Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

But thou demandest how this flesh being once resolved into dust ¹and 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 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 judgement. And now by faith we are throughly persuaded, As the Apostle saith: that he that hath promised is able also to per form. There are moreover lively examples of this matter, and most evident testimonies of the holy Scripture. Jonah is swallowed up of the Whale in the Syrian sea, but the third day after he is caste up again alive upon the shore out of the beasts entrails, which is a token that the flesh shall verily rise again.

But thou demaundest howe this fleshe beinge once resolued into duste ¹and ashes, and so into nothing, can rise againe in the former shape and substaunce: as when it is torne with the teeth of beastes, or consumed to nothing with the flame of fyre, and whē in the graue there is to be founde but a small and little quantitie of dustie powder. I referre thee to the omnipotencie of God, which the Apostle spake of where hée sayth: Christ hath transformed this vile bodie of ours, to make it conformable to his glorious bodie, by the power wherein hee can make all things subiecte to himselfe. Wherefore hee that in the beginning, when as yet there was not a man in the world, could bring forth man oute of the duste of the earth, although the same man be again resolued into that, out of which hee was taken, I meane into earth, as the saying is, Dust thou art, and into dust shalt thou retourne againe: Yet notwithstandinge, the same God againe at the ende of the world, is able to rayse man out of the earth. For the Lorde in the Gospell saith plainely: The houre shall come wherein all they that are in the graues, shall heare the voyce of the sonne of God, and shal come forth, they that haue done good to the resurrection of life, and they that haue done euill to the resurrection of iudgement. And now by fayth wee are throughly persuaded, As the Apostle sayth: that he that hath promised is able also to per forme. There are moreouer liuelie examples of this matter, and moste euident testimonies of the holie Scripture. Ionas is swallowed vp of the Whale in the Syrian sea, but ye third daye after hee is caste vppe againe alyue vppon the shoare out of the beastes entrailes, which is a token that the fleshe shall verily rise againe.