The Governance of Virtue, Part 2 · Section 34
¶ Against them that deny the resurrection of the body.
IF that olde enemy Sathan labour to perswade thee, that there is no resurrection of the dead, but as the bodye returneth to death, so shall it for euer continue in the earth, & neuer receiue lyfe again, nor line either in glory or in peace after this present life, that therfore thou maiest liue as thou iust, defende thy selfe against his cruel assaults … these sentēces & exāples of the holy scripture.
Sentences out of the olde, Testament.
The Lorde killeth and maketh alyue againe,Reg. 2. bringeth downe to the graue, and stretchet… vp againe.
I am sure, that my redemer liueth, and…b. 19. that I shall rise out of the earth in the latter day, and that I shall be clothed againe with this skinne, and see god in my flesh, yea I my self shall beholde him, not wyth other but with these same eyes.
These that be deade will I raise vp againe…. Esdr. 2 from their places, and bringe them out of the graues.
Thy dead shall liue, euen with my bodyEsay. 26. shall they rise againe. Awake and singe ye that dwel in the dust. For thy dew is euen as the dew of hearbes, and the earthe shall cast out of her them that be vnderunder her, the earth shall disclose her own bloud, and shal no more hide …em that are slaine in her.
Your bones shall florish like an herbe.Esay. 66
Beholde saith god, I wil put breath inEzech. 37. to you, that ye may liue, I wil geue you sinowes, and make fleshe growe vponupon you and couer you ouer with skin, and so geue you breath that ye may liue & knowe that I am the Lord. Thus saith the Lord god, behold I wil open your graues (O my peo ple) and take you out of your SepulchresDan. 12.
Many of them that slepe in the duste of the earth shall awake, some to euerlasting life, some to perpetuall shame and reproofe.
Examples out of the olde Mestament.
THe Prophet Helias raised vp frō death3. Reg. 1… vntounto life the Sonne of the widdow of Sarepta, which is in Sidon.
Helizeus obtained of God a Childe for4. Reg. … his Hostesse, which dyed, and as afterward by the prayer of Helizeus raysed vntounto life.
Read and mark diligently the 37. Chapiter of Ezechiel.
A certaine woman with her 7. Children2. Mac. … were cruellye put to death because they would not eate swines flesh, contrary to gods worde at the commaundement of the kinge. The seconde of the brethren saide vntounto the kinge, thou moste vngracious person puttest vsus now to deathe, but the kinge of the worlde shall raise vsus vp (which dy for his lawes) into resurrection of euerlasting life.
The mother of the 7. Children sayde thus vntounto them: I cannot tel how ye …am in my wōbe, for I neither gaue you breath nor soule, no, nor life. It is not I that ioyned the members of youre bodyes together, but the maker of the worlde, whiche fashioned the birth of man and began all thinges. Euen he also of his owne mercye shall geue you breath and life againe, like as ye now regard not your own selues for his lawes sake.
☞ Sentences out of the newe Testament.
AS touching the resurrection of y• deadMath. 23 hauehave ye not reade, what is said vntounto you of god, which saieth: I am Abrahams god, and Isaackes god, and god is not the god of the dead, but of the liuing.
The houre shall come in the whiche all…ohn. 5. that are in the graues shall heare his voice and shall come forthe, they that hauehave done good, vntounto ye resurectiō of life, & thei ye hauehave done euel vntounto ye resurrectiō of damnatiō.
I know that my brother shall rise again…ohn. 11 at the latter day.
God hath raised vp ye Lord, and shall rais… …. Cor. 6.vsus vp by his power. If there be no risinge again from death, then is Christ not risen.
If Christ is not risen, then is our preaching…. Cor. 15 vaine, & your faith is also vaine.
Read and commend to memory the xv. Chapiter of the first to the Corinth.
The Lord Iesus shall chaunge our vlle bodies, that they may be fashioned like vn to his glorious body. &c.
I would not brethern hauehave yon ignorāt1. Tim. 4 concerning them which are fallen a slepe, that ye sorow not as other do, which hauehave no hope. For if we beleue y• Iesus Christe died & rose againe, euen so they also which slepe by Iesus, wil god bring againe with him. Read forth.
☞ Examples out of the new Testament.
CHrist raised from death the daughter ofMath. 9 y• Rular, the Son of a certaine widow, and Lazarus, with many other. These are euident examples of our resurrection.
After Christ had geuen vp the ghoste,Math. 27. the graues did open, and the bodyes of ma ny Saintes whiche slept, arose, and came out of y• graues after his resurrectiō & cāe into the holy citie & appeared vntounto many.
Christ rose againe from death the thirdMath. 28. day accordinge to the scriptures, and was sene of Cephas, then of the twelue. After that he was sene of mo then fiue hundreth brethern at once. &c
S. Peter raised Tabitha from death.Act. 9
S. Paule restored vntounto life a certaine…ct. 20 yong man named Euticus.
Christe rebuked the Saduces, becauseMath. 22 they beleued not the resurrection of ye ded.
The Epicures and Stoykes laughed S…ct. 17. Paule to scorne, when as he at Athens taught the resurrection of the dead. But he defended the doctrine.