in Saynte Paule .i. Cor. i. Gal. i. ij Ephe. i. Col. i. Roma ij Ebre ix and to Titus ij Iohn iij In so muche that he that beleueth in Christe shal not perysshe but haue euerlastynge lyfe For thus sayth S. Paule Ro. viij There is then no damnation to them whiche are in Christe Iesu whiche walke not after the flesshe but after the spirite Therfore is there no meryer thynge vppon earthe than a ryght Christen man for he dothe not muche esteme the temporall lyfe he is sure of a better lyfe He is a Lorde ouer synne death and helle Vvhy so Answer Rom. vi Christe dyed once and dyeth no more Death shal haue no more power ouer hym Iohn Nowe bei he hath ouercome it and taken awaye synne Now he that beleueth in Christe hath Christ before hys eyes becometh one spirite wyth hym ouercometh in him and by hym synne death helle Deuyll and the worlde Ro. viij For thus sayth Saynte Paule Yf God be on oure syde who can be agaynste vs. Vvhiche also spared not hys owne sonne but gaue hym for vs all Howe shall he not with him geue vs all thynges Psalm xxx viij Vve are well delyuered into death but we ouercome all those thynges through Christe whiche hath loued vs. Vvhat hath Christe Answer He hath the righteousnes peace lyfe and saluation Euē that same hath the christen soule also which is knytte in vnite vnto Christe her lorde and head thoroughe a ryght faith Ro. viij Hose xiij She defyeth death sayth neyther death nor any creature is able to separate her from the loue of god whiche is in Christ Iesu She speaketh ioyfully i. Co. xv Death is consumed in the victory Death where is thy styng Hell where is thy victory But thankes be vnto god which hath geuē vs victory thorough our Lord Iesu Christ Deathe is not fearfull to a christen mā The tēporall deathe is vnto such a christen man no more so fearful Yea he doth desyre it for it is to hym onely a delyueraunce frō thys sinful wretched blasphemous lyfe an intraunce into the ryght lyfe vnto Christe our onely saluation A Christian knoweth that the euer lastynge death can do nothing to him yea as littel as to Christe hym selfe and the temporall death is onely a departing of the soule from the body to thiutent that they bothe beynge puryfyed pure and cleare in all perfection in the Later daye maye be agayne coupled to gether glorifyed and clarifyed And knoweth that the soule stondeth in the hande of Christ and is well preserued in the bosome of Abraham Luc. viij Therfore doth the scripture calle the Christen death a slepe because that then a Christian doth firste amende hys estate and cometh from disquietenesse to reste The ryghte Christians also should not behaue thē selues euyl or sorrowe ouer muche whan any thynge dyeth from them Paule sayth i. the. iiij Vve woulde not bretheren haue you ignorant concernynge them whiche are fallen a slepe that ye sorrowe not as the other whiche haue no hope For yf we beleue that Iesus dyed and rose agayne euen so them also whiche slepe by Iesus wyll God brynge agayne with hym The Resurrection esa xxix Ezeche xxxvij and viij In the latter daye shall the bodyes of menne by the infinite power and myght of god be raysed agayne and be coupled agayne with the soules But in the blessed shall they wonderfully be chaunged and endued with foure gyftes honour and glorye with impassiblenes with brightenes with swyftenes and with subtilenes For thus sayth Saynt Paule i. Co. xv The flesshe is sowen in corruption and ryseth in incorruption It is sowen in dishonour ryseth in honour It is sowē in weakenes ryseth in power It is sowen a naturall body ryseth a spiritual body For a lyttell before sayth he For as in Adam all dye euen so by Christe shall all be made a lyue and euery mā in hys owne ordre The fyrste is Christe then they that are Christes at his commynge Then commeth the ende when he hath delyuered vp the kyngdome to God the father when he hath put downe all rule authorite and power Christ is rysen from death therfor shall we ryse also Thys artycle of oure fayth is al the hole somme and contayned all the hole matter Yf Christe were not rysen then had synne and death ben to stronge for him But for as moche as he is rysen from death so is synne and death ouercome and we shall ryse also in glorye purchaced prepared for vs by Christe Ro. viij But then when the spirite of God that raysed vp Iesus from death quickeneth your mortall bodyes because of his spirite whiche dwelleth in you Ioh. xi Christe sayth I am the resurrectiō and the lyfe He that beleueth on me yea though he were deade yet shall he lyue And whosoeuer lyueth and beleueth on me shall neuer dye Item this is the wyl of hym that sent me Ioh. vi that euery man which seyth the sonne and beleueth on hym haue euerlastinge lyfe And I wyll rayse hym vp at the last daye hiob xix Item I am sure that me redemer lyueth and that I shall ryse oute of the earthe in the later daye that I shall be clothed agayne with thys skynne and see God in my flesshe yea I my selfe shal beholde hym not with other but with these same eyes Itē the houre shall come in the whiche al that are in the graues shall heare hys voyce and shall come forthe they that haue done good vnto the resurrection of lyfe and they that haue done euyll vnto the resurrection of damnation One Christian shoulde conforte another with suche wordes of Scripture agaynst the feare of death as Saynte Paule teacheth in the Epistle to the Thessalonians i. Th. iiij The Latter daye Of the last daye hath the Scripture two poyntes The fyrst Christe hath geuen sure sygnes which be the messagers of the last iudgement Reade the Gospelles of Mathewe Marke Matth. xxiiij mar xiij Luc. xxi and Luke All maner of persecutions of the faythfull shall aryse Item warre insurrection offence euyl maners quenchynge of charite Item the abhomination in the holy place in the tempel of God Dan. ix whiche exalteht hym selfe and sheweth hym selfe as God Item an abhominable departynge ij Th. ij and fallyng from the faythe vnto mānes institutions and traditions For thus sayth Christe when the trees shute forth theyr buddes it is a sure signe that Sōmer is then nygh at hāde So lykewyse ye when ye see those thynges come to passe vnderstonde that the later daye is at hande The other Euen thesame poynte of thys laste tyme the daye or houre can no man knowe Christe geueth signes Matth. xxiiij but he sayth in Mathewe Of that daye and houre knoweth noman no not the Angels of heauen but my father onely and recyteth euen in the same place
he wyl geue it you The eleuenthe Article ⧠The resurrection of the body Resurrection of the dead ¶ This article is to hyghe agayne for mannes capacite she can not see nor vnderstande with her darke lighte howe euen the same body shal come agayne which so diuersely may perysshe The one is drowned in the sea hym consume the fysshes the one is eaten of the fowles in the ayer another of the wylde beastes or wormes or is consumed of the fyre Here caÌ„ not nature comprehende howe euen that same body with all hys substaunce maye be made and brought together agayne that I shal haue eueÌ„ my firste eyes handes fete and membres as I haue now vpon me Therfore is it called a mistery of God whiche man beleueth and seeth not before hys eyes Euen the same body where with my soule nowe synneth or fasteth and doth any good shall at the laste daye be rayseth agayne and my soule shall be coupled with it agayne And shal be bothe together saued or together damned But there shal be a greate alteration in the body Now in the mortal lyfe is my body subiecte to all maner of miserye Men maye beate me wounde me the body is fowl vnhansome darke dull slowthful and sluggysshe and vseth muche payne and labour or it can come from one place to another It is fearful and weake and hyndreth the soule often in her worke If I study longe or imagine some hygh matter and subtyl anone orketh my head Of suche lyke calamytyes sticketh the body ful Therfore dyd the Platouystes call oure body a denne of the soule and death a delyueraunce from boÌ„des i. Co. xv But in the last daye shal the body of the blessed be garnysshed with fayr gyftes and glorye It shal be no more corruptyble but cleare bryght fayr In the boke of wysedome sayth the Scripture Sapi. iij The ryghteous shall shyne as the sparkes that runne through the busshe mat xiij And in Mathewe sayth Christe Then shal the ryghteous shyne as the sunne in the kyngedome of theyr father ¶ Item the body shal no more be slowfull sluggysshe and lyther but quycke and swyfte that wheresoeuer the spirite wil be euen there shall also the bodye be without delay It shall no more be wretched and sicke or weake but mightye and strong that nothing shal be able to hynder it or to kepe it in It can come oute and in thorough dores beyng shut Item it shal be no more corruptible that it may be beaten hurted or wounded but incorruptible as the shadowe of the sonne i. Co. xv The foure gyftes of glory and worshyp toucheth Paule in the Epistle to the Corinthyans Moreouer howe the one shal be clearer then the other Lyke as one starre is bryghter and clearer than the other Wherevpon sayd S. Augusten saith to Diostero God hath made the soule so mightye that thorough her perfect saluatioÌ„ floweth into the body a perpetual healthe an vnmouable power i. Co. xv Paul helpeth our weake fayth with a goodly exaÌ„ple of a grayne which is sowen in the earth and it is not quickened excepte it dye before then groweth oute of the smal corne a fayr frute euery corne of the frute hath hys owne body His natural fourme and fashion is now muche syner fayrer mightyer then before Such thynges see we daily in the workyng of nature in the incompreheÌ„sible creatures howe much more glory power goodnes wysedome science bestoweth God the creatour of al thynges vpon the reasonable creatures of men whome he hath geueÌ„ a soul fourmed after him selfe irrepreheÌ„syble In tymes past in the Aquiliane or Carthagiane Churche dyd men pronounce thys article thus I beleue the resurrectyon eueÌ„ of thys body beholde meÌ„ dyd adde to it that word eueÌ„ of thys to thinteÌ„t that it myght be plainly and cleare ynough expressed that none other body lyke vnto this shal be raysed or made but euen this same wherein I now stand sitte see heare walke and do suche lyke workes yea which vseth it selfe here with the soule in al maner of good workes Thys sheweth Iob very clearly Iob. xix wheras he saith I am sure that me redemer lyueth and that I shal ryse out of the earth in the latter daye that I shal be clothed agayn with this skinne and se God in my flesshe ye a I my selfe shall beholde hym not with other but with myne owne eyes i. Co. xv To the Corinthians sayth Paule Euen thys corruptyble thynge muste put on incorruptibilite and this mortall must put on immortalite thys is cleare ynough declared that euen this body euen these eyes shal come agayne ⧠Witnesse of the Scripture esa xxvi Esaye sayth Thy dead men shal lyue and my slayne shall ryse agayne Awake and lyue ye that lye in the duste Christe when he agaynst the vngodly Saducees defended the resurrection of the dead he brought in the saynge out of the second boke of Moyses I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob But God is no God of the dead but of the lyuinge When he spake those wordes than had those thre ben dead longe before But for as muche as god nameth hym selfe a god of the aforenamed surely then they be some where and be a lyue Therfore shall theyr body and soule in tyme conuenient be ioyned agayne together In Ezechyel speaketh the scripture clearly of the generall resurrectyon Ezechi xxxvij saynge amonge other wordes Thus sayeth the Lord God Beholde I wyl open your graues and brynge you forthe of youre sepulchres Da. xij Daniel sayth Many of them that slepe in the dust of the earthe shall awake some to the euerlastyng lyfe the other to perpetuall shame ¶ Witnesse of the newe Testament In Mathewe Matth. xxij mar xij whereas Christ proueth the resurrection of the bodyes agaynst a Iewysshe secte named the Saducees is thys article of the resurrection of the flesshe grounded Mathewe sayeth Matth. xxvij The graues dyd open and the bodyes of many Saynctes whiche slept arose and came oute of the graues after hys resurrection and came into the holy citye and appered to many Luce. vij Luc. viij Christe rayseth a wydowes sonne Item he raysed vp from death a yong in â—yde Ioh. xi Act. xx Lykewyse Lazarum Paule raysed also a yonge man named Eutichus Ioh. vi In Iohn sayth Christ no man can come to me excepte the father whiche hath sent me drawe hym And I wyl rayse hym vp at the laste daye Ioh. xi Item in another place I am the resurrectioÌ„ and the lyfe he that beleueth on me yea thoughe he were deade yet shall he lyue Item he sayeth to Martha Thy brother shall ryse agayne Martha answered I knowe that he shall ryse agayne in the resurrection at the last daye Ioh. vi Lykewyse sayeth he more ouer as the father rayseth vp the deade and quickeneth theÌ„
¶ In the newe testamente Reade the Euangelistes of the passyon where they handle the Passyon of Christe ▪ there shalt thou fynde howe godly the Prophecyes be fulfilled and that the Euangelystes accorde ād agree with the Prophetes Lykewyse in the Actes of the Apostles .i. ij iij. iiij v. vij x. xiij xvij xx xxvi Witnesses of the Apostoles Paule Roma i. iij. where he proueth that we haue the redemption through the bloude of Christe in the .v. sayth he when we were enemyes we were reconcyled to god by the death of hys sonne Item Roman vi viij Christe dyed for vs. Roma xiiij xv To the Corinthians .i. Cor. i. ij vi viij x. xi xv ij Corinth iiij v. xiij To the Galathians i. ij iij. iiij vi To the Ephesians i. ij v. To the Philippians in the seconde teacheth he and sheweth that the sonne of God hath humbled hymselfe frō the hyghnes of hys maiestye for oure saluacyon euen vnto the most haynous deathe of the Crosse Philippen iij. To the Coloss i. ij iij. To the Tessaloniens i. ij iiij v. To Timot. i. ij To Titus .ij. In the Epistell to the Hebrewes in the .i. ij v. vi ix x. xiij Cha. Peter i. Petri. i. ij iij. iiij And also in the seconde Epistle Iohan. i. Iohan. i. ij iij. iiij Of the buryall reade Treno iij. They haue layde a stone vppon me Psalm iij. iiij xvi My flesshe shal lye sure Item Esaye xi In the newe Testamente Matth. xxvij Marci xv Luce. xxiij Iohan. xix The vnspeakeable fruyte of the hoolsome death of Iesu Christe and the infinite merites shalt thou fynde also in the places afore rehersed The fyfth Article He ascended into hel and the thyrd daye he rose agayne from the death Christe is our redemer and sauioure therfore ouercometh he all whatsoeuer is contrary to oure saluacion is synne death hell the deuyl through whose enuie death is come into the worlde Christ also descended into hell that he shoulde suppresse all powers and subtelties of the deuyl to the faythfull And he is rysen agayne for to geue a newe lyfe to the beleuynge that we here after may lyue innocently and godly Dauid speaketh thereof on thys wyse Thou shalt not leaue my soul in hell Christ descēded into hel Here is it cleare that he descēded into hell For he sayth not Thou shalt not leaue the work of my soule in hellethe sayth my soule so that the soule of Christ dyd truely descende into hel after her substaunce or beynge not onely after the worke And although we do not knowe properly what maner of descendynge into hell the same be Yet neuerthelesse wyll we surely truely beleue the wordes of the Prophetes whan he hadde commended hys blessed soule into the handes of God hys father than laye hys holye body styll but the soule went downe to hell Oh the mercyfull Lorde hathe ouercome for vs euery fearful thyng The resurrection of Christe ¶ The resurrection of Christe is a great article For it hath made the paines and sufferynges of all martyrs lyght and is the triumphe and ioye of all Christians Hys resurrectyon is oure righteousnes and worketh also oure resurrection bothe of bodye and soule Euen so sayth saint Paul Christe is rysen agayne Rom iiij Ro. viij If the spirite of hym that raysed vp Iesus from death dwell in you euen he that raysed vp Christe from death shal quicken your mortall bodyes because that hys spirite dwelleth in you i. Co. xv And to the Corinthians as by Adam all dye euen so by Christ shall all be made a lyue and euery man in hys owne ordre The firste is Christe then they that are Christes The inuincible glorye of the glorious resurrection of Iesu Christe declareth and glorifieth al that was weake feareful before dryueth awaye the feare of death and exalteth into great ioye the hertes of all faythfull Christians Vvhat ioye is greater thē that Christe is rysen in euerlastynge glorye and honour Rom. vi He dyed ones for vs and shall dye no more death shall haue no more power ouer hym Nowe be we hys membres and he is oure onely heade wheresoeuer then the heade becometh and reygneth there shall also the membres become There is oure ioye and reioysynge i. the .iiij Therfore sayth Paule That the Christians shoulde comforte themselues one another with suche wordes They are cōfortable wordes truely to all true beleuers Sūma Euangel ij This is the summe of the gospel Christe is a kyng of glorye he is borne and geuen vnto vs. Vve haue synne and death but he hath righteousnes and lyfe yf thou beleue in hym then be hys goodes thy goodes hys resurrection thy resurrectiō And it is thyne also whatsoeuer he hath wrought by hys glorious triumphāt resurrection Ro. viij God hath geuen vs hys sonne all thynges with hym as saynt Paule sayth Vvhat hath he wrought by hys resurrection Fruyct of the resurrection Truely great thynges he hath destroyed synne raysed righteousnes abolysshed death brought agayne lyfe ouercome hel and he hath geuen eternall glorye and honour Therfore syngeth the churche with great gladnes not without inspiratiō of the holy goost Christe is rysen and yf he were not rysen then were all the worlde perysshed In the old Testament is the resurrection of Christe signifyeth the prophete Ionas Ione ij Mat. xij Luce. xi He laye thre dayes and thre nightes in the bely of a great whalle after that was he delyuered as Christe hym selfe bringeth in the same The scribes and the Pharisees would see but a signe Then sayde the Lorde vnto them The signe of Ionas The euyl aduoutrous generation seketh a signe but there shall no signe be geuen to them than the signe of the Prophete Ionas For as Ionas was thre daies and thre nyghtes in the whalles belly so shall the sonne of man be thre dayes and thre nyghtes in the herte of the earth Iohn ij And in Iohn speaketh he also of thys hys resurrection saynge Destroye thys temple and in thre dayes I wyl rease it vp agayne There speaketh he of hys owne body Reade more there of in Osee and in the psalter I haue slept and am rysen That is asscrybed vnto Christe Item thou shalt not leaue my soule in hell neyther wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption Here sheweth Dauid clearly the bodely resurrection of Christe For Christe is properly called in scripture the holy one of god and he sayth thou shalt not leaue hym in hell that is as muche to saye Thou shalt sone bryng hym from theus Item thou shalt not suffre thy holy to see the corruption That is Thou shalt make haste to bringe me abroade agayne to the bodely lyfe The continual readyng in the Bible shall bryng before the more suche lyke saynges Vvitnesse of the newe Testament Mathei xx He shall ryse agayne the thyrde daye That is the worde of God that can
He that through the sprete of faith vnderstandeth the great calamite of thys myserable lyfe Rom. ix and the blasphemye of god whiche through oure synfull lyfe dayly in the flesshe is committed reioyseth that thys calamitie sone ceasseth The vngodly But the vngodly whome Paul calleth vessels of ire where on God shal shewe hys strayght iudgement they woulde wysshe that this temporal lyfe myght laste for euer They woulde be content with a good wyl that god shoulde kepe hys heauenly kyngdome alone O how fearful shal be vnto them the face of Iesus Christe which shal shewe him self in the last day with such great glory maiestie Zach. ix vnto all men Angels and deuils His first comyng was despysed and a slight thynge before the world but then when god the father shal geue ouer vnto hym all hys enemyes into suche horryble euerlastynge and in tollerable paynes and punyshemētes Esa lxij And all the membres of Christe shall be sett from al calamitye and misery into all perfection ioye and glory ād in al certayntye withoute ende Verely then shall he ryde no more vpon an asse in mekenes and shewe no more necessite but all glorye then shall the greate daye of the Lorde be at hande the daye of wrath and sorowfulnes the day of myst and of stormy wynd as the Prophete Sophony wryteth Soph. i. He shall come to iudge the quicke that shall be founde and the dead that haue dyed Cyprian vnderstandeth that the lyuinge be the soules and the deade their bodyes But for as muche as Paule sayth i. tess iiij that we which lyue remayne in the comynge of the Lord shal be caught together with the deade also in the cloudes to mete the Lorde in the ayer and so shall euer be with the Lorde Truely so myght it be thought that there shal be some on lyue caught to the iudgement as also Saynt Ierome sayth vppon thys place They that be departed in Christe shall aryse fyrste and the sayntes whiche shal be founde lyuinge they shal be caught to gether with the fyrste Augustyn in the boke of the Citye of God sayth Lib. xxij Cap. xx That Paul here in this Epistle to Thessaloniens dyd not meane hymselues and those that lyued in hys daies But that he dyd meane those that Christe shal fynde on lyue He supposeth also that those whiche soon lyue shal be caught in the ayer to mete Christe shall together at one tyme in the same catchyng dye In Ecc. dog vi and .vij. and ryse agayn as he sayth in another place Nowe howe the same cometh to passe wil we committe to God it is not necessary for vs to knowe Witnesse of thys article out of th◠scripture Malachie descrybeth the comyng of Christe and the iudgemēt Mal. iij dan. vij Daniell dothe also note the comynge of the sonne of man to the iudgement Item of hys power and kyngdom that this power endureth foreuer Luce. i. Mic. iiij Matth. xxiiij and that his kingdō endureth vncorrupte as also Luke dothe writte and Micheas In Mathewe is descrybed the comynge of Christe whereas he saythe Euen as the lightenyng cometh oute of the easte and appeareth into the west so shall the commynge of the sonne of man be Then shal al the kynredes of the earthe mourne and they shall see the sonne of man commynge in the cloudes of heauen with great power and glorye and he shal sende hys Angels with the great voyce of trōpettes And they shall gather together hys chosen from the foure wyndes from the one ende of heauen vnto the other Marci xij Luce. xxi Matthei xix xxv xxvi fyndest thou also such lyke ij ii iiij Paule i. Corinth iiij i. Thessa iiij ij Thessal ij Item to Timothe I testitye before God and the Lorde Iesu Christe which shall come to iudge the quycke and deade Ro. xiiij at hys appearynge in hys kyngdome And to the Romaynes Vve shal be al brought before the iudgement seate of Christe Esa xlv For it is written as truely as I lyue sayth the Lorde Al knees shal bowe to me and al tonges shall geue prayse to God ij Co. v Item to the Corinthians we muste al appeare before the iudgement seate of Christe that euery man maye receyue the workes of hys body accordyng to that he hathe done i. Pe. iiij whether it be good or bad Peter Vviche shal geue accomptes to hym that is ready so iudge the quycke and the deade Act. ◠In the Actes of the Apostles sayth Peter Christe hath commaunded vs to preache vnto the people and to testify that he is ordeyned of God a iudge of the quycke and the deade The eyghte Article ☞ I beleue in the holye goost Here speakest thou In the holy gost therewith doest thou confesse that the holy goost is God For to beleue a thynge is to sett there on thy truste hope and loue thys is an honour whiche pertayneth onely to God hys maiesty The holy goost is the thirde person in the eternal deite procedynge from the father and from the sonne through an vnknowen Matth. xxviij and inexplicable wyse In Mathew sayth Christe Go and baptise in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy goost Here is mightely shewed the deite of the holy goost for seynge he cōmanded to baptise in the name of the holy goost so must I beleue trust in the holy gost Shall I then truste beleue in hym then must he also surely be God for a man maye trust or beleue in none but onely in god Gen. i In the firste boke sayeth Moyses The spirite moued vpon the water There doeth Moyses geue and appropriate to the holy goost hys worke in the creation Psalm xxxiij Dauid sayth in the Psalme By the worde of the Lorde are the heauens made and all the hoste of them by the breath of hys mouth That is The heauens are made by the holy goost and al that is therein These wordes geue clearly that he is God seynge the creation is asscrybed vnto hym And in another Psalme Psalm cxxxix Whyther shal I go from thy spirite and whyther shal I flee from thy presence There geueth he also to vnderstande that he is euery where To be in all places belongeth onely to God and to no creature as Dauid sayeth Yf I clyme vp into heauē Psalm cxxxix thou arte there yf I go downe to hell thou arte there also Iohn sawe the spirite of god descende lyke vnto a doue Iohan. i and abyde vpon hym Christe sayeth in Iohan. I wyll praye the father Iho. xiiij and he shal geue you another conforter that he may abyde with you euer whiche is the spiryte of truethe The comforter whiche is the holy goost whome my father wil sende in my name he shall teache you all thynges Item in another place Iho. xvi yf I goo not awaye that