With this evident testimony of the Lord,1 was S. Augustine moved, boldly to say, that they ought not to be heard, which deny the body of the Lord to have risen again, as it was laid in the sepulchre. For if it were not so, he would not have said to his disciples after the resurrection: Handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh & bones, as ye see me have. Now is it as much as to rob God of his honour, if any man would think, that the lord, who is the truth it self, had in any thing, that he spake, not said the truth. &c. Thomas was not ⟨p. 18⟩there, when the Lord showed him self alive unto his disciples: but when he came again, they told him with great joy, what they had seen & heard. Nevertheless he thought it had not been as they spake, and he said: except I see in his hands the print of the nails,2 & put my finger into the holes of them, and my hand into his side, I will not believe it. Therefore after .viii. days, when the disciples were assembled together again, & Thomas with them, Jesus cometh in, while the doors were shut, and standeth in the midst among them, and saith: peace be unto you. Afterward said he unto Thomas: ⟨p. 19⟩reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands, put thy hand here also and lay it in my side, & be not faithless, but believing. Thomas answered and said unto him: my Lord, and my God. For S. Paul also in the first chapter of the Epistle to the Romans doth out of the resurrection of the Lord,3 prove the god-head thus: which was borne of the seed of David after the flesh, and evidently declared to be the son of god after the spirit that sanctifieth, and by that he rose again from the dead, namely Jesus Christ our lord. What can be spoken more plain, more evident or more certain? For freely did ⟨p. 20⟩the Lord set before their eyes his body, which was hanged upon the cross, that they might see it & handle it. For the body was pierced with nails, and marked with the prints thereof. Out of this now it followeth, that the lord with his true body did verily rise again, and not a spirit. And further, the Lord also showeth himself unto the seven, which then were in Galilee, fishing at the sea of Tiberias. The Evangelist addeth likewise thereunto,4 that it was not expedient for any of the Disciples to ask him who he was: for they knew that it was the Lord. In the .28.
With this euident testimony of the Lord,1 was S. Augustine moued, boldly to saye, that they ought not to be heard, which deny the body of the Lord to haue risen againe, as it was layed in the sepulchre. For if it were not so, he wold not haue saide to his disciples after the resurrection: Handle me and see, for a spirite hath not flesh & bones, as ye see me haue. Now is it as much as to rob God of his honor, if anye man wold thinke, that the lord, who is the truth it self, had in any thing, that he spake, not sayd the truthe. &c. Thomas was not ⟨p. 18⟩there, when ye Lord shewed him selfe aliue vnto his disciples: but whan he came againe, they told him with greate ioy, what they had sene & heard. Neuerthelesse he thoughte it had not bene as they spake, and he sayd: except I see in his hands the print of the nailes,2 & put my finger into the holes of them, and my hand into his side, I will not beleeue it. Therfore after .viii. days, whan the disciples were assembled together againe, & Thomas with them, Iesus commeth in, while the dores wer shut, and standeth in the middes among them, and saith: peace be vnto you. Afterwarde sayde he vnto Thomas: ⟨p. 19⟩reache hither thy finger, and beholde my handes, put thy hande here also and lay it in my side, & be not faithlesse, but beleuing. Thomas answered and said vnto him: my Lorde, and my God. For S. Paule also in the firste chapter of the Epistle to ye Romaines doth out of the resurrection of the Lord,3 proue the god-head thus: which was borne of the seede of Dauid after ye flesh, and euidently declared to be the sonne of god after the spirit that sanctifieth, and by that he rose again from the dead, namely Iesus Christ our lord. What cā be spoken more plaine, more euidēt or more certain? For freely did ⟨p. 20⟩the Lorde sette before their eies his body, which was hāged vpon the crosse, that they might see it & handle it. For the body was pearsed with nails, and marked with the printes therof. Oute of this now it foloweth, yt the lord with his true bodye did verelye rise again, and not a spirit. And further, the Lorde also sheweth himselfe vnto the seuen, whych then were in Galile, fishing at ye sea of Tiberias. The Euāgelist addeth likewise thervnto,4
- 1De agone Christiano. cap. 24.
- 2John. 20.Iohn. 20.
- 3Rom. 1.
- 4John. 21.Iohn. 21.
