Tained in the Apostles Creed. The Ninth Sermon
LET us call to our Father in heaven, through our Lord Jesus Christ, that he will vouchsafe to pour his grace into us, that we may to our no small profit dispatch and expound the last part of the articles of christian belief.
The ninth article of faith is this: “The holy catholic church, the communion of saints.” After the confession of our belief in the holy Trinity, and in the mystery of the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, and lastly in the Holy Ghost, the sanctifier and restorer of all; now, in the fourth part, is reckoned up the fruit and power, the effect and end, of faith, and what doth come to, and is bestowed on, the faithful, There cometh to them communion of God and all saints, sanc-
[3 condolere nobis, Lat. ] [ expiatorio, Lat.] [δ securitas, Lat. ]]
tification, remission of sins, the resurrection of the flesh, and life everlasting. Of which I will speak in order as they lie, so far forth as the bountiful Lord shall give me ability.
Now then here we have to rehearse out of the eighth article this word, “1 believe:” we must (I mean) say, “I benot lieve the holy catholic church.” Some unlearned there are, which hold opinion, that in this point of our confession we ghould say, “1 believe in the holy church.” The reason that leads them so to think is this; because they find written in the Constantinopolitan Creed, “And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord that giveth life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, who together with the Father and the Son is to be worshipped and glorified, who spake by the prophets in one catholic and apostolic church?” For these words they do so distinguish, that, as they do repeat out of the premisses these words, “1 believe,” and make this the sense, I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord;” even so here again they do repeat these words, “1 believe,” making this to be the sense, “1 believe in one catholic and apostolic church?” But this is more than needeth, yea, and against all godliness do they wrest these words of the Creed: for this, “In one catholic and apostolic church,” is not referred to the verb, “1 believe,” but to the Holy Ghost, because he spake by the prophets in one catholic and apostolic church. For our meaning is, and we confess, that one and the same Spirit did all things in both Testaments, contrary to the opinion of them which imagined, that there were two spirits contrary the one to the other.
Moreover St Cyprian, in his exposition of the Apostles’ Creed, saith: He said not, In the holy church, nor, In the remission of sins, nor, In the resurrection of the body. For if he had added the preposition in,” then had the force of those clauses been all one with the force of that that went before. For in those words wherein our belief touching the Godhead is set down, we say, In God the Father, in Jesus Christ his Son, and in the Holy Ghost: but in the rest, where the
[1 repetendum est, Lat.] [2 locutus est per prophetas in unam catholicam, &c., Lat. ] [3 All this is comprised in that principle, I believe the catholic]
[church. And therefore the council of Nice said, I believe in the]
[church (πιστεύω εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν), that is, I believe and trust the]
[same in all things.—Annot. of Rhiems Test. in 1 Tim. iii. 15.]]
speech is not of the Godhead, but touching the creatures or mysteries, the preposition in is not added, that we may say, In the holy church but that the holy church is to be believed, not as we believe in God, but as a congregation gathered together to God; and that the forgiveness of sins is to be believed, not that we ought to believe in the forgiveness of sins; and that the resurrection of the flesh is to be believed, not that we ought to believe in the resurrection of the flesh. So then, by this syllable in the Creator is discerned from the creatures, and that that is God’s from that that is man’s4.” This saith Cyprian.
St Augustine, in his book de Fide et Symbolo, hath: “I believe the holy church,” not, “I believe in the holy church5.” There are alleged also his words in his epistle ad Neophytos, touching consecration, Distinct. 4, cap. 1: “We said not, that ye had to believe in the church, as in God; but understand how we said, that ye, being conversant in the holy catholic church, should believe in God.”
Much more evidently doth Paschasius, in the first chapter of his first book de Spiritu Sancto, say: “We believe the church, as the mother of regeneration; we do not believe in the church, as the author of salvation. He that believeth in
[[ Non dixit, in sanctam ecclesiam, nec in remissionem pecca-]
[torum, nec in carnis resurrectionem. Si enim addidisset IN preeposi-]
[tionem, una eademque vis fuisset cum superioribus. Nunc autem in]
[illis quidem vocabulis, ubi de divinitate fides ordinatur, in Deum]
[Patrem dicitur, et in Jesum Christum Filium ejus, et in Spiritum sanc-]
[tum: in ceteris vero, ubi non de divinitate, sed de creaturis ac mys-]
[teriis sermo est, IN preepositio non additur, ut dicatur, in sanctam]
[ecclesiam, sed sanctam ecclesia credendam esse, non ut in Deum, sed]
[ut ecclesiam Deo congregatam; et remissionem peccatorum credendam]
[esse, non in remissionem peccatorum; et resurrectionem carnis, non]
[in resurrectionem carnis. Hac itaque praepositionis syllaba Creator a]
[creaturis secernitur, et divina separantur ab humanis.—Cypr. (Rufiin.)]
[Expos. in Symb. Apost. fol. 26. Oxon. 1682.] [> Credimus et sanctam ecclesiam, utique catholicam.—August. de]
[Fid. et Symb. ed. Par. 1531. Tom. mr. fol. 32.] [6 Non ergo diximus, ut in ecclesiam, quasi in Deum crederetis:]
[sed intelligite nos dicere, et dixisse, ut in ecclesia sancta catholica]
[conversantes in Deum crederetis. — Gratian. Decret. Par. mr de]
[Consecr. Distinct. 4. can. 73. The Sermo ad Neophytos, which is]
[quoted from, is not Augustine’s. August. Opp. Tom. σι. Append.]
[Ῥ. 290.]]
the church, believeth in man: for man hath not his being of the church, but the church began by man. Leave off therefore this blasphemous persuasion, to think that thou hast to believe in any worldly creature; since thou mayest not believe neither in angel nor archangel. The unskilfulness of some have drawn and taken the preposition in from the sentence that goeth next before, and put it to that that followeth, adding thereto also too too shamelessly somewhat more than needed.” This hath Paschasius in that book of his, which St Gregory the Great, bishop of Rome, liked very well οἵ,
What say ye to that moreover, that Thomas of Aquine, reasoning of faith, in the second book, Part. 1m. Artie. ix. Quest. 1, saith? “If we say, ‘I believe in the holy church,’ we must understand, that our faith is referred to the Holy Ghost, which sanctifieth the church; and so make the sense to be thus: ‘I believe in the Holy Spirit, that sanctifieth the church.” But it is better, and according to the common use, not to add at all the syllable in,” but simply to say, the holy catholic church: even as also pope Leo saith3,”” This hath Thomas.
[1 Credimus ecclesiam quasi regenerationis matrem; non in eccle-]
[siam credimus quasi in salutis auctorem. Qui in ecclesiam credit, in]
[hominem credit: nam non homo ex ecclesia, sed ecclesia esse coepit]
[ex homine. Recede itaque ex hac blasphemis persuasione, ut in]
[aliquam humanam te sestimes debere credere creaturam:; cum omnino]
[nec in angelum nec in archangelum sit credendum. Nonnullorum]
[imperitia, In, preepositionem hane, velut de proxima vicinaque senten-]
[tia, in consequentem traxit ac rapuit, et ex superfluo imprudenter ap-]
[posuit.—Paschas. de Spiritu Sancto, Lib. 1. cap. i. in Biblioth. Patr.]
[Par. 1624. Tom. 1x. col. 180.] [2 Quod Paschasius hujus apostolicee sedis diaconus, cujus apud]
[nos rectissimi et luculenti de sancto Spiritu libri extant, mirze sancti-]
[tatis vir fuerit, eleemosynarum maxime operibus vacans, cultor pau-]
[perum et contemptor sui.—S. Gregorii Dialog. 1v. 40. Rom. 1613.]
[mu. 926. P.] [3 Si dicatur, In sanctam ecclesiam catholicam, hoc est intelligen-]
[dum, quod fides nostra refertur ad Spiritum sanctum qui sanctificat]
[ecclesiam, ut sit sensus: Credo in Spiritum sanctum sanctificantem]
[ecclesiam. Sed melius est, et secundum communiorem usum, ut non]
[ponatur ibi, In, sed simpliciter dicatur, sanctam ecclesiam catholi-]
[cam; sicut etiam Leo Papa dicit.—Aquin. Sum. Tot. Theol. par. 11.]
[Quest. 1. Art. 9, p. 7, Tom. 11. Venet. 1594.]]
So now ye have heard the opinions of the ancient doctors of the church, Cyprian, Augustine, Gregory, Paschasius, pope Leo; and also of Thomas of Aquine, which taught now in the latter times. And, dearly beloved, ye do understand, by proofs taken out of the canonical scripture, that we must acknowledge and confess the holy catholic church, but not believe in the holy catholic church.
And now we have to see, what that is that is called the church, and what is called the catholic church. Ecclesia, which word we use for the church, is properly an assembly; it is, I say, where the people are called out, or gathered together, to hear somewhat touching the affairs of the commonweal. In this present treatise it is the company, communion, congregation, multitude, or fellowship of all that profess the name of Christ. Catholic is as much to say as this fellowship is universal, as that that is extended through all places and ages?. For the church of Christ is not restrained into any corner among the Donatists in Africa’: it stretcheth out itself through the compass of the world, and unto all ages, and doth contain all the faithful from the first Adam even unto the very last saint that shall be remaining before the end of the world. This universal church hath her particular churches; I mean, the church of Adam and of the patriarchs, the church of Moses and of the prophets before the birth of Christ, the christian church, which is so named of Christ himself, and the apostolical church gathered together by the apostles’ doctrine in the name of Christ. And finally, it containeth these particular churches, as the church of Jerusalem, of Antioch, of Alexandria, of Rome, of Asia, of Africa, of Europe, of the east, of the west, &c. And yet all these churches, as it were members of one body under the only head Christ, (for Christ alone is the head of his church,
[4 Here the translator has omitted: “For all saints are united, just]
[as the members in one body, which depend on one head. Therefore]
[the aggregate and whole multitude of the faithful is called the church.”]
[Sancti enim omnes ita uniuntur, ut membra in uno corpore, que ab]
[uno dependent capite. Ergo universitas totaque multitudo fidelium]
[dicitur ecclesia. ] [5 For their own body, on account of the sanctity of its bishops,]
[they (the Donatists) claimed exclusively the name of a true, pure, and]
[holy church. This pestilence scarcely extended beyond Africa.—]
[Mosheim, Eccles. Hist. Cent. 1v. Book 11. part 2, chap. 5.] 11 [BULLINGER.]]
not only triumphant, but militant also,) do make one only catholic church; in which there are not to be found either heresies or schisms: and for that cause it is called the true to wit, of the right and true opinion, judgment, faith, and doctrine. For in the church only is true faith, and without the church of God is neither any truth, nor yet salvation.
So then in this article we confess, that all the faithful dispersed throughout the whole compass of the earth, and they also that at this time live in heaven, as many, I say, as are already saved, or shall even until the very end of the world be born to be saved, are one body, having gotten fellowship and participation with God and a mutual communion among themselves. And for because no man can be made one with God, unless he also be holy and pure even as (rod is holy and pure; therefore we believe that the church jg holy, that is, that it is sanctified by God the Father in the blood of the Son and the gift of the Holy Ghost. We have heard testimonies enough in the former sermons; therefore this one of Paul shall be sufficient, which he writeth to the Ephesians: “” Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it, to sanctify and to cleanse it in the fountain of water through the word, to make it unto himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle?” &c. By which words we understand, that the church is called undefiled and altogether clean, πού in respect of itself, but because of Christ. For the church of Christ is so far forth holy, as that yet every day it doth go forward in profiting, and is never perfect so long as it liveth on the earth. And yet notwithstanding, the holiness of it is most absolutely perfect in Christ. Whereunto verily belongeth that notable saying of the Lord: “He that is washed hath no need but to wash his feet only, for he is wholly clean” For the faithful are purely cleansed by Christ, who washeth them with his blood; but yet, because the flesh doth strive with the spirit so long as life remaineth on the earth, therefore the godly have need with faith and the Holy Ghost to wash and wipe their feet, that is, the
[1 orthodoxa, Lat.] [2 ch. v. 25—27. mundatam lavacro aque, Lat. Erasmus’ ren-]
[dering. ] [3 John xiii. 10.]]
reliques and spots wherewith they are distained by their daily conversation in this world.
But now, whereunto belongeth this that is added, The communion of saints?’ These words are neither read in Cyprian, nor Augustine, nor yet by them expounded Wherefore it is likely, that they were added for the better understanding of that which went before: for, that it might appear that the catholic church is the fellowship or company of the faithful, he added, ‘” The communion of saints;”’ as if he should have said, which church is a communion of saints. Paul called them saints, which for their faith are sanctified by the blood and Spirit of God. Also this word “communion” is very evident and comfortable. For first, the meaning thereof is, that betwixt God and us there is a communion, that is, a fellowship and participation, and so, consequently, a parting betwixt us of all good and heavenly things. And then also we understand, that we are fellows and partakers with all the saints that are living either in heaven or on earth: for we are members of them under one head, Christ. For the apostle John saith: “That which we have seen and heard we declare unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us, and that your fellowship may be with the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ.” Hereunto appertaineth that trim similitude of the body and members under one head, which the apostle Paul handleth at large in deed. But what is he, that can worthily enough set forth the great goodness of God’s gift and benefit, in that we are made fellow-partners of God, with whom we are most nearly conjoined, and have a part in all his good and heavenly things? What can be more delightful to our ears, than to hear, that all the saints, as well in heaven as in earth, are our brethren, and that we again are members, partners, and fellows with them? Blessed be God, which hath so liberally bestowed his blessing on us in Christ his Son.
To this place belongeth the discourse upon the sacraments; of which, and of the church, I mean at another time more fully to entreat. This for the present time is sufficient. For this
[[ See Pearson on the Creed, Oxf. ed. 1820. Vol. π. p. 427.] [6 1 John i. 3. societas vestra, Lat. But the Vulgate and Erasmus]
[have nostra, as the Greek. ] [6 elegans, Lat.] 11—2]
that I have said doth abundantly enough express and set out the fruit of faith in the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost; to wit, that we have participation with God and all the saints, and that in this fellowship we are sanctified from all filth or uncleanness, being cleansed and holy in Christ our Lord.
Now followeth the tenth article of our belief; which is, “The forgiveness of sins.” The second fruit or commodity of our belief in God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, is here set forth, that is, the remission of sins; which, although it be contained in sanctification spoken of in the last article, is in this place notwithstanding more lively expressed. Without the church, as it were without the ark of Noe, is no salvation: but in the church, I mean, in the fellowship of Christ and the saints, is full! forgiveness of all offences. That this may be the better understood, I will divide it into some parts.
First of all, it is needful to acknowledge and confess, that of we are sinners, and that by nature and our own proper merits we are the children of wrath and damnation. For St John doth not in vain nor without a cause call every one a liar, that saith he hath no sin? And God, which knoweth the hearts of men, hath commanded us even till the last gasp to pray, saying: Forgive us our debts.” Moreover, in the gospel we have two excellent examples of men openly confessing their sins to God; the prodigal son, I say, and the publican in St Luke3. Let us therefore think, that we are all sinners, as Paul also taught; yea, as he hath evidently proved in the first chapter to the Romans; and let us freely confess to God our sins with David in the 32nd and 51st Psalms, saying: “My sin have I made known to thee, and mine iniquity I have not hid. I have said, I will confess mine unrighteousness against myself; and thou hast forgiven the iniquity of mine offence.” Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy,” &ec. The Psalm is known. are Secondarily, let us believe, that all these sins of ours are for pardoned and forgiven of God, not for the acknowledging and Christ confessing of our sins, but for the merit and blood of the Son of God; not for our own works or merits, but for the truth and mercy, or grace, of God. For we do plainly profess,
[1 plenaria, Lat.] [2 1 John i. 8.] [3 ch. xv. 21, and xviii. 13.]]
saying: “I believe the forgiveness of sins.” We say not, I buy, or by gifts do get, or by works obtain, the forgiveness of sins; but, “I believe the forgiveness of sins.” And the word “remission” or “forgiveness” doth signify a free pardoning, by a metaphor taken of creditors and debtors. For the creditor forgiveth the debtor, when he is not able to pay: therefore remission is a forgiving4, according to the saying of our Saviour in the Gospel: “A certain lender had two debtors; and when they were not able to pay, he forgave them both” Hereunto belongeth that also in the Lord’s prayer: And forgive us our debts;” for our debts are our sins: them do we request to be remitted, that is, to be forgiven us. In this sense also saith St Paul: “Tohim that worketh is the reward reckoned not of grace, but of due debt; but to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness: even as David describeth the blessedness of that man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose unrighteousnesses are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is that man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.” Wherefore, in respect of us which have not wherewithal to repay, our sins are freely forgiven; but in respect of God’s justice, they are forgiven for the merit and satisfaction of Christ.
Moreover, it is not the sins of a few men, of one or two ages, or a few and certain number of sins, are forgiven only; but the sins of all men, of all ages, the whole multitude of sins, whatsoever is and is called sin, whether it be original, or actual, or any other else’; to be short, all sins are forgiven us. Which we do hereby learn, because the only sacrifice of Christ is effectual enough to wash away all the offences of all sinners, which by faith come to the mercy-seat of God’s grace. And yet by this we do not teach men to sin, because the Lord hath long since made satisfaction for sins: but if any man do sin, we teach him to hope well, and not to despair, but to flee to the throne of grace; for there we say that Christ, sitting at the right hand of the Father, is “the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world.” And in the Creed verily it is
[[ remissio est donatio, Lat.] [6 Luke vii. 41, 42.] ~[ Rom. iv. 4—8.] [7 sive alienum sit, Lat.] [8 ad thronum gratis, Lat. Heb. iv. 16,]]
expressly said, “1 believe the forgiveness of sins,” and not of sin. For when we say “of sins,” we acknowledge that God forgiveth all sins. For to let pass the proofs hereof out of the 3rd and 5th of Paul to the Romans, those out of St John, the apostle and evangelist, shall be sufficient, who in his epistle testifieth, and saith: “The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from every sin.” Lo, he saith from every sin. He, I say, that saith from every one, excepteth none, unless it be that which the Lord himself excepted; I mean, the sin against the Holy Ghost; for which the very same St John forbiddeth us to pray? Again also he saith: “If we acknowledge our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all our unrighteousness.” The apostle thought it not enough to say barely, “To forgive us our sins;” but, that he might declare the thing as it is indeed so plainly that it might easily be understood, he addeth moreover this saying: “And to cleanse us from all our unrighteousness.” Lo, here he saith again, “from all unrighteousness.” And for because some caviller might peradventure make this objection, and say, This kind of doctrine maketh men sluggish and slow to amendment; for men under the pretence of God’s grace will not cease to sin: therefore John in his 2nd chapter answereth their objection, and saith: “Babes, these things write I to you, that ye sin not: and if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And he is the atonement for our sins: and not for our sins only, but also for the sins of all the world%” Wherefore it is assuredly true, that by the death of Christ all sins are forgiven them that believe. ~~ Moreover, the Lord alone forgiveth sins. For it is the gory of God alone to forgive sins, and of unrighteous to make men righteous. Therefore, whereas men are said to forgive sins, that is to be understood of their ministery, and not of their power. The minister pronounceth to the people, that for Christ his sake their sins are forgiven: and in so saying he deceiveth them not; for God indeed forgiveth the sins of them that believe, according to that saying: Whose sins ye forgive, they are forgiven them” And this is done so often as the word of the gospel is preached; so that there be no need to feign, that auricular confession and private ab-
[1 1 Johni. 7.] [2 1 John v. 16.] [ 1 John i. 9.] [41 John ii. 1, 2.] [5 John xx. 23.]]
solution at the priest’s hand is necessary for the remission of sins. For as auricular confession was not in use among the saints before the coming of Christ, so we read not that the apostles heard private confession, or used private absolution in the church of Christ. It is enough for us to confess our sins to God, who, because he seeth our hearts, ought therefore most rightly to hear our confessions. It is enough, if we, as St James teacheth us, do one to another betwixt ourselves confess our faults and offences; and so, after pardon asked, return into mutual favour again. It is enough for us to hear the gospel, promising the forgiveness of our sins through Christ, if we believe. Let us therefore believe the forgiveness of sins, and pray to the Lord that he will vouchsafe to give and increase in us this same belief. These things were of old and in the primitive church effectual enough to obtain pardon and full remission of sins: and as they were, so are they undoubtedly at this day sufficient too.
Furthermore, the Lord doth so pardon our sins, not that they should not be any more in us, nor leave their reliques behind them, as a sting in our flesh, but that they should not be imputed to us to our damnation. Concupiscence sticketh fast and sheweth itself in our flesh, striving still with the good Spirit of God, even in the holy ones, so long as life lasteth on this earth. Here therefore we have need of long watching and much fasting, to draw from the flesh the nourishment of evil, and often prayers to call to God for aid, that we be not overcome of the evil. And if any man shall hap to fail for feebleness, and be subdued of temptation, let him not yield himself, by lying still, to be caught in the devil’s net: let him rise up again by repentance, and run to Christ, believing that by the death of Christ this fall of his shall be forgiven him. And so often shall he have recourse to him, as he shall be vanquished by concupiscence and sin. For to this end shoot all the exhortations of the prophets and apostles, calling on still to return to the Lord.
Finally, the Lord doth so forgive our sins, that he will never once remember them again. For so he foretold us by Jeremiah, in his 31st chapter. He therefore doth not punish us. For he hath not only forgiven the fault, but also the punishment due for the sin. Now then, whereas the Lord
[6 James 16.]
sometime doth whip us with his scourges, and whippeth us for our sins indeed (as the holy scripture doth plainly declare), he doth it not to the intent, that with our affliction we should make satisfaction for the sins we have committed; for then should the death of Christ be of none effect: but the Lord with whipping doth chastise us, and by whipping us doth let us understand, that he liketh not of the sins, which we have committed, and he doth freely forgive: by whipping us also he maketh us examples to other, lest they sin too; and cutteth from us all occasion of sinning; and by the cross doth keep our patience in urel. This thus far, touching the forgiveness of sins. Of which I have said somewhat in my sermon of faith that justifieth?, and elsewhere.
The eleventh article is this: “The resurrection of the flesh.” These two articles, this and the twelfth, shut up, as briefly as may be, the most excellent fruit of faith, and sum of all perfection; they wrap up, I say, the end of faith, in confessing life everlasting, and the full and perfect salvation of the whole man. For the whole man3 shall be saved, as well in soul as body. For as man by sin did perish both in body and soul, so ought he to be restored again both bodily and ghostly: and as he ought, so was he by Christ restored again. The soul of man verily is a spirit, and dieth not at all: the body is earthly, and therefore dieth and rotteth. For which cause many hold opinion, that the bodies die, never to be made partakers of joy or pain in the world to come. But we in this article profess the contrary, acknowledging that those our bodies, and so that flesh of ours, shall rise again, and enter into life everlasting.
Of this word “resurrection,” or rising again, I have spoken in the exposition of that article, The third day he rose again from the dead.” But now this word “flesh” doth a great deal more significantly express the resurrection of this flesh than if we should say the resurrection of the body. Verily Cyprian saith, that in some churches of the east this article was thus pronounced: “I believe the resurrection of this flesh.” And Augustine also, in the tenth chapter of his book
[[! i.e. in exercise and practice. exercet, Lat.] [2 See above, page 109.] [3 Sce above, page 144.] [ hujus nostra carnis, Lat.] [6 Satis cauta et provida adjectione file symboli ecclesia nostra]
de Fide et Symbolo, saith: “We must without doubting believe, that this visible, which is properly called flesh, shall rise again. The apostle Paul doth seem, as it were, with his finger to point at this flesh, when he saith, This corruptible must put on incorruption When he saith this,’ he doth, as it were, put out his finger unto this flesh.” This hath Augustine. Moreover, St Hierome compelleth John, bishop of Hierusalem, openly to confess the resurrection of the flesh, not of the body only. “Flesh,” saith he, hath one definition, and the body another. All flesh is a body; but every body is not flesh) That is flesh properly, which is compact of blood, veins, bones, and sinews. A body, although it be called flesh, yet sometimes is said to be of like substance to the firmament, or to the air, which is not subject to touching or seeing; and oftentimes too may be both touched and seen. A wall is a body, but it is not flesh”.” Thus much out of Hierome. Let us therefore believe, that men’s bodies, which are taken of the earth, and which living men bear about, wherein they live, and are, which also die and turn into dust and ashes, that those bodies, I say, are quickened and live again.
But thou demandest, how this flesh, being once resolved into dust and ashes, and so into nothing, can rise again in the former shape and substance: as when it is torn with the teeth of beasts, or consumed to nothing with the flame of fire, and when in the grave there is to be found but a small and
[docet, que in eo quod a ceteris traditur carnis resurrectionem,” uno]
[addito pronomine tradit, Hujus carnis resurrectionem.—Cypr. Expos.]
[in Symb. Apost. fol. 28. Oxon. 1682. See also Becon’s Works, Parker]
[Soc. ed. Vol. 11. page 49.] [6 Heec ergo visibilis, que caro proprie dicitur, sine dubitatione cre-]
[denda est resurgere. Videtur enim Paulus apostolus eam tanquam]
[digito suo ostendere, cum dicit, “Oportet corruptibile hoc induere in-]
[corruptionem.” Cum enim dicit Hoe, in eam quasi digitum intendit.—]
[Opp. Par. 1531. Tom. τη. fol. 32.] [7 Alia enim carnis, alia corporis definitio est. Omnis caro est]
[corpus; non omne corpus est caro. Caro est proprie, qua sanguine,]
[venis, ossibus, nervisque constringitur: corpus quamquam et caro]
[dicatur, interdum tamen sethereum vel aérium nominatur, quod tactui]
[visuique non subjacet; sed plerunque visibile est atque tangibile.]
[Paries est corpus, sed non caro, &c.—Hieron. Ep. xxxviii. ad Pam.]
[adv. Error. Johan. Jerosol. ed. Par. Tom. 1v. par. 2. col. 322.] [ in monumentis, Lat.]]
little quantity of dusty powder? I refer thee to the omnipotency of God, which the apostle spake of where he saith: Christ hath transformed this vile body of ours, to make it conformable to his glorious body, by the power wherein he can make all things subject to himself’.” Wherefore he that in the beginning, when as yet there was not a man in the world, could bring forth man out of the dust of the earth, although the same man be again resolved into that out of which he was taken, I mean, into earth, as the saying is, “Dust thou art, and into dust shalt thou return again?;” yet notwithstanding, the same God again, at the end of the world, is able to raise man out of the earth. For the Lord in the gospel saith plainly: “The hour shall come, wherein all they that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and shall come forth; they that have done good to the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil to the resurrection of judgment” And now by faith we are throughly persuaded, as the apostle saith, that he that hath promised is able also to perform?” There are moreover lively examples of this matter, and most evident testimonies of the holy scripture. Jonas is swallowed up of the whale in the Syrian sea, but the third day after he is cast up again alive upon the shore out of the beast’s entrails; which is a token, that the flesh shall verily rise again. Wherefore, that is not hard to be believed that in the Apocalypse is said, that “the sea casteth up her dead.”
[[ Phil. iii. 21. Erasmus, whose rendering Bullinger adopts, has]
[transfiguravit. ] [2 Gen. iii. 19.] [3 John v. 28, 29.] [4 Rom. iv. 21.] [> The Syrian Sea is that part of the Mediterranean about]
[Caxsarea.—Relandi Palestina, Lib. m1. p. 675, ed. Traject. ad Rhen.]
[1714. in voc. Caesarea. Cf. Calvin. Comm. in Jon. i. 3, p. 253, ed.]
[Amstel. 1667.] [6 in theologia Domini, Lat. The sense, in which Bullinger gives]
[this name to the Apocalypse, is, not only because it is in some copies]
[called the Revelation of John the Divine (see Horne’s Introduction,]
[Vol. 1v. part 2, chap. 5,. 1), but because (as he writes in his Com-]
[ment. in Apocalyps. p. 1. Basil. 1570), est doctrina de rebus ecclesia]
[Christi revelata ccelitus a Christo in gloria, et compendium totius]
[pietatis, et prophetarum explicatio et summarium. ]]
The force of fire had no force to hurt the three companions of Daniel: yea, the rage of wild beasts (contrary to nature) abstained from biting Daniel himself: what marvel is it therefore, if at this day neither the force of fire, nor rage of wild beasts, is able to resist the power of God, being disposed to raise his creatures up again’? Did not our Lord Christ raise up Lazarus, when he had lien three days in the grave, yea, and stank too, to life again? Did not he himself, having once broken the tyranny of death, rise up again the third day from the dead? Did he not rise again in the same substance of flesh and form of body, wherein he hanged on the cross, and, being taken down from the cross, was buried? Not without good cause do we look back to Christ, which is called the first-begotten among the dead, so often as we think in what manner the resurrection of our flesh shall be. For the members shall rise again in the same order that the Head is risen up before them in: we verily shall not rise again the third day after our death; but in our manner and order shall we rise at the last day; yea, and that too in the very same body wherein now we live.
I will add a few testimonies to prove the resurrection of our flesh. Job, confessing his faith touching the resurrection of the dead, in his great weakness, affliction, and sickness, saith: “I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that in the last day I shall rise out of the earth, and shall be clad again with my skin, and in my flesh I shall see God: whom even I myself shall see, and my eyes shall behold, and none other. This hope is laid up in my bosom?” This testimony is so evident as that it needeth no larger an exposition.
No less evident are those testimonies out of Esay, chap. xxvi.; Ezech. xxxvi.; Psalm xvi.; Matt. xxii.; John v. vi. xi. Throughout the Acts in every place is often repeated the resurrection of the dead. St Paul, in the fifteenth chapter of his first epistle to the Corinthians, doth make a full discourse of this resurrection. In the fourth chapter of his second epistle he saith: “We which live are always delivered to death ἴον
[[ Cf. Works of Bp. Jewel, Parker Soc. ed. Vol. 11. p. 867.] [8 Coloss. i. 18. Rev. i. 5. primogenitus ex mortuis, Lat. ] [9 Job xix. 25—27. The last sentence of v. 27 is in the Vulgate as]
[in Bullinger’s Latin, “reposita est heec spes mea in sinu meo:” and in]
[the Douay Version, “This my hope is laid up in my bosom.”]]
Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also might appear in our mortal flesh!.” See now, what could be spoken more plainly, than that the life of Christ shall be made to appear in this mortal flesh of ours? For by and by after he saith: “We know that he, that raised up the Lord Jesus, shall raise us up also by the means of Jesus%.” And in the fifth chapter again: “We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ,” saith he, “that every man may receive the works of his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or evil” Therefore these very bodies of ours shall rise again in the day of judgment.
And now, dearly beloved, 1 have to declare unto you in what manner our bodies shall rise again, and of what sort sort they shall be in the resurrection. In the shutting up and end of all ages, or of this world, our Lord Jesus Christ shall come to judgment with great majesty; and then, whomsoever that day shall find alive, they shall in a moment of time be changed; and first (I say) shall all they that died, from the first Adam to the last that shall die, rise up again, and in their own flesh stand among the living that are changed, before the tribunal-seat of Christ, looking for that last pronounced sentence in judgment. This doth Paul set down in these words: “Lo, I tell you a mystery; We shall not all verily sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment of time, in the twinkling of an eye, at the sound of the last trump: for it shall sound, and the dead shall rise again incorruptibly, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality 4.”
By this evident testimony of the apostle we may gather in what fashion our bodies shall be in that resurrection. Verily, our bodies shall be none other in the resurrection than now they be; this only excepted, that they shall be clean without all corruption and corruptible affection. For the apostle saith, “The dead shall rise again;” and, “We shall be changed.” And again, pointing expressly and precisely to these very bodies which here we bear about, he saith, “This corruptible, this mortal, yea, this body, I say, and no other,” as Job also witnessed, shall rise again: and that shall rise again incorruptible, which was corruptible; that shall rise again immortal,
[2 Cor. iv. 11.] [2 ibid. v. 14.] [3 verse 10.] [ 1 Cor. xv. 51—53.]]
which before the resurrection was mortal. So then this body of ours in the resurrection shall be set free from all evil affections and passions, from all corruption; but the substance thereof shall not be brought to nought, it shall not be changed into a spirit, it shall not lose the own and proper shape. And this body verily because of that purification and cleansing from those dregs, yea, and rather because of these heavenly and divine gifts, is called both a spiritual body, and also a.. glorious and purified body.
For Paul, in the third to the Philippians, saith: “Our conversation is in heaven, from whence we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be made like unto his glorious body.” See here, the apostle calleth not our resurrection from the dead a transubstantiation, or loss of the substance of our body, but a changing: then also, shewing what kind of body that changed body is, he calleth it a glorious body, not without all shape and void of fashion, but augmented in glory: yea, he setteth before us the very body of our Lord Jesus Christ, wherein he sheweth us what fashion our bodies shall have, being in glory. For in plain words he saith: “He shall make our vile body like to his glorious body.” Let us therefore see what kind of body our Lord had after his resurrection. It was neither turned into a ghost, nor brought to nothing, nor yet not able to be known by the shape and figure; for, shewing them his hands and feet, that were easily known by the print of the nails wherewith he was crucified, he said, “See, for I am even he?” to wit, clad again with the same body wherein I hung upon the cross. For, speaking yet more plainly, and proving that that body of his was not a spiritual substance, he said: “A spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see that I have.” He hath therefore a purified body, flesh and bones, and the very same members which he had when as yet his body was not purified. And for this cause did the same Lord offer to Thomas his side, and the scars of his five wounds, to be felt and handled; to the end that we should not doubt but that his very body was raised up again. He did both eat and drink with his disciples, as Peter in the Acts” witnesseth before Cornelius, that all men, might know, that the very self-same body that died rose from death again.
[6 Luke xxiv. 39.] [6 John xx. 27.] [7 ch. x. 41.]
Now, although this body be comprehended within a certain limited place, not dispersed all over and every where; although it have a just quantity, figure, or shape, and a just weight, with the own kind and nature!; yet notwithstanding it is free from every passion, corruption, and infirmity. For the body of the Lord once raised up was in the garden, and not in the sepulchre, when the women came to anoint it; it meeteth them by the way as they return from the sepulchre, and offereth itself to be seen of Magdalene in the garden; it goeth in company? to Emaus with the two disciples that journeyed to Emaus: in the mean time, while he was with them in body, he was not among the other disciples; when they twain are returned to the eleven, the Lord himself at evening is present with them: he goeth before his disciples into Galilee: presently after he cometh into Jury again, where his body was taken up from mount Olivet into heaven. All this doth prove the certain verity of Christ his body. But because this body (although it be a true and very body, of the own proper kind3, place, disposition, and of the own proper shape and nature) is called a glorified and glorious body, I will say somewhat of that glory, which verily is incident to the true shape and substance of the body once raised up again.
First, glory in this sense is used for a lightsomeness and shining brightness. For Paul saith, that the children of Israel, for the glory of Moses’ countenance, could not behold with their eyes the face of Moses: so then a glorious body is a bright and shining body. A very good proof of this did our Lord shew, even a little before his resurrection, when it pleased him to give to his disciples a small taste of the glory to come; and for that cause took aside certain, whom he had chosen, into the top of a certain hill, where he was transfigured before them, so that the fashion of his countenance did shine as the sun, and his clothes were white and glistered as the light. The Lord verily had still the same bodily substance, and the same members of the body, but they were transfigured. But it is manifest, that that transfiguration was in the accidents. For light and brightness was added, so that, the shape and substance of the countenance and body remaining as it was,
[1 sexum et suam naturam, Lat.) [2 @quis passibus, Lat.] [3 sui sexus, Lat.] [ 2 Cor. iii. 7.] [6 Matt. xvii. 2.]]
the countenance and body did glister as the sun and the light. And although we read not that the body of the Lord did within those forty days, wherein he shewed himself alive again to his disciples, make manifest and spread abroad the brightness which it had, and that by reason of the dispensation, whereby also he did eat with his disciples, notwithstanding that clarified bodies need not food or nourishment at all; yet nevertheless his body shineth now in heaven, as John in the first of the Apocalypse witnesseth: and the sacred scriptures lay an assured hope before us, that even our bodies also shall in the resurrection be likewise clarified. Tor the Lord himself in the gospel, alleging the words of Daniel, saith: “Then shall the righteous shine as the sun in his Father’s kingdom.” For this cause the glorious bodies are called also clarified, of the clearness of that heavenly brightness wherewith they glister and are adorned.
Secondarily, glory and vileness are made contraries. For Paul saith: “He shall change our vile body, to make it in fashion like to his glorious body?” In these words vileness and glory are set the one against the other. Vileness comprehendeth the whole pack of miseries and infirmities, passions and affections, which for sin was laid upon the body: from all which our bodies are purged in the resurrection of life; so that then the glorious bodies are bodies drained from the dregs of all corruption, passions, and infirmities, and clad with eternity, heavenly feeling, and glory. For the apostle saith: “It is sown in corruption; it riseth in incorruption: it is sown in dishonour; it riseth in glory: it is sown in infirmity; it riseth in power: it is sown a natural body; it riseth a spiritual body 8.” The gifts therefore of the glorious and clarified bodies are very great and many, as incorruption, glory, power, and the quickening Spirit. For the apostle himself, shewing what he meant by the natural? and spiritual body, addeth this immediately, and saith: “There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body; as it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; and the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.” And yet again more plainly he saith: “Howbeit, that is not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural, and then that
[6 Matt. xiii. 43; Dan. xii. 3.] [7 Phil. iii. 21.] [8 1 Cor. xv. 42—44.] [9 animale, Lat.]]
which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly.” So then Paul calleth that natural body an earthy body, which we have of our first father Adam, whose quickening is of the soul, and by it doth live. And he calleth the spiritual body an heavenly body, which we have of Christ, and made to the likeness of the body of Christ; which although it be a very body indeed, and the flesh thereof be very flesh indeed, yet notwithstanding it is quickened and preserved by the Spirit of Christ, and needeth not any power vegetative.
Although therefore these very bodies and members, which now we bear, shall after the resurrection be in heaven; yet nevertheless, because they are clarified and cleansed from all corruption and feeling of the natural body, there shall not be verily any natural or corruptible sense or affection, nor use of the carnal body and members. And this doth the Lord affirm against the Sadducees (that dreamt of marriages in heaven, or rather by that absurdity made a mock of the resurrection), where he saith: “The sons of this world marry wives, and give in marriage; but they that shall be thought worthy of that world and of the resurrection from the dead, do neither marry wives, nor give in marriage; neither can they die any more. For they are equal to the angels, and are the sons of God, as soon as they be the sons of resurrection.” To which effect also Paul saith: “Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.” And lest peradventure any man should mistake his words, and think that he spake of the substance of the flesh, he addeth immediately this for interpretation thereof, and saith: “Neither shall corruption inherit incorruption2.” Wherefore flesh and blood, that is to say, the affections and lusts of the flesh, shall not be in the elect that live in heaven. For the joys of heaven do differ a great deal from the joys of the earth, and are sofar forth of another condition, that they cannot admit such corrupt creatures to be inheritors of them; and for that cause
[[! Luke xx. 34—36. cum sint, Lat.] [2 1 Cor. xv. 50.]]
the corruptible bodies must first be purged from all corruption, and by that means purely clarified. The Turks therefore are deceived, that look for earthly joys3.
Moreover, the bodies of the wicked shall also rise again. For Paul, in the Acts, saith: “I believe all that is written in the law and the prophets, hoping in God that the resurrection of the dead, which they themselves look for also, shall be both of the just and unjust” See here, the apostle saith of the unjust also. But in this resurrection there shall not be taken out of their bodies the infirmity, corruption, dishonour, and misery; for even then that very body, rising again in dishonour, shall by the judgment and power of God be surely shut in dishonour and corruption, and so be condemned for ever to bear endless torments, and in death and corruption shall neither die nor yet corrupt: that even as on earth are found certain bodies that do endure even in the fire, so the cursed bodies of the wicked shall not be worn out, nor broken with any torments whatsoever; for every minute they shall receive new strength to suffer, and so by continual suffering shall abide their deserved punishments for ever and ever and without all end. For the Lord in the gospel saith, “They that have done evil shall rise again to the resurrection of damnation;” that is, to an enduring and everlasting damnation. And Daniel before him said: And the multitude of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and perpetual contempt,” And in the gospel, again, the Lord saith: “Their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched.” And the very same words used Esay before him in his 66th chapter’. We must always therefore have that saying of the Lord in our hearts: “Fear him that can destroy both the body and the soul in hell.” Thus much hitherto touching the resurrection of the flesh.
The last article of our belief, which with good luck shutteth up the rest, is this: “And life everlasting.” We have heard and understood, that the souls of men are immortal,
[3 See Sale’s Prelim. Discourse to his translation of the Koran,]
[Sect. 1v.] [4 ch. xxiv. 15.] [6 John v. 29.] [ Dan. xii. 2.] [7 Mark ix. 44; Isai. Ixvi. 24.] [83 Matt. x. 28.] 12 [BULLINGER. ]]
and that our bodies do rise again in the end of the world. We have confessed that this is our belief. It followeth now, in the latter end of the Creed, whither it is that the immortal soul and body raised up again shall come. Therefore in our confession we say, “And life everlasting;” that is, I believe that I shall have life, and live for ever, both in body and soul. And that everlastingness verily is perpetual and hath no end, as a little before is proved out of the holy scriptures. Moreover, the souls are made partakers of this eternal life immediately after they are departed out of the bodies, as the Lord himself witnesseth, saying: “ΗΘ that believeth in the Son of God shall not come into judgment, but hath escaped from death to lifel.” As for the bodies, they are buried and do putrefy; and yet so, notwithstanding, that they shall not be without life for ever: but they shall then at length be received into eternal life, when, being raised up, they shall after the time of judgment be caught into the air, there to meet Christ, that they may for ever be with the Lord. For then do the souls return out of heaven, every one to his own body, that the whole, perfect, and full man may live for ever both in soul and body. For the soul of Christ dying on the cross did out of hand depart into paradise, and the third day after returned to the body, which rose again and ascended into heaven. Even as, therefore, eternal life came to the Head Christ, so shall it also come to all and every member of Christ.
Now, whereas Paul, citing Esay, saith, “What the eye hath not seen, nor the ear heard, nor hath at any time come into the heart of man, that hath the Lord prepared for them that love him2;” I suppose verily, if all were said touching eternal life, that might be spoken by all the men of all ages that ever were or shall be, yet that scarcely the very least part thereof hath or shall be throughly touched. For howsoever the scripture doth with eloquent and figurative speeches, with allusions and hard sentences? most plainly shew the shadow of that life and those joys; yet, notwithstanding, all that is little or nothing in comparison to speak of, until that day do come wherein we shall with unspeakable joy behold God himself, the Creator of all things, in his glory; Christ our Sayi-
[[ John v. 24.] [2 1 Cor. ii. 9; Is. Ixiv. 4.] [3 senigmatibus, Lat.]]
our in his majesty; and finally, all the blessed souls, angels, patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs, our fathers, all nations, all the host of heaven, and lastly, the whole divine and heavenly glory. Most truly therefore said Aurelius Augustine, Lib. de Civitat. Dei, xxi cap. 29: “When it is demanded of me, what the saints shall do in that spiritual body; I answer, not that which I now see, but that that I believe. I say therefore, that they shall see God in that spiritual body.” And again: “If I should say the truth, I know not in what sort that action, quietness, and rest shall be. For the peace of God doth pass all understanding5.” To be short, we shall see God face to face, we shall be filled with the company of God, and yet be never weary of him. And the face of God is not that countenance that appeareth in us; but is a most delectable revealing and enjoying of God, which no mortal tongue can worthily declare. Go to then, dearly beloved brethren; let us believe and live, that when we shall depart from hence we may in very deed have trial of those unspeakable joys of the eternal life to come, which now we do believe.
Hitherto have I, throughout the four last articles, declared unto you the fruit and end of christian faith. Faith leaneth upon one God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, which sanctifieth the faithful, and purgeth and halloweth a church to himself: which church hath a communion with God and all saints; all the offences of which church God pardoneth and forgiveth; and doth preserve it both soul and body. For as the saints’ souls cannot die, so God raiseth up their bodies again, and maketh them glorious and everlasting, to the end that the whole man may for ever live in heaven with the Lord: to whom be praise and glory world without end. Amen.
[ et omnem gentem nostram, Lat. And all our race.]
[5 Cum ex me queritur, quid acturi sint sancti in illo eorpore gpiritali; non dico quod jam video, sed dico quod credo. Dico itaque, quod visuri sint Deum in ipso corpore.
Illa quidem actio, vel potius quies, atque otium quale futurum sit, si verum velim dicere, nescio.—Ibi est enim pax Dei, que, sicut ait apostolus, superat omnem intellectum.—Opp. Par. 1531, Tom. v. fol. 310.]
{6 experiamur, Lat.]
12.2
Of the Love of God and Our Neighbour
The Tenth Sermon
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