yet through his wisedome he wil haue the ciuil magistrate to punish such and that partlie that others maie be terrified by their punishment from following their example but especialie that notorious offenders maie haue notorious and deserued correction Againe he iudgeth by the ciuil Magistrates when throgh strength of armes and force of warre the innocent are defended against al enimies whatsoeuer be theie domestical or forreigne vsurpers of anothers kingdome or Tyrants in their owne And theie who take such warres in hand are saide to fight the Lordes battel as both Ioshua Dauid Machabeus did praised be God our renoumed Queene doth both in defending her loial subiects against al enimies and in protecting the oppressed against vsurpers By himselfe the Lord also doth iudge and that diuerslie And though in al his workes he be maruelous yet most wonderful is he in those his iudgements For he iudgeth secretelie and he iudgeth openlie he iudgeth particularlie some he iudgeth vniuersalie al mē by himselfe By his secrete iudgement he stirreth-vp the hearts of man against man manie-times and againe maketh some to be extraordinarilie fauoured This do the godlie note And therefore when either theie do finde for loue enimitie for good wil hatred for benefites ingratitude or get y ◠friendship which theie neuer looked for the one theie impute vnto the righteous iudgement of God for their neglecting his loue requiting his friendship with vnkindenes his manifold good turnes with vnthankfulnes and for the other theie crie with the Psalmist To come vnto preferment is neither from the East nor from the West nor from the South but God is the iudge he maketh low and he maketh hie By this iudgement the Lord both taketh awaie good magistrates sometimes turneth the heartes of Princes and changeth the state of Common-weales For à true sentence is that of Cominaeus God suffereth no wickednesse to goe vnpunished although sometime it be long ere he take vengeance For so often as we see anie notable alteration in mightie Princes we ought certainlie to persuade our selues that it proceedeth from the iustice of God And by this iudgement he succoureth yea and preserueth his Church miraculouslie from destruction and also punisheth the enimies of the same from time to time Secretelie also the Lorde doth iudge when hee toucheth the minde of man with the feeling of sinne and wickednes And this iudgement of God if the holie spirite be not assistant is vnportable For herebie diuers haue desperatelie finished their lines as Kain Iudas and in our age Franciscus Spira By this iudgement diuers which seeme in manie outward and worldlie respectes as either for authoritie or for their nobilitie or for their places or for their learning or for their profession or for their wealth happie yet are theie by the testimonie of their gnawing conscience which accuseth them continualie of hainous and manifolde crimes in à curssed state and condition Last of al when the wilful despisers of God his mercies preached by the Gospel and the malitious resisters or peruertors of his worde be deliuered-vp into reprobate mindes wherebie there take darkenes for light sower for sweete for trueth falsehoode wickednes for holines superstition for true religion mans fantastical imaginations for the verie seruice of God and folowe without remorse of conscience or sense of wickednesse sinne and that with greedinesse what is it but the secrete yet righteous iudgements of the Lord Secondarilie without the ministerie of man God iudgeth by himselfe openlie to the sight of the worlde by diuers means as by the fire somtime by water somtime by the earth sometime c. By which and such like the Lorde in his iustice doth punish vs in these daies manie times So haue we bine by great fires great inundations great earth-quakes great plagues corrected yet verie mercifulie For we are neither consumed of fire as Sodome was nor drowned of water as the olde world was nor swallowed-vp of the earth as Korah Dathan and Abiram were and that not because we are more innocent nowe in the sight of God than theie were nor God is either lesse righteous that he wil not or of lesse power that he cannot punish so seuerelie as euer he did for both we are by so much more wicked thantheie were as we contemne greater benefites than euer theie enioied and God also is as righteous for iustice and for his power as mightie as euer he was For he is the Lorde and changeth not But of his infinite mercie he bringeth vs not vnto vtter confusion but punisheth vs by litle litle because we should amend Thirdlie by himselfe God openlie punisheth particular men and that notoriouslie that others maie beware Thus hath he punished long-ago both Herode Antipa for his crueltie and Herode Agrippa for his pride and Cerinthus and Arius curssed heretikes for their blasphemies and the enimies of Narcissus for their periurie and Hatto of Maguntia for insatiable couetousnes and crueltie and Dalburgius of Wormes in Germanie for his lewde and vnchaste conuersation and to omit à number mo Frier Bacon for his familiaritie with Satan For one of those Herodes hee threwe from hie authoritie downe to extreame beggerie the other was eaten-vp of vermine Cyrinthus was bruzed into peeces with the fal of an house the bowels of Arius gushed-out and so horriblie ended his daies one of Narcissus his enimies with fire another with an odious sicknes y e third hauing lost his eies with weping perished miserablie Hatto was pursued yea at y e lēgth deuoured of Myce and Rats Dalburgius going to naughtie companie in the night fel into à cellar and so tooke his death and Frier Bacon pined-awaie with hunger hauing both à greedie desire to eate and plentie of meate to feede-vpon And of verie late yeares what notable and howe manie examples of God his iudgements against wickednes haue we seene What à death came Anne Auerie à notable example of auarice for her wilful periurie vnto How died widowe Barnes because she wold haue defrauded her owne children of their portions of goods due vnto them by Lawe Howe desperatelie did father Lea finish his life for bearing false witnesse to à matter Howe died one Thomas Hil at Feuersam in Kent for murthering his owne Mother Did not the verie excrements of Anne Auerie come-out of her mouth Was she not stroken with such à sickenes and that sodenlie that neither her feete could moue nor her mouth speake nor anie member of hers in à manner do the duetie it should Died she not odiouslie in à stinking stable for her abhominable couetousnes and periurie Fel not widowe Barns out of an hie windowe and so brake her necke Did not Father Lea dispatch himselfe with à rustie knife and that two yeares after hee had forsworne himselfe And did not fiue smal points strāgle in strange
⧠THE GENERAL Session CONTEINING AN APOLOGIE of the most comfortable doctrine concerning the ende of this World and seconde comming of CHRIST Written by THOMAS ROGERS The first part Wherein for the comfort of the godlie is proued not onely that God wil but also that he doth iudge this world 2. Pet. 3. verses 3 4. This first vnderstande that there shal come in the last daies mockers vvhich vvil vvalke after their lustes and saie vvhere in the promise of his comming Allowed by auctoritie AT LONDON Printed by HENRIE MIDDLETON for Andrew Maunsell ANNO. 1581. To the right Honorable Sir THOMAS BROMLEIE Knight Lord high Chancelor of England c. his most gratious Patron Glorie eternal and happines by the comming of our Sauiour CHRIST RIght Honorable experience doth prooue that miserable is the state of mankinde in this life For we doe both come into the world in paine and liue in cares and die with griefe Our bodies are subiect to manifolde infirmities and perils our minds to innumerable vngodlie perturbations Our whole life is verie trouble som how or where or when we shal depart out of this worlde it is vncertaine And although this condition be alike to the iust and to the wicked to the good and to the pure and to the polluted yet none do feele the smart hereof so extremelie as the vpright dealers in the world and such as vnfeinedlie be religious For theie are for the most part oppressed when the wicked haue fauour there impouerished when the wicked encrease in wealth theie imprisoned when the wicked are at libertie and theie grieuouslie afflicted when the vngodlie do triumph This good men obserue manie-times and it dismaieth them not a litle As it did both King Dauid also the Prophet Ieremiah when the one said My feet were almost gone my steps had welnere slipt For I fretted at the foolish when I saw the prosperitie of the wicked For there are no bands in their death but theie are lustie strong Theie are not in trouble as other mē neither be theie plagued with other men Therefore pride is as a chaine vnto them and crueltie couereth them as a garment Their eies stand-out for fatnes theie haue more than their heart can wish Theie are licentious speake wickedlie of their oppression theie talke presumptuouslie Theie set their mouth against heauen and their tongue walked through the earth c. Loe these are the wicked yet prosper theie alwaie and encrease in riches Certainlie I haue cleansed mine heart in vane and washed mine handes in innocencie For dailie haue I bine punished and chastened euerie morning c. And the other exclamed wherefore doth the waie of the wicked prosper Whie are al theie in wealth that rebelliouslie transgresse The reprobate also do marke this and therbie with corrupt iudgements theie falselie imagine first that either there is no God at al or that he hath forgotten his seruantes which put their trust in him or that he doth neither gouerne the world nor see their waies secondlie that there is no life after this life nor iudgement to be feared Therfore saie theie Come and let vs enioie the pleasures that are present let vs cherefullie vse the creatures as in youth Let vs fil our selues with costlie wine ointments let the floure of life passe by vs. Let vs croune our selues with rose buds afore theie be withered Let vs al be partakers of our wantonnesse let vs leaue some token of pleasure in euerie place for that is our portion and this is our lot Let vs oppresse the poore that is righteous let vs not spare the widowe nor reuerence the white haires of the aged that haue liued manie yeares Let our strength be the lawe of vnrighteousnes for the thing that is feeble is reproued as vnprofitable Therfore let vs defraud the righteous for he is not for our profite and he is contrarie to our doings he checketh vs for offending against the lawe of God and blameth vs as transgressors of discipline He maketh his brag to haue the knowledge of God and he calleth himselfe the sonne of the Lorde He is made to reproue our thoughtes It greeueth vs to looke vpon him for his life is not like other mens his waies are of an other facion He counteth vs as bastardes c. Let vs examine him with rebukes and tormentes that wee maie know his meekenes and proue his patience Let vs condemne him vnto a shameful death for he shalbe preserued as he him self saith c. Thus speak the reprobat Epicures of this world And so of eroneous suppositions namelie that there is not neither shal be a iudgemēt theie do greedilie giue-ouer themselues vnto sinne and are wholie resolued neuer to repent Which Atheistes if euer theie did I am perswaded theie swarme in our age as the present state of this worlde can witnesse Not withstanding neither are the godlie for al this to be out of hart nor the wicked ouer-vanelie to insult For both the righteous shal florish like a palme tree abide vnmoueable like the mountanes about Ierusalem the wicked shal soone be cut-downe like the grasse and wither as the greene herbe Because God wil arise and his enimies shalbe scattered theie also which hate him shal flie before him As the smoke vanisheth so wil he driue them awaie and as the waxe melteth before the fire so shal the wicked perish at the presence of the Lord. For manie sorowes shal come to the wicked He wil breake their armes crush their bones with a scepter of iron and breake them into peeces like a potters vessel He wil raine vpon them snares fire and brimstone and bring them at length into hel into euerlasting tormentes where shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth Euen this shalbe their portion The righteous shal see it reioice when he seeth the vengeance he shal wash his feetee in the blood of the wicked The righteous I saie shal see it feare and shal laugh at the destruction of the vngodlie man saieng Behold the man which tooke not God for his strength but trusted vnto the multitude of his riches and put his strength in his malice The wicked theie also in themselues shal freate for griefe of minde and saie This is he whom we had sometime in derision and in a parable of reproch We fooles thought his life madnes and his end without honour How is he counted among the children of God his portion is among the Saints c. What hath pride profited vs or what profit hath the pomp of riches broght vs Al those things are passed-awaie like a shadowe and as a post that passeth by c. And so
howe it shalbe consumed with fire At these things saith Peter doe these Atheists and Epicures euen contrarie to their verie conscience denie And therefore there needeth none other confutation but onelie to laie before them either the historie of Noahs floud or the Rainebowe in the cloudes For beholding either of them they cannot choose but cōfesse that the world must haue an ende Another of their arguments is this Had God minded to bring the world vnto an end he would haue done so before this But seing it hath continued these 5500. yeres vpwarde likelie it is that euermore it shal endure Thus do they miserablie deceiue themselues saith Peter in effect not considering that God being eternal is not encluded within the compasse of anie time For one daie is with the Lorde as a thousande yeares and a thousande yeares as one daie Therefore it followeth not because hee differreth the destruction of the worlde that he wil not make an end thereof But hee is patient toward vs and would haue no man to perish but would al men to come vnto repentance The cause then whie it is not yet vtterlie ouerthrowne is his great and infinite mercie for our euerlasting welfare For the patience long-sufferance and bountifulnes of God leadeth vnto repentance So did he spare the old world an hundred and twentie yeares before he drowned it and Ierusalem 40. yeares after Christ his death before he destroied the same It is therefore a special cause whie wee shoulde seeke to please so gratious and merciful à God no cause to make vs secure The manner of the worlds destruction at the day of iudgement is signified by à comparison For as the worlde in time passed for the wickednesse of men was after à sort destroied with water so it shall burne and bee consumed with fire And that both for a signe of the eternal paines which y e vngodlie shal endure and also for the purging and repairing of the world For as filthily diseased persons infect the places where they are so haue the wicked polluted this worlde with their manifolde sinnes Therefore it must be purged with fire that it maie be à meete fit and pleasant theatre as it were both for Angels and the chosen seruants of God with Christ for euermore CHAP. 5. Against the Manichies and their adherents who saie there shalbe no general iudgement nor resurrection of mankinde THeie who denie the general iudgement to come are diuers of diuers opinions For some doe holde that it shal not be at al some that it is nowe and some that it is alreadie past The first sort are Manichies the seconde H. N. or the Familie of Loue the laste the fauorers of Hymeneus and Philetus as the Familie of Loue. Al wicked heretical and abhominable For proofe whereof they al doe bring not humaine reason altogether as they did whom alreadie we haue confuted but they abuse y e diuine Scripture as shal appeare Of euerie of these therefore as they stand The Manichies and their adherents to proue that there shalbe no general iudgement doe bring-out first à place out of the thirde of Iohn where it is thus written God sent not his sonne into the world that hee shoulde condemne the world but that the worlde through him might be saued If therefore saie they hee came not to condemne the world it shal not be iudged Against which their allegation I might bring à contrarie place out of the same Gospel where our Sauióur saith I am come vnto iudgement into this world and so let one place answere vnto the other But I answere there is à two-folde comming of our Sauiour Christ à first and à seconde the first is past the seconde is to come The principal cause of his first cōming was not to condemne but to be condemned the principal cause of his seconde shalbe to execute iustice iustice with seueritie vpon the reprobate iustice with mercie vpon his elect yet iustice vpon both vpon the one sort for imbracing his Gospel by à liuelie faith vnto their saluation vpon the other for contemning the same vnto their vtter condemnation Therefore according to his diuerse commings hee beareth the persons of diuerse men in his first comming of à priest whose part is both to teach and to offer sacrifice in his seconde of à iudge whose duetie we haue shewen Secondlie theie cite this place out of the same Chapter of Iohn He that beleeueth in him which is Christ shal not bee condemned but hee that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie because he beleeueth not in the name of the onelie begotten sonne of God They saie therefore If he who beleeueth shal not come into iudgement and he who beleeueth not is condemned alreadie where are they whom hee shal iudge at the daie of iudgement In effect if none are to bee iudged there shalbe no iudgement I answere first touching the righteous who beleeue that though they shal not bee condemned yet that they shal bee iudged For Christ wil rewarde euerie-man according vnto his workes There is then a iudgement of saluation and a iudgement of condemnation The righteous shalbe iudged yet not condemned but quited by proclamation the wicked shalbe iudged and condemned both by God and the countrie that is by their owne conscience and al the Angels in heauen Secondlie against the wicked I saie with our Sauiour because they beleeue not they are condemned But doth it followe thereof that they shal not bee iudged I beleeue not For it is à phrase vsed much in y e holie Scripture to take the time present for the time to come As cursed be he or more plainelie cursed is euerie man that continueth not in al things which are written in the booke of the Lawe to do them It is not Cursed shalbe euerie man but Cursed is euerie man c. For God hath signified what shal become of vnbeleeuers and wicked men onlie there lacketh but pronouncing of sentence at his general Sessions So saith Saint Augustine He that beleeueth not is now iudged that is condemned by the foreknowledge of God who knoweth what hangeth ouer the heads of vnbeleeuers And verie notablie in another place he saith Iudgement hath not yet appeared and yet iudgement is come For the Lord knoweth who are his hee knoweth who are to be crowned who to be burned He knoweth his wheate and hee knoweth his chaffe He knoweth his good corne and he knoweth his tares He who beleeueth not is now condemned By which their obiection occasion is giuen for our profit and comfort to consider these three thinges Firste the wretched state of the wicked theie are condemned that is in the eies of the Almightie theie goe euen with their handes bound their feete fettred and their necks be in cords onely theie tarie but for these wordes Hangman dispatch them or
Now seeing the Prophets Christ himselfe his Angels Apostles who haue not lied nor deluded men at any time before with vane prophecies haue foretold of à iudge ment to come the godlie doubtlesse wil build their faith vpon their wordes especialie because theie al haue spoken therof moued thereunto by the spirite of God who cannot lie Which testimonies maie bring much good vnto al mankinde For first the godlie herebie in al their troubles maie receaue great and vnspeakeable comfort considering that their afflictions shal not alwaie endure but that one daie when the Lord thinketh good theie shal be adorned with euerlasting glorie and life according to his promises This made S. Paul to breake into these words I account that the afflictions of this present time are not worthie the glorie which shalbe shewed vnto vs. Secondlie the wicked hearing these prophecies of the Lorde touching the last iudgement maie be terrified frō displeasing so gratious à God who of his mercie hath reuealed what shal betide the wicked and vngonlie that theie maie with heartie sobs and sorowe repent Last of al both good and bad maie herebie as in à glasse beholde howe the world neither is gouerned by chance nor shal endure euerlastinglie but that as the old world the sinnes of men being come vnto ripenes was drowned with water so the whole world when iniquitie hath gotten the vpper hand shal perish and be cōsumed with fire Theie also both good and bad I meane ought herebie to learne so to set thēselues in order by repentance that when theie shalbe summoned to appeare at that general Assise theie maie boldlie stand in the presence of his glorious Maiestie But beside these testimonies which I haue aleaged there be sundrie other great arguments of the worlds consummation For the present condition of men in this life is a manifest proofe that this worlde cannot alwaie endure For who are in more prosperitie then the wicked and who more afflicted thē the godlie in this life Therefore of necessitie there must be a iudgement where at both the vngodlie are to be condemned for their wickednes and the virtuous to receaue rewardes for their wel-doing For euerie good master to his power wil prefer his good seruants and euerie vpright iudge wil quite the innocent and punish malefactors Is this vprightnesse among mortal men saith Cyril and shal not God the immortal king reward euerie man according to his workes Hee which otherwise thinketh is in a wrong opinion For as it is in à certaine Psalme God is not a God that loueth wickednesse neither shal euil dwel with him The foolish shal not stande in his sight for hee hateth al them that worke iniquitie He shal destroie them that speake lies The Lorde wil abhorre the bloudie man and deceitful Wherfore seing though now then some yet al the wicked are not destroied there must be à iudgement at which al the vngodlie shal perish from the face of the earth and be damned For the Lord neither can because he is iust neither wil for that he is holie suffer his seruants and holie ones alwaie to be afflicted alwaie to be oppressed to be kept in thraldome and bondage of the reprobate alwaie Let the wicked then consider that à daie wil come when tribulation and anguish shalbe vpon the soule of euerie man that doth euil And though either through policie or friendship theie escape the displeasure of man yet that they cannot auoide the wrath of God For idolaters blasphemers and al wicked persons God wil iudge though man do not because he is righteous Further let them note that though they suffer and that deseruedlie in this worlde yet if theie die impenitent the ende of their life is but the beginning of an euerlasting death For God is righteous and wil punish most seuerely vnles his wrath be turned-awaie by the teares of Christian repentance Moreouer man punisheth outwarde offences but god outward and inward too Man executeth correction for one or à few but God for al sinnes which either the heart mouth or any member of the bodie hath committed and that because he is righteous Againe the ende whie this worlde was created is an vndoubted argument that à iudgement one daie must come For it was created onlie to serue for y e vse of the saints sonnes of God not of Atheists Epicures A iudgemēt therfore is to come whereby the wicked must be cast-into euerlasting torments that the godlie and none beside maie enioie the creatures of almightie God Hitherto maketh that of the Apostle For the feruent desire of the creature waiteth when the sonnes of God shalbe reueiled because the creature is subiect to vanitie not of it owne wil but by reason of him which hath subdued it vnder Hope Because the creature also shalbe deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God For we knowe that euerie creature groaneth with vs also and traueleth in paine together vnto this present This Peter meaneth when he saith by the comming of the day of God the heauēs being on fire shalbe dissolued the elements shal melt with heate But we looke for newe heauens a new earth according to his promise wherein dwelleth righteousnes Againe the base estate of the saints in this world doth proue the same For they are now humbled therefore they shalbe exalted for before glory goeth humility So then We are with Christ to suffer that with Christ we maie be glorified And the life of the saints is hid with Christ in god There remaineth then à manifestation and à glorification of the godlie When Christ which is our life shal appeare then shal yee also appeare with him in glorie Nowe saith Iohn are we the sonnes of God but yet it doth not appeare what wee shalbe and wee knowe that when hee which is Christ shal appeare we shalbe like him For we shal se him as he is In this worlde wee are saued by Hope Therefore the time must come when our Hope shal cesse and we shalbe saued in deede and by the sentence of à righteous iudge be pronounced the verie sonnes of God and heires with Christ of that kingdome which hath bene prepared for the elect euen from y e foundation of the world where we shal see god face to face and know not in part but as we are knowen Moreouer the verie conscience of men is an euident argument of à iudgement to come By this murtherers whoremongers wicked liuers be pricked tormented This made Cicero to saie There can no euils bee imagined but I am troubled therewith notwithstanding in respect of the griefe of sinne which is greatest and eternal theie are al easie to brone Therefore vndoubtedly those torments of mind are tokens that God is the auenger of wickednes and that a seuere
the wicked than of the godly diseased But not so manie wicked are imprisoned Who shal be iudge shal the iudges of realmes They wil answere for one godlie man they sende twentie wicked vnto the iayle some for polling some for roaging some for quarreling some for periurie which vices the godlie wil not defile themselues withal And therefore more wicked then godly imprisoned But not so many wicked come to vnnatural ends as godlie Who shalbe iudg Shal common experience That must needes declare that for one godly person an hundred come vnto euil ends some for thefte some for murther some for treason some through desperation With which vices the godlie wil not be stained for al the goods in the world And therefore mo of the wicked than of the godlie doe come vnto vnnatural ends On the otherside what prosperity hath God promised for this life but the godlie enioy y e same so wel as the wicked For riches they are welthie for health lustie for power mighty learned for knowledg wise for experiēce honorable for calling for fame renowmed so wel as they Yea but al the godly are not such Neither be al the wicked But moe wicked yet than godlie be such Howe canst thou tel that the scripture saith by outward things no mā knoweth either loue or hatred al things come alike to al and the same condition is to the iust and to the wicked to the good and to the pure and to the polluted to him that sacrificeth to him that sacrificeth not as is the good so is the sinner he that sweareth as he that feareth an othe But doe the wicked more florish Let them assure themselues they haue their reward And haue y e godly lesse prosperity They are to reuiue their spirites through consideratiō that à time wil come when they shal fully be cōforted and the vngodlie tormented Againe be it that they find lesse fauor moe troubles in the world not for manifest wickednes but through the malice of Sathan and his mēbers than the wicked doe yet are theie punished as vniustly of man so iustly of the Lord and that both because he exacteth à greter righteousnes of them than of other men which he findeth not also looketh for more thankfulnes for his extraordinary benifites cōferred vpon them and they yeeld it not CHAP. 17. Where the bodies and soules of men are vntil the daie of iudgement SEeing nowe à general iudgement shal ensue what becommeth of bodies and soules vntil y e daie of iudgment wil some say Touching the bodies theie are dead without any either sense or feeling at al vntil the last daie abide in their places if theie were neuer buried in the graues if theie were cōmitted to the earth But the houre shal come in which al that are in the graues shal heare Christ his voice And theie shal come foorth c. and such also as haue beene either deuoured of beastes or consumed of fire or drowned of waters or any way dead since the beginning of the world theie altogether in à moment in the twincling of an eie shal arise But whie reasteth the bodie and goeth not presently with the soule either vnto ioie or paine It is because neither the sins of al y e wicked are yet perfectly ripe nor the number of the faithful fulfilled For neither the wicked which haue died since the beginning of the worlde shal preuent those which are to come vnto them in extreme tormentes nor any of the godly enioie perfect happines vntil y e whole nūber of y e faithful com together Whie shal the bodie arise at al The reason is easilie giuen That whole man may be rewarded according to his deserts y e is that as neither the soule without the bodie did anie thing nor the body without the soule while it was aliue so both bodie and soule together maie receiue either the reward of wel doing or the punishment of sinne For we blaspheme with the mouth we pray with the mouth we praise God with the mouth We are wanton with the bodie and we are chast with the bodie Wee pil and poll with the hand and we giue almes with the hand c. Seeing then saith Cyril the bodie is à doer in al thinges it shal reape the fruit of his labour in the time to come But some wil saie How are the dead raised vp and with what bodie come theie foorth O foole that which thou sowest is not quickned except it die And that which thou sowest thou sowest not that bodie that shalbe but bare corne as it falleth of wheate or of some other But God giueth it a bodie at his pleasure euen to euerie seede his owne bodie c. So also is the resurrectiō of the dead The bodie is sowne in corruption and is raised in incorruption It is sowen in dishonor is raised in glorie it is sowen in weakenes is raised in power It is sowen a naturall bodie is raised a spiritual bodie Wherbie it is euidēt howe the same bodie in substance which we haue but not in qualitie shal arise For the qualitie shalbe changed of the same Hereunto Cyril beareth witnes when he saith This bodie shal arise but not subiecte to infirmities yet this same verie bodie being transformed into an incorruptible body Euen as iron burned in the fire becommeth fire But more than so as the Lorde rising knoweth best This body than shal arise but not remaine as it is but be eternal It shal not stand in neede either of meat to liue withal or ladders to climbe by for it shal become spiritual A certaine glorious thing it shalbe such as sufficientlie for theworthines of the same cānot be expressed The righteous shal shine as the sunne as the moone as the brightnes of the firmament And God foreseeing this incredulitie of man hath giuen to smale wormes bright bodies in the summer that therebie theie maie shine to make men by apparent thinges to beleeue that which through hope we lookefor For he that canperforme a part can also accomplish the whole and hee that hath made a worme to shine with cleerenesse can much more make the iust to be glorious So then we shal be raised hauing eternal and al like bodies but he that is righteous shal receiue à celestial body that he maie accompanie the Angels and he that is wicked shal take an eternal bodie by which he maie suffer the punishmēt of sinnes and burne in fire and yet neuer be consumed so Cyril This being spoken of the place of the bodie and resurrection of the same I wil nowe shew what I thinke concerning the places where the soules are had I recited the sundrie opinions of diuerse men touching this matter For great varietie of iudgementes haue beene here-about The Pharisees haue one opinion the Dormitans an other the Papistes another the fathers another and the
labours of the warfar which it susteined in this world with the Diuel the flesh and the world now enioieth the companie of the celestial Church and resteth yea reioiceth sweetlie in the Lord praising his goodnes with hie commendations That treatise also touching the immortalitie of the soule written by the reuerend father M. Iohn Caluine is altogether to the confirmation of this matter These late writers agree with the ancient Doctors and both with the holie Scriptures For the soules of the righteous are in the handes of God and in peace saith the wise man theie rest from their labors saith à voice from heauen Which hand of God and rest in other places also is called Abrahams bosome Paradise Therefore the foules of the righteous vntil the daie of the last and general iudgement are in Abrahams bosome euen in Paradise where theie haue from the beginning and shal vnto the end of the world enioie though not perfect yet vnspeakable happines There euerie of the saints hath his seueral robe but shal not be clothed with double robes vntil we put theÌ„ on too for coÌ„panie saith Ber. The 1. robe is the felicitie and rest of the soules but the 2. shalbe the immortalitie and glorie of the bodies FINIS The miserie of mankind in general The great miserie of the godlie in this world a Eccles. 9 2. The troubles of the godlie dismaie them sometimes b Psal. 73 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 12. 13. 14. c Iere. 12 1. What the reprobate do gather by the troubles of the godlie d Psal. 10 4. e Psal. 10 11. f Ezek 9. 9. g Wisd. 2 2. h Psal. 94 7. i Wisd. 2 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 19. 20. The blessed state of the righteous k Psal 92 12. l Psal. 12â— 2. m Psal. 37 2. n Psal. 68 1. 2. The heauie iudgements of God vpon the wicked o Psal. 32 10. p Psal. 37 17. q Psal 2 9. r Psal. 11 6. s Psal. 9 17. t Matth 25 41. Luke 16 25. u Luke 13 28. x Psal. 11 6. y Psal. 58 10. z Psal. 52 6. 7. a Wisd. 5 3. 4. 5. 8. 9. b Psal. 58 11. The fruite of meditating vpon the iudgements of God c Rom. 8 35. d Psal. 23 4. e Psal. 46 â—2 f Psal. 31 19. g Rom. 2 10. h Iam. 2 19. The occasion whie this Booke was written i Eccles. 12 14. Causes of this dedication k Act. 10 40. a Reue. 22 20. Aduersaries to this doctrine The occasion whie this discourse was written b Luk. 12 56. c 1. Pet. 1 10 11. d Matt. 24 3. 4. c. Mark 13. 4. 5. c. e Mat. 24 33. f 2. Pet. 3. 3 4. Matt. 25 13. g Matt. 24 42 43. c. h Mark 13 23. 33. i Luk. 21 36. k Luk. 21 28. l Mat. 24 46. The suÌ„me of this treatise m Matt. 24 36. n N. HeÌ„mingius in cap. 4. epist 1. Pet. a Cice. de Nat. Deor. lib. 1. b Epist. of Iude vers 4. Theodoret. lib. de principiis c Hierom. lib. 2. aduersus Iouin d Dionys. Alex. apud Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 43. e Theodoret. lib. 2. cap. 31. f Melanct. in locis suis coÌ„mu Tit. de Baptis Infantium Georg. Maior Tom. 3. Homi. suarum fol. 129. b. 572. g Hector BoeÌ„thius lib. 2 ca. 3. h 2. Pet. 3 3. i Eccles. hist. Cent. 3 cap. 11. k Irenaeus li. 5. I. Argument a Arist. lib. de Coel. Phy. li. 8 b Isai. 37 16. c Ierem. 32 17. d Psal. 102 25. 26. 27. e Psal. 33 8. 9. f Wisd. 11 14. 2. Argument g Iauel epist. in lib. 1. Artist de Coelo tract 4. c. 5 The Maior The Minor h Arist. Phys. lib. 4. Conclusion i 1. King 8 27. 2. Chron. 6 18. k Bern. de triplici cohoerentia vinculorum serui l Isaie 66 1. m 1. Pet. 3 12. n Hemmingius in c. 3. epist. 1. Pet. o Zanch. de tribus Elohim p. 1. lib. 1. c. 4. p Tho Aquin. in cap. 3. Pet. 1. q Bern. in explic Psal. 90 serm 1. 3. Argument The Maior The Minor The Conclusion r Augustine a 2. Pet. 3. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 1. Argument S. Peters answere vnto Atheistes b Gen. 9 13. Colors of the Raine-bow and what they signifie 2. Argument Answere c 2. Pet. 3 8. Whie the world hath continued to this daie d Rom. 2 4. e Gen. 6 3. f Ecclesi hist. Cent. 1. lib. 2. c. 14. fol. 664. The manner of the worlds destruction Whie the world must be consumed with fire a 2. Tim. 2 17. 18. 1. Obiection b Iohn 3 17. c Iohn 9 39. A twofold comming of Christ. Whie Christ came in the flesh Whie Christ wil come 2. Obiection d Iohn 3 18. e August de agone Christ. cap. 27. A twofold iudgment of Christ. f Rom. 2. 6. g August de agone Christiano Cap. 27. Theophylactus in cap. 23. Lucae h Deut. 27 26. i Gal. 3 10. k August de agone Christianâ— cap. 27. l August in 3. cap. Ioan. The state of the wicked euen in this world m Math. 25. 41 n 1. Tim. 2 4. o Iohn 3 36. 3. Obiection p Iohn 12 47. q Rom. 14 10. Who are the Familie of Loue. a In the displaieng of the Familie of Loue leafe H. 4. Art 6 6. b 2. Pet. 2 1. c Ephes. 4 14. d 2. Pet. 2. 1. e 2. Tim. 3. 5. f Matt. 13 24. g 2. Cor. 11 14. h 2. Cor. 11 15. i Cyril Catech. 4. de decem dogmat k E. R. one of the Familie in his Epist. sent vnto M. Iohn Rogers and is to be found among the Epist. annexed vnto the displaieng of the Familie leafe L. 6. l Afore Chap. 5. pagi 16. m H. N. in his 1. Exhort cap. 16 sen. 17. page 43. b. n H.N. in his first Exhort cap. 6. sent 1 2. 3. 5. cap. 7. sent 42. o H. N in his Instruct. praef Set. 1. 3 5. Art 8 seÌ„t 35. Arti. 11. sent 42. Exhort after to those Art sent 1. p H.N. in Prophecie of the spirite of loue cap. 14. Sent. 7. cap. 16. Sent. 6 7 8. Cha 19 sent 14. q H.N. in his Prouerbs Chap. 1. sent 17. 18. r Elidad a fellowe Elder with H.N. in his Exhort sent 33 34 35. s H. N. in his Euang Chap. 2. sent 1. * Isai 3. b. Mat. 24 d Mat. 25 d * Isai. 16 b. * Acts 17 d. * Zacha. 8. â— t Christopher Vitel in his Libel against the Booke intituled The displaieng of an horrible sect of grosse wicked Heretikes naming themselues the Familie of Loue. u H.N. in his documental sentences chap. 15. sent 4. * Actes 17 e. x H.N. in his preface before the instruct of the vpright Faith sent 2. * Matt. 24 25. d Luke 17 c. 21. * Act. 1 b. 2. 2. Thes. 1. b. What the Familie of Loue doth meane by the