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
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
Moreouer wher the scripture declareth the place of damnation to be after what sort damnation shall torment the vnbeleuers Finally I wil declare whether the punishment of the vngodly be euerlasting or whether it shall cease at lengthe Holy scripture dothe oft and many times make mention of the deathe of the soule which yet cōcerneth not the substance but the state thereof For holy Augustine in his boke de fide symbolo speaketh therof very wel and Christianly Like as the soule sayth he by reason of vices and vvicked maners is fraile so may it also be called mortall For the deathe of the soule is to fall from God and not to keepe it selfe vnto God vvhich is also the first sinne committed in paradise as it is cōteined in holy scripture Moreouer the soule dieth vvhan it is verely spoiled of eternall life and caste into euerlasting sorovve trouble and miserye And therfore saythe Augustine farther The soule also hathe her deathe Namely vvhan it lacketh and is destitute of the eternall and godly life vvhich truly and iustly is called the life of the soule But vndeadly or immortall is it called because it neuer ceaseth to liue hovve miserable so euer the life of it be What bodely death is euery man knoweth well but eternall death whan a man dieth the second time is this when the flesh riseth again and so is placed in euerlasting torment For after the laste sentence or iudgement of God the whole man and not the halfe shall be either saued or damned The eternall death also hath S. Iohn in his Reuelation called the second death This is appoynted because of sinne and is not a resting or ceassing but a cōtinuall paine This death is called also damnation that is a iudgement bicause the vngodly is adiudged vnto paine and for that there is appoynted him a tormēt sorow and trouble that neuer ceaseth and that as touching the greatnesse therof can neuer be expressed with tonge CHAP. 25. That ther is an eternal death and damnation and that the soule is passible NOw that there is an eternal damnation the truthe and righteousnesse of God testifieth For howe coulde God be rightuous if he had no punishment wherwith to torment and plage the vicious and wicked Therfore out of dout an eternal deathe and damnation there is though the vngodly do mocke laughe it to scorne and passe not vpon it The godly sacred Bible which is an assured witnesse of the truthe sayeth euidently death is the stipend or rewarde of sinne And by one man came sinne into the worlde and by sin death Item thorow the sinne of one man is the euil fallen by inheritance come vpon all men vnto damnation For in that boke of Genesis God sayth In what day so euer thou eatest of thys tree thou shalt die the deathe Now did he eate therof therfore he also died and was euen condemned appoynted and adiudged vnto eternall death The Lord sayth also in the gospel if ye beleue not that it is I ye shal die in your sinnes Item he that beleeueth not is condemned alredy Such like testimonies are found in holy scriprure innumerable out of the which we finally conclude that death damnation is enioyned appoynted and adiudged of God vnto all vnbeleuers and vngodly But forasmuche as there be some whiche thinke that seing the soule is a sprite it cā not neither may suffer yea that it is not subdued to any passion at all Therfore against such curious teachers I wil set now the soule of the gorgious riche man in the gospell which expresly plainly sayeth O sende Lazarus that he maye dipe the tip of his finger in water and cole my tunge for I am tormented in this flame lo the rich mannes soule is tormented in the fire Hereout now it foloweth that the soules are passible and subiect to suffer And thoughe this be shewed vnto vs of the Lorde as a parable yet is it done for this intēt euen to describe and declare vnto vs the state and case of the soules that are seperated from the bodies And how pain and punishment is appoynted vnto the soules it is foūd expressed not only in the similitudes but also in the holye gospell of Mathewe the truthe it selfe saythe feare ye hym rather which may destroy soule body into hell What the mouth of god speaketh must nedes be true Yea a shamefull strange thing were it for any man from henceforth to doubte in this that with so euident testimonies is witnessed We ought rather to beware that wyth oure vicious life we deserue not to learne and fele by experience the righteous iudgement of God concerning the which we nowe doubte and demaunde so folishlye as thoughe there shal be nothing of it Now what I haue spoken of the soules that are already departed from the body must be vnderstand also of the bodies whych come againe to the soules in the resurrection CHAP. 26. The bodies of the vnbeleuers being raised are passible FOr that the bodyes whych come againe to the soules are raised vp are passible it mai well be vnderstād and perceiued by that which is treated of alredy S. Augustine Lib. 21. de ciuitate Dei. Cap. 4. sheweth by many naturall examples and euidences that liuing bodies may wel remaine continue in the fire But touching the place of the punishment or where the soules with their bodies shal be tormented the scripture saithe simply plainly that the vnbeleuers goe downe into hell Hereof is it easy to perceiue that hell is vnder vs in the earth notwithstāding to go about to describe to shewe and to compasse precisely the place and the rowme where it lieth and to poynt it out becommeth not vs verelye but is a folishe presumption The testimonies of the scripture are simple plaine For the Prophet Dauid saythe let death fall sodenly vpon them let them go downe quicke into hell for wickednesse is in their houses and priuye chambers Item with all theyr substance went they down quick into hell and the earthe couered them and they perished frō oute of the congregation Heerevnto serueth also righte well the destruction of Sodome and that whiche the Prophet Ezechiell declareth namely that all cruel people are gone downe and descēded into hel as the Elamites which are the Persians Edomites and others And therfore concludeth he farther that euen Pharao the king of Egipte seing that he also is a tyrant must be thrust downe into hell and be gathered vnto other vncircumcised that is to say vnbeleuers Item in Luke is the hell placed beneath downewards For thus is it wrytten in the Euangelist betweene vs and you there is a greate space sette so that they which woulde goe downe from hence to you can not The holy Apostle Peter speaking of the angels that fel saith euidently that they are caste downe into hel kept and bounde
gon againe from Hierusalem they came to the Disciples minding to shew them and to geue them to vnderstād what they had sene and hard Then preuented they them and said the Lord is truly risen in deede and hath apeared vnto Simon Nowe while they were talking of suche things among them selues Iesus stode in the middes of them and said peace be vnto you But whan they sawe him they were sore afraid thinking that they had sene a spirit or some other vision Thē said the lord vnto them why are ye troubled And why doe thoughtes arise in your hartes Behold my hands and my fete CHAP. 4. The body of Christ rose again not a spirite but a true body NOwe that no man should thinke it to be another body which he had not afore his resurrection he addeth thereto immediatly It is euē I my self Handle me see a spirite hath not fleshe bones as ye see me haue And wyth that shewed he them his hands and his fete With this euident testimony of the Lord 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 there when the 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 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 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 the Romaines doth out of the resurrection of the Lord proue the god-head thus which was borne of the seede of Dauid after the 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 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 that 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 the sea of Tiberias The Euāgelist addeth likewise thervnto that it was not expedient for any of the Disciples to aske him who hee was for they knewe that it was the lord In the .28 chapter of Mathewe the eleuen Apostles saw the Lorde and worshipped hī as it is declared afore Some think that the same was the excellent appearing that Paul speaketh of saying Afterward was he sene of moe then fiue hundred brethren at once of whom many are aliue this day but some are a slepe or dead And in the same place dothe the Apostle make mention yet of two moe appearings saying after this was he sene of Iames then to al the Apostles And laste of all he was seene of me as of one that was borne out of due time Luke the Euangelist in the beginning of the Actes of the Apostles hath in maner collected all the probations together The Lorde sayeth he shewed himselfe aliue vnto his apostles after his Passyon and that by manye tokens appearing vnto them forty dayes and speaking of the kingdom of god S. Peter also instructing Cornelius in the Faithe of Christ said we are witnesses of all thyngs which he did in the lande of the Iewes and at Hierusalem whō they slue hanged on tree Him God raised vp the third day and shewed him opēly not to all the people but vnto vs witnesses chosen before of god for that intent which did eat and drinke with him after he rose frō death With these plain probations testimonies as I suppose it it is euidētly declared and sufficiently shewed that our Lord Iesus Christ with his owne very true body which hāged on the cros did vereli rise from the dead As touching the glorificatiō I shal speake therof when I come to the resurrection of the bodies and there will I shew more that the glorification dothe nothing minishe the veritye or truthe of the body read the sixt chapter CHAP. 5. The frute of the Resurrection of Christe NOw I wil declare the occasion whye I haue with suche diligence and so earnestly preased vnto this that Iesus christ with his true body did truly rise againe That is how profitable necessary it is so to beleue and what frute the true resurrection of Christ doth bring engender vnto vs And albeit that hereof as of a plentiful treasure muche might be spoken yet wil I comprehend it all in a short summe Thoughe we be cōplete made perfecte thorowe the deathe of Christ while the iust iudgemēt of god is satisfied the curse takē away the penalty recompenced and paid Yet saith Peter we are borne again thorow the resurrectiō of Iesus Christ vnto a liuīg hope For like a christ with his resurrection ouercame death so standeth also the triumph victory of our faith in the resurrection of Christ Therfore thorowe his death is sinne taken away by his resurrectiō is rightuousnesse brought againe For how could he with his death haue deliuered vs frō death if he himself had of death ben ouercome Or how could he haue obteined the victory for vs if he had bene destroyed in the battell himself Therfore thorow death is death discomfited and with the resurrection is life to vs restored Hereof commeth it that Paul sayth if Christ be not risen then is your faith in vaine and ye ar◠yet still in youre sinnes and so they that be a sleepe in Christe are lost And to the Romaines Christ sayth he was deliuered vp for our sinnes rose again◠for our iustification Heerevnto serueth it also that h◠wryteth in the. 10. Chapter I◠thou confesse the lorde Iesus with thy mouth and beleeue
the things which God hathe prepared for theÌ„ that loue him these wordes I say muste not be referred to the place of those that are saued For they are wrytten of the vnoutspeakable greatnesse of the ioye as the whole text of the wordes sufficiently doth declare Brefely forasmuch as it is opâ— and manifest vnto vs that the Lord Iesus Christ after his nature that he toke vpon him is a very true man in glory It foloweth that the true humain body of Christ hath his owne place whereof I hauâ— hetherto spoken so much not with out cause namely to the inteÌ„t alâ— godly persones may know thaâ— this is a place certain prepareâ— for them in heauen and that theâ— may constantly beleue that in heauen they haue a brother namelâ— the Lord Iesus Christ Touching the frute of the Ascension of oâ— lord I shall more largely speak of it afterward CHAP. 11. An other signification of sitting at the right hand of God by vvhich maner of sitting Christe is euery vvhere sitting there in such sorte after his Godheade THus come I againe to the former part what the righte hand of God signifieth is called It is taken in the scripture for strength protection power and for the incompreheÌ„sible honor or glory And therefore it is wrytten thy right hand Lorde is become glorious in power thy right hand hath al to dashed the enemy Item in the Psalme Thou hast geueÌ„ me the defence of thy saluation thy right hand also shal hold me vp Moreouer The right hand of the lord hath the preheminence the right haÌ„d of the Lorde bringeth mightye things to passe After this signification of the right hande soundeth the name to sit to rule to gouerne to defend to behaue hiselfe as a prince or Regent diligently in his office faithfully to execute the same For in the thirde boke of the kings saithe Dauid Salomon shall sit vpon my seat shall reigne after me And so in the Psalme he saithe the Lord said vnto my Lord siâ— thou at mi right haÌ„d til I make thine enemies thy foote stoole And Paule saith Christe muste raigne till he hath put all his enemies vnder his fete Item in the Prophet Zachary behold the man whose name is the braunch and he that shal spring vp after him shall build vp the temple of the Lord yea euen he shall build vp the temple of the lord he shal beare the praise he shal sit vpon the Lords throne haue the domination A priest shal he be also vpon his throne This kinde of speche is taken of the vse and custome of Kings and Princes which haue their Deputies to whom they frely geue all auctority to rule and gouern Euen so is Christ in whoÌ„ the father will be honored thorow his authoritye power is it his pleasure to rule He is takeÌ„ vp to the right hand of the father that is to saiâ— to haue the dominion or gouernance in heauen in earth anâ— this commission is geuen hyâ— faithfully to execute to be lorâ— and gouernor of all things Thus the right hande of Goâ— is infinite neither mai it be shâ— in for Gods mighte powerâ— incomprehensible the kingdoâ— of Christ also whych is euerlâ—sting is a kingdoÌ„ of al worlde so is he of one substaÌ„ce of oâ— power honor with the fatheâ— not bounde to one place but euery where who in all thing ruleth and worketh seing he not only a very true man but â— so the very true God after â— maÌ„hode finite but after his godhead infinite and incomprehensible and that in one vndeuided person he conteineth very true God and man King and Lorde of al things For S. Peter saith Christe is at the right hande of God gone vp into heauen aungels mighte and power being subdued vnto him Item Paule to the EphesiaÌ„s God the father raised vp Christ from the dead and hath set him on hys right hande in heauenly things aboue all rule power might and domination aboue al names that are named not in this worlde only but also in the world to come And hath put all things vnder his feete and hath made him aboue all things the head of the congregation which is his body the fulnes of hiâ— that filleth al in al things Thâ—â— much concerning the right haÌ„â— of god and concerning heauen that is the place certain or dweling of the blessed in the which also our lord Iesus with his body hath his mansion and seat CHAP. 12. The frute and commoditye the corporall ascension of Christ bothâ— that he doth novv for vs and in that wâ— learne by it AFter this from heÌ„ce fortâ— will I speake of the fruiâ— and profit of the corporal ascension of our Lord Iesus Christ of his seat and place at the righâ— haÌ„d of his father Afore al thiÌ„gs we must knowe that our Lorde ascended vp with his very true body that he as mediator betwene God man being very God maÌ„ himself high priest in his owne teÌ„ple might be before his heauenly father make intercession for vs wholy take vpon himself our necessities grefes For Paul saith to the Hebrues Christ is not entred into the holy places that are made with hands whych are similitudes of true things but is entred into the very heauen to appear now in the sight of God for vs Herevnto al so pertein other sentences or testimonies of Iohn in his first epistle Item of Paul to the Romaines wherin he saith According to the same did our Lorde ascend vp bodely that he with hys flesh taken vp into heaueÌ„ might stay direct vpon the holy goâ— all worshipping and Gods seruice of those that are his For â— corporal worshipping dothe frâ— hence forth please him but such as is done to his spiritual body He saith in the gospell of Iohn the pore haue you alwaye wyâ— you and whan you wil you mâ—â— do theÌ„ good but me haue ye nâ— alway Hereunto also serueth saying of Paule althoughe wâ— haue known Christ after the flesh yet know we him so no more Moreouer the Lord with his resurrectioÌ„ hath taught vs that we also shuld lift vp our mindes into heauen seking no saluation at all vpon earth seing that heauen is our right natiue country Therefore oughte we to vse the world as though we vsed it not and to directe all oure care and thoughte vnto heauenly things For Paule sayth to the Colossians set your affectioÌ„ on things which are aboue not on thiÌ„gs which are on earth For ye are deade and your life is hid wyth Christ in god Item to the Philippians our dwelling is in heauen from whence we loke for the sauior eueÌ„ Iesus christ our lord Christ also with his ascension into heauen thought to declare vnto vs his power and mighte wherin consisteth our strength our power richesse triumphe against sinne death world deuil and
hell For he ascending vp on high led captiuity captiue and whaâ— he had spoiled the ennemies hâ— gaue gifts vnto his people anâ— endueth them yet daily with spiritual riches Therefore sitteth hâ— now on highe to the intent thaâ— with his owne strengthe whicâ— he daily bestoweth vpon vs hâ— may regenerate vs into a spirâ—tual life quicken vs with his holy sprite garnishing his church that is to say the faithfull wyth manifold gifts of thanks defending them against all euill suppressing the terror of hys ennemies but preseruing and sauing vs as those that truely do honor and worship him For he as hauing the victorious triumph is the king sauioure and heade of all faithfull beleuers Finally also with his resurrection he hathe prepared vs a place made the way opened it into heauen Thus in heauen hath he placed the true maÌ„ that we mighte haue an assured true testimoni that our flesh also shal rise againe and that the whole perfect man with body and soule shal be caried into heauen For meÌ„bers shal be like vnto the heat Therfore as the cloud toke vp the very true body of the Lord yeâ— euen the whole perfecte manne Christ so shal all godly persons be taken vp into the air to mete the Lorde that they may liue with Christ their Lorde head for euermore For Paul saith the dead in Christ shall arise first Theâ— we which liue remain shalbâ— caught vp with them also in thâ— cloudes to meete the Lorde iâ— the ayre and so shall we euer bâ— with the Lord. Item to the Hebrues by thâ— meanes of the bloud of Iesu wâ— haue free entrance into the holâ— place by the new liuing way which he hathe prepared for vs thorowe the vaile that is to say by his flesh Vnto this meaning agreeth very wel the godly and excellent sentence of the old ancient wryter Tertullian who in the booke of the resurrection of the flesh saith thus Christ which is called the arbiter and mediator betwene God and men hath of the same that is set and committed vnto him of both reserued al so vnto himself the adding to of the fleshe for an earnest peny of the whole summe For like as he hath left vs the pledge of the sprite euen so contrariwise hath he receiued of vs the earnest peny of the flesh and caried it vp with him into heauen a true euidence or pledge that he will bring thether also the whole summe bodye soule c. For this great and highe benefite declared vnto vs by hys diuine mercy without oure deseruing be laude and praise honor and thankes vnto oure King our victorious Triumpher head and Redemer euen our Lord Iesu Christ from hence forth now and for euermore Amen ¶ The second part ENTREATING OF our bodies CHAP. 13. Of the true Resurrection of oure Fleshe NOwe commeth it to the poynt that we must also speake of the true raising vp of our bodies or resurrection of this our flesh for the same foloweth out of the resurrection and ascension of oure Lorde Iesus Christ This worde to rise vp as Tertullian De Resurrectione carnis declareth extendeth to nothing more theÌ„ vnto that which was falne For nothing caÌ„ arise saue onely it that fell For when a thing was falne and standeth vp againe we say it is risen for asmuch as this terme to rise vp hath a relacion S. Paule vseth the word Anistemi which signifieth to erecte to rise vp to set vp againe and to stand Egeromai ex hypnou I rise vp and awake froÌ„ slepe The Hebrues vse the worde kum which signifieth not onli to rise vp but also to endure to continue and to remaine vpright For in the booke of Iosua we read the childreÌ„ of Israel coulde not stande before their enemies that is they might not endure continue before them Furthermore in the boke of Genesis euery thing was destroyed that remained that is whatsoeuer there was and stode vprighte or erected it selfe vpon the face of the earthe Heereof it commeth that to stande vp and to rayse vp is called the immortality or the euerlasting and perpetuall continuance of the soule As whan the Lord saith in the gospel of Iohn I will raise him vp at the last daye For if by the last day the houre of euery mans death be vnderstand then dothe the Lord raise vp that is he preserueth the soule in the state that it dieth not neither perisheth in death nowe if by the last day be vnderstand domes day then raiseth he vp the body from the earth at the laste daye in the generall iudgement Therfore the words to stand vp raise vp signify eyther the conseruation of a thing which is that it be not destroyed and pearishe or else the restoring of a thing that was fallen to hys right case and estate againe CHAP. 14. Our flesh or body it self shal rise againe though it be hard to beleue and vvhat the flesh or body is NOwe will we speake also of these termes fleshe body or corps We beleeue the resurrection of the body or flesh The scripture commoÌ„ly calleth it the resurrection of the dead to declare euidentli that the resurrection must not be referred to the soule nor to the spirite but directly vnto the body and to the fleshe Cyprianus or Ruffinus sayth that the church towardes the West did expresse knowledge the article in the holy Apostolical Crede after this maner I beleue the resurrection of the flesh And so they added ther vnto manifestly this term the to the intent that no man should vnderstand any other flesh saue only the same natural and essenciall flesh which we cary about So saithe Augustine also in the boke of the Articles of the Crede that same visible which properly is called fleshe shall without all dout assuredly rise vp againe Me thinketh that Paule the Apostle minded to poynte vnto the fleshe as with a finger and therefore sayde this corruptible must put on incorruption With the terme this poynteth he as with a finger vnto our fleshe Holy Hierome forceth and coÌ„pelleth Iohn the bishop of Hierusalem to confesse and knowledge the resurrection not onely of the body but also of the flesh and sayeth the flesh and the body are two things Euery flesh is a body but euery body is not fleshe namely a wal is a body but flesh it is not For fleshe is properly called a substaunce of blonde synowes bones and vaines set together As for a body though the name thereof also be vsed for flesh and most part for a substance that may be sene or handled yet it betokeneth sometime a subtile state that can neither be handled nor sene As namely the aire But at all times it hath bene a hard thing for man to beleue that the bodies which are buried resolued to corruption shuld wholely without imperfection or blemishe be brought againe and restored Therfore
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
the vniforme and vniuersal opinion of all faithful which also witnesseth that in the life to come the blessed shall knowe one another For whan we talke of deathe and of the state and case of the life to come we say though we nowe must departe a sonder yet shall we see one another againe in the eternall country Socrates also the righte famous and most excellent among all the wise men of the heathen marked such a like thing sawe it as in a dreame whan as Cicero witnesseth of him he was vnto death condemned of the iudges or counsel and nowe should drinke the poyson For he sayd O howe muche better and more blessed is it to goe vnto them that well and vprightlye liued here in time then to remaine here in this life vpon earthe O howe deare and worthy a thing is it that I may talke wyth Orpheus Museus Homerus Hesiodus with those excellent mē Verely I woulde not onely die once but manye sondry times also if it were possible to obtain the same c. After this sort like as in a dreame did the good Philosopher imagine in himself ioyes vaine and of none effecte But we promes vnto our selues true assured ioy in that we hope and knowe that in the eternall and euer during countrye after the oesurrection of the dead we shall see Adam our firste father Noe the dearly beloued frende of God Abraham to whom god made speciall greate promises Moses the most gentle hearted man and one that had greatest experience of all the mysteries of god Samuel the frendly and louing prophet Dauid the king and Prophet who was Gods elect according to his owne wil and desire Iosias the most godly and best among all the kings of Iuda likewise Iohn the Baptiste holyer then whome there was none borne of woman and with all these the holy Virgine Mary the mother of God and highly replenished wyth grace among all wemen Item Peter Iohn Iames chefest of the Apostles with the other disciples of Christ Paul the famous teacher of the Heathen and all the holy congregatiō of the Patriarks Prophets Apostles Martirs and faithfull beleuers As for our glorified and pure vnderstanding memory nowe endued wyth immortalitye the multitude and infinite number of the blessed in our said natiue country shall nether greeue nor entangle the same From the beginning of the creation there was in Adam a wonderfull and excellent efficacie of vnderstāding and remembraunce forasmuche as vnto all things and to euery one in especiall what so euer was wythin the whole compasse of the world created yea in paradise also he gaue theyr names and knew euery one A muche more excellent more pure and more cleare vnderstāding shall God geue to the raised vp and glorified bodies so that they shall not lacke nor be destitute of any thing at all And where as the blessed shal reioyce and haue ioye together one wyth another yet shall all their delight be in the only god who shall be all in all Of these euerlasting heauenly things more farther to wryte I haue not at this present How be it there shal be graciously geuen vs things far greater muche more glorious more ioyfull and more diuine then we can comprehend namely saluation as it is in it selfe in that daye whan we after the ouercōming and treading downe of deathe thorow our Lord Iesus Christ shall be caried vp and taken to heauen into eternal ioy and saluation Touching the whych I haue hetherto wryttē not according to the Maiesty and worthinesse thereof but after my small ability in most humble wise God the father of all mercye thorowe hys deare sonne oure Lord redemer Iesus Christe vouchsafe graciously to take vs pore sinners vp to his glorye after the ioyfull resurrection of oure body that we long for to geue shew vs the vnoutspeakable ioy which he hathe prepared for all faithfull beleuers that we euer liuing and hauing ioy in him maye prayse him for euer euer that is from eternity to eternity So be it With Christ euen in death is life FINIS Math. 12. 1. Cor. 15. Math. 28. Marke 16. Luke 24. Psalme 16. Actes 2.13 Mark. 16. Iohn 20. Math. 28. Luke 24. Luke 24. De agone Christiano cap. 24. Iohn 20. Rom. 1. Iohn 21. Math. 28. 1. Cor. 15. Actes 1. Actes 10. 1. Cor. 15. Rom. 4. Rom. 10. Philip. 3. Iohn 11. 1. Cor. 15. Rom. 6 Collos 3. Marke 16. Ruffinus Luke 24. Actes 1. Math. 26. Zach. 12. Iohn 19. Psal. 8.19 Psal. 146. Psal. 103. Math. 5. 3. Reg. 8. 2. Cor. 5. Actes 1. Phillip 3. 1. thess. 4. Collos 8. Fulgentius Vigilius Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. August de agone Christiano cap. 26. Ephe. 2. De fide symbolo cap. 7. Num 32. Mich. 4. Rufinus Actes 2.3 De fide symbolo cap. 6. Iohn 17. Iohn 12. Ephe. 4. Phillip 2. 1. Cor. 2. Ephe. 4 Phillip 2 Iohn 12. Phillip 3. Iohn 14. Iohn 14. The Seleucians error Phil. 2. The name of Christ is aboue all names Arriani Iohn 5. Iohn 17. Actes 2. 1. Cor. 2. Exod. 15. Psal. 18 Psal. 118. 3. Reg. 1. Psal. 110. 1. Cor. 15. Zach. 6 1. Peter 3. Heb. 9. 1. Iohn 1.2 Rom. 8. Iohn 12. Mark. 14. 1. Cor. 5. 1. Cor. 7. Colos 3. Phillip 3. Ephe. 4. 1. Thes 4. Heb. 10. Tertullian Iosua 7. Gene. 7 Iohn 6 1. Cor. 15. VVhat the bodye or corpes is called of the Latinistes It is harde to beleue the resurrection The true resurrection of the flesh proued Antagonistai Iob. Ruth 4. Num. 35. Gene. 3. Phillip 3. Esay 26. 1. Peter 4. To rest in the dust Eze. 37. Iohn 5. Iohn 11. Actes 4. Actes 23. Actes 28. 2. Cor. 4. Iohannes Demascenus de orthodoxa fide Cap. 28. Math. 24. Math. 25. Iohn 5. 1. Thes 4. 1. Cor. 15. Iob. 19. VVhat a glorified body is Phillip 3. Luke 24. Phillip 3. Contra Arria cap. 31. 2. Cor. 3. Daniel 12. Math. 13. Math. 17. 2. Cor. 5. Rom. 8. 1. Iohn 3. 1. Cor. 15. A naturall and spirituall body 1. Cor. 15. Animale spirituale corpus 1. Cor. 15. Math. 22. Augustinus de fide symbolo Cap. 6. Erroures touching the resurrection of the flesh Philosop 2. Timo. 2. Origen Definici Eccle. ca. 6 Hieron ad Pammachium The confutation of Origens error De ciuitate dei Lib. 13. ca. 22. 23. And the same is againe Retractat Li. 1. cap. 13 Our bodies at the resurrection shal not be feeble nor vveake Esay 66. Daniel 12. Iohn 5. Actes 24. De fide ad Petrum cap. 3. Iohn 5. The death of the soul De fide symbolo cap. 10. Apo. 2.20 Rom. 6. Rom. 7. Gene. 3. Iohn 8. Iohn 3. Luke 16. Psal. 55. Nume 16. Gene. 19. Ezech. 32. Luke 16. 1. Peter 2. Esay 30. Virgilius Eze 32. Mat. 22.24 Esay 30. Esay 66. Marke 9. Rom. 2 Math. 25.