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
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
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
out side of heauen For the truthe witnesseth euidently where I am ther shall also my seruaunts be Nowe shall the seruauntes of God be in heauen not without or aboue the heaueÌ„ that is to say in no place For Paul the chosen maÌ„ of god saithe to the Philippians oure dwelling is in Heauen from whence we loke for the sauior c. plainly also euidently doth the true worde of God declare that the heauen into the which Christ ascended is a place certain for the Lord saithe in my fathers house are many dwellings if it were not so I would haue told you I goe to prepare a place for you And if I goe to prepare a place for you I wil come to you again receiue you euen vnto my self that where I am there you may be also Here in dede could nothing bâ— brought forthe more mete conuenient to oure purpose For thâ— thing that we now treate of is thâ— heauen which is the dwelling natiue country of the blessed anâ— which here is called a dwelling or mansion or place yea a dweâ—ling place in the house of Goâ— the father Who is now any moâ—â— so malapart or arrogaÌ„t as to vâ—dertake to deny that heauen is place For thus saithe the Lorâ— In my Fathers House alreadâ— there are many mansions thâ— not only I but al mine also haue a place and dwelling If it were not so then had I told you that I wold goe to prepare the same for you But now it is not needefull seeing they be prepared alredy wait for you Wheras I now go away and must be from you a litle seson it is not that I wold prepare mansions for you for they are prepared already but that I thorowe my death may make the way for you into Heauen and open the strete to the said dwelling Now to the intent no maÌ„ shal say that we haply haue a place in heauen as men but Christ hath not so a place therfore doth the truthe of god plainly expresse that the place wher christ is is a place in dede For he sayeth I will take you vnto me yea not onely vnto me but vnto my self For immediatly vpon the same doth he yet add it more plaine That wher I am there you may be also Christ then as a very true miâ— is in Heauen as in one place wherfore it foloweth that we aâ—so shall be in Heauen as in oâ—â— place certaine This the truth sayth therfore must it needes 〈◊〉 euen so can be none otherwisâ— The same also doth the human kinde and nature require whicâ— God as Augustine saith did eâ—due with immortality but tooâ— not away the nature and kinde The Seleucians or Hermians denyed our sauiour Christ after the fleshe to sit at the right hand of the father But the true faithfull beleuers haue euer still confessed and taught that the very true body or fleshe of our Lord dothe sit at the fathers right hand For verely if the bodi and flesh of our Lorde haue not his place geuen him or if that be withdrawne from him then is this the plaine meaning that our Lorde had no true body For holy Augustine saith and saith right take all roume place from the bodies that they haue no place to be in and then are they no where if they be no where then are they nothing at all As for the place of Paule to the Philippians in the seconde Chapter it teacheth nothing at all that with the exaltation and ascension of Christe any thing is withdrawn from the nature humaine or that we oughte to speake nothing more of it or that we shuld or mighte ascribe no name and place vnto it but like as with y words goiÌ„g before which serue much to the matter he thoughte to expresse the lowest humilitye of Christ euen so is it nowe hys minde with very honorable and hie excellent words to set forthe his glory Yea he declareth himself in the words folowing and saith in the name of Iesus shall all knees bow bothe of things that are in heauen of things that are on the earth and things that are vnder the earth And thus hath the father exalted the name of Iesu aboue all names euen in shewing and declaring that Iesus is the same whom al they that are in heaueÌ„ vpon earth and vnder the earthe ought by right to know worship and feare as Lord of al things creatures yea that all things shuld confesse that Iesus is the lord to the praise of god the Father For verely we muste needes knowledge that Iesus Christ is lord yea lord of all things king defender redemer of like power and honor with the Father Which thing extendeth not to the fathers derogatioÌ„ or dishonor as the Arrians folishly thought but to the great glory of the father The Lord saith himself in the gospel the father hath coÌ„mitted all iudgement vnto the sonne bicause that all meÌ„ shuld honor the sonne euen as they honor the father He that honoreth not the son the same honoreth not the father which hath sent him Moreouer there he saithe and now glorify thou me O father with thine own self with that glori which I had with thee or euer the world was From the beginning had he the honorable name of god which is glorious and far excellent aboue all names Now thorow the incarnation and by reason of the contemned and despised crosse of Christ the godly honor in Christ was thoughte to be somewhat darkened But that did the father restore bring to glory in that he raised vp his son from death and tooke him vp into heauen And thus gaue he him a name which is aboue all names for so he declareth that he is Lorde of all things Holy Peter also a felowe helper of S. Paule in the seconde chapter of the Actes of the Apostles did in like maner vtter the same For after he hathe opened declared the true resurrection of our Lorde Iesus Christ from deathe his glorious ascention into heauen he saith so therfore let all the house of Israel knowe for a surety that God hath made this same Iesus whom ye haue crucified Lord Christ And to be shorte Paule by the name of Christ that is aboue all names vnderstode the blessed name of God the Lord which can not be vttered and is aboue all names But seing our Lorde is a true man like as he is also very God both together and hath with the glorification not put of the kinde and nature of man nether consumed it thorow the godhead therfore remaineth he stil a true creature that is a very true man therfore may he also right wel be named after the same nature and hath likewise a place certaine Finally as for the words of the Apostle Paule the eye hath not sene and the eare hath not hard neither haue entred into the heart of man
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
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
of the beholding of god it is penned at large in the .112 Epistle which he wrote ad Paulinam Our Lord Iesus saith also in the holy gospell this is the eternall life that they know thee to be the only true God whōe thou haste sent Iesus Christe This knowledge is not only beleefe and the knowledge of vnderstanding but also the present beholding and fruition of God and the fellowship wyth God which after this life shall happē vnto all faithfull beleuers For Paule said we see now thorow a glasse in a darke speaking but then face to face For faithe is a stedfast substance of things that we hope for and as a beholding or sight of God albeit somwhat more darke and not so euident cleare as shall be that whych as a reward of faith shall be geuen to the faithfull in the worlde to come To see face to face is nothing else but to vse enioy haue the fruition of all things presently also to behold the promisse and perfectly to be pertaker therof Therefore sayeth the holy Apostle Iohn yet more euidently dearly beloued we are now the children of god and yet it dothe not appeare what we shall be but we know that whan he shall appeare we shall be like him for we shal see him as he is With the which wordes s Iohn will declare three things namely that euen nowe in this verye present time we are Gods children and therefore also heyres And though this be a great fore deale and an excellent iewel yet the great and vnspeakeable glory that in time to come shall be declared vnto vs hathe not yet appeared For we saith he shall be like him namely oure Lorde Iesu Christe who according to the saying of Paule shall alter and chaunge our frail body that he maye make it like vnto hys owne glorified body Besides this euen as he is shall we see him namely Christ the Lord not onely as man but also as very god Therfore shal we see god as he is namely god as the onely cheefe and highest good in whom we haue al good things For Paule sayth whan all things are subdued vnto the sonne then shal the sonne also be subiect vnto him who vnto him hath subdued all things that God may be all in all And therefore sayde he also in the gospel that they know thee to be the onely true god Not that Christ is not very god but that the mysterie and the intreating of the sonne oure mediator reconciler shal after the iudgemēt be no more so in heauen as it hath ben afore vpon earth But the only God in the holy Trinity shall be of all good the full perfecte sufficiencie to all faithfull For all that we can wishe thinke and desire shall only god geue and be in all things And that is also the meaning and vnderstanding of Paule whan he sayth God shal be all in all And heerevnto serueth nowe the goodly sentence of S. Augustine who sayth thus God shall be the end of al our longing and desire him shal we perpetually see him shall we loue wythoute tediousnesse and grefe and hym shal we praise wythout ceasing For tediousnesse and grefe runneth customably with saturation or fulnesse As for vs we shal with the beholding of God be filled to the bodelye satisfying which filling shal be as little tedious or greuous as we are greued at the waters and riuers that stil run into the sea and yet oute of the groūd of the earthe spring forth againe For the same cōmeth to passe withoute all mens tediousnesse yea rather wyth great ioye and commodity seing they water moisture all things and make thē fruteful And herevnto serue now these testimonies of the scripture the Prophet Dauid sayth in thy presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at thy righthand there is pleasure for euermore that is in the beholding of thee is and consisteth all ioy and in heauen shall euerlasting pleasure be Item in thy rightuousnesse shal I behold thy face and whan I awake I shall with thy likenesse be satisfied Vnto the Lord also sayth the holy Apostle Phil lip Lorde shewe vs the father and it suffiseth vs. Therfore the Poete Marcellus spake very Christianly and well in these his verses HEreof hath God his name truely Because the highest good is he For vvhere he is there is present Much honor and glory excellent And therfore euery pleasant thing That vvater and earth dothe heere forthe bring And vvhat in the aire is beautifull That may delite and be frutefull There is in all that number not one VVhich is not seene at all season VVithin the circle of heauen ivvis VVhere the highest fathers dvvelling is The blessed also and elect shal in the heauenly and eternal coūtry with continuall praise incessantly laude and magnifye the name of God. For whan s. Iohn in his reuelation thought to signify shew this he sayd I hard the voice of many angels which wer about the throne and about the beasts and the elders And I heard many thousands that sang a newe song saying worthy is the lambe that was killed to receiue power and richesse wisedome and strength honor glory and blessing c. Moreouer the same eternall life shal be altogether fre and discharged from all heauinesse sicknesse and temptatiōs wheras temporall ioy rest and welfare of men is mixt with sorowe As also the holye Apostle Iohn dothe witnesse I Iohn sayth he sawe that holye Citie new Hierusalem cōming down from God out of heauen prepared as a bride garnished for her husbande And I harde a great voyce out of heauen saying beholde the tabernacle of God is with men and he wil dwel with them and they shall be his people and God him selfe shal be with them and shal be their god And God shall wipe away all teares from theyr eyes And there shal be no more death nether sorow nether crying nether shal there be any more paine for the olde things are gone And he that sate vpon the seate sayd Beholde I make all things newe And he sayde vnto me wryte for these wordes are faithfull true And herevnto in manner serueth all that followeth after in the .21 chapter to the ende of the boke CHAP. 32. The soules departed vvotte not vvhat they do that are aliue thereby any thing to be disquieted THerfore did holy Augustin also teach that the soules of those that are departed wotte not what they doe which are aliue Yet wil I resite his words Thus sayth Augustine If the soules of those that are departed vvere among the doings of suche as are aliue they shoulde vvhan vve see them in sleepe talke vvith vs and then I vvill not speake of others at the least my good and faithfull mother that by vvater and lande folovved me so farre to be vvith me should novve not forsake me For God forbid that he shoulde haue made that blessed life