Of the obstinacie of some few in denying the resurrection, which the whole world beleeueth, as it was fore-told. CHAP. 25.
BVT as touching the goods of the minde, which the blessed shall enioy after this life, the Philosophers and wee are both of one minde. Our difference is concerning the resurrection which they deny with all the power they haue: but the increase of the beleeuers hath left vs but a few opposers; CHRIST, (that disprooued the obstinate euen in his proper body) gathering all vnto his faith, learned and vnlearned, wise and simple. The world beleeued GODS promise in this; who promised also that it should beleeue this. It was (a) not Peters ma∣gick that wrought it, but it was that GOD, of whome (as I haue said often, and as Porphyry confesseth from their owne Oracles) all their Gods doe stand in awe and dread. Porphyry calles him GOD the Father, and King of GODS: But GOD forbid that wee should beleeue his promises as they doe, that will not beleeue what hee had promised, that the world should beleeue. For why should wee not rather beleeue as the world doth, and as it was prophecied it should, and leaue them to their owne idle talke that will not beleeue this that the world was pro∣mised to beleeue? for if they say wee must take it in another sence; because they will not doe that GOD whome they haue commended, so much iniury, as to say his Scriptures are idle things; Yet surely they iniure him as much, or more, in saying they must bee vnderstood other-wise then the world vnderstandeth them, which is, as GOD both promised and performed. Why cannot GOD raise the flesh vnto eternall life? Is it a worke vnworthy of God? Touching his omnipotencie, whereby hee worketh so many wonders, I haue sayd enough al∣ready. If they would shew mee a thing which hee cannot doe: I will tell them hee cannot lye. Let vs therefore beleeue onely what hee can doe, and not be∣leeue what hee cannot. If they doe not then beleeue that hee can lye, let them beleeue that hee will doe what hee promiseth. And let them beleeue as the world beleeues, which (hee promised) should beleeue, and whose beleefe hee both produced, and praised. And how prooue they the worke of the resurrecti∣on any way vnworthy of GOD? There shall be no corruption there-in, and that is all the euill that can be-fall the body. Of the elementary orders, wee haue spoken already: as also of the possibility of the swift motion of the incorrup∣tible body. Of mans bodily health in this world, and the weakenesse of it in re∣spect of immortality, I thinke our thirteenth booke conteineth what will satisfie. Let such as haue not read this booke, or will not rehearse what they haue read, read the passages of this present volume already recorded.