bodye which nowe is deuided parted in his members and ioyntes remaineth that is he shall haue true flesh blud bones synewes ioynts members c. CHAP. 15. The maner hovve the bodies shall rise againe and the kinde that they shall be of BVt to the inteÌ„t that this â—ay yet be more plainly vnderstand I wil nowe tel howe oure bodies shall rise what nature and kinde they shall be of in the resurrection At the ende of the world shall the Lord come with great maiesty vnto iudgement and shall declare and shewe him selfe in and with a righte true essenciall body Hether also to shal he be brought shal stand in the clouds of heauen that al flesh may se him Yea al men that are vpon earth shal beholde him and know him by his glory In the mean season also shall he send his Archangel to blow the trompe Then shall all the dead heare and perceiue the voice and power of the sonne of god And so al men that died from the first Adam shal immediatly arise out of the earth And al they that liue vntil the last day shall in the twinkling of an eye be changed And thus all men euery one in hys owne flesh shal stand before the iudgement seâ—te of oure Lorde Iesus Christ and shall wait for the last sentence and iudgement of the Lord which sentence being geuen quicklye and withoute delay shall call one part into heauen and thrust out the other into hell This fashion and maner of the resurrection haue not I imagined of my selfe but written it al out of the Euangelists scriptures of the holy Apostles For thus we reade The powers of heauen shal moue in the last time and then shall appeare the signe of the sonne of man in heauen then shall all the kinreds of the earth mourn they shall see the sonne of maÌ„ come in the cloudes of heauen with power greate glory And he shall send his Angels with the great voyce of a troÌ„pet they shal gather together his chosen froÌ„ the foure winds from the one end of the world to the other c. Herevnto adde that he spake in Mathewe Iohn And Paul in the first to the Thessalonians saithe This say we vnto you in the word of the lord that we which liue are remaining in the comming of the lord shall not come before theÌ„ which slepe For the Lord himself shall descend from heauen with a shout the voice of the Archangell â— trompe of god And the dead iâ— Christ shal arise first Then shaâ— we that liue remaine be caught vp with them also in the clouds tâ— mete the lord in the ayre And sâ— shal we euer be with the Lorde Furthermore to the Corinthianâ— saith Paul behold I shew you mystery We shal not all sleepe but we shall all be changed anâ— that in a moment in the twinâ—ling of an eye at the time of thâ— last trompe For the trompe shaâ— blowe and the dead shall rise incorruptible and we shal be changed For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortality This is nowe the maner of the resurrection of oure bodies in what nature and kind they shall rise againe But in the resurrection they shall thorow the power of God be made immortall incorruptible For the Apostle saith expresly the dead shall rise againe After that he saithe this corruptible mortall must put on incorruption and immortality In the which words the terme this poynteth directly as wyth a finger to oure liuing and humaine body And so Iob saide euen I my selfe shall see him none other Wherfore our bodies after thei be risen againe from death shall remain euen in their own right state substance as afore Yea euen the very same men shal kepe still theyr nature kind as they did afore sauing that they which afore time wer subiect to frailti shall from thence forth be pure clean perfect immortal of a sincere and purified nature subiect and obedient vnto the spirite Such bodies raised froÌ„ death did the olde wryters call glorified purified or glorious bodies that according to the doctrine of the holy Apostles Albeit ther wer some which abused that word and therfore made the veritye of the bodies void of none effect beginning to dispute of glorified bodies as of the pure substaÌ„ce estate of a spirite Whereof we shall speake shortly if God will. CHAP. 16. That Paule spake rightly of a glorified body and vvhat a glorified body is and vvhat a naturall BVt nowe wil I declare that Paule did rightly wel vse this worde glorious or glorified body euen as it is truli in it self For to the PhilippiaÌ„s he sayth Our dwelling is in heauen froÌ„ whence we loke for the sauiour eueÌ„ Iesus Christ the lord which shall change our vile earthy body that it may be fashioned like vnto his own glorious body according to the working wherby he is able to subdue all things vnto himselfe In thys sentence thou haste that terme glorified body thou hast also of what nature and kinde the glorified body shal be namely whole and as the body of Christ that rose againe from death And thus shal it not be a body vtterly made voide or brought to nothiÌ„g or altogether turned into a sprite therefore hauing no roume place incoÌ„prehensible and inuisible but it shal be an vprighte very true humaine body as it is sufficiently declared afore where I spake of the true resurrectioÌ„ of the lord In the which place we vnderstande that whan the Lordes disciples thought they had sene a spirit whan they saw the Lorde he said vnto them a spirit hath not flesh bones as ye see me haue Handle me and see for it is euen I my selfe The Lord also after his resurrection set before them some fashion or euidence of hys glorification namely whan he was transfigured before them And at that time remained the right essenciall substance of the bodye but in forme and fashion it was altered in that it became glorious So staÌ„deth it plainly he was transfigured and not that he was made voyde or broughte to nothing or altered into another substance Thus saith Paule also he shall change our body c. Wherfore euen the righte true substance of the glorified bodye shall remaine still As for the change or alteration it shal be in the infirmities that happen vnto vs So that whan the body taketh vpon it the glorification and immortality they shal be wholly remoued and fall away Howbeit this shal be more euident and plain to vnderstand if it be thorow and with diligeÌ„ce considered and declared what this worde glory or glorification meaneth For transfiguration glory glorification is one thing So saith holy Augustin in his boke against the Arrians To bring to glory to make glorious and to glorify are .iij. vvordes yet is it but
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
then that it cā receiue or suffer suche vile vncleane lusts and tentations yea such a stained and defiled fleshe For afore the bodies of mē come in heauen they must be wholely perfectly altered that is clensed and purified from all filthinesse and frailty This did our sauioure teache also whan he answered to the question of the Saducees who denied the Resurrection of the dead Of the which I haue written much vpon the gospell of Mathew Holy Augustin saith also This doth sore hinder the Ethnikes and heretikes that vve beleeue that the earthye bodye is taken vp into Heauen for they thinke that into heauen there can come no earthy thing But they knovv not our scripture neither vnderstand hovve it is spoken of Paule it is sovven a naturall bodye and shall rise a spirituall bodye For this is not spoken to the intent as thoughe the bodye should become a sprite or be changed into a sprite For euē novv also our body vvhich is called naturall or soulishe and is naturall in deede is not changed into the soule and become the soule But therefore is the body called a spirituall body that it may so be prepared to dvvell in heauen VVhich thing commeth to passe vvhan al feblenesse and earthy blemish is changed into an heauenly purenesse and stedfastnesse All these are the vvords of Augustine CHAP. 18. The diuers errors that sprong about the article of the bodies resurrection HEtherto haue I told what the Scripture of the Prophets and Apostles doth hold testify concerning the resurrection of the dead and of our ood◠that is to sai our own true flesh◠namely that our true fleshe and body shall rise from deathe and be glorified in the resurrection and that the glorification dothe not therfore take away the verity of the bodi or make it nothing but dothe translate and bring it it into a more vprighte and better state so that neuerthelesse the true essencial substāce of the the body remaineth still Vpon this nowe to the commodity of the reader for a more euident declaration and vnderstanding of the aforesaid wordes I will shew what errors spring-vp cōcerning the resurrection of the dead that any good faithfull Christian may the better auoide the same That there haue ben many which denyed the resurrection of oure bodies and had it vtterly in derision all Stories declare In the which register the Philosophers for the most parte are reckened and estemed them Hymeneus and Philetus of whom Paul maketh mention In like maner are ther many recited of Ireneus Tertullian Eusebius Epiphanius Philastrius Augustine namely these the Simonians Valentinians Marcionites Cerdonians Carpocratians Caijnes Archontici Seuerians Hierarchits Seleucians Appellites and Manichees Among the Grekes also Latinistes there wer excellent mē that turned thēselues to the golden and yet earthy Hierusalem promising muche I wotte not what of a kingdom of the worlde to come after the resurrection ascribing vnto vs suche bodies as being partakers of the kingdom should also beholden wyth these earthye desires To these there is foūd yet the third part which as touching the substāce and state of the glorified bodies so saide and taught that they vtterly take away and ouerthrew the bodely nature and gaue vnto it no more nor other thing then a sprite Against the second sort speaketh holy Hierom that forasmuch as they were carnal they haue also loued onely the fleshe Against the third speaketh the saide Hierome that they being vnthankfull for the benefites of God would not haue and beare the flesh wherin Christ yet was borne and rose againe Wherevpon he geueth very godly coūsell that we tary in the meane way Namely that we esteme and make the glorified bodies no more spirituall then the perfectnesse property and truthe of the bodies maye permitte and suffer Contrarywise that we make them not altogether so carnall and vngostly that it myghte he thought howe that naturall and fraile bodies shall be in the glory Olde wryters say also that Origen did not perfectly confesse the resurrection of the fleshe but that in the resurrection he fantasied and imagined suche a body as hathe little difference from a sprite And therefore in Definicionibus Eclesiasticis there is a Chapter againste the saide Origen in maner folowing If that vvhich falleth doe stande vp againe then shall our flesh truely rise againe for the same falleth in very deede and shall not come to nothing as Origenes opinion vvas that there shoulde be made a shifting and change of the bodies namely that there shuld be geuen vs a nevv body for the flesh but euen the same fraile flesh that falleth of the iust and vniust shall vvithout feblenesse rise againe that because of sinne it may suffer paine or els according to his desertes continue in eternall honor and glory CHAP. 19. The errors of Origen concerning the resurrection confuted by Hierome BVt forasmuche as I haue once recited Origens opinion touching the resurrection of the body and somewhat recited the errors of some that deuided the resurrection declaring the scornful opinion of those whom they cal Chiliastes I wil shew nowe more largely what holye Hierome held of the resurrection of the dead and howe he confessed the true vprighte beleefe He speaketh to Pammachius concerning the errors of Ihon bishop of Hierusalem and in the same wryting he comprehēdeth the doctrine and opinion of Origen concerning the resurrection in maner folowing Origen sayth that in the church there be sprong vp tvvo errors the one from vs the other from the heretikes Namely that vve as the simple and louers of the flesh say that euen these bones this bloud and this flesh that is that oure face members and all the proportion of the body and the vvhole body it selfe shall rise againe at the last day so that vve shal also go vvith the feete vvorke vvith the hands see vvith the eyes and hear vvith the eares This saith he vve speake as simple homely grosse and ignorant people But the heretikes as Marcion Appelles Valentinus and madde Manes deny vvholely and vtterly the resurrection of the fleshe or body geuing saluation only vnto the soule and saying that oure vvordes are nothing vvhan vve affirm that according to the ensample and paterne of our Lord Iesus Christ vve shall rise againe saying that the Lorde himselfe rose in a fantasy or sprite and that not onely his resurrection but also his birth came to passe more in imagination than in very truthe that is that he vvas not borne in very dede but supposed to be borne Novve for the opinion and mind of both these parties Origen saythe it pleased him not namely that he abhorieth the flesh on oure side and the fantasye on the heretikes part for eche of them doth too muche And namely they of our side for that they vvold be again the same they vvere afore and the other for that they vtterly denye the resurrection of the bodies
in thinâ— hart that God raised him vp from the dead thou shalt be saued Tâ— the Philippians he sayth more ouer I count al things but lossâ— for the excellent knowledge sake of Iesus Christe Out of all this is there yet another thing concluded namely that not onli life is restored vnto vs but also that in the resurrection of the Lord the immortalitye of the soule is grounded faste and sure For so sayth the lord himself in the gospell I am the resurrection and the life he that beleueth on me thoughe he were deade he shall liue and whosoeuer liueth and beleueth on me shall neuer die Yet another frute also receiue we out of the resurrection of the lord namely that we are assured out of doute euen as if we had receiued wryting seale therof that our owne bodies likewise shal rise from death forasmuch as in the true resurrection of the body of Christ oure resurrection hath a fast and vmnoueable grounde For Paule sayeth Christe rosâ— from the deade is become thâ— first frutes of them that sleepe Foâ— by one maÌ„ came death by onâ— man came the resurrection of â— dead For as by Adam all die by Christ shal all be made aliue but euery one in his own order â–ª The first is Christe then they are Christes c. Now he that iâ— the first can not be alone the heaâ— also shal not forsake the meÌ„ber â–ª Seing then that Christ the head â— risen it must needes folow thaâ— we also as members muste riâ— again For euen in the same placâ— doth Paule conclude if the deaâ— rise not again theÌ„ is not Chriâ—â— risen againe And finally oute of the wordes of the holye Apostle Paul we learn that thorow the ensaÌ„ple of Christe that was raised vp we are not onli prouoked to take vpon vs a new life but that we also thorowe the power of Christ are renued that we mighte leade an innocent and holye life And thus haue I breefely compreheÌ„ded and declared the principall frutes of the resurrection of the Lorde CHAP. 6. Of the true Ascension of the Lordes body that arose a bodye and no Spirite and of his place vvhether hee vvent to be in MOreouer it shall be exdient to know to what place the true body of the Lorde was caried or came whether it was laid in the earthe againe or vanished away or turned into the nature of the Godhead or otherwise chaunged into a sprite In this poynt we affirm thus The right old Christian faith the vpright holy scripture the auncient Doctrine of the Christian church doth teach hold and coÌ„fes that Iesus Christ very goâ— and maÌ„ hath not laid away noâ— mixt together nor yet put of hiâ— natures the godhead the maâ—hode but that he kepeth stil bothe natures in theyr properties vâ—blemished that he ascended vâ— to heauen very true God maâ— For so we knowledge and confes in the Crede he ascended vp to heauen We finde also in the gospell of Marke so then when the Lord had spoken vnto them he was receiued into heauen sitteth on the right hand of god Item Ruffinus an olde wryter who hath declared the articles of the faith saith he asceÌ„ded into the heauens not thether where the worde that is God was not afore for he was euer stil in heauen and continued in his father â—ut thether wher the word that became man sate not afore Yet â—il we declare this more plainâ—y out of the gospel of Luke wher â—t is written thus and he led theÌ„ out into Bethanie lifte vp hiâ— handes and blessed them And â— came to pas as he blessed them he departed from them and waâ— caried vp into heauen Nowe if thou ponder euery thing heere thorowly thou muâ—â— needes acknowledge and beinâ— ouercome wyth the truthe thoâ— must nedes confesse that the very true body of the lord was nâ— layd away neyther turned intâ— the nature of the godhead but hâ— a very true maÌ„ who at one tiâ—â— is but in one place ascended aâ— was taken vp into heauen as â— to one place He led them outâ— saith he Who I prai the. Eueâ— the Lorde Iesus whiche vnto than by the space of forty daies had in very deede truely shewed himselfe vnto his disciples that he was risen from the dead with a very true essencial body Euen he the very same that had taken vnto him a true bodi led his disciples out vnto Bethanye froÌ„ thence brought he them farther to Mount Oliuet And in the same place lifting vp his handes no doubt bodely humain hands yea with the prints tokens of the woundes he blessed them â—amely his disciples that is he saluted them as the maner is of â—hose that take their leaue of vs And so departed he from them â— set his body corporally in heauen as in one place For afterward it foloweth yet more plaiÌ„ he departed from them that is he was caried into heauen For to be caryed may heare be spoken only of the body and in suche sorte departed he from them that his body was froÌ„ the earth taken vp into heauen And though all this be euidenâ— and plain in it self yet by the Euangelist Luke in the Actes oâ— the Apostles it is set forthe anâ— opened more manifestly For afore all things he testifieth that thâ— Lord arose with his owne true bâ—dy and that by the space of 4â— daies with many tokens euideâ—ces he plainli proued declarâ— his resurrection vnto the Disciples And immediatly he addeth therevnto that euen the very same body was taken vp into heauen For whan he had spoken these things saith he while they beheld him he was takeÌ„ vp on hie and a cloud receiued him vp out of their sight Lo the Lord was taken vp yea euen in their eye sight was he taken vp on hie so that a cloud receiued his very true body away froÌ„ the sight of their eyes I beseche you what can be more aptly or more conuenientli spoken of an essencial body It foloweth farther in the Euangelist Luke and while they loked stedfastly vp towards heauen as he went mark that wel beholde two men stode by them in white Apparell which also sayd ye menne of Galilee why stand ye gasing vp into heauen This same Iesus who is taken vp from you into heauen shal so come euen as ye haue seene him go into heauen Wherfore oure Lord Iesus is departed vp into heauen with his own true essentiall body yea euen with the same which he raised vp from the dead For euen with the same very true humaine bodye shall he come again vnto iudgement according as the Lord himselfe sayd the Prophet Zachary whose words s Ihon aledgeth They shal loke on him whoÌ„ they haue pearsed Thus I truste it is sufficiently proued and declared that the Lord Iesus with his own very true bodye which he raised from deathe is gone vp into
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
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
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
the Athenians whaÌ„ they heard of the holy Apostle the resurrection of the dead thei mocked and laughed his doctrin to scorne For who wold lightly credite that the bodies which nowe are corrupt returned to earthe oâ— otherwise torne and deuoured oâ— wild beastes foules yea sonnâ— time breÌ„t and brought to ashes or drowned with water should perfectly be brought again anâ— wholy restored But God willing to make that easy lighte which is harde vnto vs hathe iâ— the resurrection of our Lord Iesus Christ set before our eies an open plain and sure trial declaration or euideÌ„ce of the true vndouted resurrection whervnto as to an ensample sure streÌ„gth of the resurrection we ought to haue respect asmuch and as oft as we thinke vpon it and wonder howe our bodies should rise againe Therfore with so many testimonies and arguments haue I declared afore that Christe our Lorde with his owne body rose truly againe from death He caried vp Helias also liuing body and soule into heauen and mani â—ne raised he vp from the deade that we concerning the resurrection of the dead should haue vtterly no doubt at all Finally with plain euident testimonies of the scripture hath he opened and shewed as I now wil declare which testimonies and arguments truly do teache that the flesh of men shal rise again from the dead that is that oure bodies shal at the last day be truly raised vp vnto iudgement Holy Iob saith thus in the .19 Chapter O that my words now were wrytten O that they wer put in a boke wold God they wer grauen with an iron peÌ„ in Lede or in stone to continue For I am sure that my redemer liueth that he shall stande ouer the dust or earth in the later dai that I shal be clothed againe wyth this skin see God in my flesh Yea I my selfe or for my selfe shall beholde him not with other but with these same eies Mi reines are consumed within me Iobs aduersaries complained of him as though he knewe not God as though he set nothiÌ„g by him Vpon this great slander blasphemy he answereth and declareth his faith desiring that hys belefe were wrytten in Lede in hard stone that is he wisheth his faithe to be knowne to those that come after which he also declareth with few words after this maner I am of you coÌ„plained vpon accused as though I knew not God now do I know right well in my heart yea I beleue am certified assuredly that my redemer or auenger liueth Here Iob vseth an Hebrue worde called Goel which some expounde a redemer it signifieth a rescuer an auenger such one as is a more frend of oures such as were they to whome in the law of the Iewes it apperteined to redeme the goods and to rescue them as we may learn farther out of Ruthe and of the fourth boke of Moses and with the aforesaide name Goel dothe Iob set forth and specify the Messias our Lord Iesus Christ that he liueth namely that he is the true liuing God the life resurrection of men and that he is also the rescuer and aueÌ„ger doutlesse euen the same that is oure very nere frend namely a very true maÌ„ such one as hath taken our own flesh bloud vpon him suffered death with his death hath made vs liuing Moreouer he saith at the last shall he stand ouer the dust For our Lorde Iesus with his very true body shall come at the last day to iudge and then shall he stand ouer the dust This saying declareth euidently that he will vndertake and doe somewhat namely that he shall put to his mighty hand so order and bring to passe that the dust shall come to life againe The dust calleth he here our flesh and that according to the scripture And wyth this doth he wonderfull well expresse the truth of our flesh namely that our very owne true flesh shall rise againe For he will certify vs that euen the very same bodi which at the first was made of dust and now into dust is sowne thorow the corruption is becom dust agaiÌ„ yea euen that same very body none other shal be raised vp But to the intent that no man shuld draw or referre the dust to any other thing theÌ„ to the body of maÌ„ It foloweth moreouer in holy Iob that after they namely the father the son the holy gost haue with my skin not with a straunge but with mine owne skin clothed the body eueÌ„ mine owne body which I nowe haue called dust therby vnderstandeth he the fleshe the sinowes the bones then shall I see God in my flesh that is fully and perfectly shall I be restored made whole again For to see God is nothing els but to be partaker of eternall ioy saluation And to se god in or froÌ„ out of that flesh is to be taken vp corporally into euerlasting ioy Besides this he dothe yet more euidently expresse the perfectnesse of the resurrection of the flesh and faith Whom I for my selfe shal see that is to my commodity and saluation mine eies shal see him eueÌ„ I my selfe shal se him and none other for me In the which words it is principalli to be noted that he sayth I shal se him yea eueÌ„ I my selfe Then mine eyes shall see him Finally I and els none other As he wold say euen I the now haue true flesh and bone loke nowe vpon you wyth mine eyes shall with the very same eyes beholde God also Therefore in the resurrection of the deade we shal with the essenciall substance nature be euen the same that we were before deathe namely we shal haue our members as hed eyes bones belly armes legs hands fete c. Now wher this distinction is there must be also circumscription there must the same haue compace and limits It followeth yet farther in Iob my reines namely my desire lust are wasted away and coÌ„sumed within me that is wyth in me namely in my hart are ceased all other desires lustes and pleasures in comparison of this my hope towards the resurrection yea in comparison thereof thei al are nothing neither worthy to be estemed For in the only Resurrection resteth all my hope and delite So sayde Paule also I haue counted all things but losse and do iudge them but dunge that I mighte winne Christ to knowe him and the vertue of his resurrection And therfore the olde translator of the boke of Iob hath euill interpreted these wordes after the sense this hope is layed vp in my hart After all this dothe holy Ioâ—â— adde herevnto that maketh the vnderstanding perfect and concludeth his saying thus Seing I this knowledge coÌ„fes why holde ye me for vngodly Why do ye persecute me and vexe me thus with spiteful wordes of reproche and slaunder Yet is the roote of the worde found in me And he calleth the roote
one thing The Greekes call it doxazein but the translators in Latine haue othervvise interpreted it Thus much saith Augustine But glory in scripture is takē for light brightnesse and shine as S. Paul speaketh to the Corinthians if the ministration that thorowe the letter killeth was grauen in stone hathe glory so that the children of Israel could not beholde the face of Moises for the glory of his coūtenance And here vnto serueth this sentence of Daniel the wise suche as haue taught other shall shine as the brightnes of heauen and they that haue instructed multitudes or many vnto godlines shal be as the starres world with out ende Muche after the same wise doth the Lorde himselfe also vse it saying then shall the rightuous shine as the Sunne in the kingdom of their father Wherfore the glorified bodies shall be clere bright shining bodies euen as the body of Christ was in his transfiguration vpon the Mount of Thabor of whome it is specified in the gospell that hys face was as bright as the Sun and his clothes did shine as the light After the resurrection did the lord shew vnto his disciples his palpable and visible that is his very true substanciall body but the brightnesse and shine he reserued to teache and instructe the weake here beneath like as also after the resurrection he did eate and drinke not that he neded any suche thing but that he so would declare and proue the true resurrection of his bodye The glorification also is set directly against the low estate and dishonor as Paule euidently declareth saying he shal chaunge our vile body that he may make it like vnto his owne glorious glorified body This worde humilitye lowe estate or dishonor comprehendeth all that is called earthy fraile miserable mortall For by meanes of our sins we are broughte lowe and into misery so that we must nedes feele suffer sicknesse hunger thirst cold heat pain vexation manifold lustes and affections feare wrath heuinesse and suche like things innumerable yea and death also at the last Againe glorification comprehendeth deliuerance that is the laying away cleare discharge of al these miseries and sorows So that nowe glorification is called and so it is in very dede purenesse perfect strength immortality ioy yea a sure quiet and euerlasting life For Paule saith We that are in this tabernable sigh are greued because we would not be vnclothed but we woulde be clothed vpon that mortalitye mighte be swalowed vp of life And to the Romains he saith thus I suppose that the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory which shal be shewed vpon vs For the feruent desire of the creature abideth waiting for the appearing of the children of God. In all these words it is sufficiently declared what glorification meaneth and what is vnderstande by it Namely a fredome or discharge from this fraile seruitude and bondage and a deliueraunce into the gloryous and comfortable libertye of Goddes children By the which fredome we are deliuered from al sickenesse and frailtye and from all thraldome of weaknesse that is frō all that which bringeth sicknesse heauinesse and frailty From all such are we free discharged and deliuered hauing now the perfect fruition of god and made of like shape vnto his son Iesus christ as holy s Iohn declareth Herevnto serueth it well that Paule sayeth whan this corruptible hath put on incorruption thys mortal hath put on immortaliti then shal be brought to passe the saying that is written death is swalowed vp in the victorye Therfore the glorified body after the signification of glory shal be a purified bodi which is purged and clensed from all frailty and vilenes and now is clothed vpon and apparelled wyth clennesse purenesse ioy and rest and finally with the glory of eternal life That this is now the kinde and nature of the glorified body the holy Apostle Paul more largely and more perfectly declareth with these words it is sowen in corruption and riseth in incorruption and riseth in incorruption it is sowen in dishonor and riseth in glorye it is sowen in weakenesse and riseth in power it is sowen a naturall bodye riseth a spirituall body Item what he meaneth by the natural and by the spirituall body he declareth immediatly vpon the same and sayth farther If there be a natural body ther is also a spiritual body as it is wrytten The first mā Adam is made into a naturall life the last man Adam into a spirituall life Yet is not the spirituall body the first but the naturall and afterward the spiritual The first man is of the earth earthy the second man is the Lord from heauen As is the earthy suche are they that are earthy and as is the heauenly suche are they that be heauenly And as we haue born the image of the earthy so shal we bear also the image of the heauenlye This the holy Apostle declareth yet more euidently and saithe by one man came death and by one man commeth the resurrection of the deade For like as in Adam they all die so in Christe shal they al reuiue Thus Paule calleth Animale corpus the soulish body which is interpreted the natural body the same that hath his vertue strength power and life of the soule which body we haue of Adam and it is earthy fraile and mortal The spiritual body he calleth not it that is become or made a sprite but therfore nameth he the glorified body a spirituall bodye because it liueth of the sprite of Christe which spiritual body that is incorruptible indissoluble and immortall we haue receiued of Christ our Lorde Of all this is sufficiently spoken in our expositions of the epistles of s Paul. CHAP. 17. The case of oure members in the bodies resurrection of their functiōs BVt here might some mā sai if our very true bodies with their members shal be in heauē then it foloweth that the vse and exercise of the members shall be in heauen also To this I geue like answere as nowe is sayde namely that we shall haue euen these members and this bodye which we now cary but seeing that thorow the glorification they shal be made heauenly they shal not neede earthy exercise Neither shal they vse any frail thing at all Heereof commeth it that Paule saithe fleshe and bloude mai not possesse the kingdom of God neither mai corruption inherite vncorruption By fleshe bloude he meaneth not the true essenciall body but bodely fraile lustes and tentations whych he now called the earthy and fraile body Such tentations lustes saith he shall not be in the glorified bodies neither shall there any fraile bodies be in heauen For he saith immediatly vpon the same corruption shal not inherite vncorruption for in the kingdome of God there shall be no corruptiō nor frailty For the heauenly ioy is farre of another kinde and nature
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
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
Esay 34. Daniel 16. Iohn 5. Iohn 3. Marke 3. Marke 9. Apo. 14. Psalme 27. Math. 25. 1. Cor. 15. Heb. 4. Heb. 11. 1. Peter 1. Math. 5. Exo. 33. 1. Tim. 6. 4. Reg. 2. Iohn 17. De ciuitate dei Lib 22. cap. 29. Esay 64. 1. Cor. 2 Rom. 1. Marcellus de piscibus De ciuitate dei lib. 22. cap. 29. Iob. 19. Lib. 22. cap. Vlt. epist. 112. ad Paulin. Iohn 17. 1. Cor. 13. 1. Iohn 3. 1. Cor. 15. Iohn 17. ◠Cor. 15. De ciuitat Dei lib. 22. cap. 30. Psalme 16. Psalme 17. Iohn 14. Apo. 5.14 De cura pro mortu is agenda cap. 13. Psal 27 Esay 63. 4. Reg. 22. Dan. 12. Luke 22. Math. 17. Heb. 12. In tuscula questi Adam Noe. Abraham Moyses Samuel Dauid Iosias Iohn Baptist Mary Peter Iohn Iames. Paule A TABLE of the Chapters conTEINED IN THIS Booke and heere folovveth the chapters of the first part CHAP. 1. The authors purpose 1. CHAP. 2. The Lord verely rose vvith his body 3 CHAP. 3. Appearings of the body raised vp 14 CHAP. 4. The body of Christe rose again not a spirit but a tru body 16 CHAP. 5. The frute of the Resurrection of Christ 23. CHAP. 6. Of the true Ascension of the Lordes body that arose a body and no spirite and of his place vvhether he vvent to be in 25 CHAP. 7. The diuers significations of this vvorde Heauen as it is vsed in scripture 38 CHAP. 8. VVhat Gods righte hand is and to vvhō it is referred 45 CHAP. 9. VVhat it is to sit at the righte hande of God hovve Christe sitteth ther vvhat he dothe 48 CHAP. 10. That Christe sitteth at the right hande of God by his humanitye but circūscribed in place and is not euery vhere 52 CHAP. 11. An other signification of sitting at the right hande of God by vvhich maner of sitting Christ is euery vvher sitting ther in such sorte after his Godhead 71 CHAP. 12. The frute and commoditye of the corporall Ascension of Christ bothe in that he doth novv for vs and in that vve learn by it 76 The second part CHAP. 13. Of the true Resurrection of our flesh 85 CHAP. 14. Our fleshe or bodye it selfe shall rise againe thoughe it be harde to beleue and vvhat the fleshe or body is 89 CHAP. 15. The maner hovv the bodies shall rise againe and the kinde that they shall be of 114 CHAP. 16. That Paul spake rightly of a glorified body and vvhat a glorified bodye is and vvhat a natural 121 CHAP. 17. The case of our mēbers in the bodyes resurrection and of their functions 134 CHAP. 18. The diuers erroures that sprong aboute the article of the bodies resurrectiō 138 CHAP. 19. The erroures of Origen concerning the resurrection confuted by Hierom. 143 CHAP. 20. S. Hieromes opinion of the resurrectiō of the fleshe 149 CHAP. 21. S. Augustines minde of the resurrectiō of the fleshe 152 CHAP. 22. VVhat Aurelius Prudencius thoughte of the same 156 CHAP. 23. The bodies of vnbeleeuers shall verelye rise againe 159 The third part CHAP. 24. The death and damnation of the vngodly 171 CHAP. 25. That there is an eternall death and damnation and that the soule is passible 175 CHAP. 26. The bodies of the vnbeleeuers being raised are passible 179 CHAP. 27. The paines of Hell the matter for the cōtinuance of the tormēts vvith the space of the place kinds of punishments 186 CHAP. 28. The Refutation of thē that denied the punishmente of the vngodly to be eternall 194 CHAP 29. Of eternal life saluation and that ther is an eternal life 203 CHAP. 30. VVhere the place of the faithfull is 207 CHAP. 31. Hovve the saluation shall be 210 CHAP. 32. The soules departed vvot not vvhat they do that ar aliue ther by anye thing to be disquieted 226 CHAP. 33. The Faithfull shall knovve one an other in heauen 231 GOD IS MY HELPER PRINTED at London in Crede Lane by Hugh Singleton at the signe of the Golden Tunne ANNO. 1574. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum