Exposition of Romans 8-11, Chapter 8 · Verse 11
VERSE 11. But if the Spirit of him, which raiſed vp Ieſus from the Dead, dwell in you; he that raiſed vp Chriſt from the dead, ſhall alſo quicken your mortall bodies eOr, becauſe of his Spirit.by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
THe ſecond Conſolation in this Verſe. As the former ſhewed the happineſſe of the Godly in regard of their ſoules: ſo this in regard of their bodies: and it is inferred by an Occupation, from the words of the 10. Verſe, thus: I confeſſe, Paul (might ſome ſay) that the ſoule liues: but the Body is turned to duſt and periſheth. Nay, ſaith Paul, Euen the body ſhall be raiſed vp and quickned, that the Regenerate may be happy in body and ſoule.
Theſe words hauehave two parts. 1. A ſuppoſition: If the Spirit, &c. dwell in you. 2. A Concluſion: Hee that raiſed vp Chriſt, &c.
If: This Conditionall, is not to be taken as if the Apoſtle, doubtingly did ſuſpend his Iudgement; or call into queſtion their hauing the Spirit: but as taking it granted, both that Chriſt is riſen, and that they hauehave the Spirit: ſo our Sauiour: Ioh. 14.15.If you louelove me, keepe my commandements: not doubting of their louelove, but from thence vrging their obedience.
Two things are ſuppoſed: 1. That the Spirit of God is in them. 2. That Chriſt is riſen by the power of the holy Holy Ghoſt. Verſe 9.Of the former of theſe before. The later is a part of the Creed, which I purpoſe not to runne into at this time.
The Concluſion declareth the Argument: Thus:
If the Spirit of God be in you; then the Spirit will quicken your mortall bodies.
But the Spirit of God is in you: as hath been declared. Therefore, &c.
The Conſequence is proued from the like. The Spirit hath raiſed vp Chriſt, therefore will it you, being his members.
Here two things
1. The Action. Quickning.
2. The Amplification.
1. From the Efficient, God, deſcribed by an Effect. The Raiſing vp of Chriſt. 2. The Subiect. Quickened. Your mortall bodies. 3. The Condition of them whoſe mortall bodies ſhall be quickned. Theirs in whom the Spirit dwelleth.
He that raiſed: that is the Father: ſo the Soune: ſo the Holy Ghoſt raiſed Chriſt, it was the worke of the whole Trinitie, who in workes without, are vndiuided.
Shall quicken. Not raiſe: for the wicked ſhall bee raiſed, but they ſhall not be quickned as the Godly; namely, with a Spirituall life. And yet Paul ſaith; 1. Cor. 15.22.As in Adam all dye, ſo in Chriſt ſhall all be made aline, vſing the ſame word which heere. But the Anſwere is, that All may bee taken diſtributiuely, thus. As many as are in Adam, dye; and as many as are in Chriſt, ſhall bee made aliue. Hee ſaith, All and All, to ſhew that none dye but in Adam, and none are made aliue but in Chriſt.
Your mortall bodies: Aug. Epiſt. 57. Dard.that is, ſoules dead in ſinne, ſay ſomeaPiſcator.: but thats too hard. Your mortified bodies, ſay othersbSarcerius.; but better, your mortall, that is, your baſe, vile bodies, ſubiect to dying: They ſhall be quickened. That is their naturall body ſhall riſe a Spirituallc1. Cor. 15.44., and their mortall ſhall put on immortalitied1. Cor. 15.54., ſo that they ſhall hauehave no death nor mortalitie.eVt non ſolum non ſint mortua, ſed ne mortalia, Anſelm.
Your, euen your, as it is in the Greeke.
By that his Spirit which dwelleth in you: That is, by reaſon of their vnion with Chriſt, through the Spirit.
All that are Regenerate ſhall in the power of Chriſts Reſurrection, be raiſed by his Spirit that dwelleth in them, Luke 20.35,36. Ioh. 6.40. 1. Cor. 15.20,21,22,23.
Here hauehave we an Argument againſt the ſeeming impoſſibilitie of the Reſurrection. The Sadduces account it vnreaſonable*Mark. 12.18.. The Philoſophers Ridiculous,fAct. 17.18. Hymeneus and Phyletus ſaid it was paſt
g2. Tim. 2.18.; and many yet doubt of it. To all which I ſay, Conſider the Author, and ceaſe to Doubt: Paul illuſtrates it by naturall things: As Wheat dyes and riſethi1. Cor. 15.36.37,38.: ſo the daykDies moritur. in noctem, &c.: Trees alſo wither and re-flouriſh. Why not our bodies: we hauing a Promiſe?
Doeſt thou beleeue Chriſts Reſurrection? Elſe wert thou nor a Chriſtian? The Iewes beleeue he dyed, the Chriſtians that he roſe againe. Beleeueſt thou this? Then beleeue thine owne: as the body drownes not ſo long as the head is aboue water: ſo if thou bee a member of Chriſt thy Head, thou ſhalt not be left behinde; but euen thy body ſhall be receiued into Heauen, Whither hee hath carried the pledge lTert. ib. c. 37.of it in his owne humanitie. Bee ſecure, O fleſh and bloud, you vſurpe Heauen in your Head Chriſt.
Adam had a poſſibilitie to dye if he ſinned: and a neceſſity of dying becauſe he ſinned: Our mortall bodies ſhall receiue an impoſſibilitie of dying by the Quickning of that Spirit: That as Chriſt dieth no moremRom. 6.9.18., ſo death hath no dominion ouer vsus. This comforted Iob in the day of his ſore troublenIob 10.25.: and this was the Comfort of the poore Iewes vnderunder Antiochus Epiphanes, they looked for a oHeb. 11.35.better Reſurrection, to be as Sugar to relliſh the bitterneſſe of the Croſſe.
Note a ſecret. Your mortall bodies: The ſame which they carried about with them, ſhall be raiſed vp, and a revnion of the bodie and ſoule at the laſt day. No accidentall thing can vtterly deſtroy an Eſſentiall. But death is accidentall, and the vnion of body and ſoule eſſentiall. Therefore that vnion cannot in reaſon perpetually faile. Some of the Heathen ePlato.acknowledged that the ſeparation of body and ſoule, could not be finall.
Ruffinus ſaith, that his people, in repeating the Creed would ſay, I belieue the reſurrection of this FleſhfCarnis huius, Ruff. in expoſit. ſimbol. inter opera Cypr.: as though they had clapt their hands on their breaſts. So Paul ſaith, This Corruptibleg1. Cor. 15.54.. But ſome will ſay: Some men are lame, ſome deformed; ſhall thoſe bodies riſe ſo? I anſwer: The ſame in ſubſtance ſhall riſe, not in infirmitie. Lazarus without his ſores, Mephiboſheth without his lameneſſe: Such things ſhall be taken away in the elect: for defect and deformitie cannot ſtand with that glory. And for the Reprobate, it is thought by ſome Diuines to be probable, that their defects ſhall not be ſupplied, but ſuffred, for the encreaſe of their ſhame and puniſhmenthTilen. ſyntag. diſput. Theolog. parte altera loc de Reſurrect. Theſ. 37..
The Iuſtice of God requires that the ſame, not another body ſhould riſe, to puniſhment or bliſſe. That hand, thoſe feet, thoſe prowd adulterous eyes, that blaſpheming tongue ſhall riſe againe to receiue condigne puniſhment. And on the contrary, thoſe hands that hauehave beene lifted vp in prayer, and ſtretched out to relieue the Saints, thoſe that hauehave wept for ſinne, that tongue which hath glorified God; That body that hath ſuffered for Chriſt, ſhall alſo riſe to be partaker of his glory.
doctrine Vſe 5.Thoſe which hauehave the Spirit of Chriſt dwelling in them, ſhall hauehave a ioyfull Reſurrection, others not: As the ſleepe of ſound and ſicke men differ: So the Reſurrection of good and bad. Sound men are refreſhed, ſick men hauehave ſick ſleeps, and are the worſe when they awake: ſo ſhall the Reſurrection be. Then ſhall bee a generall gaole-Deliuerie: but ſome ſhall be acquitted, ſome deliuered to the Executioner to bee tormented: and theſe are ſaid to periſh, not Phyſically but Theologically, being depriued of bliſſe.
We muſt all riſe. How wouldſt thou riſe (which readeſt theſe things?) wouldſt thou riſe with feare and terrour, or with ioy and confidence? If thus: then repent and forſake thy ſinnes, and thou ſhalt. For the hope of ſuch reſurrection depends vponupon an holy Conuerſation. Alaſſe! what ſhall become of thee, thou Drunkard? &c. When thou dyeſt, thou haſt done: but God hath not done with thee. Thou ſhalt no ſooner peepe out of thy Graue, but thou ſhalt ſee him come to judge thee, whom thou haſt pierced, deſpiſed, diſobeyed. What Confuſion ſhall it be vntounto thee! Thinke of it and repent: leſt at that day thou wiſh thou hadſt beene a dog or a toad, for that ſhame and condemnation thou ſhalt then vndergoe.