A Golden Chain

The second is that Christ himself and no other for him, did by his own power raise himself to life. This was the thing which he meant, when he said, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will build it up again: ¹& more plainly, I have (saith he) power to lay down my life, and I have power to take it again. From whence we learn divers instructions. First, whereas Christ raiseth himself from death to life, it serveth to prove that he was not only man, but also true God. For the body being dead, could not bring again the soul and join it self unto the same, and make it self alive again; neither yet the soul that is departed from the body, can return again and quicken the body: and therefore there was some other nature in Christ, namely his godhead, which did reunite soul and body together, and thereby quicken the manhood. Secondly, if Christ give life to himself being dead in the grave then much more now being alive and in heaven glorified, is he able to raise up his members from death to life. We are all by nature even stark dead in sin, as the dead body rotten in the grave: and therefore our duty is, to come to Christ our Lord by humble prayer, earnestly entreating him ⟨p. 380⟩that he would raise us up every day more and more from the grave of our sins to newness of life. He can of men dead in their sins, make us alive unto himself to live in righteousness and true holiness all the days of our life.

The second is that Christ himselfe and no other for him, did by his owne power raise himselfe to life. This was the thing which he meant, when hee said, Destroy this temple, and in three daies I will build it vp againe: ¹& more plainly, I haue (saith he) power to lay downe my life, and I haue power to take it againe. From whence we learne diuers instructions. First, whereas Christ raiseth himselfe from death to life, it serueth to prooue that he was not onely man, but also true God. For the bodie beeing dead, could not bring againe the soule and ioyne it selfe vnto the same, and make it selfe aliue againe; neither yet the soule that is departed from the bodie, can returne againe and quicken the bodie: and therefore there was some other nature in Christ, namely his godhead, which did revnite soule and bodie togither, and therey quicken the manhood. Secondly, if Christ giue life to himselfe beeing dead in the graue then much more nowe beeing aliue and in heauen glorified, is hee able to raise vp his members from death to life. Wee are all by nature euen starke dead in sinne, as the deade bodie rotten in the graue: and therefore our duty is, to come to Christ our Lord by humble prayer, earnestly intreating him