Translation Hide
De la résurrection de la chair

IX.

Ainsi donc, pour récapituler, cette chair que Dieu forma de ses mains à son image, qu'il anima d'un souffle de vie à la ressemblance de son être, qu'il établit dans cet univers pour l'habiter, en jouir et commander à toutes ses œuvres; qu'il revêtit de ses sacrements et de sa discipline; dont il aime la pureté, dont il approuve les mortifications, dont il récompense les souffrances: cette même chair ne ressusciterait pas, après avoir tant de fois appartenu à Dieu! Non, non; loin de nous la pensée que Dieu abandonne à une destruction sans retour l'œuvre de ses mains, l'objet de son industrie, l'enveloppe du son souffle, la reine de sa création, l'héritière de sa libéralité, la prêtresse de sa religion, le soldat de sa foi, la sœur du Christ. Nous savons que Dieu est bon. Nous apprenons de son Christ qu'il est seul le Dieu très-bon. Comme il nous commande d'aimer le prochain, après lui, il fera lui-même ce qu'il a commandé: il aimera la chair qui est son prochain à tant de titres. Elle est faible: mais « n'est-ce pas dans la faiblesse que se perfectionne la force? » malade; « on n'appelle le médecin que pour ceux qui se portent mal; » ignoble; mais « c'est des choses peu relevées que l'on parle avec plus d'honneur; » perdue; « Je suis venu, dit Jésus-Christ, pour sauver ce qui était perdu; » pécheresse; mais «J'aime mieux, dit-il, le salut du pécheur que sa mort; » condamnée; mais « c'est moi qui frappe et qui guéris, dit-il. » Comment reproches-tu à la chair |449 des choses qui attendent Dieu? qui espèrent en Dieu? qui sont honorées par lui? qu'il assiste? J'ose le dire, si tant de misères n'étaient survenues à la chair, la bonté, la grâce, la miséricorde, la toute-puissante libéralité de Dieu eussent été inutiles.

Translation Hide
On the Resurrection of the Flesh

Chapter IX.--God's Love for the Flesh of Man, as Developed in the Grace of Christ Towards It. The Flesh the Best Means of Displaying the Bounty and Power of God.

To recapitulate, then: Shall that very flesh, which the Divine Creator formed with His own hands in the image of God; which He animated with His own afflatus, after the likeness of His own vital vigour; which He set over all the works of His hand, to dwell amongst, to enjoy, and to rule them; which He clothed with His sacraments and His instructions; whose purity He loves, whose mortifications He approves; whose sufferings for Himself He deems precious;--(shall that flesh, I say), so often brought near to God, not rise again? God forbid, God forbid, (I repeat), that He should abandon to everlasting destruction the labour of His own hands, the care of His own thoughts, the receptacle of His own Spirit, ¹ the queen of His creation, the inheritor of His own liberality, the priestess of His religion, the champion of His testimony, the sister of His Christ! We know by experience the goodness of God; from His Christ we learn that He is the only God, and the very good. Now, as He requires from us love to our neighbour after love to Himself, ² so He will Himself do that which He has commanded. He will love the flesh which is, so very closely and in so many ways, His neighbour--(He will love it), although infirm, since His strength is made perfect in weakness; ³ although disordered, since "they that are whole need not the physician, but they that are sick;" ⁴ although not honourable, since "we bestow more abundant honour upon the less honourable members;" ⁵ although ruined, since He says, "I am come to save that which was lost;" ⁶ although sinful, since He says, "I desire rather the salvation of the sinner than his death;" ⁷ although condemned, for says He, "I shall wound, and also heal." ⁸ Why reproach the flesh with those conditions which wait for God, which hope in God, which receive honour from God, which He succours? I venture to declare, that if such casualties as these had never befallen the flesh, the bounty, the grace, the mercy, (and indeed) all the beneficent power of God, would have had no opportunity to work. ⁹