Chapter XXII.
How, then, is the resurrection of the flesh denied, when the Lord Christ Himself said through the voice of the prophet long ago: 'My flesh rests in hope' (Psalm 16:9); and in another place: 'His flesh does not see corruption' (Acts 2:31); and again: 'His tomb is taken away'; and again: 'And all flesh shall see the salvation of God'; and again: 'All flesh shall come to worship before the Lord' (Isaiah 66:23; 1 Timothy 2:8), either in the heavenly Jerusalem or in every place where it has fallen or been buried, as the Apostle says: 'I desire that men pray in every place, lifting up holy hands'; for if the sun, which is a creature and is commanded to rise, is seen in all parts of the earth and extends its rays, how much more must the Creator and Almighty God be believed to be present in every place! To whom does the Prophet say: 'Whither shall I go from thy face? If I descend into hell, thou art there' (Psalm 138:7-8); and so forth. Therefore, if all flesh is to adore the Lord, and conversely the bodies of men who have transgressed against God will be delivered to eternal fires, there will be a true resurrection of the flesh on both sides. And thus, it is neither to the right nor to the left, from this holy and Catholic faith, that we are to deviate; that is, that we do not follow the Jewish or heretical error, some of whom, being carnal, love only fleshly things; others, ungrateful for the gifts of God, refuse to have what the Lord Jesus Christ both had in His birth and possesses forever in His resurrection. For this is the true resurrection, which so gives glory to the flesh that it does not take away the truth, as it has already been said, the Apostle says: 'This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality'; and again: 'We do not want to be stripped, understand the flesh, but to be clothed with desire for glory, which is from heaven'; and again: 'That we may be found clothed and not naked, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life' (1 Cor. 15:53; 2 Cor. 5:2-3). Therefore, no one is clothed unless they were dressed before; just as our Lord, who was transformed into glory on the mountain, when he exhibited Moses and Elijah as his witnesses (Matthew 17:3); not only his clothing, but also his face shone like the sun; and where the face is mentioned, I believe that the other parts of the body were also seen.