Confutation of Monstrous and Horrible Heresies, Article 10
H. N. The xi. Article.
Wee beleeue theo.Eſa. 26. e. Ezec. 36.37. b. reſurrection of the fleſhe: wee confeſſe that the dead which are deceaſed or fallen a ſleepe in Chriſt, riſe vpp.Iohn 5. d. 1. Cor. 15. e. d. 2. Cor. 5. a. 1. Theſ. 4. b. with their bodyes, and appeare with Chriſt, in his glory: where through the whole houſe of Iſraell becommethqIere. 30. b. 31. d. Ezech. 37. c. erected or reſtored in the laſt day according to the promiſes.
Anſweare. That the reſurrection of the body, is wholy and altogither a ſpirituall matter, according to the doctrine of H.N: it plainely appeareth in all his bookes. I in deede he vſeth this worde body, in this place, but as his accuſtomed kind of dealing hath beene heeretofore, that the ſimple may the ſooner be deceiued thereby, in not ſuſpecting any ſtraunge matter to be there, where they heare no other beſide the knowen & accuſtomed wordes. He calleth it [the reſurrection of the body be] cauſe it is acccōpliſhed, while yet we are liuing in this body: for ſo many as nowe imbrace the doctrine of H. N. and are growen to perfection in the ſame: in his iudgement, thoſe are riſen from the deade, and that is with him, the reſurrectiō of the body in the laſt day: whervnto he draweth all the ſcriptures, which mention the day of iudgement, & the ſecond comming of Chriſt: when as wel good, as bad, ſhall riſe againe in the fleſhe, and be adiudged either to ioy or paine euerlaſtingly. That thus he thinketh of the reſurrection, it is plaine and euidently to be ſeene, in his Euangelie Chapter. 35.8. Beholde in this preſent day, is this Scripture fulfilled, and according to the teſtimonie of the ſcripture, the rayſing vp, and reſurrection of the Lordes dead, commeth alſo to paſſe preſently, in thiſſame day, through the appearing of the comming of Chriſt in his maieſtie, which reſurrection of the dead, ſeeing that the ſame is come vntounto vsus, from Gods grace, we doe likewiſe in this preſent day to an Euangelie or ioyfull meſſage of the kingdome of God, and chriſt, publiſh in al the world, vnderunder the obediēce of the louelove. In which reſurrection of the dead, God ſheweth vntounto vsus, that the time is now fulfilled, that his dead, or the dead that are fallen on ſleepe, in the Lord, riſe vp in this day of his iudgement, & appeare vntounto vsus in godly glory: which ſhall alſo frō henceforth liue in vsus euerlaſtingly with Chriſt, and raigne vponupon the earth, wherein the ſcripture becommeth fulfilled, in this preſent day, like as there ſtandeth written therof. And in the ſeconde chapter of the Euangelie. Section 3. For that cauſe, awake now in the ſpirit, ye louers of the trueth, and throughly meaſure or try out the ground of this ſame ſpirit, which to the making aliue of all the dead that are deceaſſed in the Lord, is proceeded from God: and meruaile not at any of thiſſame: but ſearch or examine the ſcripture, whether that it make not mention of the ſame. Likewiſe in the 4. Chapter Section 14. For this cauſe our hope ſtandeth now in this day, very little on many inhabitours of the worlde, for of them there ſhall fewe come, which ſhall ſtand minded, or adioyne them vntounto the louelove, and the requiring of her ſeruice, with all their heart: and yet many fewer, which ſhall perſeuer therin vntounto the ende. Therefore hope we with ioy, much more on the appearing of the dead, which dye in the Lorde, or are dead in him, to wit, that they in their reſurrectiō from the death, ſhall liuingly come vntounto, or meete with vsus. For all the dead of the Lord, or members of Chriſt, ſhall now liue & ariſe with their bodyes, & we ſhall aſſemble vsus with them, and they with vsus, to one body in Ieſus Chriſt, into one louely beeing of the louelove, and be altogither concordable in the louelove, and peace of Ieſu Chriſt. He that ſhall reade the booke of H.N. with iudgement, ſhall ſoone ſee and perceiue, that the knowledge of his doctrine, and obedience thereunto, is with him all in-all, it is the cōming of Chriſt, the ſound of the laſt Trumpet, the reſurrection from the deade, and euerlaſting life: of many I will giuegive you one place for proofe heereof, it is in his Euangelie Chapter 38. Section 2, Wherefore awake now all, lift vp your heades: heare and ſee the wonderfull actes of God, and hauehave regarde vntounto the ſounde of the laſte Trumpet, and conſider the forefront of the true Tabernacle of God: wherein the beginning of the true God ſeruice, and of the vpright Chriſtian life, becōmeth erected: the holie of the true tabernacle of God: wherin the true God ſeruice, and his requiring & the obedience of the belief, euen vntounto the vpright chriſtian life is accompliſhed, & the vaile remoued from the moſt holy: the moſt holy of the true tabernacle of god: wherein the perfection of the true Chriſtian life, and al that which God hath ſpoken from the beginning, and promiſed thorow his Prophets, is ſet vp: the kingdome of the God of heauens, full of al pure beautie, and heauenly powers: wherein all mindes of pure hartes doe liue with chriſtian triumph, free without feare: the day of the righteous iudgement of God: in which the compaſſe of the earth becommeth iudged with righteouſneſſe: the iudgement ſeat of Chriſt: before which all things muſt needes be manifeſted: the perfect being of God and Chriſt: in his abundant clearneſſe, of the godly light: the true reſt of al the children of God: in their perfect louelineſſe, and vpright being: the myſterie of the heauenly trueth: wherein the right ſeruice of louelove hath his miniſtration, & the declaring of the ſpirituall treaſures or riches of the heauenly goods, which are adminiſtred, and brought thorow the ſeruice of louelove, to an euerlaſting perfection, vntounto the vpright of heart, and wherin al vnperfect or childiſh things, Images, figures, and ſhadowes do ceaſſe, becommeth nowe in this preſent day (O ye louers of the truth) euangelized and declared vntounto you all, and thereto alſo yee all, ſo well as we, were created for to liue therein, and are called and bidden vntounto the ſame, out of the grace and merciemercy of God by me H. N. in whom God hath ſealed the dwelling of his glorie, and his holie name. Wee are taught out of the worde of God to beleeue and aſſuredly to looke for the reſurrection of this our fleſh, which by death is taken downe, and layde into the duſt. For by that league and couenant, wherein the Lord ſtandeth bound vntounto vsus, to become our God, he hath not onelyonly taken our ſoule, but our fleſhe and bodie alſo into his fatherly protection: and that not for the time of this life alone, but in like maner for the life to come. And therefore our Sauiour Chriſt Ieſus, by theſe words of the couenant, proueth that the dead ſhal riſe againe, yea that Abraham, who had bene alreadie partaker of riſing from ſinne in truth (the ſhadow whereof H.N. vrgeth, for the riſing againe of the fleſh) ſhould hauehave yet an other reſurrection: which is to riſe vp in fleſh and bone, to inherite euerlaſting comfort, as well in bodie, as in ſoule. For as the godly doe glorifie GOD here vponupon earth, both in bodie and ſoule: ſo ſhall they likewiſe be glorified of him in both, in the life to come. And this is an article of our beliefe, and eſpeciall comfort left vntounto Chriſtians. But how can it be that H.N. ſhould be priuie vntounto theſe, & ſuch like comfortes, who is vtterly ignoraunt of Chriſt the procurer of thē? The Apoſtle Paule, whoſe conuerſation was in heauen, and therefore already poſſeſſed of the riſing from ſinne: looked notwithſtanding for this reſurrection of the bodie, when it ſhould be chaunged, and made like vntounto the glorious bodie of Ieſus Chriſt: Phil. 3.20.as it is written in the Epiſtle to the Philippians. But our cōuerſation is in heauen, from whence alſo wee looke for the ſauiour, euen the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, who ſhall chaunge our vile bodies, that it may be faſhioned like vntounto his glorious bodie, according to the working, whereby hee is able euen to ſubdue all things vntounto himſelfe. It is manifeſt then by this which hath bene ſpoken, that the reſurrectiō of the bodie, cannot be drowned, as H.N. his doctrine doeth teach vsus, in the riſing from ſinne and wickedneſſe. And beſide, in this ſhort abſtract of the principal points of our faith, is it poſſible to perſwade any man, that one and the ſame thing, ſhoulde bee the matter and argument of ſundrie articles? Now by the doctrine of H.N. this article is the ſame in effect, with thoſe of Chriſt his riſing the third day frō the dead, his aſcending into heauē & his ſitting at the right hand of God his father: yea, it is the ſame in meaning, with thoſe of the holy ghoſt, the holy catholike Church, the cōmunion of Saints, the forgiuenes of ſinnes. For all theſe be nothing elſe, beſides that eſtate of life, which his doctrine doeth deſcribe, to bee the louely being, and that eſtate of perfection, which his illuminate elders bee poſſeſſed of. What cauſe hauehave all true hearted Chriſtians, to crie out agaynſt this doctrine, which ſhrinketh vp ſo manie and ſpeciall comfortes, ſo proper and peculiar vntounto them?