Propositions and principles of diuinitie propounded and disputed in the vniuersitie of Geneua, by certaine students of diuinitie there, vnder M. Theod. Beza, and M. Anthonie Faius ... Wherein is contained a methodicall summarie, or epitome of the common places of diuinitie. Translated out of Latine into English, to the end that the causes, both of the present dangers of that Church, and also of the troubles of those that are hardlie dealt vvith els-vvhere, may appeare in the English tongue.

PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE RESVRRECTION OF IESVS CHRIST. XLV.

1 HItherto wee haue heard Christes combate with death; wherein he might seeme to be ouercome by death, because it so far preuailed against him, as it threw his dead bodie into the graue.

2 Now we are to speake of Christs victorie ouer death: the beginning whereof, was the preseruation of his dead bodie in the graue, vncorrupted: and that without the help of anie art of the Apothicarie.

3 His full victorie manifested it selfe in the resurrection of his bodie: seeing that life is directlye opposite vnto death.

4 Now, that onlie is said to rise again, which lay down, and therefore, neither the Deitie nor the soule of Christ rose againe. Yet notwithstanding, the resurrection after a sort doth appertain vnto the soule: namelie, in that respect that by the resurrection it was restored againe vnto the bo∣die, that is, vnto his proper instrument.

5 Heere it is also gathered, that the same verie bodie which was laid in the graue, rose againe.

6 The Resurrection did abolish none of the essentiall qualities of the bodie: of which sort are, to haue a quanti∣tie, and to bee finite: whence followeth, that it is also en∣closed within the compasse of the members thereof; and is contained in a place.

We do condemne therfore the Eutychians, who held that he had a bodie, that was not bodilie: and the Va∣lentinians, who said that it was an aierie bodie: and the Marcionites, who turned his true bodie vnto a shadow, both before and after the Resurrection.

7 By the same reason also doth fall to the ground that inuented forgerie, both of Transubstantiation, and Con∣substantiation, as beeing altogether repugnant vnto the truth of the bodie of Christ.

8 Christ was the first that rose hauing swallowed vp mortalitie, and remooued at once all the infirmities of the naturall life from him selfe: although that after his resur∣rection he did trulie eat and drinke, that he might make vs fullie assured, that he tooke vpon him again a true bodie.

9 Christ (which is proper to him alone) rose againe by the power of his owne Deitie, and not by any borrowed strength, or by the force of anie creature.

Therefore his Resurrection is a most true demonstra∣tion, that he was trulie God.

10 There was great cause why Christ shoulde ryse the third day, and not before; least that if he had risen sooner, his death should haue seemed to be but fained, or if he had staied longer in the graue, the faith of the elect might haue beene hazarded.

11 The Resurrection of Christ was necessarie to the ac∣complishing of our saluation, because that as it behooued him to suffer the death due vnto our sinnes; so also it was needfull that death should bee ouercome by him, that hee might bring vs vnto aeternall life, beeing deliuered from mortalitie.

12 It was agreable also vnto the justice of God, that Christ should enioy aeternall glorie, euen by the condition of the legall couenant, which is, do this, and liue.

13 The Resurrection of Christ is a sure pillar of our re∣surrection, because the church is as it were, the comple∣ment or filling vp of Christ: and therefore taking away that head of Christian religion, vaine were the preaching of the Gospell.

Therefore we detest from our harts the Saducees and all Philosophers, that haue denied the resurrection of the flesh.

14 The doctrine of the Resurrection hath beene con∣tinuallie held in the church of God: the which also though it do depend vpon the omnipotencie of God onelie, may yet in some sort, by laying downe some sure grounds and principles, bee probablie gathered by humaine rea∣son.

15 Our bodies shall not be two in nomber after the re∣surrection, but the verie same bodie that lay downe in the graue shall rise againe.

The opinion therefore which IOHN the Bishop of Ie∣rusalem held concerning the taking vp of an other body is worthelie condemned.

16 The Resurrection of Christ doth properlie belong vnto the elect: seeing the wicked are to ryse againe not by the vertue of his resurrection, but by the just judgement of GOD vnto aeternall damnation, euen by the force of that penaltie, which GOD added vnto the commande∣ment hee gaue to ADAM: The day that thou shalt eate, thou shalt die the death, euen the first and the second death.

17 It is no wonderfull case, that Christ after his Resur∣rection did not openlie manifest himself vnto all men: for as there is a time of mercie, so is there a time of judgemēt with God.

18 Christ proued his Resurrection vnto his disciples, by all kinde of arguments: as, by the testimonies both of Angels, of weomen, and of men vnto whome he presented himselfe aliue, euen in the same bodie that was marked with the scarres of the wounds: adding thereunto also the testimonies of the Prophets.

19 Vnto all these things he adjoined his conuersation which he had with them for the space of fourtie daies, least either a shorter time should not suffice, or if he had conti∣nued longer, he might seeme to haue risen to such a life, as he lead heere at the first.

20 Hetherto also belongeth the manner of his appea∣ring, which was in some respect naturall: that it might be manifest, that neither his resurrection nor his glorie did take from him his true humanitie, whereby he is and shall be our brother for euer: and yet notwithstanding superna∣turall that all might knowe him, hauing laide downe this naturall life to be vnto vs, the first fruits of a spirituall and an aeternall.

21 Now, seeing both this hystorie of the Resurrection,

and also testimonies of the Prophets which fore-tolde the same, were published openlie and in the audience of as ma∣nie as would heare, not onelie of the Iewes, but of al other people, and was also confirmed by all kinde of miracles: it must needs be, that neither the Iewes, nor anie other peo∣ple can complaine, that Christ after hee had risen againe, did not offer himself to be seene of them.

22 And seing that Christ came to saue his elect wholly, both soule and bodie: and that his resurrection is his true and full victorie: it followeth, that that spirituall resurre∣ction (whereby it commeth to passe that our soules beeing spiritually vnited vnto Christ, the old mā beginneth to die in vs, & being by little and little to be worne away, is bu∣ried, and the new man riseth again) doth depend vpon the resurrection of Christ; that euen as Christ after his resurre∣ction, & not before (as far as he is our head) began to liue that aeternall life, after he had ouercome all the infirmities of this naturall life, which (sinne excepted) he had vnder∣gone for our sakes: so that qualitie of an vncorrupted life being begun in our soules while we liue heere, and procee∣ding farther, after the dissolation of this bodie, is at the length to bee fullie perfected, when the restitution of our bodies shall be accomplished: and so the elect shall liue that aeternall life with Christ, the type of which benefite is the Sacrament of Baptisme vnto vs.

23 Nowe, euen as the Spirit of Christ passed from the Crosse into Paradise, at the verie same moment that it de∣parted out of the bodie, & thēce returned into the bodie, that whole Christ in respect that he was man, might be af∣terwards glorified: so we do beleeue that their spirits who die in the Lord, do straight way depart vnto God, there to enjoy that measure of glory that is appointed for thē: vn∣till that they beeing adjoined againe vnto the same bodies (which will be the verie same in substance trulie corporal, though in a far more excellent estate) shal liue vnder Christ their head for euermore.

We do condemne therfore, both that fable of Purga∣tory fire, and also their doctrine, who dreame that the

soules of the departed, are a sleepe vntill the last day of judgement.

Defended by BENIAMIN CRESSONIVS of Burgundie.