Chapter I. — The Gospel of Christ is most of all made manifest in that his resurrection is preached. For the evangelical Scripture records that many miracles and signs had already been done by the Lord. Yet he did none greater than when he rose with his body, and lifted earth up into heaven. In this resurrection of Christ there is both a miracle and an example: a miracle that we might believe, an example that we might hope. For what he himself did at the very beginning, he has promised to us in the end. The impious, who are called unbelievers and pagans, and the carnal Jews, believe that Christ was slain. This, then, is a great thing—to believe that Christ died: for this even the unbelievers hold in common with us. They themselves believe that Christ died.
But we believe his death on account of the resurrection: for if death had not preceded, the resurrection would not have been. He who denies that Christ died, denies also the resurrection. He who confesses that Christ died, still has something to be done with him, that he may also believe that he rose again: and thus it shall be well with us before the Lord God. Chapter II. — Now let us endure things present, let us love things future: let us not be delighted by the allurements of the world, let us not be broken by the terrors of the world. When God allures us, he promises eternal life; and when he terrifies us, he threatens concerning Gehenna. However much the world allures, it has that delight of which the psalm says: 'Delights at your right hand even unto the end' (Ps. 15:11). There already Christ sitting, with his right hand protects us.
From there he shows himself to be our head. He sees his laboring members, he sees his body harassed in great temptations; and do you think that his head does not take care for its own body? If your eyes can, lest you stumble, not care; or your ears refuse to hear the remedies by which you may be healed; or your tongue be unwilling to speak on behalf of your wound; or your hands can refuse the labors, so as not to succor some laboring member of yours—can our Lord Jesus Christ too fail to care what we do, or how we labor? What need is there for us to say it? Hear him himself crying out: 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?' (Acts 9:4). He to whom he thus spoke on behalf of his members, he wished to make his member.