gotten the victory which with great desire after that the battaile is won get them out of the city into the field to viewe loke vpon the bodies of suche as are slaine and howe fortunately they haue foughte Forasmuch nowe as Christ also hath foughte prosperously ouercome his ennemies on domes daye and made them his foote stole the faithfull shall go out to see the bodies of the vngodlye The prophet doth for this cause call them bodies euē to declare that the bodies raised vp from deathe shall be very true fleshe He continueth further also in the recited sentence and saith their worme shall not die For the bodies or coarses are full of wormes neither are they aught but wormes meate Al this is spoken after the custome and property of man and weaknes of this time and herewyth is described vnto vs and set before our eyes eternall punishment and howe it shall goe in the life to come In Daniel we read thus many of them that slepe in the dust of the earth shal awake some to euerlasting life some to perpetual shame reprofe The whole multitude of bodies sayth he that are become dust yea al flesh shal thorowe the power of God rise againe but not in like case and sorte For the good shall arise to eternall life the euill to euerlasting death After this manner spake the Lord also verely verely verely I say vnto you The houre commeth in the which all they that are in the graues shal heare his voice and shall come forth they that haue don good to life and they that haue done euill to deathe Who is so ignorante but he perceiueth that to slepe in the erth as the prophet Daniell sayde and to be in the graues as Christe saide is one maner of speche and of like effect Now forasmuch as they that are in the dust of the earth and in the graues come forth awake and rise againe ▪ and onely the bodies are in the graues wherin they corrupt ▪ it foloweth that mens true bodies not only of the good but also of the euill shall truely rise againe And the same doth the Lord yet declare more euidently Mat. 10. Feare ye not them that kil the body are not able to kil the soule but rather feare him which may destroy soule and body into hell Not only the soules but also the bodies of vnbeleuers dothe the Lorde destroye Oute of the which it foloweth that they shal rise againe for if they should not rise againe they coulde not be tormented and plaged Neither shall any other body rise againe to paine and punishment but euen the same that with his vse works hath deserued the plage And herevnto serueth also the description of the last iudgemēt Math. 25. And S. Paule sayth 2. Cor. 5. We muste all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christe that euery one may receiue in his bodye according as he hath don whether it be good or bad See how manifestly expresly the holy Apostle testifieth that the body shall rise again In the same terrible iudgement of God saith he must euery one take his body to him again And why must he take the body vpon him againe Euen to the intent that whā any one hath receiued his body again he may likewise receiue the rewarde that he by and with his liuing body hathe deserued Nowe hathe the bodye some thing to do with godlinesse and vngodlinesse with vertue and vice for the body is an instrument or vessell wherwith somewhat is done and therfore in the iust iudgemēt of God the body according to the deuine righteousnesse shal not be omitted nether forgotten at all For if it haue bene obedient and subiect vnto the spirite if it haue suffered muche trouble for the name of Iesus Christe if it hath bene an earnest folower of rightuousnesse then shall it bee worthy also to be glorified Againe If it hathe bene geuen ouer to worldly voluptuous pleasures or trāsitory things of this world then with the soule that wrought with it shal it iustly go to eternall damnation Wherefore the vnbeleuers shall truely rise againe in their owne fleshe yea euē in the same which they heere in this time haue fed and pampered wyth all voluptuous pleasure and excesse And like as they in this time haue with their body takē their owne pleasure ioy and delight so in the life to come they shal be plaged and punished with euerlasting pain and torment in the same body For S. Paule witnesseth farther in the acts of the Apostles and sayeth I worship the God of my fathers beleuing al thīgs which are written in the lawe in the prophets and haue hope towards God that the same resurrectiō of the dead which they themselues looke for shall be of the iust and vniust Therefore holy Augustine in boke De fide ad Petrum diaconum said wel and Christianly according to the nature of the Apostles doctrine The vnrighteous shall haue a common resurrect on of the fleshe vvith the righteous but the grace of the change or glorification they shall not haue For frailty and misery shall not be taken avvaye from the bodies of the vngodly neither the shame and reproch sicknesse and feblenesse in the vvhich they are sovven vvhich therefore thorovve deathe are not extincte and taken avvaye that they maye belong to eternall death paine and punishment euerlastingly to be plaged body and soule vvith continuall torment that neuer ceasseth These are Augustines vvordes And after like sorte did the lord also say in the gospel they that haue done euil shall arise to the resurrection of iudgement or damnation As if he would say the vngodly that with their bodies shall rise againe shall rise with such property and proportion of theyr bodi that theyr bodies maye suffer the paine and torment namely that they now being made euerlasting maye not be wasted and consumed away thorow any paine or trouble how great and horrible so euer it be And so the bodyes of the vngodly that rise againe frō death shall after the said maner be altered and changed For the bodies that might afore thorow pain and trouble be broken and consumed are nowe altogether as yron yea suche as can not be broken and yet painful and passible so that from henceforthe the more they be tormented the harder thei become and thorow Gods vengeance more vnapte to be destroyed and yet made the more able to suffer misery ¶ The thirde parte TOVCHING THE damneds perdition and the blesseds saluation CHAP. 24. The deathe and damnation of the vngodly NOwe seeing the onset is geuen and the Oration come so farre that I muste also speake somewhat of the eternall death and damnation of the vnbeleuers that this matter maye be wholely vprightlye and perfectly brought to an end I will therfore brefely declare that the death and damnation of the vnbeleuers and vngodly is enioyned vnto them of god Item that the soules are passible
heauen But to the intente that no man mistake this worde heauen or otherwise imagine any thing that is darke or not vnderstaÌ„d wherby the simple being in erroure may scase know at the last wher heauen is or where Christ hath his dwelling It shal therfore be nedeful brefely to declare what the heauen is and that the Lord with his own true body doth dwell in heauen as in one place For heaueÌ„ is a certain assured place and not only a name declaration of the estate being in heauen Therfore whan it is sayde Christ is gon vp into heauen it is not so much as only to say he hath taken vpon him an heauenly estate or being but also he dwelleth bodely in heauen as in one place CHAP. 7. The diuers significations of this vvord Heauen as it is vsed in scripture THis worde Heauen in the scripture is vsed diuers and sondry waies First for the wholâ— firmament which is called thâ— heauenly host or beutifull apparell of the heauens Hereof haâ— thou recorde in the eighte anâ— ninetenth Psalme It is taken also for the ayre which is aboue vs as the Prophet sayeth he couereth the heauen with clouds to prepare rain for the earth Hereof coÌ„meth it that the foules which flie in the â—ire are called foules or birdes of heauen that is to say birdes â—n the aire Item heauen also is vsed for a seat habitatioÌ„ or dwelâ—ing as the Lord hath prepared his seate in heauen and ye shall not sweare by Heauen for it is Gods seat And though God be â—nfinite can not be compassed â—bout with any place as the moste wise Salomon saide The heauens and the heauens of all heauens are not able to conteine thee And howe should then thâ— house doe it that I haue builded Yet the scripture calleth the heuen that is aboue vs a dwelling â— God which dwelliÌ„g is ordeinâ— for all faithfull vertuous belâ—uers and is named the heaueâ— This doth Paule witnesse saâ—ing we know that if our earth mansion of this dwelling werâ— destroied we haue a building â— God an habitation not made â— hands but eternall in heauen Here is now heauen taken fâ— the kingdom of God for the kinâ—dome of the father or ioy eteâ—nal life which is peace and reâ— The heauen I say is a seat aâ— dwelling of the faithfull or bleâ—sed beleuers a determinat place also into the which the lord Iesus was receiued when he was taken vp into the heauen And this dothe the scripture plainly declare vnto vs namely the aboue â—s ther is a certain determinate place prepared for vs. For Luke saith he was receiâ—ed vp on hie and a cloude toke â—im vp away out of their sighte Item and while thei loked stedâ—astly vp towardes heauen the Angels saide this same Iesus which is taken away from you â—nto heauen shal so come eueÌ„ as â—e haue sene him go into heaueÌ„ â—ho is so ignoraÌ„t now that he â—otteth not where heauen is or the clouds or into which heauâ— the Apostles loked so stedfastâ— Besides this the holye Aposâ— Paule sayth also our conuersaâ—on freburgership or dwelling in heauen from whence we loâ— for the Sauioure euen the Lâ— Iesus Loe in heauen saythe â— Apostle is oure dwelling â— which heauen I pray you â—â— in the same whence we loke the sauioure Now is it euidâ— from whence we wait and loâ— seing that the Apostle sayth agâ— we which shall liue and remaâ— shal be caught vp with them â— in the cloudes to mete the Lâ— in the air and so shall we eueâ— wyth the Lord. He saith also in another place if ye be risen againe with Christe then seke those things which are aboue wher Christ sitteth at the right hand of god And therfore is the Lord Iesus gone vp into the heauen that is aboue vs and namely into that sure certaiÌ„ place which is prepared for the blessed And in the same heauen as in a sure certain place doth Christ now dwel bodely Of this opinion also was holy Augustine as in dede it is righte agreeable vnto holy scripture His words are fouÌ„d in the boke ad Dardanum de praesentia Dei. Holye Fulgentius in the seconde booke that he wrote vnto King Trasimundus is earnest to bring euery maÌ„ vnto this vnderstanding that the humaine kind nature of Christ which now dwelleth in heauen is circuÌ„scribed in one place With him aâ—so accordeth vniformly the holy martyr Vigilius whose testimony I wil now omit and come againe to the holy scripture The Scripture minding tâ— shewe what is become of the body that rose againe from death and ascended vp and where hâ— hathe his dwelling saith simplâ— plainly he sitteth at the righâ— hand of God the father almigâ—tye Thus nowe is the bodye 〈◊〉 Christ come to the right hand God there sitteth he But heere shall it be expedient to declare what the right hande of God is and what it is to sit at Goddes right hand CHAP. 8. VVhat Gods right hand is and to vvhom it is referred FIrst the right hande of God is not referred vnto god him self but vnto men that are on the right haÌ„d So that first the right hand of God dothe signify the eternal saluation and the place of those that be saued This did holi Augustine teach whose words I may well alledge forasmuche as he also doth confirme proue his opinion by the diuine and holye Scriptures In his booke de Agone Christiano he sayth we ought not to heare them that deny the sonne to sitte at the righte hand of god For they say hath god the father also a right or lefâ— side as bodies haue Nether dâ— we vnderstand that of the father For with no bodelye proportion can God be described or comprehended As for the right hand oâ— the father it is nothing els but eternall saluation which he shaâ—â— geue to al godly faithfull beleuers In like manner is the left hande rightly taken for the euerlasting damnation that shall comâ— vpon the vnbeleuers So that nâ— of God but of the creatures â— must be expounded that is writteâ— of the right left hand For euen the body of Christ also which is the church shall come to the right hand that is into saluation as the Apostle saithe to the Ephesians he hathe raised vs vp together with him made vs sit together with him among them of heauen For though oure bodies as yet be not there our hope neuerthelesse is there already The same holy Augustin saith also further in the boke De fide symbolo By the right hand saith â—e must be vnderstand the highest saluatioÌ„ wher rightuousnes peace ioy is like as the gotes also shal be set on the lefte hande That is by reson of theyr sins wickednesse they shal come into great calamity troble misery All these are the wordes of holy Augustine CHAP. 9. VVhat it is to
THE HOPE OF the Faithfull Declaring Breefely and clearly the Resurrection of OVR LORD IESVS CHRIST past and of oure true essentiall bodies to come and plainly confuting the cheefe Errors that hath sprong therof out the Scripture and Doctors VVith an euident probation that there is an eternall life of the Faithfull and an euerlalasting damnation of the Vnfaithfull Nevvly Imprinted and Corrected 1574. To the Christian READER GRACE and peace EVERYE MAN must needes confesse that this is novve a lamentable time In the vvhich the vvorld is not onli vnquieted vvith vvars dearthe sicknesse and such like but also standeth euer more and more in greater pearill thorovve vices euery vvhere bearing the svving So that it is to be feared if vve banishe them not the sooner vve and our posteritye shall yet come into farre greater sorovv then vve are already vvrapped in For if one should barely and vvythout all rhetorical amplifications but reherse only the great pompe vainglory riot fornication open idolatry periury c. of mighti men and rulers vvhich vvast the vvorld miserably the space euen of many dayes vvold scase be any thing sufficient thervnto And vvhat heapes of vvickednesse priuate persons do adde vnto the same all vvise men caÌ„ ponder by themselues For if vve goe into our ovvne bosomes vve finde that vve altogether vvill vvholy fashion and frame oure liues after the vvorld seeking vaine pompe and priuate commodity for our ovvne luste vvith sure shame and publike discommodity to others losse VVhich all are vndoubted tokens that the lavve and loue of God is litle estemed among vs VVhich vvith greeuous threates forbiddeth the foresaid and other vices by straight commaundement forsing and sure revvardes alluring vs to the contrary dealing Neither may vve thinke but that suche vices daily vvill encrease till the time they ouervvhelme vs excepte the contempte of Gods la ve set apart being the only sufficient vvelspring of all vvickednes for vvhich the vvrath of God is inkindled and his bitter curses fall vppon vs the same vvorde be had in greateâ— price and reuereÌ„ce For vvhy vvhat godlineâ—â—e can be hoped for of them vvhich hold nothing of God the only fountaine of goodnesse and laugh his vvorde to scorne of vvhom vve can knovve nothing but that is there shevved vs saue that small knovvledge that is of beholding of the creatures â–ª vvhich neuerthelesse declareth rather that there is a God then vvhat he is hovv he vvill be pleased And though al the scripture serue vs to enioy Gods blessings yet as in a compound medicine all the simples being holsom some one may lesse be spard theÌ„ the other so the article of resurrection clear and ofte inculcated in Sc ipture is moste auaileable so that it vnknovvne all vices svvarm and roste in vs For vve not considering our end vvherein saluation life standeth or paines prepared for the accursed vvill but staine our selues in voluptuousnes For vvho knovveth but the fleshe in this life vvhy shold he not thinke as good take it as leaue it and best to make the moste of that vvhich at last ceasseth In this case the Ethnikes being saide liue merely vvhile ye be in the vvorld and eat vve and drink vve lustely to morovve vve shall die vvhich all the Epicures protest openly and the Italian atheoi in life practise and no vvorse man then a Pope in oure dayes hathe geuen the like definitiue sentence among his Courte deuines of the soules immortality the story is knovven Contrarivvise the learned in Goddes vvorde knovving that this life is a death from sinne and a vvaye to the life to come vvhich Christ vvith his crosse hath opened vnto them for desire thereof runne forth in the race of godlinesse assured of the revvard sith Christ therfore bidding deathe battaile that vve mought liue hath broken her bondes and risen againe For goodes are not the possessors as the Philosopher saithe and Christe alludeth in the parable of the tvvo strong men but the more valiant maÌ„s VVherfore gentle reader I hauing this litle but absolute vvorke of Christes and our resurrection and that there is an eternall life and damnation vvherin the deuill hath sore assaulted the churche by men this only excepted of greate authoritye and learning thought it my duety to put it in Printe not keping that priuate vvhich might doe suche good common The matter is plain in scripture yet learne vve better things called in question and forced to vs by reson VVherfore not to stirre vp Gods grace in vs by imbrasing suche treatises vvere to tempt God and extincte the spirite For the scholer learneth of his schole fellovv that he perceiued not by his more lerned master and vnderstandeth him euer after the better and so men forder one an other in scripture VVhich as I meane in printing if thou desire in reading the Lorde no nay shall graunt our request vvhich geueth blessings plentuously to all suche as aske it constantly To vvhom geue honor thankâ— from heart for the good that thou repest in his creatures FARE VVEL ¶ The firste parte of THIS BOKE INTITLED THE HOPE OF THE FAITHFVL vvhich entreateth of the Resurrection and Ascension of Christe vvith the frute and commoditye therof THE FIRT CHAPTER ¶ The Contents of this boke and the Authors purpose COnsidering that by the Euangelists and by all the Apostles ther is nothing written more diligently then touching the resurrection of our lord Iesus Christ my purpose is some what more largely to talk of the same and of the glorious ascension of his body into heauen Item of the resurrection and asceÌ„sion of oure owne bodies of the damnation of vnbeleuers of the hope and eternall life of the blessed And this I mind to do only vnto the honor laude praise of our Lord Iesus Christ that the mistery of the holy gospell may be set forth opened to the commoditye edifying of the faithful and that of euery man it mai be plainly vnderstanded howe greate things are prepared and geuen vs of Christ This mater also doth specially belong to the declaration of the holy Gospell forasmuch as the best frute of the gospel is conteined and taughte therin Therfore if I wryte ought heerein more largely I doe nothing that concerneth not my purpose Yet I intende also to kepe a measure not to open eueri thing that hereof might be wrytten but only that which is cheefest most necessary of all CHAP. 2. That the Lord verely arose vvith his body THat our lorde Iesus Christ with his owne very true body did verely arise from the dead it shal be expedieÌ„t afore al thiÌ„gs to testify proue Therefore let the first witnes euen our Lorde Iesus Christ hiÌ„selfe come forth now and beare vs recorde out of the Prophets concerning hys true resurrectioÌ„ Like as Ionas sayth he was three dayes and three nights in the whales belly so shal the son of man be three dayes three nights in the hart of the earth
sit at the right hand of God hovve Christ sitteth theâ— and vvhat he dothe ANd thus now to sit at thâ— right hand of God is eueâ— as much as to be in rest that to say al wretchednesse miserâ— set aside to liue in a godly life to be partaker of eternall ioy Now that this word to sitte vsed in Scripture for rest the places declare In the. 4. boke Moises it is wrytten thus shaâ— your brethren go to war woâ— ye sit here And in Micheas euâ—ry one shal sit vnder his vine and figtree c. Mani mo such places ther be Wherfore now whaÌ„ the scripture saithe that the lord Iesus sitteth at the right haÌ„d of his father it vnderstaÌ„deth it chefely of his humaine nature which he he toke vpon him that the same being discharged and free from al trauaile and misery of man is now all in ioy partaker of the kingdoÌ„ euerlasting Thus saithe also Rufinus in his exposition of the Crede to sit at the right hand of the father is coÌ„uenient for the manhead receiued which is receiued thorow a mistery For to ascribe that to the diuine nature it is vnseemely as though it had a seate in heauen but of the humaine nature it is properly vnderstand and spoken And the like yet did holy s Peter teach afore Rufinus time aâ— it is to see in the Actes But now might one ask whaâ— doth the son at the right hand oâ— the father Must he alway sittâ— there be asmuch as made fast and bound vnto it Answere The Lord Iesus after his humaine nature that he tooke vpon him which he put not froÌ„ him in heauen hath now eternall ioy with his elect he as the head with his members ruling reigning with all faithfull beleeuers for euermore Wherof we shal speaâ— more afterward A very superfluous vnprofitable question also is it whaÌ„ one will so curiously inquire know what God doth in heauen For God wil only teach vs with his holy worde that he liueth ruleth eternally in the glory of his heauenly father Holy Augustin saithe also in the booke De fide symbolo To go about for to seke and inquire where and howe the body of our Lord is in heauen it is a poynt of nice people bringeth no profit Only we ought to beleue that he is verely in heauen For truly it standeth not with our weaknes to comprehende and discerne the priuity of the heauens but it besemeth our faith to haue the worthy glorious body of the Lord in highe and worthy estimation Hetherto Augustine CHAP. 10. That Christ sitteth at the right hand of God by his humanity but circumscribed in place and is not euery vvhere NOw though the heauenly honor glory be high and may not be expressed yet thâ— place where he dwelleth is certaine the bodye that is in heauen can not be euery where For the right hande of God in and after this first signification thereof is not infinite Els must al faithfâ—â— beleuers also they that are saued be euery where seeing they are with the sonne of God who is taken vp into heauen For the Lord himselfe saithe nowe from henceforth shall I be no more in the worlde but they are in the world I come vnto thee VpoÌ„ this he saith father they whome thou hast geuen vnto me I will that where I am they also be with me that they may see my glorye which thou hast geuen me Item he that doth me seruice let him folowe me and where I am there shal also my seruaunts be Seing now that our soules oure bodies also after the resurrection of the flesh shal be in heauen as in a place certain it foloweth that the body of the Lord which into heauen is taken vp hath also a place certaine in heauen and that the right hand of God in this signification can not be euery where In this vprighte matter let it trouble no man that is read in s Paul how that Christ ascended vp aboue al the heauens by meanes whereof a curious body mighte peraduenture conclude if Christ our Lord be taken vp aboue the heauens then can there no place certain be ascribed vnto him seing there is no place aboue or with out the heauen Neither ought it to offend any man that is wrytten how that vnto Christ ther is geueÌ„ a name which is aboue al names Or that Paule sayth howe that no eie hath sene neither any eare heard nor is come into the heart of man what god hath prepared vnto them that loue him For the scripture of God thorow out doth witnes constantly and sure that Christ Iesus is taken vp into heauen sitteth at the right haÌ„d of his father Wherby it is out of dout that the Apostle thought not to set Christ wihtoute heauen but therefore proponeth he the matter with so high excellent wordes to shew and declare vnto vs that the body of our lord which afore was despised and shamefulli defaced is now in the supreme highest glorye that meaneth he where he saythe aboue all heauens For who â— dothe thorowly consider that placâ— of Paule to the Ephesians findeth that Paul hath set two parte of his oratioÌ„ the one against thâ— other For first he saithe thus that he ascended what meaneâ— it but that he also descended fiâ— into the lowest parts of the earth Against this setteth he nowe hâ— that descended is euen the samâ— also that ascended vp euen â—boue all heauens Therfore is here the one set â—gainst the other namely to deâ—cend into the lowest parts of tâ— earth to ascend aboue all heâ—uens But who would heere coâ—clude Christe ascended into the lowest partes of the earth Ergo he had no place vpon earth For euery man vnderstandeth well that Paule with these words minded to declare the true comming of the Lord vpon earth the great humility mekenes of our lorde Iesus Christe Therefore who wold theÌ„ in the other part of the oration conclude Christ asceÌ„ded vp aboue all heauens Ergo he is not in heauen or in anye other place For is there also any one place without the heauen Who vnderstandeth not now that Paule here minded to say nothing else thaÌ„ that which he vttereth more plainly to the Philippians he hathe exalted him on hie Anâ— thoughe this highe or heauenlâ— honor be greater and more glorâ—ous then any mannes tonge caâ— or may expresse yet the heaueâ— is and doth remain stil the dweâ—ling of the faithful and thereforâ— is it a place certaine Wherfore after my plaine anâ— simple vnderstanding whych iâ— not curious I beleue constaÌ„tly that the glorified body of Christe iâ— ascended vp aboue all heauens that is aboue al coÌ„pace or spherâ— height of heauen so euen iâ— heauen that is in the dwelling â— the faithful and ther remaineth and is not as they say passed bâ— on the
of the worde the right foundation and grounde of godlinesse As if he woulde say forasmuche as the true head article of saluation is found in me For like as the rote geueth al vertue sap vnto the tre euen so is the matter of the resurrection of the dead thorow Christe the cheefest greatest and true principal poynt of the worde and affaires of god Repent therfore sayth Iob for wrath handleth or dothe nothing righte but rather prouoketh god vnto vengeance The prophet Esay in his twenty sixe chapter doth testifie the Resurrection 〈◊〉 this maner Thy dead shall â—â—e euen with my body shall they arise Stand vp be glad ye that rest or dwel in the duste for the dewe of the herbes is thy dew the ground of tyrants shalt thou cast down Thy dead O god sayth the prophet shal liue nameli the soules of those that for thy sake are slaine and that haue worshipped thee Neuertheles their bodies shall not preuent my body in the Resurrection but at the last iudgement or vpon domes daye shall they rise againe with my body Likewise saith also S. Peter that the soules of suche as died afore time do liue with god but with the fleshe they shal be iudged as other men Therfore did the holy Prophet Esay beleue confesse the general resurrection of all bodies at the last day In the which Resurrection he openly knowledgeth that his own bodi also shal rise againe Afterward bringeth he in an Archangell blowing the troÌ„pet and saying stand vp be glad ye that rest in the dust To rest in dust is nothing els but a description of mans body For the soules and sprites do not rest or lie in dust but the bodies are buried therin become dust Therfore meÌ„ according to the substance state therof wherin they rise againe are called inhabyters and Iâ—â— dwellers of dust or suche as rest in duste The declareth he with a similitude how our bodies that putrify and corrupt shal thorowe the power of God from deathe and corruption be easely raised vp againe The power of god that chargeth commaundeth vs to rise vp from death doth he compare to the dew which whaÌ„ it falleth downe quickeneth and reuiueth the dead herbes Likewise also dothe the power of God to oure dead bodies which it quickneth and raiseth vp again Contrary to this he setteth another sentence saying the earth of tyraÌ„ts that is the bodies of tyrantes â—halt thou raise vp O God but â—hou shalt cast them downe that â—s thou shalt ouerthrowe them â—nto hell and eternall paine Moreouer touching the true â—esurrection of oure bodyes the â—ision of the Prophet Ezechiel â—s so euident and plaine that it â—s not nedefull to speake oughte â—herof And of this haue we many teâ—timonies and witnesses in the Prophets whych mighte heere â—ell haue serued but seing it is not necessary I haue because of shortnesse omitted them now will I come to the sentences of the new Testament The Lord saith Verely verely I say vnto you the houre shal come and now it is that the deade shal heare the voice of the son of God and they that heare it shal liue And immediatly after he saith the houre shal come in the which all they that are in the graues shall heare his voyce and shall come forth Now is it manifest that neither the soules nor sprites but the bodies are in the graues And if other bodies shoulde rise vp for oures what needed he alwaye to make mencion of the graues But to the inteÌ„t that he immediatly in the gospell mighte declare the euident plain vnâ—oubted resurrection of oure boâ—ies he forthwith by his mighâ—y and wonderfull power raised â—p Lazarus froÌ„ death who now â—id stinke and had line .4 dayes â—n the graue This maruellous â—ct had the lord himself declared â—nto Martha with these words by brother shal rise again TheÌ„â—nswered she I know that he shall â—se in the resurrectioÌ„ at the last â—ny Lo how commen manifest â—nd knowne vnto euery maÌ„ was â—e general resurrection of oure â—odies The Lorde saithe more â—nto Martha I am the resurrection the life he that beleueth on me though he were dead yet shall he liue And euery one that liueth and beleueth on me shall neuer die But what nedeth me to collect so many testimonies of the resurrection of the deade considering that the Apostles were vpon no article more feruent and earnest then vpon this He that will alledge all the sentences witnesses must wryte out almoste the whole new testameÌ„t Luke saith in the Actes of the Apostles with greate power did the Apostles beare witnesse of the resurrection of the Lorde Iesus Christe And in the same boke saith Paul or the hope and resurrection of the dead am I iudged And yet againe for the hope sake of Israel am I bound with this chain In many places hath the holy Apostle Paule brought forth euident ensamples and testimonies of oure resurrection concerning the whych we shall speake in due time He saith moreouer we which liue are alwayes deliuered vnto death for Iesus sake that the life of Iesu mighte appeare in oure mortall bodies What coulde he haue spoken more euident plaine For immediatly vpon the same he saith thus we haue beleeued therfore haue we spoken and know that he which raised vp the Lorde Iesus shall thorow Iesus raise vs vp also Wherefore oure true bodies which now are mortall shall verely rise againe howbeit after the resurrection they shall no more be mortal but iÌ„mortal To these witnesses out of gods word and therfore inuincible I will nowe also adde the testimony of Ihon Damascene The Resurrection sayeth he shall be nothing else but a true coniunction of soule and body and another laudable restitution of it that vvas fallen avvay and brought to naughte Therefore the same body that perisheth is dissolued and falleth a sonder and the very same riseth vp againe vndissoluble For he that in the beginning created man out of the dust of the earth then brought him againe to earthe and duste that he vvas taken of The same I say is mighty and of povver according to his vvorde to raise vp the selfe same man againe from death Thus much Damascenus And truely euery man nowe may wel thinke that God principally for this cause did not create the first man of naughte as he did other things but out of the dust of the earth that as concerning the resurrection of our bodies though they turne to duste and earth againe we shuld haue no doubt Now as I suppose I haue sufficiently and plainly declared that the true flesh of al men yea euen our own body and els none for it yea euen the humain true body shall rise againe from death namely formed and fashioned with his own right proportion measure and property as a true body so that the measure and property of the true
And after certain words doth Hierome set forth Origens opinion and what he held of the resurrection and saith There is promised vs another body namely a spirituall and heauenly that can not be comprehended nor sene vvith eyes nor hauing any vvaighte or burthen and that according to the circumstance and diuersitye of the places that it shal be in shal be changed And after certain words doth Hierome set forthe the opinion of Origen yet more plainely saying O ye simple the resurrection of our Lord Iesus Christe oughte not to deceiue you in that he shevved his handes and feete stode on the sea shore vvent ouer the fielde vvith Cleophas and said he had fleshe and bones This body that vvas not borne of the seede of man and of lust or pleasure of the fleshe is endued vvith greater fredome then another body and vvith his nature it is not vnlike the spirituall and heauenly body For vvhan the dores vvere shut he entered and in breaking of the bread vanished he avvay from their sight c. But at the last Hierome answereth vnto Origens foundation and sayth Like as he shevved his true handes and his true sides so did he truly eate vvith theÌ„ vvent truely vvith Cleophas spake to them truly vvith his mouth sate truly at the table vvith them at supper toke the breade vvith his true handes gaue thankes brake it and reached it them And vvheras he immediatly vanished oute of their sight that is ascribed to the povver of God and to no fantasy or false body VVhan he afore his resurrection vvas brought out from Nazareth that they mighte throvve him dovvne from the top of the hill he passed thorovv the middes of them that is he escaped oute of theyr handes May vve then talke vvith Marcion that his birthe vvas therefore but a fantasy because that he against nature escaped those that had him Hovve sayest thou did not they knovve him in the vvay vvhan he yet had the body that he had afore Vpon this heare the scripture their eies vvere holden that they should not knovve him But vvas he any other vvhan they knevve him not or vvas he any other vvhan they knevve him Verely he vvas alvvay one and like himself And therfore to knovv and not to knovv is geuen to the eyes and not to him that is sene although it be ascribed vnto him also that he helde their eyes least they shoulde knovv him Aftervvard vvith many vvords geueth he ansvver to that that the Lord entred vvhan the dores vvere shut Yet dothe he brefely ansvver thervnto in his CommeÌ„taries vpon the laste Chapter of Esaye and sayeth I maruell that some after Christes Ascension vvill geue and measure him a body made of the aire and soone returned to aire againe because the Lord by the povver of his maiesty came into the Apostles vvhaÌ„ the doâ—es vvere shut considering that afore his resurrection also he vvent vpon the vvater of the sea permitting the same vnto holy Peter vvho at the first thorovv faith vvalked vpon the vvater But aftervvard vvhan he being fainte in faith began to sincke and go vnder he said vnto him O thou of little faith vvhy hast thou doubted Thus muche wrote Hierome against Origen many other moe yet in this boke wrytten to Pammachius againste Iohn bishop of Hierusalem which because of greatnesse and lengthe I haue omitted to put heere in wryting CHAP. 20. S. Hieromes opinion of the resurrection of the flesh YEt in the same booke hathe the saide Hierome sette hys owne opinion touching the resurrection of the flesh directing the oration vnto Bishop Iohn and saying If thou vvilt novve confesse the resurrection of the flesh after the truthe and not after fantasy as thou sayest then loke that vnto the vvordes vvhich thou haste spoken to content the simple that euen in the body vvherin vve die and are buried vve shall rise againe thou adde these vvords also and say seeing the sprite hathe not fleshe and bones as ye see me haue and forasmuch as it vvas so distinctly spoken vnto Thomas put thy finger in my hands and thy hand in my side and be not faithlesse but beleuing Therefore saye thou that vve also after the resurrection shall haue euen the same members that vve daily vse yea euen the very same fleshe bloude and bone The vvorkes vvherof the holy scripture condemneth and reiecteth and not their nature And this is the right and true knovvledging of the resurrection vvhich so geueth honor vnto the flesh that therevvith it minisheth nothing the verity of the fleshe Afterwarde speaketh he yet more euidently I vvil frely confesse though ye vvry your mouthes at it scratch your head and scrape vvith your feete yea and though ye should stone me to deathe forthvvith Yet vvill I manifestly and plainly knovvledge and coÌ„fesse the faithe of the church or congregation of God and boldly pronounce that the right profound Christian truth of the resurrection can vtterly not be vnderstaÌ„d vvithout flesh bone bloud and members VVhere flesh bones bloud and members are ther must nedes be a difference of kind as of man and vvoman And vvhere these bothe are distincte the one from the other there Iohn must be Iohn and Mary must be Mary But thou nedest not to be astonied at the matter as though a vvedding also vvere there to be kept in all the haste seeing that before they died they liued vvithoute the vvorke of their kinde that is vvithoute the acte of mariage It is promised vs that vve shal be like vnto the Angels that is partakers of the saluation in the vvhich saluation the Angels are vvithout fleshe and distinction of kind And yet it is geuen vnto vs in our flesh kinde Thus beleueth my simplicity and vnderstaÌ„deth that the kind must be vnderstand hovv be it vvithout the vvorks of the kinde yea that men muste rise againe and so become like vnto the Angels of God. Neither oughte the resurrection of members forthvvith to be therfore esteemed vnprofitable superfluous because they shall not do their office but stand idle For vvhile vvee are yet in this life vvee endeuor oure selues not to performe the vvorkes of oure members As for the comparison tovvardes the Angels it is not a changing of men into Angels but it is an increasing of the mortality and glory Thus much haue I spoken of the confession of holy Hierome CHAP. 21. S. Augustines minde of the Resurrection of the fleshe TOuching the resurrection of oure fleshe not onely did holy Hierome beleue thus who yet testifieth that he knowledgeth and coÌ„fesseth the vniuersall Christian faithe But also S. Austen wholely agreeth vnto s Hierome and namely Lib. 2. Retractat Cap. 3. For in repeting correcting certaine poyntes out of the .32 Chapter in the booke de Agone Christiano he sayth I sayd it shall not be flesh and bloud but an heauenly body This oughte no man to vnderstand that therefore there shall be no true substance of the fleshe
but vvith the names of fleshe and bloud must the infirmity of the fleshe and bloud be vnderstand Item Lib. 1. Retractat cap. 17. In repeting and correcting certaine poyntes whych he had wrytten long afore in the booke de fide symbolo In the time of the Angelical chaunge saith he it shal not be fleshe and bloude but onlye a body c. This I spake of the changing of earthye bodies into heauenly c. But if one vvold vnderstand it so that the earthy body vvhich vve novv haue should so in the resurrection be altered and chaunged that these members and the substance of this fleshe shall not remaine no doubt he is not in the right vvay but ought better to be instructed considering that he is vvarned and monished thorovve the bodye of oure Lord vvhich after the resurrection appeared euen vvith the same members not only that he mighte be seene vvith eyes but handled also and touched vvith handes Besides this he testifieth that he hathe true fleshe vpon him vvhan he saythe handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye se me haue Therfore it is euideÌ„t and plain that the holy Apostle Paul denied not that the true substaunce of the fleshe should not be in the kingdome of god But rather vvith these vvords fleshe and bloud he vnderstode that either men vvhich liue after the fleshe should not haue the inheritance of heauen or else that there shoulde be in heauen no infirmity of the flesh at all This is a greeuous matter for vnbeleuers and hardly are they persuaded to beleue the resurrection but moste diligently and after my povver haue I treated thereof in the last boke de Ciuitate Dei. Yet handleth he of the resurrectioÌ„ not only in the last boke but also in the .13 boke de Ciuitate Dei he wryteth thus The Christian faithe doubteth verely nothing at all to confesse of our sauioure that also after the resurrection though novve in the spiritual fleshe yet also in his true flesh he did eate and drinke vvith his disciples Hereof are they called also spiritual-bodies not that they therefore cease to be bodies but that thorovve the spirite vvhich geueth life they shal be preserued and remaine For like as these our bodies vvhich haue a liuing soule and yet be not named a spirite that geueth life but naturall or soulishe bodies and therfore are not soules but bodies so shall the glorified bodies be called spirituall Yet God forbid vve shoulde therfore beleeue that they shall be spirites but bodies shall they be vvhich shall haue the substaÌ„ce of the flesh And forasmuch as they are preserued and made aliue thorovve the spirite they shall suffer no greefe or infirmitye Then shal not man be eaâ—thy but heauenly not that the bodye vvhich is made of the earthe shall no more continue the same body but that thorovv the heauenly gift and grace he shall be so from henceforthe that being such a kinde and nature as can not perishe and altered from all infirmity he shal be able to dvvell commodiously in heauen Furthermore saith s Austen in the. 22. boke the 30. Chapter Hovv the bodies there shall moue I dare not rashly define for I can not comprehend it it passeth my vnderstaÌ„ding Yet shal their mouâ—ng and state euen as also their proportion be altogether beutifull and hovv so euer it shall be it shall be in that place vvher nothing can be but that vvhich is beutifull and comely yea vvhere the sprite vvil there straight shaâ—l the body be also Nether vvill the spirite any thing that is not very semely and comely bothe for him and it Thus haue I hetherto recited s Augustins beleefe to conclude this matter of the resurrection CHAP. 22. VVhat Aurelius Prudencius thought of the same J Will herevnto adde the verses of the excellent and christian man Aurelius Prudentius which do woÌ„derfully expres vnto vs the resurrection of oure fleshe and set it directly before our eyes MY body in Christ shall rise againe I speake it earnest for it is plaine VVhy vvould thou then I should despaire O flesh vvhan I do see so faire The vvay that Iesus Christ my Lord VVent after his death as saith his vvorde This is the ground and foundation My heart beleeueth vvith confession That I am sure and knovve certaine My body shall rise vvholely againe Not one heer lesse then vvas before Neither in greatnesse any more VVith strength and shape as it liued here Afore they it to graue did beare There is no tothe nor naile so small No heer so litle but though it fall Yet perishe it shall not finally But out of graue rise certainly God vvhich afore created me VVith shape and strength vndoubtedly VVhervvith I here on earth should liue No feble nor vveake thing me shall geue For vvhere any thing shall perishe at all It is olde feble So do not thou call Of our bodies the renouation Therfore is this my expectation VVhat sicknesse â–ª paine and aduersity VVhat 〈◊〉 in this â—ale of misery Out of this vvorld â—â—vve taketh avvay Shall vvhan I rise at the last day From death to life a nevv certaine be geuen me all together againe For seeing that death is ouercome It euer besemeth vs all and some Quietly to trust vvith stedfastnesse Our God vvill kepe vvith vs promesse Least vvhan vve come into the graue A man no hope then after haue VVhan he to life commeth eternall That he for his body mortall VVhich here so full of faultes vvas As brickle and fraile as any glas Shall haue a body of perfectnesse That colde can not nor hunger presse Though vveaknesse be at all season The strength of death and operation Therby in vs vvhat is consumed VVhan it againe shal be restored Then thorovv the povver vvherby vve rise VVe go to the father in perfect vvise This should right vvell content our hart Therfore my body regardeth no smart In Christ my trust is constantly VVho promiseth vs assuredly To raâ—se vs vp from earth at last Therfore be thou nothing agast For sicknesse nor for aduersitee Nor yet let thou the graue feare thee Let this euer thy comfort be That Christ prepared the vvay for thee VVherin himselfe is gone before Folovve thou and liue for euermore CHAP. 23. The bodies of vnbeleeuers shall verely rise againe BVt to the intent that no maÌ„ doubt touching the resurrection of the fleshe of the vnbeleuers I will bring forth certaine testimonies of holy Scripture which doe manifestly declare that the vnbeleuers or vngodly shall with their own true bodies rise againe The Prophet Esay in the laste Chapter of his booke sayeth they shall goe forth and loke vpon the bodies of them that haue vilely behaued themselues againste me for their wormes shall not die neither shall theyr fier be quenched all fleshe shal abhorre them With this sentence doth the Prophet play after the maner custome of those that haue sone
more vnfrendly or more terrible God forbid that vvhan my hearte dothe any thing presse and vnquiet me she should not comfort me her sonne vvhome shee yet so entierly loued that shee could neuer suffer or see me heauye Vndoubtedly it muste needes be true that the holy Psalmist sayth my father and my mother haue forsakē me but the Lord hathe taken the cure to keepe me If our fathers novve and mothers haue forsaken vs hovve can they be then in oure cares and doings And if father and mother do nothing at all in our businesse hovv can vve then thinke that the other dead medle ought vvith vs or knovve vvhat vve doe or suffer The Prophet Esay sayth thou O God art our father for Abraham vvotteth not of vs and Israel knovveth vs not Seing then that such honorable Patriarks vvist not vvhat vvas don concerning their people vvhich came of them selues to vvhō yet as to Gods faithfull beleeuers the same people vvas promised oute of their ovvne stocke hovve can then the dead open themselues the dore to knovve and further the doings and not doings of them that are aliue And hovve shall vve be able to saye that they vvhich are dead vver helped and eased afore the euill came that folovved vp on their death vvhan they after death fele all the calamity and miserye of mannes life that here happeneth vnto vs Or be vve in erroure that speake such things and compt them to be in rest Or doth he erre that maketh the vnquiet vvay of the liuing so carefull and full of combrance I praye thee vvhat great benefite is it then that our lord God promised the vertuous king Iosias namely that he should die because he shuld not see the great misery vvhich god threatned vnto all the land and people of Israell The vvoordes of the Lorde vnto Iosias are these Thus saithe the Lord God of Israell seeing that by reason of my vvordes vvhich thou haste heard thy heart hath melted and thou hast humbled thy selfe before the lord vvhan thou hardest vvhat I had threatned vnto this place and to the inhabiters thereof namely hovve they shal be destroyed destitute and accursed and thou there vpon hast rent thy garment and vvept before my sight Beholde I haue heard thee saythe the Lorde God of hostes The plage shall not touche thee Beholde I vvil gather thee vnto thy fathers into thy graue shalt thou be laid in peace and thine eyes shall not so all the plages that I vvill bring vpon thys land and vpon those that dvvel therein Lo this king stāding in avve at the threatning of God did vvepe and rent his clothes and thorovve death that came afore hand vvas he in safety from all misery to come For he muste afore departe in peace and take rest leaste he shoulde see that greate calamitye Therfore the soules of those that are departed muste needes be in suche a place vvhere they see not all that is done and happeneth in the life of men All this haue we taken and wrytten out of the .13 Chapter of Augustines booke de cura pro mortuis agenda If the soules nowe in euerlasting saluation haue a perfecte rest yea suche a rest as their body which they haue put of hath not yet receiued againe and seeing that they are yet aliue whō they specially loued while they were with them in body howe much more perfect ioy shal they then first haue and possesse whā theyr bodies shall come againe and whan they shal see that all their brethren whome they in this life had loued so intirely afore are together in honor and glory whan now the time of frailty hath ceased and whan in the eternall time there can nowe no cause of heauinesse and grefe be thoughte vpon nor founde anye more at all Therefore the glory and ioy which the mercy of god shall after the laste iudgemente geue vnto menne that are made whole againe of body and soule shal be wythout sorow and in all poyntes perfect And like as the vngodly and vnbeleuers shal be gathered together with the deuill and all his companions so shall also the rightuous electe haue the ioyfull fruition of the company and felowship of their head Iesus Christe and of hys members that is of all faithfull beleuers CHAP. 33. The faithfull shall knovv one an other in heauen THen also shall the blessed knowe one another again hauing ioy together and reioysing in the obtained health For if there shuld be no knowledge to what ende then should the bodies rise againe Or what frute and profit should the resurrection haue Or how might the sentence of Daniel the Prophet be verified whan he saith they that haue instructed taughte other vnto godlinesse shall shine and be as light as the starres in the firmament Whan the Lord was risen again from death and hath taken vpon him his glorified body the Apostles knew him yea so perfectly and thorowly well knewe they him that as S. Iohn witnesseth none durst say who art thou For they all knew that it was the lord I passe ouer that the Lorde spake in the gospell saying whan the sonne of man shall sit vpon the seat of his maiestie then shall ye also sit vpon 12. seats iudge the .12 tribes of Israel For if they that rise againe shall not know one another how shall then the Apostles iudge geue sentence vppon those to whome they preached heere in theyr life time Note that the Apostles shall iudge in the roume and place of their lord to whom only is geuē all power to iudge but this vnderstanding it hathe that the apostles do then iudge whan they are there at the Iudiciall court as witnesses of the rightuous iudgement of God wyth the which he condemneth the vnbeleuers For where as the vnbeleuers woulde not geue credence to the Apostles that is to saye theyr preachers but cried oute vpon thē as vpon vngodly heretikes whan they nowe shall see those present with the iudge of all men they shall immediatly be ouercome by the Apostles and haue witnes in themselues that they shal be and are iustly cōdemned And for this matter read the .4 and .5 Chapter of the Booke of Wisedome which serueth very well to this purpose And seeing it is manifest that in the life to come euē the wicked shal know the good howe much more then shal one good person know another and one faithfull another In the Transfiguration of the Lord vpon the mount appeared Moses and Helias and were knowen of the three disciples of the Lorde yea they knewe the Lord himselfe thoughe he was nowe transfigured Herevnto serueth it also that Paule saith ye are come to the city of the liuing God the celestial Ierusalem and to an innumerable multitude of Angels and to the congregation of the firste borne sonnes whiche are wrytten in heauen and to the sprites of the perfecte rightuous c. Besides thys we haue for vs
are we of all people the most wretched And with many wordes to the Hebrues treateth he of the euerlasting rest But in the .11 chapter he speaketh of the hope of the faithfull They desire a better countrey that is to say an heauenly Item Hebrues .13 we haue heere no remaining citye but we seeke one for to come For holy scripture calleth eternal life the kingdom of God the kingdome of the father the natiue countrye of heauen the ioy of the Lord the blessed rest and euerlasting life S. Peter speaketh very euidently and plaine praised be God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his aboundant mercy hath begotten vs againe vnto a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christe from deathe to an inheritance immortall and vndefiled that perisheth not reserued in heaueÌ„ for you which are kepte by the power of God thorow faith vnto saluation c. CHAP. 30. VVhere the place of the faithfull is YEt are there sâ—me that aske where the region or place of the blessed and faithful beleuers is Of this haue all rightuous godly men had euer one opinioÌ„ namely that the dwelling of the liuing shall be with God according to that whiche the Lorde sayth in the gospell blessed are they which be of a pure hart for they shall see god And though God be euery where yet will he not be sene in this time but principally in the time to come and in heauen according as Moses hath wrytten no maÌ„ shal be able to see God liue Therefore is it necessary for vs to depart oute of this time and to be broughte elsewhere namely to the place that is aboue vs where God dwelleth in a lighte that no man can atteine vnto as Paul saith For there wil he be perfectly sene of his In S. Luke it is red that Abrahams lappe or bosome is aboue in the heigth but the harborow or dwelling of the damned beneth in the depth It is found also that Helias was in a firie charet taken heÌ„ce and caried vpwards into heaueÌ„ And in Iohn doth oure Lorde Iesus Christe pray saying father those whom thou hast geuen me I will that where I am they also be there with me that they mai see mine honor and glory But in this that I haue treated of afore it is manifestly declared that the heaueÌ„ is the same rowme and place of Iesus Christ into the which he is bodely taken vp in his glory Wherof then it foloweth of necessity that the heauen into the which Christ ascended wyth his true body is eueÌ„ the same place and rest that faithfull beleuers are taken vp into And into the same heauen desired Steuen to be receiued whaÌ„ he lifte vp his eyes into heauen and saw at the right hand of the father Iesus standing to whom he committed his soul and said O Lord Iesu receiue my spirit CHAP. 31. Hovve the saluation shall be BVt what the same life and of what sorte fashion and maner the saluation of the faithfull shal be or what the elect doe or occupy in heauen can of mortal men not perfectly be spoken For s Augustine also in his .22 boke de ciuitate Dei. cap. 29. saith If I vvill say the truth I can not tell after vvhat manner the operation rest and quietnesse of the blessed in heauen shall be For the peace of God excelleth and passeth all mannes vnderstanding And likewise speaketh also s. Paule out of the Prophet concerning the quality fashion and manner of eternall life the eye hath not sene and the eare hath not heard neither haue entered into the hart of man the things which God hathe prepared for them that loue him Wherefore touching the excellency of eternall life though all were spoken that the tongs of men wer able yet should it be hard for them to attain and by words to expresse the leaste and smallest portion thereof For albeit we heare that the kingdom of Christ be filled with glory ioy and saluation yet the things that are named coÌ„tinue still farre from oure vnderstanding yea they remaine wrapte as it were in a dark speche and in a miste vntill the daye come wherein he will open and geue vnto vs his glorye Therefore whan the holy Prophets coulde with no wordes expresse the spirituall saluation as it is in it selfe yet as much as was possible they described set it forthe by outward and bodely things Therefore we maye also I suppose by outward and corporall things gette vp as it were by steppes to things inuisible and purchase vnto our selues an vnderstanding of spirituall euerlasting goud things For S. Paule to the Romanes speaking of the knowledge of the true onely and eternall God saythe the Gods inuisible things namely his eternall power and god-heade are vnderstande if hys workes be pondred and considered And oute of that good things that here vpon earthe are geuen vnto men hathe the Poet Marcellus very goodly and wel concluded and compted that the good things which for the blessed are prepared in the life to come shal be suche as now can not be considered and expressed And thus he saythe O Heauen that art the throne most hie A beautifull crovvn faire vvorthy Hovve vvonderfull pure and excellent Art thou beset in firmament VVith starres vvith sun and mone doutles Replete vvith ioy and much gladnes VVhich God for vs hath prepared And cattell to geue hath not spared VVaters and vvoode vvith many a hill vineyardes medovves faire fields to till Pleasant on earth and commodious Thy dvvelling O Lord hovve precious Is it All full of honor and glory For thy celestiall host vvith thee Moreouer holy scripture speaketh very simply and plainely that eternall life consisteth here in that we shall see God and haue the fruition of him in whome is the fulnesse of al good and wythout whom nothing can be desired or found that is good beautifull or pleasant For eternall life or eternal saluation is nothing else but mannes euerlasting and alway continuing state which by meanes of the best things of all is fully perfect This state is geuen vs thorow the beholding or sighte thorowe the fruition and thorowe the coÌ„munion or felowship whych we shall haue wyth the blessed God in the world to come Hereof is it that S. Aug. saith Lib. 22. De ciuitate Dei cap. 29. If I be demaunded vvhat the blessed shal do in this spirituall body I shall not say that I novve see but that vvhich I beleue Therfore I say that euen in this bodye they shall see God. Thus also did holy Iob holde therof and sayd I shall see him to my selfe and mine owne eyes shall see him yea I and none other Euen of this occasioÌ„ spake S. Augustine in the last chapter of this .22 boke that the corporall eyes of the body raised vp shall execute their office that is they shall see What he farther treated
of the beholding of god it is penned at large in the .112 Epistle which he wrote ad Paulinam Our Lord Iesus saith also in the holy gospell this is the eternall life that they know thee to be the only true God whōe thou haste sent Iesus Christe This knowledge is not only beleefe and the knowledge of vnderstanding but also the present beholding and fruition of God and the fellowship wyth God which after this life shall happē vnto all faithfull beleuers For Paule said we see now thorow a glasse in a darke speaking but then face to face For faithe is a stedfast substance of things that we hope for and as a beholding or sight of God albeit somwhat more darke and not so euident cleare as shall be that whych as a reward of faith shall be geuen to the faithfull in the worlde to come To see face to face is nothing else but to vse enioy haue the fruition of all things presently also to behold the promisse and perfectly to be pertaker therof Therefore sayeth the holy Apostle Iohn yet more euidently dearly beloued we are now the children of god and yet it dothe not appeare what we shall be but we know that whan he shall appeare we shall be like him for we shal see him as he is With the which wordes s Iohn will declare three things namely that euen nowe in this verye present time we are Gods children and therefore also heyres And though this be a great fore deale and an excellent iewel yet the great and vnspeakeable glory that in time to come shall be declared vnto vs hathe not yet appeared For we saith he shall be like him namely oure Lorde Iesu Christe who according to the saying of Paule shall alter and chaunge our frail body that he maye make it like vnto hys owne glorified body Besides this euen as he is shall we see him namely Christ the Lord not onely as man but also as very god Therfore shal we see god as he is namely god as the onely cheefe and highest good in whom we haue al good things For Paule sayth whan all things are subdued vnto the sonne then shal the sonne also be subiect vnto him who vnto him hath subdued all things that God may be all in all And therefore sayde he also in the gospel that they know thee to be the onely true god Not that Christ is not very god but that the mysterie and the intreating of the sonne oure mediator reconciler shal after the iudgemēt be no more so in heauen as it hath ben afore vpon earth But the only God in the holy Trinity shall be of all good the full perfecte sufficiencie to all faithfull For all that we can wishe thinke and desire shall only god geue and be in all things And that is also the meaning and vnderstanding of Paule whan he sayth God shal be all in all And heerevnto serueth nowe the goodly sentence of S. Augustine who sayth thus God shall be the end of al our longing and desire him shal we perpetually see him shall we loue wythoute tediousnesse and grefe and hym shal we praise wythout ceasing For tediousnesse and grefe runneth customably with saturation or fulnesse As for vs we shal with the beholding of God be filled to the bodelye satisfying which filling shal be as little tedious or greuous as we are greued at the waters and riuers that stil run into the sea and yet oute of the groūd of the earthe spring forth againe For the same cōmeth to passe withoute all mens tediousnesse yea rather wyth great ioye and commodity seing they water moisture all things and make thē fruteful And herevnto serue now these testimonies of the scripture the Prophet Dauid sayth in thy presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at thy righthand there is pleasure for euermore that is in the beholding of thee is and consisteth all ioy and in heauen shall euerlasting pleasure be Item in thy rightuousnesse shal I behold thy face and whan I awake I shall with thy likenesse be satisfied Vnto the Lord also sayth the holy Apostle Phil lip Lorde shewe vs the father and it suffiseth vs. Therfore the Poete Marcellus spake very Christianly and well in these his verses HEreof hath God his name truely Because the highest good is he For vvhere he is there is present Much honor and glory excellent And therfore euery pleasant thing That vvater and earth dothe heere forthe bring And vvhat in the aire is beautifull That may delite and be frutefull There is in all that number not one VVhich is not seene at all season VVithin the circle of heauen ivvis VVhere the highest fathers dvvelling is The blessed also and elect shal in the heauenly and eternal coūtry with continuall praise incessantly laude and magnifye the name of God. For whan s. Iohn in his reuelation thought to signify shew this he sayd I hard the voice of many angels which wer about the throne and about the beasts and the elders And I heard many thousands that sang a newe song saying worthy is the lambe that was killed to receiue power and richesse wisedome and strength honor glory and blessing c. Moreouer the same eternall life shal be altogether fre and discharged from all heauinesse sicknesse and temptatiōs wheras temporall ioy rest and welfare of men is mixt with sorowe As also the holye Apostle Iohn dothe witnesse I Iohn sayth he sawe that holye Citie new Hierusalem cōming down from God out of heauen prepared as a bride garnished for her husbande And I harde a great voyce out of heauen saying beholde the tabernacle of God is with men and he wil dwel with them and they shall be his people and God him selfe shal be with them and shal be their god And God shall wipe away all teares from theyr eyes And there shal be no more death nether sorow nether crying nether shal there be any more paine for the olde things are gone And he that sate vpon the seate sayd Beholde I make all things newe And he sayde vnto me wryte for these wordes are faithfull true And herevnto in manner serueth all that followeth after in the .21 chapter to the ende of the boke CHAP. 32. The soules departed vvotte not vvhat they do that are aliue thereby any thing to be disquieted THerfore did holy Augustin also teach that the soules of those that are departed wotte not what they doe which are aliue Yet wil I resite his words Thus sayth Augustine If the soules of those that are departed vvere among the doings of suche as are aliue they shoulde vvhan vve see them in sleepe talke vvith vs and then I vvill not speake of others at the least my good and faithfull mother that by vvater and lande folovved me so farre to be vvith me should novve not forsake me For God forbid that he shoulde haue made that blessed life