same which he raised vp from the dead For euen with the same very true humaine bodye shall he come again vnto iudgement according as the Lord himselfe sayd the Prophet Zachary whose words s Ihon aledgeth They shal loke on him whoÌ„ they haue pearsed Thus I truste it is sufficiently proued and declared that the Lord Iesus with his own very true bodye which he raised from deathe is gone vp into
hell For he ascending vp on high led captiuity captiue and whaâ— he had spoiled the ennemies hâ— gaue gifts vnto his people anâ— endueth them yet daily with spiritual riches Therefore sitteth hâ— now on highe to the intent thaâ— with his owne strengthe whicâ— he daily bestoweth vpon vs hâ— may regenerate vs into a spirâ—tual life quicken vs with his holy sprite garnishing his church that is to say the faithfull wyth manifold gifts of thanks defending them against all euill suppressing the terror of hys ennemies but preseruing and sauing vs as those that truely do honor and worship him For he as hauing the victorious triumph is the king sauioure and heade of all faithfull beleuers Finally also with his resurrection he hathe prepared vs a place made the way opened it into heauen Thus in heauen hath he placed the true maÌ„ that we mighte haue an assured true testimoni that our flesh also shal rise againe and that the whole perfect man with body and soule shal be caried into heauen For meÌ„bers shal be like vnto the heat Therfore as the cloud toke vp the very true body of the Lord yeâ— euen the whole perfecte manne Christ so shal all godly persons be taken vp into the air to mete the Lorde that they may liue with Christ their Lorde head for euermore For Paul saith the dead in Christ shall arise first Theâ— we which liue remain shalbâ— caught vp with them also in thâ— cloudes to meete the Lorde iâ— the ayre and so shall we euer bâ— with the Lord. Item to the Hebrues by thâ— meanes of the bloud of Iesu wâ— haue free entrance into the holâ— place by the new liuing way which he hathe prepared for vs thorowe the vaile that is to say by his flesh Vnto this meaning agreeth very wel the godly and excellent sentence of the old ancient wryter Tertullian who in the booke of the resurrection of the flesh saith thus Christ which is called the arbiter and mediator betwene God and men hath of the same that is set and committed vnto him of both reserued al so vnto himself the adding to of the fleshe for an earnest peny of the whole summe For like as he hath left vs the pledge of the sprite euen so contrariwise hath he receiued of vs the earnest peny of the flesh and caried it vp with him into heauen a true euidence or pledge that he will bring thether also the whole summe bodye soule c. For this great and highe benefite declared vnto vs by hys diuine mercy without oure deseruing be laude and praise honor and thankes vnto oure King our victorious Triumpher head and Redemer euen our Lord Iesu Christ from hence forth now and for euermore Amen ¶ The second part ENTREATING OF our bodies CHAP. 13. Of the true Resurrection of oure Fleshe NOwe commeth it to the poynt that we must also speake of the true raising vp of our bodies or resurrection of this our flesh for the same foloweth out of the resurrection and ascension of oure Lorde Iesus Christ This worde to rise vp as Tertullian De Resurrectione carnis declareth extendeth to nothing more theÌ„ vnto that which was falne For nothing caÌ„ arise saue onely it that fell For when a thing was falne and standeth vp againe we say it is risen for asmuch as this terme to rise vp hath a relacion S. Paule vseth the word Anistemi which signifieth to erecte to rise vp to set vp againe and to stand Egeromai ex hypnou I rise vp and awake froÌ„ slepe The Hebrues vse the worde kum which signifieth not onli to rise vp but also to endure to continue and to remaine vpright For in the booke of Iosua we read the childreÌ„ of Israel coulde not stande before their enemies that is they might not endure continue before them Furthermore in the boke of Genesis euery thing was destroyed that remained that is whatsoeuer there was and stode vprighte or erected it selfe vpon the face of the earthe Heereof it commeth that to stande vp and to rayse vp is called the immortality or the euerlasting and perpetuall continuance of the soule As whan the Lord saith in the gospel of Iohn I will raise him vp at the last daye For if by the last day the houre of euery mans death be vnderstand then dothe the Lord raise vp that is he preserueth the soule in the state that it dieth not neither perisheth in death nowe if by the last day be vnderstand domes day then raiseth he vp the body from the earth at the laste daye in the generall iudgement Therfore the words to stand vp raise vp signify eyther the conseruation of a thing which is that it be not destroyed and pearishe or else the restoring of a thing that was fallen to hys right case and estate againe CHAP. 14. Our flesh or body it self shal rise againe though it be hard to beleue and vvhat the flesh or body is NOwe will we speake also of these termes fleshe body or corps We beleeue the resurrection of the body or flesh The scripture commoÌ„ly calleth it the resurrection of the dead to declare euidentli that the resurrection must not be referred to the soule nor to the spirite but directly vnto the body and to the fleshe Cyprianus or Ruffinus sayth that the church towardes the West did expresse knowledge the article in the holy Apostolical Crede after this maner I beleue the resurrection of the flesh And so they added ther vnto manifestly this term the to the intent that no man should vnderstand any other flesh saue only the same natural and essenciall flesh which we cary about So saithe Augustine also in the boke of the Articles of the Crede that same visible which properly is called fleshe shall without all dout assuredly rise vp againe Me thinketh that Paule the Apostle minded to poynte vnto the fleshe as with a finger and therefore sayde this corruptible must put on incorruption With the terme this poynteth he as with a finger vnto our fleshe Holy Hierome forceth and coÌ„pelleth Iohn the bishop of Hierusalem to confesse and knowledge the resurrection not onely of the body but also of the flesh and sayeth the flesh and the body are two things Euery flesh is a body but euery body is not fleshe namely a wal is a body but flesh it is not For fleshe is properly called a substaunce of blonde synowes bones and vaines set together As for a body though the name thereof also be vsed for flesh and most part for a substance that may be sene or handled yet it betokeneth sometime a subtile state that can neither be handled nor sene As namely the aire But at all times it hath bene a hard thing for man to beleue that the bodies which are buried resolued to corruption shuld wholely without imperfection or blemishe be brought againe and restored Therfore
bodye which nowe is deuided parted in his members and ioyntes remaineth that is he shall haue true flesh blud bones synewes ioynts members c. CHAP. 15. The maner hovve the bodies shall rise againe and the kinde that they shall be of BVt to the inteÌ„t that this â—ay yet be more plainly vnderstand I wil nowe tel howe oure bodies shall rise what nature and kinde they shall be of in the resurrection At the ende of the world shall the Lord come with great maiesty vnto iudgement and shall declare and shewe him selfe in and with a righte true essenciall body Hether also to shal he be brought shal stand in the clouds of heauen that al flesh may se him Yea al men that are vpon earth shal beholde him and know him by his glory In the mean season also shall he send his Archangel to blow the trompe Then shall all the dead heare and perceiue the voice and power of the sonne of god And so al men that died from the first Adam shal immediatly arise out of the earth And al they that liue vntil the last day shall in the twinkling of an eye be changed And thus all men euery one in hys owne flesh shal stand before the iudgement seâ—te of oure Lorde Iesus Christ and shall wait for the last sentence and iudgement of the Lord which sentence being geuen quicklye and withoute delay shall call one part into heauen and thrust out the other into hell This fashion and maner of the resurrection haue not I imagined of my selfe but written it al out of the Euangelists scriptures of the holy Apostles For thus we reade The powers of heauen shal moue in the last time and then shall appeare the signe of the sonne of man in heauen then shall all the kinreds of the earth mourn they shall see the sonne of maÌ„ come in the cloudes of heauen with power greate glory And he shall send his Angels with the great voyce of a troÌ„pet they shal gather together his chosen froÌ„ the foure winds from the one end of the world to the other c. Herevnto adde that he spake in Mathewe Iohn And Paul in the first to the Thessalonians saithe This say we vnto you in the word of the lord that we which liue are remaining in the comming of the lord shall not come before theÌ„ which slepe For the Lord himself shall descend from heauen with a shout the voice of the Archangell â— trompe of god And the dead iâ— Christ shal arise first Then shaâ— we that liue remaine be caught vp with them also in the clouds tâ— mete the lord in the ayre And sâ— shal we euer be with the Lorde Furthermore to the Corinthianâ— saith Paul behold I shew you mystery We shal not all sleepe but we shall all be changed anâ— that in a moment in the twinâ—ling of an eye at the time of thâ— last trompe For the trompe shaâ— blowe and the dead shall rise incorruptible and we shal be changed For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortality This is nowe the maner of the resurrection of oure bodies in what nature and kind they shall rise againe But in the resurrection they shall thorow the power of God be made immortall incorruptible For the Apostle saith expresly the dead shall rise againe After that he saithe this corruptible mortall must put on incorruption and immortality In the which words the terme this poynteth directly as wyth a finger to oure liuing and humaine body And so Iob saide euen I my selfe shall see him none other Wherfore our bodies after thei be risen againe from death shall remain euen in their own right state substance as afore Yea euen the very same men shal kepe still theyr nature kind as they did afore sauing that they which afore time wer subiect to frailti shall from thence forth be pure clean perfect immortal of a sincere and purified nature subiect and obedient vnto the spirite Such bodies raised froÌ„ death did the olde wryters call glorified purified or glorious bodies that according to the doctrine of the holy Apostles Albeit ther wer some which abused that word and therfore made the veritye of the bodies void of none effect beginning to dispute of glorified bodies as of the pure substaÌ„ce estate of a spirite Whereof we shall speake shortly if God will. CHAP. 16. That Paule spake rightly of a glorified body and vvhat a glorified body is and vvhat a naturall BVt nowe wil I declare that Paule did rightly wel vse this worde glorious or glorified body euen as it is truli in it self For to the PhilippiaÌ„s he sayth Our dwelling is in heauen froÌ„ whence we loke for the sauiour eueÌ„ Iesus Christ the lord which shall change our vile earthy body that it may be fashioned like vnto his own glorious body according to the working wherby he is able to subdue all things vnto himselfe In thys sentence thou haste that terme glorified body thou hast also of what nature and kinde the glorified body shal be namely whole and as the body of Christ that rose againe from death And thus shal it not be a body vtterly made voide or brought to nothiÌ„g or altogether turned into a sprite therefore hauing no roume place incoÌ„prehensible and inuisible but it shal be an vprighte very true humaine body as it is sufficiently declared afore where I spake of the true resurrectioÌ„ of the lord In the which place we vnderstande that whan the Lordes disciples thought they had sene a spirit whan they saw the Lorde he said vnto them a spirit hath not flesh bones as ye see me haue Handle me and see for it is euen I my selfe The Lord also after his resurrection set before them some fashion or euidence of hys glorification namely whan he was transfigured before them And at that time remained the right essenciall substance of the bodye but in forme and fashion it was altered in that it became glorious So staÌ„deth it plainly he was transfigured and not that he was made voyde or broughte to nothing or altered into another substance Thus saith Paule also he shall change our body c. Wherfore euen the righte true substance of the glorified bodye shall remaine still As for the change or alteration it shal be in the infirmities that happen vnto vs So that whan the body taketh vpon it the glorification and immortality they shal be wholly remoued and fall away Howbeit this shal be more euident and plain to vnderstand if it be thorow and with diligeÌ„ce considered and declared what this worde glory or glorification meaneth For transfiguration glory glorification is one thing So saith holy Augustin in his boke against the Arrians To bring to glory to make glorious and to glorify are .iij. vvordes yet is it but
gotten the victory which with great desire after that the battaile is won get them out of the city into the field to viewe loke vpon the bodies of suche as are slaine and howe fortunately they haue foughte Forasmuch nowe as Christ also hath foughte prosperously ouercome his ennemies on domes daye and made them his foote stole the faithfull shall go out to see the bodies of the vngodlye The prophet doth for this cause call them bodies euē to declare that the bodies raised vp from deathe shall be very true fleshe He continueth further also in the recited sentence and saith their worme shall not die For the bodies or coarses are full of wormes neither are they aught but wormes meate Al this is spoken after the custome and property of man and weaknes of this time and herewyth is described vnto vs and set before our eyes eternall punishment and howe it shall goe in the life to come In Daniel we read thus many of them that slepe in the dust of the earth shal awake some to euerlasting life some to perpetual shame reprofe The whole multitude of bodies sayth he that are become dust yea al flesh shal thorowe the power of God rise againe but not in like case and sorte For the good shall arise to eternall life the euill to euerlasting death After this manner spake the Lord also verely verely verely I say vnto you The houre commeth in the which all they that are in the graues shal heare his voice and shall come forth they that haue don good to life and they that haue done euill to deathe Who is so ignorante but he perceiueth that to slepe in the erth as the prophet Daniell sayde and to be in the graues as Christe saide is one maner of speche and of like effect Now forasmuch as they that are in the dust of the earth and in the graues come forth awake and rise againe ▪ and onely the bodies are in the graues wherin they corrupt ▪ it foloweth that mens true bodies not only of the good but also of the euill shall truely rise againe And the same doth the Lord yet declare more euidently Mat. 10. Feare ye not them that kil the body are not able to kil the soule but rather feare him which may destroy soule and body into hell Not only the soules but also the bodies of vnbeleuers dothe the Lorde destroye Oute of the which it foloweth that they shal rise againe for if they should not rise againe they coulde not be tormented and plaged Neither shall any other body rise againe to paine and punishment but euen the same that with his vse works hath deserued the plage And herevnto serueth also the description of the last iudgemēt Math. 25. And S. Paule sayth 2. Cor. 5. We muste all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christe that euery one may receiue in his bodye according as he hath don whether it be good or bad See how manifestly expresly the holy Apostle testifieth that the body shall rise again In the same terrible iudgement of God saith he must euery one take his body to him again And why must he take the body vpon him againe Euen to the intent that whā any one hath receiued his body again he may likewise receiue the rewarde that he by and with his liuing body hathe deserued Nowe hathe the bodye some thing to do with godlinesse and vngodlinesse with vertue and vice for the body is an instrument or vessell wherwith somewhat is done and therfore in the iust iudgemēt of God the body according to the deuine righteousnesse shal not be omitted nether forgotten at all For if it haue bene obedient and subiect vnto the spirite if it haue suffered muche trouble for the name of Iesus Christe if it hath bene an earnest folower of rightuousnesse then shall it bee worthy also to be glorified Againe If it hathe bene geuen ouer to worldly voluptuous pleasures or trāsitory things of this world then with the soule that wrought with it shal it iustly go to eternall damnation Wherefore the vnbeleuers shall truely rise againe in their owne fleshe yea euē in the same which they heere in this time haue fed and pampered wyth all voluptuous pleasure and excesse And like as they in this time haue with their body takē their owne pleasure ioy and delight so in the life to come they shal be plaged and punished with euerlasting pain and torment in the same body For S. Paule witnesseth farther in the acts of the Apostles and sayeth I worship the God of my fathers beleuing al thīgs which are written in the lawe in the prophets and haue hope towards God that the same resurrectiō of the dead which they themselues looke for shall be of the iust and vniust Therefore holy Augustine in boke De fide ad Petrum diaconum said wel and Christianly according to the nature of the Apostles doctrine The vnrighteous shall haue a common resurrect on of the fleshe vvith the righteous but the grace of the change or glorification they shall not haue For frailty and misery shall not be taken avvaye from the bodies of the vngodly neither the shame and reproch sicknesse and feblenesse in the vvhich they are sovven vvhich therefore thorovve deathe are not extincte and taken avvaye that they maye belong to eternall death paine and punishment euerlastingly to be plaged body and soule vvith continuall torment that neuer ceasseth These are Augustines vvordes And after like sorte did the lord also say in the gospel they that haue done euil shall arise to the resurrection of iudgement or damnation As if he would say the vngodly that with their bodies shall rise againe shall rise with such property and proportion of theyr bodi that theyr bodies maye suffer the paine and torment namely that they now being made euerlasting maye not be wasted and consumed away thorow any paine or trouble how great and horrible so euer it be And so the bodyes of the vngodly that rise againe frō death shall after the said maner be altered and changed For the bodies that might afore thorow pain and trouble be broken and consumed are nowe altogether as yron yea suche as can not be broken and yet painful and passible so that from henceforthe the more they be tormented the harder thei become and thorow Gods vengeance more vnapte to be destroyed and yet made the more able to suffer misery ¶ The thirde parte TOVCHING THE damneds perdition and the blesseds saluation CHAP. 24. The deathe and damnation of the vngodly NOwe seeing the onset is geuen and the Oration come so farre that I muste also speake somewhat of the eternall death and damnation of the vnbeleuers that this matter maye be wholely vprightlye and perfectly brought to an end I will therfore brefely declare that the death and damnation of the vnbeleuers and vngodly is enioyned vnto them of god Item that the soules are passible
Esay 34. Daniel 16. Iohn 5. Iohn 3. Marke 3. Marke 9. Apo. 14. Psalme 27. Math. 25. 1. Cor. 15. Heb. 4. Heb. 11. 1. Peter 1. Math. 5. Exo. 33. 1. Tim. 6. 4. Reg. 2. Iohn 17. De ciuitate dei Lib 22. cap. 29. Esay 64. 1. Cor. 2 Rom. 1. Marcellus de piscibus De ciuitate dei lib. 22. cap. 29. Iob. 19. Lib. 22. cap. Vlt. epist. 112. ad Paulin. Iohn 17. 1. Cor. 13. 1. Iohn 3. 1. Cor. 15. Iohn 17. ◠Cor. 15. De ciuitat Dei lib. 22. cap. 30. Psalme 16. Psalme 17. Iohn 14. Apo. 5.14 De cura pro mortu is agenda cap. 13. Psal 27 Esay 63. 4. Reg. 22. Dan. 12. Luke 22. Math. 17. Heb. 12. In tuscula questi Adam Noe. Abraham Moyses Samuel Dauid Iosias Iohn Baptist Mary Peter Iohn Iames. Paule A TABLE of the Chapters conTEINED IN THIS Booke and heere folovveth the chapters of the first part CHAP. 1. The authors purpose 1. CHAP. 2. The Lord verely rose vvith his body 3 CHAP. 3. Appearings of the body raised vp 14 CHAP. 4. The body of Christe rose again not a spirit but a tru body 16 CHAP. 5. The frute of the Resurrection of Christ 23. CHAP. 6. Of the true Ascension of the Lordes body that arose a body and no spirite and of his place vvhether he vvent to be in 25 CHAP. 7. The diuers significations of this vvorde Heauen as it is vsed in scripture 38 CHAP. 8. VVhat Gods righte hand is and to vvhō it is referred 45 CHAP. 9. VVhat it is to sit at the righte hande of God hovve Christe sitteth ther vvhat he dothe 48 CHAP. 10. That Christe sitteth at the right hande of God by his humanitye but circūscribed in place and is not euery vhere 52 CHAP. 11. An other signification of sitting at the right hande of God by vvhich maner of sitting Christ is euery vvher sitting ther in such sorte after his Godhead 71 CHAP. 12. The frute and commoditye of the corporall Ascension of Christ bothe in that he doth novv for vs and in that vve learn by it 76 The second part CHAP. 13. Of the true Resurrection of our flesh 85 CHAP. 14. Our fleshe or bodye it selfe shall rise againe thoughe it be harde to beleue and vvhat the fleshe or body is 89 CHAP. 15. The maner hovv the bodies shall rise againe and the kinde that they shall be of 114 CHAP. 16. That Paul spake rightly of a glorified body and vvhat a glorified bodye is and vvhat a natural 121 CHAP. 17. The case of our mēbers in the bodyes resurrection and of their functions 134 CHAP. 18. The diuers erroures that sprong aboute the article of the bodies resurrectiō 138 CHAP. 19. The erroures of Origen concerning the resurrection confuted by Hierom. 143 CHAP. 20. S. Hieromes opinion of the resurrectiō of the fleshe 149 CHAP. 21. S. Augustines minde of the resurrectiō of the fleshe 152 CHAP. 22. VVhat Aurelius Prudencius thoughte of the same 156 CHAP. 23. The bodies of vnbeleeuers shall verelye rise againe 159 The third part CHAP. 24. The death and damnation of the vngodly 171 CHAP. 25. That there is an eternall death and damnation and that the soule is passible 175 CHAP. 26. The bodies of the vnbeleeuers being raised are passible 179 CHAP. 27. The paines of Hell the matter for the cōtinuance of the tormēts vvith the space of the place kinds of punishments 186 CHAP. 28. The Refutation of thē that denied the punishmente of the vngodly to be eternall 194 CHAP 29. Of eternal life saluation and that ther is an eternal life 203 CHAP. 30. VVhere the place of the faithfull is 207 CHAP. 31. Hovve the saluation shall be 210 CHAP. 32. The soules departed vvot not vvhat they do that ar aliue ther by anye thing to be disquieted 226 CHAP. 33. The Faithfull shall knovve one an other in heauen 231 GOD IS MY HELPER PRINTED at London in Crede Lane by Hugh Singleton at the signe of the Golden Tunne ANNO. 1574. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum
of the worde the right foundation and grounde of godlinesse As if he woulde say forasmuche as the true head article of saluation is found in me For like as the rote geueth al vertue sap vnto the tre euen so is the matter of the resurrection of the dead thorow Christe the cheefest greatest and true principal poynt of the worde and affaires of god Repent therfore sayth Iob for wrath handleth or dothe nothing righte but rather prouoketh god vnto vengeance The prophet Esay in his twenty sixe chapter doth testifie the Resurrection 〈◊〉 this maner Thy dead shall â—â—e euen with my body shall they arise Stand vp be glad ye that rest or dwel in the duste for the dewe of the herbes is thy dew the ground of tyrants shalt thou cast down Thy dead O god sayth the prophet shal liue nameli the soules of those that for thy sake are slaine and that haue worshipped thee Neuertheles their bodies shall not preuent my body in the Resurrection but at the last iudgement or vpon domes daye shall they rise againe with my body Likewise saith also S. Peter that the soules of suche as died afore time do liue with god but with the fleshe they shal be iudged as other men Therfore did the holy Prophet Esay beleue confesse the general resurrection of all bodies at the last day In the which Resurrection he openly knowledgeth that his own bodi also shal rise againe Afterward bringeth he in an Archangell blowing the troÌ„pet and saying stand vp be glad ye that rest in the dust To rest in dust is nothing els but a description of mans body For the soules and sprites do not rest or lie in dust but the bodies are buried therin become dust Therfore meÌ„ according to the substance state therof wherin they rise againe are called inhabyters and Iâ—â— dwellers of dust or suche as rest in duste The declareth he with a similitude how our bodies that putrify and corrupt shal thorowe the power of God from deathe and corruption be easely raised vp againe The power of god that chargeth commaundeth vs to rise vp from death doth he compare to the dew which whaÌ„ it falleth downe quickeneth and reuiueth the dead herbes Likewise also dothe the power of God to oure dead bodies which it quickneth and raiseth vp again Contrary to this he setteth another sentence saying the earth of tyraÌ„ts that is the bodies of tyrantes â—halt thou raise vp O God but â—hou shalt cast them downe that â—s thou shalt ouerthrowe them â—nto hell and eternall paine Moreouer touching the true â—esurrection of oure bodyes the â—ision of the Prophet Ezechiel â—s so euident and plaine that it â—s not nedefull to speake oughte â—herof And of this haue we many teâ—timonies and witnesses in the Prophets whych mighte heere â—ell haue serued but seing it is not necessary I haue because of shortnesse omitted them now will I come to the sentences of the new Testament The Lord saith Verely verely I say vnto you the houre shal come and now it is that the deade shal heare the voice of the son of God and they that heare it shal liue And immediatly after he saith the houre shal come in the which all they that are in the graues shall heare his voyce and shall come forth Now is it manifest that neither the soules nor sprites but the bodies are in the graues And if other bodies shoulde rise vp for oures what needed he alwaye to make mencion of the graues But to the inteÌ„t that he immediatly in the gospell mighte declare the euident plain vnâ—oubted resurrection of oure boâ—ies he forthwith by his mighâ—y and wonderfull power raised â—p Lazarus froÌ„ death who now â—id stinke and had line .4 dayes â—n the graue This maruellous â—ct had the lord himself declared â—nto Martha with these words by brother shal rise again TheÌ„â—nswered she I know that he shall â—se in the resurrectioÌ„ at the last â—ny Lo how commen manifest â—nd knowne vnto euery maÌ„ was â—e general resurrection of oure â—odies The Lorde saithe more â—nto Martha I am the resurrection the life he that beleueth on me though he were dead yet shall he liue And euery one that liueth and beleueth on me shall neuer die But what nedeth me to collect so many testimonies of the resurrection of the deade considering that the Apostles were vpon no article more feruent and earnest then vpon this He that will alledge all the sentences witnesses must wryte out almoste the whole new testameÌ„t Luke saith in the Actes of the Apostles with greate power did the Apostles beare witnesse of the resurrection of the Lorde Iesus Christe And in the same boke saith Paul or the hope and resurrection of the dead am I iudged And yet againe for the hope sake of Israel am I bound with this chain In many places hath the holy Apostle Paule brought forth euident ensamples and testimonies of oure resurrection concerning the whych we shall speake in due time He saith moreouer we which liue are alwayes deliuered vnto death for Iesus sake that the life of Iesu mighte appeare in oure mortall bodies What coulde he haue spoken more euident plaine For immediatly vpon the same he saith thus we haue beleeued therfore haue we spoken and know that he which raised vp the Lorde Iesus shall thorow Iesus raise vs vp also Wherefore oure true bodies which now are mortall shall verely rise againe howbeit after the resurrection they shall no more be mortal but iÌ„mortal To these witnesses out of gods word and therfore inuincible I will nowe also adde the testimony of Ihon Damascene The Resurrection sayeth he shall be nothing else but a true coniunction of soule and body and another laudable restitution of it that vvas fallen avvay and brought to naughte Therefore the same body that perisheth is dissolued and falleth a sonder and the very same riseth vp againe vndissoluble For he that in the beginning created man out of the dust of the earth then brought him againe to earthe and duste that he vvas taken of The same I say is mighty and of povver according to his vvorde to raise vp the selfe same man againe from death Thus much Damascenus And truely euery man nowe may wel thinke that God principally for this cause did not create the first man of naughte as he did other things but out of the dust of the earth that as concerning the resurrection of our bodies though they turne to duste and earth againe we shuld haue no doubt Now as I suppose I haue sufficiently and plainly declared that the true flesh of al men yea euen our own body and els none for it yea euen the humain true body shall rise againe from death namely formed and fashioned with his own right proportion measure and property as a true body so that the measure and property of the true
one thing The Greekes call it doxazein but the translators in Latine haue othervvise interpreted it Thus much saith Augustine But glory in scripture is takē for light brightnesse and shine as S. Paul speaketh to the Corinthians if the ministration that thorowe the letter killeth was grauen in stone hathe glory so that the children of Israel could not beholde the face of Moises for the glory of his coūtenance And here vnto serueth this sentence of Daniel the wise suche as haue taught other shall shine as the brightnes of heauen and they that haue instructed multitudes or many vnto godlines shal be as the starres world with out ende Muche after the same wise doth the Lorde himselfe also vse it saying then shall the rightuous shine as the Sunne in the kingdom of their father Wherfore the glorified bodies shall be clere bright shining bodies euen as the body of Christ was in his transfiguration vpon the Mount of Thabor of whome it is specified in the gospell that hys face was as bright as the Sun and his clothes did shine as the light After the resurrection did the lord shew vnto his disciples his palpable and visible that is his very true substanciall body but the brightnesse and shine he reserued to teache and instructe the weake here beneath like as also after the resurrection he did eate and drinke not that he neded any suche thing but that he so would declare and proue the true resurrection of his bodye The glorification also is set directly against the low estate and dishonor as Paule euidently declareth saying he shal chaunge our vile body that he may make it like vnto his owne glorious glorified body This worde humilitye lowe estate or dishonor comprehendeth all that is called earthy fraile miserable mortall For by meanes of our sins we are broughte lowe and into misery so that we must nedes feele suffer sicknesse hunger thirst cold heat pain vexation manifold lustes and affections feare wrath heuinesse and suche like things innumerable yea and death also at the last Againe glorification comprehendeth deliuerance that is the laying away cleare discharge of al these miseries and sorows So that nowe glorification is called and so it is in very dede purenesse perfect strength immortality ioy yea a sure quiet and euerlasting life For Paule saith We that are in this tabernable sigh are greued because we would not be vnclothed but we woulde be clothed vpon that mortalitye mighte be swalowed vp of life And to the Romains he saith thus I suppose that the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory which shal be shewed vpon vs For the feruent desire of the creature abideth waiting for the appearing of the children of God. In all these words it is sufficiently declared what glorification meaneth and what is vnderstande by it Namely a fredome or discharge from this fraile seruitude and bondage and a deliueraunce into the gloryous and comfortable libertye of Goddes children By the which fredome we are deliuered from al sickenesse and frailtye and from all thraldome of weaknesse that is frō all that which bringeth sicknesse heauinesse and frailty From all such are we free discharged and deliuered hauing now the perfect fruition of god and made of like shape vnto his son Iesus christ as holy s Iohn declareth Herevnto serueth it well that Paule sayeth whan this corruptible hath put on incorruption thys mortal hath put on immortaliti then shal be brought to passe the saying that is written death is swalowed vp in the victorye Therfore the glorified body after the signification of glory shal be a purified bodi which is purged and clensed from all frailty and vilenes and now is clothed vpon and apparelled wyth clennesse purenesse ioy and rest and finally with the glory of eternal life That this is now the kinde and nature of the glorified body the holy Apostle Paul more largely and more perfectly declareth with these words it is sowen in corruption and riseth in incorruption and riseth in incorruption it is sowen in dishonor and riseth in glorye it is sowen in weakenesse and riseth in power it is sowen a naturall bodye riseth a spirituall body Item what he meaneth by the natural and by the spirituall body he declareth immediatly vpon the same and sayth farther If there be a natural body ther is also a spiritual body as it is wrytten The first mā Adam is made into a naturall life the last man Adam into a spirituall life Yet is not the spirituall body the first but the naturall and afterward the spiritual The first man is of the earth earthy the second man is the Lord from heauen As is the earthy suche are they that are earthy and as is the heauenly suche are they that be heauenly And as we haue born the image of the earthy so shal we bear also the image of the heauenlye This the holy Apostle declareth yet more euidently and saithe by one man came death and by one man commeth the resurrection of the deade For like as in Adam they all die so in Christe shal they al reuiue Thus Paule calleth Animale corpus the soulish body which is interpreted the natural body the same that hath his vertue strength power and life of the soule which body we haue of Adam and it is earthy fraile and mortal The spiritual body he calleth not it that is become or made a sprite but therfore nameth he the glorified body a spirituall bodye because it liueth of the sprite of Christe which spiritual body that is incorruptible indissoluble and immortall we haue receiued of Christ our Lorde Of all this is sufficiently spoken in our expositions of the epistles of s Paul. CHAP. 17. The case of oure members in the bodies resurrection of their functiōs BVt here might some mā sai if our very true bodies with their members shal be in heauē then it foloweth that the vse and exercise of the members shall be in heauen also To this I geue like answere as nowe is sayde namely that we shall haue euen these members and this bodye which we now cary but seeing that thorow the glorification they shal be made heauenly they shal not neede earthy exercise Neither shal they vse any frail thing at all Heereof commeth it that Paule saithe fleshe and bloude mai not possesse the kingdom of God neither mai corruption inherite vncorruption By fleshe bloude he meaneth not the true essenciall body but bodely fraile lustes and tentations whych he now called the earthy and fraile body Such tentations lustes saith he shall not be in the glorified bodies neither shall there any fraile bodies be in heauen For he saith immediatly vpon the same corruption shal not inherite vncorruption for in the kingdome of God there shall be no corruptiō nor frailty For the heauenly ioy is farre of another kinde and nature
And after certain words doth Hierome set forth Origens opinion and what he held of the resurrection and saith There is promised vs another body namely a spirituall and heauenly that can not be comprehended nor sene vvith eyes nor hauing any vvaighte or burthen and that according to the circumstance and diuersitye of the places that it shal be in shal be changed And after certain words doth Hierome set forthe the opinion of Origen yet more plainely saying O ye simple the resurrection of our Lord Iesus Christe oughte not to deceiue you in that he shevved his handes and feete stode on the sea shore vvent ouer the fielde vvith Cleophas and said he had fleshe and bones This body that vvas not borne of the seede of man and of lust or pleasure of the fleshe is endued vvith greater fredome then another body and vvith his nature it is not vnlike the spirituall and heauenly body For vvhan the dores vvere shut he entered and in breaking of the bread vanished he avvay from their sight c. But at the last Hierome answereth vnto Origens foundation and sayth Like as he shevved his true handes and his true sides so did he truly eate vvith theÌ„ vvent truely vvith Cleophas spake to them truly vvith his mouth sate truly at the table vvith them at supper toke the breade vvith his true handes gaue thankes brake it and reached it them And vvheras he immediatly vanished oute of their sight that is ascribed to the povver of God and to no fantasy or false body VVhan he afore his resurrection vvas brought out from Nazareth that they mighte throvve him dovvne from the top of the hill he passed thorovv the middes of them that is he escaped oute of theyr handes May vve then talke vvith Marcion that his birthe vvas therefore but a fantasy because that he against nature escaped those that had him Hovve sayest thou did not they knovve him in the vvay vvhan he yet had the body that he had afore Vpon this heare the scripture their eies vvere holden that they should not knovve him But vvas he any other vvhan they knevve him not or vvas he any other vvhan they knevve him Verely he vvas alvvay one and like himself And therfore to knovv and not to knovv is geuen to the eyes and not to him that is sene although it be ascribed vnto him also that he helde their eyes least they shoulde knovv him Aftervvard vvith many vvords geueth he ansvver to that that the Lord entred vvhan the dores vvere shut Yet dothe he brefely ansvver thervnto in his CommeÌ„taries vpon the laste Chapter of Esaye and sayeth I maruell that some after Christes Ascension vvill geue and measure him a body made of the aire and soone returned to aire againe because the Lord by the povver of his maiesty came into the Apostles vvhaÌ„ the doâ—es vvere shut considering that afore his resurrection also he vvent vpon the vvater of the sea permitting the same vnto holy Peter vvho at the first thorovv faith vvalked vpon the vvater But aftervvard vvhan he being fainte in faith began to sincke and go vnder he said vnto him O thou of little faith vvhy hast thou doubted Thus muche wrote Hierome against Origen many other moe yet in this boke wrytten to Pammachius againste Iohn bishop of Hierusalem which because of greatnesse and lengthe I haue omitted to put heere in wryting CHAP. 20. S. Hieromes opinion of the resurrection of the flesh YEt in the same booke hathe the saide Hierome sette hys owne opinion touching the resurrection of the flesh directing the oration vnto Bishop Iohn and saying If thou vvilt novve confesse the resurrection of the flesh after the truthe and not after fantasy as thou sayest then loke that vnto the vvordes vvhich thou haste spoken to content the simple that euen in the body vvherin vve die and are buried vve shall rise againe thou adde these vvords also and say seeing the sprite hathe not fleshe and bones as ye see me haue and forasmuch as it vvas so distinctly spoken vnto Thomas put thy finger in my hands and thy hand in my side and be not faithlesse but beleuing Therefore saye thou that vve also after the resurrection shall haue euen the same members that vve daily vse yea euen the very same fleshe bloude and bone The vvorkes vvherof the holy scripture condemneth and reiecteth and not their nature And this is the right and true knovvledging of the resurrection vvhich so geueth honor vnto the flesh that therevvith it minisheth nothing the verity of the fleshe Afterwarde speaketh he yet more euidently I vvil frely confesse though ye vvry your mouthes at it scratch your head and scrape vvith your feete yea and though ye should stone me to deathe forthvvith Yet vvill I manifestly and plainly knovvledge and coÌ„fesse the faithe of the church or congregation of God and boldly pronounce that the right profound Christian truth of the resurrection can vtterly not be vnderstaÌ„d vvithout flesh bone bloud and members VVhere flesh bones bloud and members are ther must nedes be a difference of kind as of man and vvoman And vvhere these bothe are distincte the one from the other there Iohn must be Iohn and Mary must be Mary But thou nedest not to be astonied at the matter as though a vvedding also vvere there to be kept in all the haste seeing that before they died they liued vvithoute the vvorke of their kinde that is vvithoute the acte of mariage It is promised vs that vve shal be like vnto the Angels that is partakers of the saluation in the vvhich saluation the Angels are vvithout fleshe and distinction of kind And yet it is geuen vnto vs in our flesh kinde Thus beleueth my simplicity and vnderstaÌ„deth that the kind must be vnderstand hovv be it vvithout the vvorks of the kinde yea that men muste rise againe and so become like vnto the Angels of God. Neither oughte the resurrection of members forthvvith to be therfore esteemed vnprofitable superfluous because they shall not do their office but stand idle For vvhile vvee are yet in this life vvee endeuor oure selues not to performe the vvorkes of oure members As for the comparison tovvardes the Angels it is not a changing of men into Angels but it is an increasing of the mortality and glory Thus much haue I spoken of the confession of holy Hierome CHAP. 21. S. Augustines minde of the Resurrection of the fleshe TOuching the resurrection of oure fleshe not onely did holy Hierome beleue thus who yet testifieth that he knowledgeth and coÌ„fesseth the vniuersall Christian faithe But also S. Austen wholely agreeth vnto s Hierome and namely Lib. 2. Retractat Cap. 3. For in repeting correcting certaine poyntes out of the .32 Chapter in the booke de Agone Christiano he sayth I sayd it shall not be flesh and bloud but an heauenly body This oughte no man to vnderstand that therefore there shall be no true substance of the fleshe
Moreouer wher the scripture declareth the place of damnation to be after what sort damnation shall torment the vnbeleuers Finally I wil declare whether the punishment of the vngodly be euerlasting or whether it shall cease at lengthe Holy scripture dothe oft and many times make mention of the deathe of the soule which yet cōcerneth not the substance but the state thereof For holy Augustine in his boke de fide symbolo speaketh therof very wel and Christianly Like as the soule sayth he by reason of vices and vvicked maners is fraile so may it also be called mortall For the deathe of the soule is to fall from God and not to keepe it selfe vnto God vvhich is also the first sinne committed in paradise as it is cōteined in holy scripture Moreouer the soule dieth vvhan it is verely spoiled of eternall life and caste into euerlasting sorovve trouble and miserye And therfore saythe Augustine farther The soule also hathe her deathe Namely vvhan it lacketh and is destitute of the eternall and godly life vvhich truly and iustly is called the life of the soule But vndeadly or immortall is it called because it neuer ceaseth to liue hovve miserable so euer the life of it be What bodely death is euery man knoweth well but eternall death whan a man dieth the second time is this when the flesh riseth again and so is placed in euerlasting torment For after the laste sentence or iudgement of God the whole man and not the halfe shall be either saued or damned The eternall death also hath S. Iohn in his Reuelation called the second death This is appoynted because of sinne and is not a resting or ceassing but a cōtinuall paine This death is called also damnation that is a iudgement bicause the vngodly is adiudged vnto paine and for that there is appoynted him a tormēt sorow and trouble that neuer ceaseth and that as touching the greatnesse therof can neuer be expressed with tonge CHAP. 25. That ther is an eternal death and damnation and that the soule is passible NOw that there is an eternal damnation the truthe and righteousnesse of God testifieth For howe coulde God be rightuous if he had no punishment wherwith to torment and plage the vicious and wicked Therfore out of dout an eternal deathe and damnation there is though the vngodly do mocke laughe it to scorne and passe not vpon it The godly sacred Bible which is an assured witnesse of the truthe sayeth euidently death is the stipend or rewarde of sinne And by one man came sinne into the worlde and by sin death Item thorow the sinne of one man is the euil fallen by inheritance come vpon all men vnto damnation For in that boke of Genesis God sayth In what day so euer thou eatest of thys tree thou shalt die the deathe Now did he eate therof therfore he also died and was euen condemned appoynted and adiudged vnto eternall death The Lord sayth also in the gospel if ye beleue not that it is I ye shal die in your sinnes Item he that beleeueth not is condemned alredy Such like testimonies are found in holy scriprure innumerable out of the which we finally conclude that death damnation is enioyned appoynted and adiudged of God vnto all vnbeleuers and vngodly But forasmuche as there be some whiche thinke that seing the soule is a sprite it cā not neither may suffer yea that it is not subdued to any passion at all Therfore against such curious teachers I wil set now the soule of the gorgious riche man in the gospell which expresly plainly sayeth O sende Lazarus that he maye dipe the tip of his finger in water and cole my tunge for I am tormented in this flame lo the rich mannes soule is tormented in the fire Hereout now it foloweth that the soules are passible and subiect to suffer And thoughe this be shewed vnto vs of the Lorde as a parable yet is it done for this intēt euen to describe and declare vnto vs the state and case of the soules that are seperated from the bodies And how pain and punishment is appoynted vnto the soules it is foūd expressed not only in the similitudes but also in the holye gospell of Mathewe the truthe it selfe saythe feare ye hym rather which may destroy soule body into hell What the mouth of god speaketh must nedes be true Yea a shamefull strange thing were it for any man from henceforth to doubte in this that with so euident testimonies is witnessed We ought rather to beware that wyth oure vicious life we deserue not to learne and fele by experience the righteous iudgement of God concerning the which we nowe doubte and demaunde so folishlye as thoughe there shal be nothing of it Now what I haue spoken of the soules that are already departed from the body must be vnderstand also of the bodies whych come againe to the soules in the resurrection CHAP. 26. The bodies of the vnbeleuers being raised are passible FOr that the bodyes whych come againe to the soules are raised vp are passible it mai well be vnderstād and perceiued by that which is treated of alredy S. Augustine Lib. 21. de ciuitate Dei. Cap. 4. sheweth by many naturall examples and euidences that liuing bodies may wel remaine continue in the fire But touching the place of the punishment or where the soules with their bodies shal be tormented the scripture saithe simply plainly that the vnbeleuers goe downe into hell Hereof is it easy to perceiue that hell is vnder vs in the earth notwithstāding to go about to describe to shewe and to compasse precisely the place and the rowme where it lieth and to poynt it out becommeth not vs verelye but is a folishe presumption The testimonies of the scripture are simple plaine For the Prophet Dauid saythe let death fall sodenly vpon them let them go downe quicke into hell for wickednesse is in their houses and priuye chambers Item with all theyr substance went they down quick into hell and the earthe couered them and they perished frō oute of the congregation Heerevnto serueth also righte well the destruction of Sodome and that whiche the Prophet Ezechiell declareth namely that all cruel people are gone downe and descēded into hel as the Elamites which are the Persians Edomites and others And therfore concludeth he farther that euen Pharao the king of Egipte seing that he also is a tyrant must be thrust downe into hell and be gathered vnto other vncircumcised that is to say vnbeleuers Item in Luke is the hell placed beneath downewards For thus is it wrytten in the Euangelist betweene vs and you there is a greate space sette so that they which woulde goe downe from hence to you can not The holy Apostle Peter speaking of the angels that fel saith euidently that they are caste downe into hel kept and bounde
Nowe did not the fish cast vp to the dry land ani other for Ionas but euen the same Ionas himselfe whome he had swalowed Therefore the verye same true bodi of the Lord also that was buried arose againe Which thing the holye Apostle Paule minding perfectly to expres said first of all I deliuered vnto you or taughte you that which I receiued how that Christ died for our sinnes agreing to the scriptures and that he was buried and that he rose again the third dai according to the scriptures Lo what can be spoken more euident and plain He that died for our sinnes and was buryed euen he himselfe the very same rose also againe Of this now it foloweth that the very true substancial body of our lord did rise againe for euen the same died was buried But to the entent that it mighte the soner be beleeued Paul the holy teacher declareth furthermore that he speaketh this according to the contentes of scripture and that the same was taughte in the scriptures afore meaning vndoutedly the lawe the Prophets Neuerthelesse we will nowe bring forth the true and euident testimonies of the Angels who in Marke Luke and Mathew speake vnto the wemen that came to the sepulchre Ye seke Iesus of Nazareth him that was crucified Why seeke ye the liuing among the dead He is risen he is not heere Beholde the place wher they had laid him Remēber howe he spake vnto you while he was yet in Galile saying that the son of man must be deliuered into the hāds of sinfull mē and be crucified the thirde day rise againe Therefore goe quickly and tel this to his disciples that he is risen from the deade And beholde he shall goe before you into Galilee ther shal ye se him as he himselfe tolde you These are the wordes of the Angels which if al circumstāces be thorowly well cōsidered do plainly declare that the very true body of the Lord did verely arise from the dead The wemē come seeke the body of the lord desiring to annoynt it therefore the question is touching the body of Christe The Angels also speake of the true body of Christ make answer saying Ye seke Iesus of Nazareth Whervnto they adde distinctly him that was crucified Now are we sure that his very true body was crucified and died He say they namely that died euen Iesus of Nazareth the same is become aliue againe Why seke ye the liuing among the dead The lord died of a truthe but deathe must not haue dominion ouer him nether muste his body putrify or corrupt as other mens bodies doe according as holy Dauid sayde before Afore hand I sawe God alwayes before me for he is on my right hand that I shuld not be moued Therfore did mi hart reioyse and my tong was glad Moreouer also my flesh shal rest in hope because thou wilte not leaue my soule in Hell neither wilte thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption Thou hast shewed me the wayes of life thou shalt make me ful of ioy with thy coūtenance and at thy right hād ther is pleasure for euermore These words extend wholely vnto Christ according as the .ii. excellent Apostles namely Peter in the second and Paul in the 13. of the Acts do declare Out of the Angels wordes also is it com into the articles of the crede as we all cōfesse with these words he rose again from the dead This word from the dead doth truly expresse the death and resurrection after this sense He died as other men also doe according to the law of nature And euen in the same fleshe which he therefore toke vpō him that he might die receiued the immortalitye and toke it vnto him againe Therefore say the Angels he is rise◠again But that thing riseth no vp which fel not afore therfore euen the same bodye of Christe that fell in death is from death risen vp againe Moreouer they name also the place where he was laide to expresse perfectly that the very true body was risen saying beholde the place wher they layed him The mortall body of the Lorde hath his certaine place yea his owne place that the Logicians cal Vbi that is to say where in the which he was laide And as he now is become immortal he hath his own place againe For if the bodye that was raised vp were euery where then had not the Angels sayde Beholde the place wher they laid him Yea they had not bene able to shewe any one place wher he was not if the immortall body must be euery where But now they shew a place in the which the immortall body was not and that with plaine expresse wordes saying he is not heere Of this nowe it foloweth that the body of Christe which is but in one place did verely rise again In the gospel o◠s. Iohn also the sepulchre cloths wherin the Lord was wrapt as the hed cloth that which was about his body are mencioned as strong testimonies of the bodi risen vp which clothes Pete◠and Iohn did perfectly see Furthermore the Angels proue his very true resurrection out of th◠word of god and say remembe◠what he saide vnto you while h◠was yet in Galilee the sonne o◠man muste be deliuered into th◠handes of sinfull men c. Wit◠these wordes will they instructe vs that the sonne of man a very true body is truly risen againe They say moreouer go quickly tel the disciples that he is risen from death Now was the body dead and as all mens bodies that die laid in the graue And euen the same body was made immortall rose again from the dead He shall go before you into Galilee yea before you shal he goe with a true bodi that moueth from one place to another there as in a certaine place shall ye se him Ye shal se him I say for with a visible palpable body is he risen as ye are told by the Lorde himself who can neither lie nor deceiue CHAP. 3. Appearings of the body raised vp HEreunto extende the manifold appearings or opē shewings of Christ mencioned by the Euangelists In Mark it is wrytten thus whan Iesus was risen early the first day after the Sabbothe he appeared firste to Mary Magdalen To whom in the gospel of Iohn he sayth goe to my brethren and tel them I go vp to my father and your father to my God and your god Now whan she came to the disciples she tolde thē that she had sene the Lord that he had spoken suche things vnto her In Mathew he meteth the wemen and sayeth All haile Fear not goe and tell my brethren that they go into Galilee there shall they see me In holy S. Luke is mēcion made of two appearings The first when he shewed himselfe to the two that went to Emaus opened vnto them the true resurrection of hys bodye The second whā they were