sell and ââye for your selues But whyles they went to buy the brydegrome ââe and they that were ready ââat in with him vnto the mariage ââd the gate was shutte vp Anon after came the other virgins and saiâ Lord Lord open to vs. But he ansâred and sayd Verily I say vnto youâ know you not Watch therfore for know neyther the day nor yet the hâwer wherin the Sonne of man shâ come Luk. 12.35 Let your loynes be girded abouâ and your lightes burning and ye yoââselues like vnto men that waight fââ their master when he wil return froâ the wedding that when he commeth and knocketh ye may open vnto him For happy are those seruantes whoâ the Lorde when hée commeth findetâ waking If he come in the secoÌd watch or third watch finde theÌ so happy arâ those seruantes Verely he shall gâââ him selfe and shall make them to sââ downe to meate shall walke by and minister vnto them Luk. 12.39 This vnderstand you If the good man of the house knew what howre the théefe would come hée would surely watch and not suffer his house to be broken vp Euen so if we knewe in what day or hower the Lord would come we would surely watch we would be prepared and adourned âe would haue lightes in our handes ãâã oyle in our Lampes But we doe ât know the day nor hower nor shal ânow And therfore let vs be prepared ãâã man hower that we thinke not Mar. 13.35 wil âe sonne of man come Watch I say ãâã ye know not when the maister of ââe house will come whether at euen â at midnight whether at the cocke âwing or in the dawning least if hée ââme sodeÌly he should find you sléeping Now if the euill seruant shall say thus ãâã his heart Math. 24.48 Tush my maister will deââre his comming and shall begin to ââuite his fellow seruants and shall begân to eat and drink and to be dronken ââe same seruants Lord shall come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an hower when he is not ware shall geue him his portion with hypocrites there shal be wéeping and gnashing of ââeth But contrariwise Luke 12.44 if the Lord shal find his seruaÌt wel doing he shal make him ruler ouer al his houshold Watch therefore and pray continually that we may obtein grace to flee al that shalâ come and that we may staÌd before thâ sonne of man Let vs pray that our flight be not in the winter nor on thâ the Sabboth day Mat. 24. â0 For so our Sauiour counselleth in the 24. of Saint Mathewe For to walke in the winter it was not good and vppon the Sabboth day it was not lawefull Meaning that we should pray and that with a stedfast and ardent fayth that the day of the Lord come not vppon vs vnprepared For if it doe wée shall not escape the euilles that then shal be nor yet be able to stande safely before the Sonne of man Beloued we haue bene warned to leaue our surfetting dronkennesse and to forsake the superfluous cares of this life We haue bene exhorted to watchfulnesse and to prayer and stil are we called vpon for these matters Howbeit wée are lyttle or nothing the better Mat. 12 4â The men of Niniue shall arise at the day of iudgement to condemne vs. For they amended at the short preaching of Ionas We haue bene called vpon with often and long ââeaching and yet cannot frame to lay ârâm vs the old man Ephe. 4.22 that marreth him seâfe with deceiuable vanities But let vâ thinke and beléeue that the negleâting of Gods holy spirit speaking in his prophets can not but prouoke Gods heauie wrath and indignation spedily to bée powred vppon vs. The heauens the earth and sea haue already witnessed the same against vs which vnlesse wée conuert in the measure of our sinnes he will power foorth vpon vs and so wee shall perish in his iustice vtterly that in mercy refused to imbrace his trueth obediently Mat. 3.10 Now is the axe put to the roote of the trée so that euery trée that bringeth not forth gââd fruite shall bée hewen downe Mat. 12.33 and cast into the fire Eyther then make the trée good and his fruit good or make the trée euill and his fruite âill also For beholde Iames. 5.9 the Iudge standeth before the dore It is tyme for vs to awake out of sléepe and to gyrde vp our loynes and to be ready with oyle in our lampes and to be adorne with our wedding garments that wâ may finde entraunce to the Lords marriage For sith it is most certaine thaâ Christ shall come to iudge both quicâ and dead Rom. 14.12 sith that euery one of vs shal geue account of him self to God 2. Pe. 3.10 sith thâ heauens shal passe away in manner ãâã a tempest sith the elements shall meââ with heate sith the earth also and thâ workes therein shal burne sith al thesâ things shall perishe what manner persons ought we to be in holy conuersation godlinesse looking for and hasting vnto the comming of the day of God ãâã which the heauens shall perish with ââer the elemeÌts shal be consumed with heate â Pe. 3.13 Neuerthelesse we looke for a new heauen and a newe earth according to his promise wherein dwelleth righteousnesse Wherfore beloued séeing we looke for such things let vs be diligent that we may be found of him in peace without spot and vndefiled growing in grace in the knowledge of the Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ that in the ende of the world when he shall come in ãâã clowds with power and great gloâ we perish not with the vnbeléeuers which the Lord graunt for his infinite âercy and goodnesse and for his chosen âââe shorten these vnhappy dayes that âârruptible may be swallowed vp of inâârruptibilitie and mortall of immorâââlity And that as in this woful Egypt âe haue fouÌd him a louing father so in âhe world to come we may behold him â merciful Sauiour Mat. 25.34 may receiue that ãâã and happiest blessing that neuer again shal be reuoked which thing likewise the father of al comfort and consolation spéedily bring vpon vs al for the tender loue of his beloued sonne Iesus Christ to whome with the holy ghost thrée distinct persons in trinitie but one eternal immortal most glorious God be al praise honour glory now and for euer Amen
2.3 intreating of the ââaginations of the wicked which say That after this life their bodyes âhalbe as ashes that are quenched and that their soules shal vanish away as the soft ayre hée sayeth That they doe not vnderstand the mysteries of the Lord that they haue no hope of the rewarde of the righteous that they regard not she woorship that holy blessed soules shall haue Wisd 3.1 And in the chapter following speaking of the soules of the righteous hée saieth That they are in the handes of God and that the feare of death shal not touche them Luke 16.22 The paâble of the rich man and Lazarus ãâã euidently and plainly proueth vnto that the soule doeth not dye with body For the soule of Lazarus was ried by the Angels into Abraham bosom and the soule of the riche ãâã was buried in hel Our sauiour in ãâã 10. of Matth. Mat. 10.28 comforting his disciplâ willeth them not to feare them tâ kil the body and bée not able to kill soule The soule therefore doeth not dâ with the body Secondly that the souâ doe not sléepe til the day of iudgemeâ the testimonies of the scripture doe dâclare In the 23. of Luke Luke 23.43 our Sauioâ sayd to the theefe that did hang on tâ one side of him vpon the Crosse Thâ day thou shalt be with mee in paradisâ As much to say Thou shalt bée wiâ mée in a place of singular quietnes aââ pleasure not there to sléepe till the daâ of iudgement but without all peraâuenture to liue and to raigne witâ Iesus Christ in eternall glory Apo. 6.9.10 And ãâã the 6. of the Reuelation it is declared that Iohn sawe vnder the altar the ââles of them that were killed for the âord of God and for the testimony âhat they had crying with a loude voice ãâã saying Howe long tarriest thou Lord holy and true to iudge and to âauenge our blood on them that dwell âon the earth The soules then doe not ââéepe til the day of iudgement neither doe they perish with the bodies but being loosed by death from the same are carried eyther vnto eternall ioy or els ââto euerlasting sorrowe vnto which âhe bodies shal bee gathered in the last day to receaue euery one according to that which they haue done whether it bée good or euill For it standeth with she eternal iustice of the eternall God she righteous iudge that euery man shal receaue according to his desertes Heereof Daniel prophesied whose wordes bée these Daniel 12.2 Many of them that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life some to perpetual shame and reproofe And in the third of the Prophet Malachy Mal. 3.5 I myselfe wil come and bée a swift vânes against witches against aduouârers against false swearers yea and âgainst those that wrongfully kéep bââ the hyrelings dutie which vex the wâdowe and the fatherlesse and oppreâ the stranger and feare not mee sayeâ the Lord of hoastes Eccles 11.9 In the 11. chaptâ of the bâoke of the Preacher it is sayd Be gladde o thou young man in thâ youth and let thine hart be mery in thâ yong dayes follow the wayes of thyâ owne hart and the lust of thyne eyeâ But bee thou sure that God shall brinâ thee into iudgement for al these thingâ Hee derideth those that set their delighâ in worldly pleasures as though Goâ woulde not call them to account theâ which nothing is surer For we must aâ appeare before the iudgement seate oâ Christ that euery man may receaue thâ workes of his body 2. Cor. 5.10 according to thaâ which hee hath done whether it be good or bad Hée wil come shortly anâ his reward is with him Apo. 22.12 to geue euerâ man as his woorke shalbée Rom. 9.7 Prayse honour and immortallitie to them that âtime in well doing and séeke eterââll life but vnto them that are rebelââââ and disobey the trueth shal come âignation wrath tribulation and ââââshe vpon the soule of euery one ââât doeth euill of the Iewe first and ââ the Gentile 2. Thes 1.6 For it is verily a righteââs thing with God to recompence ââibulation to them that trouble you ãâã to you which are troubled rest ââth vs when the Lorde Iesus shall ââwe him selfe from heauen with his âighty Angelles in flaming fire renââââ vengance vnto them that know ât GOD and to them that obey not ââto the Gospell of our Lorde Iesus Christ which shall be punished with eâerlasting damnation from the preâence of the Lorde and from the glory âf his power when he shall come to bée âlorified in his Saints and to be made âeruellous in all them that beléeue âohn saw by Reuelation the dead Apoc. 20.10 both ââeat and smal stand before the Lorde ãâã the booke to be opened and the dead to bee iudged out of that which waâ written according to theyr deedes And hée that was not written in thâ booke of lyfe was cast into the lake ãâã fire Iude. 1.14.15 And no doubt the time draweth when this that Iohn saw by Reuelation shall bée fulfilled when the Lorâ shall come with thousandes of Saint to giue iudgement against all men anâ to rebuke al the vngodly among them of all their vngodly déedes which theâ haue vngodlyly committed and of aâ their cruell speakinges which vngodâ sinners haue spokeÌ against him whicâ it must néedes followe as a necessarâ consequent that the state of good meâ in the comming of Iesus Christ vnâ iudgement shal be most glorious anâ the state of the wicked most miserablâ Which commeth to passe cleane coâtrary in this wicked world wheâ most coÌmonly the godly are with trââbles tormented with banishment pânished with the losse of goodes impoârished with all miseries ouerwhelmeâ But contrariwise the wicked are wiâ delycat fare nourished with goodes inriâââd with offices preferred for autoââe honoured as the Prophet Dauid in ââse words doth bitterly coÌplaine Psal 37.4 My ââete were almost gon my treadings âad well nigh slipt And why I was âreued at the wicked to see the vngodây in such prosperitie For they are in âo perill of death but are lusty and âroÌg They come in no misfortune like âther folk neither are they plaged like âther men Their eies swel with fat âhey do euen what they list Vers 12. And a litle ââter Beholde these prosper in the âorld these haue riches in possession Iob. 21.9 The houses of the wicked saith Iob are âeaceable without feare and the rodde âf the Lord is not vpon them Their âullock gendreth and fayleth not their ââwe calueth and casteth not her âalfe They sende foorth their chilâren like Shéepe and their Sonnes âeade the daunce And therefore there ââst be of necessitie an other life after âhis lyfe in which according to the ãâã iudgement of GOD euery one may receiue according to their workâ be they good or bad eternall
lest they should faint by reason of those troubles which were at hande This doone our Sauiour taketh occasion to speake of the vniuersal and latter iudgement likewise declareth what tokens and âââes shal goe before the same There shal be sayeth hee signes in the Sunne and in the Moone and in the starres in the earth the people shal be at theyr wittes ende through dispaire The sea and the water shall roare and men hartes shall faile them for feare and so foorth In which péece of scripture wââ haue to consider First of the comming of Iesus Christ vnto iudgement Secondly of the signes and tokens that shal goe before his comming Thirdly of the maner of his comming Fourthly of the cause of his comming And fiftly how wée ought to order to prepare our selues against his comming It is a thing firmely to be beléeued that God hath set a certain time of the worlds destruction though vnknoweâ vnto vs bicause by the sinne and wickednes of vngodly men being meruellously polluted and accursed it doth together with all other creatures subiect to the same corruption Rom. 8.22 desire a deliuerance Howbeeit wicked and vngodly men whose delight is to liue carelesly in this worlde suppose that the worlde shal stil continewe as it is and that it âââl neuer haue end But wonderful is ãâã and execrable that among the people of God shoulde bée Saducées among Christians such kind of men which of âet purpose against the manifest worde âf God dare boldly affirme that the world shal haue no end that there shall âe no resurrection of the flesh no life after this life no rewarde for wel doing ãâã punishment for euil doing and that the world as it is now so it hath bene and shal continue for euer Which kind of men are plaine Atheistes men which neither beléeue there is any God or diuine prouidence at all Against which apparant dotage and wicked cogitations of wicked men through want of true knowledge by the instinct of Satan wée haue to arme our selues with the worde of God and to confirme our consciences by the testimonies of holy scripture For the scripture doeth euidently prooue vnto vs that one day the sonne of God Iesus Christ shal come to iudge the quick the dead that all flesh shal rise and that the worlde shal hââ an ende Es 13.9 Esay saieth The day of thâ Lorde shal come terrible full of indiânation furor and wrath to make thâ lande waste and to roote out al the siâners that are therin Es 66.15 The lord wil comâ with fire and his chariots like a whirlewind that he may recompence his anger with wrath his iudgement witâ the flame of fire for the Lord wil iudgâ with fire and with his sworde all flesheâ Daniel sayeth Dan. 7.18 I sawe in a vision bâ night And beholde there came one iâ the cloudes of heauen like the sonne â man to whome was giuen power anâ dignity regal that all people tribes â tongues shal serue him Mal. 4.1 Malachy saith The day commeth that shal burne aâ an ouen and al the proude yea and alâ such as doe wickednes shal be strawe and the day that is to come shall bunâ them vpp Psal 96.13 The Prophete Dauid saieth For hee commeth to iudge the earth and with righteousnesse to iudge the worlde and the people with his trueth And this which the Lords forshewed by the mouthes of his holy ââphetes our Sauiour Iesus Christ ââth confirmed For in the 13. chap. afââr the gospel of S. Matthewe hée saieth ãâã Mat. 13.41 The sonne of man shal send forth ââs angels which shal gather out of his âingdom al things that offende them âhat do wickednes and shall cast them âto a fornace of fire there shal be weeâng and gnashing of téeth And there âe lykeneth the kingdome of heauen to â draw net cast into the sea Mat. 13.47 which wheÌât is full men drawe to lande and sit âwn and gather the good into vessels âât cast the bad away So shall it bée sayeth Christ in the end of the world âe that there is nothing more certaine âhen that Christ shal come vnto iudgement Nothing more certain then that the fashion of this worlde shal be changed 1. Cor. 7.29 Rom. 8. â3 The fashion of this worlde that âow is shal vanish Not onely the creature but wee also that nowâ mourne in our selues and wayte for the adoption of the children of God euen the deliuerance of our bodies shalbée deliuered from the bondage of corruption iââ the glorious liberty of the sonnes â God at the comming of the Lorde Iâsus Christ vnto iudgement Howbeâ wicked and vngodly men can not bâ perswaded touching the comming â Christ vnto iudgement of whome S Peter prophesied long tyme ago 2. Pet. 3. 3. Theâ shal come saieth hee in the last daye mockers which will walke after they owne lustes and say Where is the promise of his comming For since the fathers dyed all thinges continue in thâ same estate wherein they were at thâ beginning But this they knowe not â that willingly howe that the heauenâ a great while agoe were and that thâ earth that was in the water appear ââ vp out of the water by the word of god by the which things the world that thâ was perished being ouerrunne with water But the heauens and earth thaâ now are are kept by the same word in stoare and reserued vnto fire againâ the day of iudgement and perdition oâ vngodly men Dearly beloued bée nââ ignorant of this one thing howe that âe day with the lord is as a thousand ââre and a thousand yéere as one day The Lorde that hath promised is not âack to fulfil his promise as some men ââânt slacknes As who should say Let ââ maÌ thinke that therfore Christ shall âeuer come vnto iudgemeÌt bycause he ââth procrastinate put of for a tyme but let him thinke that he doeth it for that he is patient to vs ward would haue no man lost but would receaue al men to repentance Rom. 2. â Despisest thou the riches of Gods goodnes patience long sufferance And remembrest thou not howe that the kindnes of God leadeth thée to repentance Which lenitie of âod if thou doest abuse thou heapest thée together the treasure of wrath against the day of vengeance when shal be opened the righteous iudgement of God which wil rewarde euery man according to his deedes And to the end that this thing might she rather sinke into our hartes and myndes and lest wée shoulde be altogether vnprouided our sauiour hath to â vs of certaine signes and tokens thâ shal go before his comming There shâ be signes saieth hee in the Sunne aââ in the Moone and in the starres and the earth the people shal bee at theâ wittes end thorowe dispaire The sea the water shall roare and mens hartâ shall faile them for feare and for loâking
after the things that shal come vâpon the earth For the powers of heâuen shal moue These fiue signes shâ goe before the comming of Christ vnâ iudgement First there shal be signâ in the Sunne and in the Moone and â the starres that is as S. Marke wrâteth Mar. 13.24 The Sunne shal be darkened thâ Moone shal not giue her light and tâ starres of heauen shall séeme to fall Secondly in the earth the people shalâ be at their wittes end thorow dispainâ That is as S. Marke againe doeth uâterprete Mar. 13.8 Nation shall rise against nation and kingdome against kingdome Thirdly the sea and the water shal ãâã roare that is there shalbée cruell tempestes vehement and vnaccustomed âââdes Fourthly by reason of these âens hartes shal faile them for feare ãâã looking after the thinges that shall âne vpoÌ the earth Fiftly the powers âf heauen shal moue that is there shall âee straunge sightes in the heauen and ân the earth there shal bee earthquakes ãâã al quarters Briefly the heauen the âârth and sea shal witnes and declare the day of the lord to be at hand Now beloued wée our selues may witnesse that most of these signes and tokens âre passed alreadie For wée haue séene âtraÌge Eclipses of the Sunne moone âée haue séene nation to rise against ââtion and kingdome to rise against kingdome we haue heard of cruel tempestes vehement and vnaccustomed âindes with other strange thinges And therfore wée may iustly prognosticat yea and beléeue that the ends of the worlde are come vppon vs and that it wil not be long before Christ wil come vnto iudgement Beholde sayeth our sauiour the figge tree and all other trees when they shoote foorth the buddes ye see and know of your owâ selues that sommer is nigh at hand ãâã likewyse yee also when yee see the things to come to passe be ye sure thâ the Kingdom of God is nigh at hand But wée haue séene most of these come to passe and therfore let vs thiâ no otherwyse but that the kingdom God is nigh at hand and that the lorâ is ready to take his fanne in his haÌd Mat. 3.12 purge his floore to gather his wherâ into his barne and to burne the chaâ with vnquenchable fire Other tokeâ there are besides these to prooue vnâ vs that the end of the world hangeth âuer our neckes among which in iâ iudgement the preaching of the Gâpel is not the least For as our saâââ sayeth in the 24. chapter after the Gâpel of S. Mathewe Mat. 24.14 The Gospel of ãâã Kingdom shal be preached thorow eâ the world for a witnes vnto al nation and then shal the end come By whâ words the Sonne of man doth plaiâ declare that about the time of tâ worldes destruction the true and comfortable doctrine of Christ shoulde bée preached Whereby it is gathered that the same was obscured and darkened almost defaced by reason of the false Prophetes Apostles afore that time But nowe againe by the vnspeakeable grace and mercy of God we do plainly perceaue such a cleare light of the Gospel to shyne ouer the whole world that in spite of the deuil and his adherents it casteth his bright beames ouer al nations And therefore what other thing may wee looke for but as Christ did foretel a sodaine downfal of this miserable and wretched world Another token of the ouerthrow of the world is because wee doe plainely perceaue all things dayly to wax worse and worse and to decrease in their vertue For example The ayre is oftentimes corrupt sometime with vntimely showres sometime with vnprofitable drynesse nowe with too much colde and nowe with extreame heate The fruitfulnes of the earth is not such as it hath béene afore tyme. Moreouer wée may thinkâ and perceaue the foundations of the world to be worne out and the same to bée falling vppon our shoulders wheâ we sensibly perceaue our selues to liââ in those daies of which our Sauiour hath foreshewed I meane eating anâ drinking marrying and married buying and selling planting and building For neuer more did men eate drinke neuer did they faster marry wyues iâ the dayes of Noe neuer more did they buy and sell plant and builde in thâ dayes of Lot than they doe now which may prooue vnto vs that the endes oâ the worlde are come vpon vs. For as our Sauiour sayth After these examples shal it be Luke 17.30 when the Sonne of man shal appeare And if wée compare thâ tyme present with that which is past and set the manners of men before our eyes wée shal perceaue wickednesse to haue his ripenes and to raigne almost euery where without coÌtrolment For notwithstanding that God thorot Aâ vnspeakeable mercy in these latter dayes hath giuen vs the vse of his most âly worde whereby we shoulde frame ââr lastes and affections according to ãâã most holy will what desire of righââusnesse what loue of vertue what âââe of godlynesse or what zeale of reâââion is there to bée founde yea who is âât in Christianitie eyther colde or âarelesse Wée may nowe plainely see greatest vice to bée counted for chiefest âertue and those men to bée most commended which of al other for impietie ââght most to bée dispraysed For the ârafty deceitful men are counted wise âhe couetous are called good husbands âhe prodigal are called liberal and rich men are déemed the best men Besides S. Paule foresheweth that in the last dayes shal come perillous tymes 2. Tim. 3.1 For men saieth hée shal be louers of themselues couetous bosters proude curââ speakers disobedient to father and ââther vnthankeful vnholy vnkind ãâã so foorth And when did men more âet by themselues When were they ââre couetous When were they more proude when more giuen to cursed speaking when more disobedient to father and mother when more vnthankful when more vnholy when more vnkinde And to bée short when more geuen ouer to worke wickednes Eph. 4.16 that with al kind of gréedines then at thesâ dayes And therfore it must néedes follow the comming of Iesus Christ vnto iudgement to bée nigh at hand Whose comming shal be in a cloude with power great glorie In the first of the Acts Act. 1.9 after the talke that our sauiour had with the Apostles whiles they beheld hee was taken vp and a cloude receaued him out of their sight And while they looked stedfastly vp to Heauen as he went behold two men stood by them in white apparel which also said Ye men of Galilee why stande yée gasing vp into heauen This same Iesus which is taken from you into Heauen shal so come euen as ye haue séene him to goe into heauen But hée went in a cloude into heauen and therefore hée shal come in a cloude from heauen with power and greate glory euen as â Paule wryteth in the fourth of the ãâã Epistle to the Thessalonians 1. Thes 4.16 The âorde shal descend from
heauen with mighty shout with the voyce of the ârchangel and trumpe of God Such âalbe the manner of the comming of âesus Christ vnto iudgement And what shall there then ensue S. âaule sayth Then shal we which liue ãâã remain be caught vp in the cloudes ãâã ââiete the Lord in the ayre But say ââu shall not they that are aliue and ââmaine in the comming of the Lorde ânto iudgement dye Yes no dout For âtherwise S. Paule shoulde bée contrarie â himself in that he sayeth writing to âhe Hebrewes Heb. 9.27 It is decréed that al men âhal once dye But they that so remain ând are aliue in the comming of the Lorde shall not dye by distaunces of âymes as they who are spent and conââed with diseases and are buried For they shall not bée buried neyther âhal they dye being wasted and consumed with long sicknes but foorthwith being extinguished forthwith they shâ be chaunged and shal be caught vp â the cloudes to méete the Lorde in thâ ayre Euen as also the Apostle writetâ in the 15. 1. Cor. 15.51 of the first epistle to the Corinthes We shal not all sleepe but we shal al be chaunged and that in a moment and in the twinkling of an eye aâ the sounde of the last trumpe Buâ what shal there become of those bodie which were loosed from the soules before the comming of Christ vnto iudgâment 1. Thes 4.16 Héere S. Paule answereth Thâ dead in Christ shal first aryse meaninâ that the bodies that before the comming of Christ vnto iudgement steâ in the graues shall rise out of thâ graues at the sounde of the trumpe aâ the voyce of the Sonne of God 1. Cor. 15.52 Foâ the trumpe shal blowe the dead shalâ rise incorruptible they shal be changed For this corruptible shall put ãâã incorruptibilitie and this mortal shaâ put on immortalitie And this is thâ which the Apostle againe concerninâ this mutation and change writeth tâ the Philippians Phil. 3.20 Our conuersation is in heauen whence wee looke for the Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ which shal change our vile bodies that they may be like to his glorious body according to the mighty working wherby hee is able to subdue all thinges to himselfe And therefore the Saducees haue fouly erred that denyed the resurrection of the dead whereof Iob béeing fully assured saieth thus Iob. 19.25 I knowe that my redeemer liueth and that I shall rise out of the earth in the last day and shal be couered again with my skinne and shal see God in my fleshe yea and shal beholde him not with other but with these same eyes For if there were no resurrection of the dead which the Saducees affirme then mark you what S. Paule inferreth Mat. 22.23 1. Cor. 15.16 if the dead sayeth he rise not againe then is Christ not risen againe If Christ bée not risen againe then is your fayth in vaine and yet are you in your sinnes and they also that are falleÌ a sléepe in Christ are perished And if in this life onely wée beléeue on Christ then are wée of al men the most miserable And what auailed the great patience of Christians in al their troubles and cruel persecutions if this doctrine of the consummation of the world and of the comming of the Lord with al that belongeth theretoo were but a vayne imagination of Christ of the prophetes and Apostles and of all the blessed martyrs in the Church of God What did it aduantage the godly of al others in the world most miserable to suffer most cruel tormentes to bée racked Heb. 11.35 to bée stoned to bée hewen asunder to walke vp downe in sheep skinnes and in goates skinnes in néede tribulation and vexation which the worlde was not woorthy of wandring in wildernesses in mountaines in dennes and caues of the earth and woulde not bée deliuered were there not hope to receaue a better resurrection That I haue fought saieth Paule with beastes at Ephesus 1. Cor. 15.32 after the maner of men what auantageth it mee if the dead rise not againe But wée meruel howe the dry rotten bones can bée fetched out of the ãâã out of the earth and ashes agayne ãâã that fetcheth the sunne out of his ãâã euery morning he that quickneth âhe dead moone euery moneth hée that âââsed Aaron his rod Num. 17.8 that had béene many yéeres dryed in one night to bud âââssom and to beare rype Almondes ãâã also bring the dry bones out of the graue sea and ashes and cause them to âcare ripe and perfect fleshe And why âhould we doubt that of a rotten body a perfect body may spring since we sée by dayly experience that of rotten corne perfect corne doeth growe and that of rotten séedes and kernels perfect séedes and kernelles doe come Rom. 8.11 If the spirite of him that raised vp Iesus from the dead dwelleth in you euen hée that raysed vp Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies 1. Cor. 15.22 For as in Adam all do dye so in Christ shall all bée made alyue 1. Cor. 15.49 As wée haue borne the image of the earthy so shall wée beare the image of the heauenly As for the soules after they bée once loosed from the bodies they reigne eyther with Christ or with SataÌ eyther in eternâ glory or in euerlasting sorrow Whicâ maketh to the vtter subuersion ouerthrow of the popish purgatory of twâ daÌnable opinioÌs of twoo sortes of Heretikes the one called Arabici the otheâ Dormitantij the one affirming that â soule doeth dye together with the body and that in the resurrection they shall both bée raised vp together The other affirming that the soules doe sléepe till the day of iudgement then to bée awaked and then to receaue either damnation or saluation Both which opinions are most wicked and contrary to scripture For first that the soule liueth that it is immortal and incorruptible after that it is once loosed from the body the examples and testimonies of holy scripture doe declare Dauid no doubt beléeued the immortalitie of the soule For when hée perceaued that the child was dead hée wept no more but saide 2. Sam. 12.23 I shal goe to him but he shal not come againe to mée The widowes sonne of Sarepta fel sicke and dyed and Elias tooke him out of her bosom 1. Reg. 17.19 and laid him on the bed and stretched himâââfe vpon the childe thrée tymes and ââled vnto the Lord praying that the âââes soule might come into him aâââne And the Lord heard the voyce of âe Prophet and the soule of the childe ãâã into him againe and hée reuiued The soule therfore doeth not dye with âhe body The wyse man sayeth that âhe body which hée nameth dust shall returne to earth as it was Eccles 12.7 but the spirit vnto the Lord that gaue it And in âhe second of Wisdom Wisd