your owne skill for all my will for I may minde what is not meete and you may wish what is more conuenient Your enough is nothing too much for that which you said was both pleasurable to heare and profitable to learne And it may be my minde is little amisse For I would learne what I know not and get what I haue not For my part therefore I can be contented to proceede can you so too R. Yea verily for I am now at your direction Q. We will now then to the third thing you say he was to regarde which in prosperous time of life was desirous to prepare against perilous day of death R. As you please for that But doe you remember what it was Q. Very well I thanke you For this it was He must striue by all good meanes he may to enter into the first degree of eternall life R. You say true but what would you touching this point Q. I would first know how many degrees of life eternall there are for your naming of the first argues that there are diuers I would secondly learne what it is to enter into the first degree of eternall life For you say he must striue and striuing argues it is not common nor easie to enter into it Thirdly I would know by what meanes a man may come to enter thereinto For enter a man cannot into any thing without meanes R. And these things in some sorte will I manifest vnto you Touching the first therfore there are three degrees of life eternall The first is in this life when men being iustified and sanctified haue peace with God The second is in the ende of life when the body freed from all diseases paynes and miseries is layd to rest in the earth and the soule is receiued into heauen The third is after the daie of Iudgement when bodie and soule being reunited shall be both aduanced to eternall glorie Now to enter into the first of these 3. degrees of life eternall is to haue such peace with God through Christ as he that hath it can say with Paul I liue not but Christ liues in me The meanes to enter heereinto are three Repentance of sin Fayth in Christ and Newenes of life For none can enter heereinto but he that repents him of his sinnes beleeues in Christ and riseth to newenes of life He that repents not perisheth He that beleeueth not is condemned He that walketh not in newnes of life is yet in his sinnes Hence it is that Peter said vnto the Iewes A mende your liues and turne that your sinnes may be put away when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Act. 3.19 Hence is it that Paul said vnto the Iayler 16 31. Beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saued and thine household Dan. 4.24 Hence is it that Daniel said to Nebuchadnezar Breake off thy sinnes by righteousnes and thine iniquities by mercie toward the poore Loe let there be an healing of thine errour Hence it is that as Peter said of Ioyning vertue with faith and with vertue knowledge 2. Pet. 1.5 and with knowledge temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godlines and with godlines brotherly kindenes and with brotherly kindenes loue if ye doe these things ye shall neuer fall So may I say of mixing repentance with faith and with faith obedience and with obedience more if ye doe these things ye shall neuer fall for as Iohn the Euangelist sayth Apoc. 20.6 Blessed and holy is hee that hath part in the first resurrection for on such the second death hath no power By which is signified that hee which will escape the second death must be made partaker of the first resurrection of which none is in deed partaker but he that is regenerated iustified and sanctified regenerated by the spirit of God iustified by the death of Christ and sanctified with the gifte of the holy ghost for none but such can say with Paule I liue not now but Christ liueth in me Q. I but others than such haue parte in the first resurrection R. In shew they may but in truth they haue not Q. How then may a man come to be able to say with Paule I liue not now but Christ liueth in me R. By three especiall graces in which the first degree of euerlasting life consisteth Q. What three are these R. The first is a sauing knowledge by which a man doth truely resolue himselfe that God the father of Christ is his father Christ his sonne his redemer and God the holy ghost his sanctifier for as Christ sayth This is life eternall to know thee the onely God Ioh. 17.3 and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ The second is peace of conscience Pro. 15.5 Philip. 2. which as Salomon saith Is a continuall feast And as Paul saith Passeth all vnderstanding For as the same Paul saith The kingdome of God is righteousnes Rom. 14.17 peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost And no meruaile for the horrour of a giultie conscience is the beginning of death and destruction Syr. 25. 14. The greatest heauines is the heauines of the heart saith Syrach and the greatest trouble is the trouble of conscience say I. As Syrach also saith Giue mee any plague saue onely the plague of the heart So say I giue me any trouble saue onely the trouble of conscience For as the plague of the heart passeth all other plagues so the trouble of conscience passeth all other troubles Pro. 18.14 The spirite of a man saith Salomon will sustaine his infirmitie but a wounded spirit who can beare it As one in Plautus saith Seruus in Mustellaria There is nothing more miserable than a mans owne guiltie minde In a prouerbe it is Seneca lib. de moribus Ibidem A guiltie conscience is as good as a thousand witnesses As Seneca saith The conscience goes beyond all the euill the tongue can speake An euill conscience is often safe without daunger neuer sure without care Hmbros lib. 2. de offic Bernar. in serm Bern. 3. considerat ad Euge. But saith Ambrose The peace of conscience makes a blessed life And saith Bernard He prepares a good dwelling for God whose reason neither hath been deceiued nor wil peruerted nor memorie defiled The opinion of good men with the testimonie of conscience is euer sufficient against the mouth of them that speake euil Horat. Hor. Iudgeth it an happie thing for a man to know no euil by himselfe nor to waxe pale through some default Hugo lib. 2. de Ani-cap 9. Hugo therefore speaking in the praise of a good conscience saith A good conscience is the title of religion the temple of Salomon the field of benediction the garden of delight the declinatorie of gold the ioy of angles the arke of couenant the treasure of the king the house of God the habitation of the holy ghost the booke
gotten themselues an immortall name If thus these heathens were perswaded of this matter as they tooke a truth without any question that they which in this world liued godlie iustlie righteouslie and soberlie should goe into a ioyfull place of rest where hauing the blessed company of the immortall gods they should see one another know one another talke and reioyce one with another what should christiās be which haue not only the grounds that heathens had but better greater far away then euer heathēs either had or could haue should not they think you to be more credulous cōfident beleeuing then euer heathens were Q. Yes surelie for as it was a checke to the Scribes and Pharisees that the Publicans and harlots did goe into the kingdome of heauen before them so it is to christians that heathens herein should be more beleeuing then they but what if christians grounds faile them more then heathens conceits R. Oh fie on such a question damnable is such an assertion are heathens conceites comparable with christians grounds What grosse absurdities should you fall into if you shold auouch any such thing first you should accuse the Scriptures of vntruth Secōdly you should preferre heathenish groundes before christian principles Thirdly you should iniurie the heathens in accounting that their conceit which is gods truth Q. God forbid that I should fall into any of these the last is naught the second worse the first of all I did but aske the question I will not auouch any such assertion R. But why aske you such a question Q. Because of that I haue heard obiected against that which all this while by you hath bin proued and confirmed R. What is that I pray you Q. That which is thus written in the ninth of Ecclesiastes commonly called the booke of the Preacher The liuing know that they shal die Eccl. 9.5 but the dead know nothing at all neither haue they any more reward for their remembrance is forgotten and againe there is neither worke nor inuētion nor knowledge nor wisedome in the graue whither thou goest R. Alas alas by either of those sayinges the doctrine before deliuered is nothing at all crossed or disproued For first the dead know nothing at al as they are dead yet it followeth not therefore but that they know something as they liue Secondly in the graue where the bodie must lie when it is dead there is no knowledge yet it thereupon followes not that in heauen where the soule doth liue there is no knowledge Moreouer the dead know nothing at all as they are dead so lōg as they are dead but shall they therefore know nothing when they shall liue againe they know nothing in the bodie so long as the bodie is in the graue and shall they therefore know nothing in the bodie when the body is raised vp out of the graue they know nothing in the bodie betweene the day of their death and the day of doome and shall they therefore know nothing at all after the generall resurrectiō or do they therfore now in the soule know nothing betweene the day of their dissolution and the generall day of restauration there is a non sequitur in all these so is there also in that which should be concluded out of the places obiected for they speake of the dead as they are dead they speake of the the dead while they are dead they speak neither of the dead as they doe liue nor as they shall liue And the doctrine before deliuered speakes wholly of the dead as they shal liue in soule in the time present and as they shal liue in bodie soule in the time to come Againe they speake of knowledge earthlie for it followeth in the next verse And they haue no more portion for euer Eccl. 9.6 in all that is done vnder the Sunne But this doctrine now lately deliuered speakes of knowledge heauenly for it speakes of knowledge from the day of death to the day of iudgement and from thenceforth to all eternity Q. Still then you hold what you held R. What should I else doe this that you haue said cannot withhold mee a man must stand to the truth til he die yea though it be for the truth that he doth die and other then a truth I know not this to be that I haue said for they that depart hence in the Lord shall after their departure know those their friends that were gone before them and those also that shall follow after them Q. But this one thing further touching that point how shall they know them R. Euen as the Apostle saith 2. Cor. 13.12 As they are knowne now I know in part but then shall I know euen as I am knowne Q. Shall the Father know the Sonne and the Sonne the Father the husband the wife and the wife the husband c. R. Yea no doubt though I thinke not that either the father shall know the sonne or the sonne the father as here the father knewe the sonne and the sonne the father For all earthlie and polluted knowledge shall bee abolished and done away and I am moued to be of this minde partly by the saying of Christ Mat. 22.28 Mathew the two and twentieth where being demanded whose wife of the seauen in the resurrection that woman that had had seauen husbands should be he gaue this answere In the resurrection they neither marrie wiues neither are wiues bestowed in mariage but are as the Angels of God in heauen and partlie by the saying of another a learned and godlie writer who in the tenth of his sermons saith thus In heauen where there shall be no more place of miserie Brandmil serm 10. conc funer or time of mercie and so no affection of mercie as Barnard saith in the 11. of his Epistles we shal be no more so affected as heere vpon earth we are For our will shal be one and the same with Gods will whome he will haue to bee with him in his heauenlie kingdome him shall we also willingly haue with vs but whom the Lord will not haue to be with him him shall wee haue no minde to be with vs whatsoeuer a one he shal be yea as the Psalmist saith Psal 58.10 Ausbertus lib. 6. in 14. cap. Apoca. The righteous shall reioyce when he seeth the vengeance for as Ausbertus saith The torment of the wicked shal make for the increase of the praise of the elect Q. Why but shall not the father knowe the sonne to haue been his sonne and the sonne the father to haue been his father R. To that as I dare not say definitiuely yea so do I not say resolutely no. What maner of knowledge there shall be in particular betweene one and another my knowledge heere doth not serue me to describe Yet thus much I dare say because God by his word hath emboldened mee so much to say that Peter in the transfiguration of Christ his master knew Moses
of Israell was punished There went vp to Ai about three thousand men but the wrath of the Lord being kindled against the children of Israell for the trespasse committed by Achan in the excommunicate thing they fled before the men of Ai and the men of Ai smote of them vpon a thirtie and sixe men Against the inferiour creatures hee sinneth because they for the sinne of man are after a sorte punished For as the Apostle sayth The creature is subiect vnto vanitie Rom. 8.20 not of it owne will but by reason of him which hath subdued it vnder hope For wee know that euery creature groaneth with vs also and trauaileth in payne togither vnto this present In so much that euery of them in the day of iudgement may put vp his bill of complaynte against such a driuing and delaying mate And the Sunne may say for his sake I lost my light the moone for his sake I became darke the Starres for his sake we fell from heauen the Earth for his sake I became cursed and brought forth thornes and thistles the Aire for his sake I became corrupt and breed plagues and pestilences the Water for his sake I became polluted and brought forth frogs euen in kings chambers all creatures for his sake we became rebellious yeelded not that obedience which had not his sinne been wee both would and should haue yeelded What man now is he of any wit and discretion that sinning would sinne against all the forenamed his God himselfe his neighbour the Angels the other creatures Q. For my parte I thinke none I hope none I knowe none R. Neyther should there then be any of any wisedome that should delay till death to prepare for death For in so doing hee sinnes as I haue said against all these of whome I haue said and in so doing he hurtes himselfe more than now can bee sayd The estate of such a man is perilous Whiles he liues the sworde of Gods iustice hanges drawen and readie to fall ouer his head and when hee dyes it serues to seuer his soule from his bodie and to cast it into hell Ioh. 3.36 For he that obeyeth not the sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him While he liues he liues in the land of his enemies and when he dyes if he dyes as he liues he falles into the hand of his enemies For the deuill is the God of this world Origine and is seized and possessed of all those that remayne in ignorance Into his hands also fall all they which dye either out of the Lord or against the Lord. While hee liues there is but a wall of glasse that stayes his enemies frō hauing him in their hands This wall of glasse is his body behinde which the deuill standes and this wall you know is soone broken and beaten downe One little stone of a three or foure poundes weight batters it in peeces and layes it leuell to the ground When he dyes the wall is broken and his enemies enter to make spoyle of all they finde within While hee liues as his dayes goe from life so he goes to death His whole life is but a course to death When hee dyes as his dayes are ended so is his life For he liues no more to his owne ioy or others comfort The way of sinners is made plaine with stones saith Syrach but at the ende thereof is hell darkenes and paynes Whiles he liues Syr. 21. 10. he stands at the gates of death according to that saying They drew neere vnto the gates of death Psal 107.18 But when hee dyes hee goes soone into hell Iob. 21.13 according to that saying They spend their dayes in wealth and sodeinlie they goe downe to hell Q. If his state bee so perilous it is good for him to thinke of his wayes and to turne aside his steppes least euill take him vnawares and he perish in the time of vengeance R. It is so and a foole he is if he doth not so Q. A foole may say not so Matth. 5.22 Whosoeuer shall say foole shall be worthie to be punished with hell fire R. I if he sayth it With a minde to hurte and a will to destroy But I haue no such minde such a minde be farre from me I that cannot make a man what should I marre one Q. Still then you deeme him as you did R. I doe so for hee is a foole that being fallen into the mire makes no hast to get out such a foole is he that being fallen into sinne makes no hast to rise from it For there is no greater vncleannes than the vncleannes of sin Before sinne the deuill was a most beautifull creature to looke vpon An Angell he was of light but since his sinne no man is able to abide the looke of him so vgly and monstrous is he now become Againe he is a foole that hauing a iourney to goe makes no hast to beginne it such a foole is he that hauing to trauell from earth to heauen makes no hast to set vpon his way Q. But why if a mā may aske you is he a foole R. Iob. 14.1 First because the time hee hath to goe this iourney in is but shorte For the dayes of man are but shorte and it is folly to thinke a man may goe a great iourney in a little time Secondly because the way is long as much as from earth to heauen and it is folly to thinke a man may goe a long way in a shorte space To Elias it was said vp and eate for thou hast a great iourney And yet his iourney was but from the wildernes of Bersheba vnto Horeb the Mount of God 1. Kin. 19.7 a iourney of fourtie dayes and fourtie nights walking a iourney nothing comparable to the iourney from earth to heauen for more is the distance from earth to heauen than was the distance betweene the desert of Bersheba and Horeb the mounte of God There are that expresse it but how truly I minde not heere to examine It is myne heere rather to shew why he is a foole that hauing to trauell hence thither makes no hast to set vpon his way than that and that sith I haue begunne to doe it I minde to doe Thirdly hee therefore is a foole because hee is looked for of great persons for the whole hoste of heauen expects his comming and it is folly to make great persons stay for a meane man Gen. 19.20 When Lot prayed that hee might escape to Zora that there his soule might liue God bad him hast thither to saue himselfe there for he could doe no thing till he were come thither Haste thee saue thee there Gen. 19.22 for I can do nothing till thou be come thither Fourthly because he is looked for to his great good For he is looked for to a kingdome Math. 25.34 Mat. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my father inherite ye the kingdome
none he that would giue should see ere he giues whether that hee would giue would bee for the benefit of him to whom he would giue that 's but a slender benefit which tends to the hurt of him to whō it is giuē R. I am of that mind too and therefore I would haue no man so foolish as to giue by his will any thing that he hath gotten ill Q. What if he hath nothing but what is so gotten R. Then let him giue nothing for of his owne hee should giue and not of other mens Q. What shall he then doe R. Restore all and the fruits thereof the charges diducted aboue the getting and keeping of the fruits and his owne necessarie diet Q. To whom R. To them from whom hee hath vniustlie taken and vnlawfully gotten Q. What if he knowes them not or they be dead or they be he knowes not where R. Then let him restore to their executors and assignes or to the next of their kinne Numb 5 6. Q. What if he knowes none of them R. Yet let him not keepe them but restore them to God that is in way of recompence and ciuill satisfaction let him bestow them on the Church or common wealth Num. 5.8 Q. In so doing it may be he shall leaue but a little behind to bestow vpon his wife and children R. It matters not greatly though he doth not It is better for him to leaue them nothing then to leaue them any thing euill gotten through the one he may be in good way towardes the kingdome of heauen but by meanes of the other hee shall bee in the right way that leadeth to hel And as Christ saith It is better to enter into life Mat. 18.8 halte or maimed then hauing two hands or two feete to be cast into euerlasting fire So I thinke it is better for him to be in good way to the kingdome of heauen by restoring all and leauing himselfe nothing then to be in the ready way to hell by reseruing all and restoring nothing For what shall it profit a man though he should winne the whole world if he loose his owne soule or what shall a man giue for recompence of his soule for the Sonne of man shall come in the glorie of his Father with his Angels and then shall he giue to euery man according to his deedes Q. I deny not but that it is better for him so to doe but what is it for his wife and children R. It is neuer the worse for them the better he doth the better they shall doe Q. Other where peraduenture not heere as I coniecture R. Then you coniecture amisse it is better for them to haue a little left them wel gotten then a great deale ill gotten by the one they shall haue Gods blessing to attend vpon them and goe with them for as he is himselfe righteousnes so he goeth with righteousnes and with little prospereth well the righteous but by the other they shal haue the Lords curse to lie vpō them oppresse them yea vtterly wast and consume them for as he is himselfe equitie so he standeth against iniquitie and in euery thing plagueth the vngodlie if you doubt of that I say you may thinke of these places of Scripture Prou. 15.16 Better is a little with the feare of the Lord then great treasure and trouble therewith Psal 37.16 A small thing to the iust man is better then great riches to the wicked mightie Prou. 10.2 The treasures of wickednes profite nothing but righteousnes deliuereth from death The Lord will not famish the soule of the righteous but he casteth away the substance of the wicked Blessings are vpon the head of the righteous but iniquitie shall couer the mouth of the wicked Prou. 13.25 And againe The righteous eateth to the contentation of his mind but the belly of the wicked shall want and then tell me if I say amisse Q. Not for the comfort of them for whom you speake R. Nor yet of them against whom you thinke I speake Q. I say you speake not against any R. Neither doe I if you iudge vprightly Q. So would I iudge if at all I should iudge but I hope you will not abridge me of the liberty which you haue granted me R. Not a whit if you abuse it not Q. You will giue me leaue then to question with you R. I haue giuen you that alreadie neither doe I yet recall my gift Question therefore and spare not but be answered when you are answered Q. Question then I will because so I may and answered I desire to be because as yet answered I am not R. Answered you shal be if answered you may be propound your question Q. 1. What if he hath bestowed more vpon the things he hath ill gotten then the things are worth must he then restore R. Either restore or recompence he must for the things themselues though deduct he may the expences hee hath beene at for the bettring of the things so gotten Q. 2. What if the things be either worse than they were or else vtterly lost wasted and consumed R. Whethersoeuer they be he must make recompence for them according to the value they were of when they were first taken and for the profit that might in the interim haue come of them if of themselues they were fructiferous Q. 3. What if they were stollen before he tooke them R. That will not free him either from restoring them or satisfying for them Q. What will you haue him restore them to him that stole them R. No that were to nourish him in his knauerie and that no man must so nigh as he can for so it is written Leuiticus the nineteenth Leuit. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart but thou shalt plainely rebuke thy neighbour and suffer him not to sinne And so 1. Tim. 5. Them that sinne rebuke openly 1. Tim. 5.20 that the rest also may feare Q. To whom then R. Either to the owner thereof if he be knowne or to him from whom the former theefe tooke them if he had any good interest in them as if he either borowed them to take some vse of them or they were pawned to him for some other thing lent by him Q. By this doing he should bring himselfe into great obloquie should he not R. Not a whit It is no obloquie to be spoken of for doing good Infamie gotten by doing good is great glorie Matth. 5.11 12. Blessed are ye saith Christ when men reuile you and persecute you and say all maner of euill against you for my sake falsely Reioyce and be glad for great is your reward in heauen for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you And saith the Apostle Peter 1. et 4.14 P If ye be rayled vpon for the name of Christ blessed are ye for the spirit of glorie and of God resteth vpon you which on their part is
Wherefore cryest thou vnto me Exod. 14.15 When death therefore assailes me all sences external failes so as the sicke bee vtterly vnable to pray with tongue yet if through the instigation of others he be willing thereto that his will to praier is as good as if he did pray for as Dauid saith Psal 10.17 145.19 God heares the desires of the poore and he will fulfill the desires of them that feare him he also will heare their cry and will saue them And this he speakes as if the sighes sobs and grones of a repentant and beleeuing heart were praiers before God as well as the supplicatory words of a loud and mournfull crying tongue but to stay further speech of this though I might make much more you see many speake and vnderstand well to their last gaspe and they I think may vse their tongues in praier aswel as their hearts Q. There are but a few that doe so and seldome when it is that any doe so R. Yes vndoubtedly they are many that doe so and such times fall out often and neither is greatly to bee marueiled at for why As good words either of God and godlines or to God and his goodnes are sighes of a true and timely faith so often doth God enable many to the last point of their liues both to speake and to vse many good words to his glory their owne comfort and others great good If you will looke either into the Scriptures or into other histories you shall find there many good men to haue spoken to the last and to haue vsed merueilous good words at the last In the nine and fourtieth of Genesis the last words of Iaâ—kob were prophecies of blessings and curses vpon his children the duration of gouernement in Israel and ardent praier for his owne good Amongst all and other things by him there said these are neither least nor last Gen. 49.10 The Scepter shall not depart from Iudah and the Law-giuer from betweene his feete till Shilo come And againe O Lord I haue waited for thy saluation In the two and three and thirteth of Deuteronomie Deu 32.35 the last words of Moses were his most excelleÌ„t song conteining the benefites of God toward his people and their ingratitude towards him and Moses his blessing wherewith he blessed the children of Israel before his death the words are better for you there to reade then forme heere to repeat referring you thither therefore there to reade them heere for this time I willingly omit them In the second of Samuel and the three and twentieth Chapter the last words of Dauid were The spirit of the Lord spake by mee 2. Sam. 23.1 and his word was in my tongue the God of Israel spake vnto mee the strength of Israel said Beare rule ouer me c. In the foure and twentieth of the second booke of Chronicles the last wordes of Zacharias the sonne of Iehoiada 2. Chro. 24.22 when he was stoned were these The Lord looke vpon it and require it the last words of our Sauiour Christ when he was dying vpon the crosse as they were many admirable so they were full of spirituall grace and comfortable Mat. 27.46 First speaking to his Father he said 1. Eli Eli Luk. 23.34 Luk. 23.43 lamasabachtani My God my God why hast thou forsaken me 2. Father forgiue them they know not what they doe 2. to the theefe he said Ioh. 19.26.27 c. Verilie I say vnto thee to day shalt thou be with mee in Paradise 3. to his mother he said Woman behold thy Sonne and to Iohn Behold thy mother 4. Earnestly desiring our saluation he said I thirst 5. Hauing made perfect satisfaction vnto God for mans offence he said Luk. 23.48 It is finished Lastly when body and soule were parting hee said againe vnto God Father into thine haÌ„ds I commend my spirit Act. 7.56.59.60 the last words of Steuen were these 1. Behold I see the heauens open and the Sonne of man standing at the right hand of God 2. Lord Iesu receiue my spirit 3. Lord lay not this sinne to their charge In other writers you may see the last words of others and those very good all spoken at the last cast of life Euseb lib. 4 cap. 15. At the last and as the last thus spake Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna Thou art a true God without lying therefore in all things I praise thee and blesse thee and glorifie thee by the eternall God and high Priest Iesus Christ thine only sonne by whom and with whome to thee and the holy spirit be all glory now and for euer And thus Ignatius Bishop of Antioch Id. lib. 3. c. 30. I care not what kinde of death I die I am the bread of the Lord must be grounde with the teeth of Lions that I may be cleane bread for Christ who is the bread of life for me And thus Ambrose Bishop of Millaine Paulinus in vita eius I haue not so lead my life among you as if I were ashamed to liue Neither doe I feare death because we haue a good Lord. Possidonius in vita Augustini And thus Augustine Bishop of Hippo. 1. He is no great man that thinkes it no great matter that trees and stones fall and mortall men die 2. Iust art thou ô Lord and righteous is thy iudgement Foxe preface to Luthers Comment vpon the Psalmes of degrees And thus Luther comparable to the chiefest as Master Foxe once said My heauenly father God and father of our Lord Iesus Christ and God of all comfort I giue thee thanks that thou hast reuealed vnto me thy sonne Iesus Christ whome I haue beleeued whome I haue professed whome I haue loued whome I haue praised whome the Bishop of Rome and the whole company of the wicked persecuteth and reuileth I pray thee my Lord Iesus Christ receiue my poore soule my heauenly Father though I be taken from this life and this bodie of mine is to be laide downe yet I know certainely that I shall remaine with thee for euer neither shall any be able to pull me out of thy hands And thus Bishop Hooper O Lord Iesus sonne of Dauid haue mercie on me and receiue my soule And thus Annas Burgius Forsake mee not O Lord least I forsake thee And thus Melancthon if it be the will of God I am willing to die and I beseech him that he will graunt me a ioyfull departure and to the like effect many others But to speake of them al were too much the examples of those good men that at the last end of their liues haue expressed their notable faith in God and his Christ are infinite and therefore too many as well for me to recite as for you to remember As these which I haue mentioned may suffice to shew what many haue done so may they well serue to signifie what all should do for good words by the good are
not euer fruitles they that know this well frame themselues to die willingly for to die willinglie is a fruit of knowing they shall die once Q. But they haue more then then this knowledge to make them willing for that 's not the onelie tree whereon this fruit doth grow R. Neither did I yet say so there are many things which may moue men in sicknes to be desirous of death ere it comes and maketh them willing to die when it comes Q. I would I might bee acquainted with some of them if you will not or cannot recite all yet I beseech you reckon vp some if not the most yet the best of them that so whensoeuer death doth come I may the better know how to bidde her welcome R. To pleasure you therewith I passe not for any paine thereabout First it is Gods will pleasure and ordinance that all shall die for God created vs that we should once die no man therfore is to repugne and striue against the good pleasure of God Rom. 9.19 For who euer resisted his will the sicke mans and euerie mans dailie praier is Thy will be done in earth Mar. 6.10 as it is in heauen Why therefore should he be vnwilling to haue that thing chance vnto him for which hee dailie praies That were but a drawing neere vnto God with his lippes and a dishonouring of him with his heart And what were that but an assuring of his soule that in time he shal be despised abhorred of God for thus the Lord himselfe saith 1. Sam. 2.30 Them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shal be despised But to proceed it is naturall to die for who euer liued that hath not died who doth now or shall heereafter liue that shall not also taste of death why then should he that is sicke desire to degenerate and grow out of kind One man is willing to bee rich because an other is rich to haue wife and children because another hath so to goe trimly apparelled because another doth so c. Why should hee not also be willing to die because another doth so In this there is greater necessitie then in the others possibilitie for euerie man cannot be rich euery man cannot be braue and trim euerie man cannot haue wife and children c. but certaine it is that euery man must die his auncesters the most holy and perfit haue died why should he disdaine to follow their steppes Is hee better then Abraham Isaac and Iaakob and the rest of the Patriarkes that hee should not die Is hee wiser then Dauid and Salomon and other of the kings that hee should heere vpon earth for euer liue Is he holier then Aaron and Eleazer and other of the priests that he should escape Death is he cunninger than Nathan and Esaie and Ieremie and other of the Prophets that he should not yeeld to nature when as all these Kings Priests Prophets and Patriarches are dead why should hee grieue and grudge to die as by them hee is to learne that once hee must dye so by their example he is to gather that neuer either wisedome or holines or cunning can saue him from death If death had been only cast vpon him the burthen thereof might haue been thought somewhat the more vnrighteous and intolerable But for so much as all the forenamed haue alreadie tasted of death and all other heereafter shall there is no reason but he also shuld both willingly and patiently submit himselfe thereto for hee is heere no other than they were and all are A stranger and soiourner as all his fathers were an aliaunt and Pilgrime as all his brethren are Heere he hath no continuing citie but he is to seeke one which is to come Whiles he is heere at home in the body he is absent from the Lord. The daies of his Pilgrimage are both few and euil Nature hath giuen him but an Inne to rest in not a place to dwell in what should a straunger be vnwilling to depart hence and go home that is neither the part nor propertie of a stranger A stranger as he delights to heare frō his country when he is thence so he desires to go thither that he may for euer abide there There is his father there is his mother there are his brethren there are his kinsefolkes and acquaintance And with thē he is desirous to be As the Eagles are where the carcase is so his affection is where these are why then should he or any sicke who is no other than a stranger be vnwilling to die and lay downe his life his father his mother his brethren his kinred are all hence and in heauen Matth. 6.9 Gal. 4.26 Our Father saith he which art in heauen Ierusalem which is aboute is free and is the mother of vs all saith Paul Act. 3.21 Iesus Christ saith Peter the heauens shall conteine vntill the time that all things be restored And saith Salomon Sap. 3.1 the soules of the righteous are in the hands of God and no torment shall touch them And who would not be willing to be with them Luk. 15.18 Ruth 1.16 I will goe to my Father quoth the prodigall Intreate me not to leaue thee nor to depart from thee quoth Ruth whithersoeuer thou goest I will goe and where thou dwellest I will dwell Philip. 1.23 I desire to be dissolued to be with Christ quoth Paul And againe in another place to Barnabas he said Act. 15.36 let vs returne and visite our brethren in euery citie and see how they doe Much more may he say thus if he be wise stay heere he cannot he is mortall He may not he is miserable he shall not Vpon that condition he came in that once he should goe out It is appointed of God that all men shall once die It is appointed and therefore it cannot be altered Heb. 9.26 It is appointed of God and therefore it will not be chaunged He is God and is not chaunged his counsell shall stand and his will will be performed It is appointed of God that all men shall once die and therefore it will not be remedied but once he must die What is appointed all men must needs be appointed him As where all are expressed none are exempted so in all he must needs be comprehended I hope he will not expect to haue that graunted him which was denied Christ himselfe By how much the more he is inferiour to him in other things by so much the lesse is he like to be superiour to him in this As he was man he died because he is man he must neither grieue nor grudge to die The seruant is not greater than his Lord Ioh. 13.16 Ioh. 15.20 Matt. 10.24 Ioh. 13.13 the disciple is not aboue his maister Neither must he be aboue Christ or greater than Christ Christ is his master Christ is his Lord. As Christ therefore dyed willingly for him so should he
to the bodie this whether an hedge or a wall doth vphold it it little skils Know yee this men are as well couered with gale as with golde Contemne ye the rest which superfluous labour makes as an ornament remember yee that there is nothing merueilous but the soule to which being great there is nothing great 2. There are fiue or sixe things which may or should draw the founders of them and dwellers in them frō so much loue vnto them as should make thee vnwilling to depart from them 2. The curse that is denounced against those that loue them Esa 5.8 and Iere. 22.13 2. The hatred that God beareth against the houses that are so loued Amos 6.8 The Lord God hath sworne by himselfe saith the Lord God of hostes I abhor the excellencie of Iacob and hate his palaces 3. The examples of sundry good ones whose steps we should follow who neither much loued them nor any thing esteemed them In his birth our Sauiour Christ for his house had but an Inne Luk. 2.7 and at his death a tombe Matth. 27.60 all his life he had not where to rest his head Matth. 8.20 For Abraham the father of the faithfull Rom. 4.11 the Apostle saith Heb. 11.9 By faith he abode in the land of promise as in a strange countrey as one that dwelt in the tents with Isaac and Iacob heires with him of the same promise for he looked for a citie hauing a foundation whose builder and maker is God For others he saith Heb. 11.37 38. They wandred vp and downe in sheepes skins and in goates skins being destitute afflicted and tormented whom the world was not worthy of they wandred in wildernesses and mountaines and dens and caues of the earth great faire costly and sumptuous buildings strong stout and stately habitations huge high and honourable houses for some one other amongst many It is reported of him that he had his house in the maner of his sepulchre And when the Emperour that then was asked him why he fitted his house to his body hee answered him this is sufficient for a man that must dye and thereto he added It is better leapt into heauen out of a cottage than out of a pallace 4. The iniurie that is offered others in the making of them For there often the builders lay which at will they should haue giuen to the poore and therefore Paul of whom Hierome writes would not lay out his money vpon such stones as should perish with the world but vpon liuing stones which are tumbled vpon the ground and of which the citie of the great king is builded 5. The accusation that the stones often in such houses make vnto God against those that there layde them and being layde too to much loued and esteemed them for as the Prophet Habakuk saith Hab. 2.11 The stone shall crie out of the wall and the beame out of the timber shall answer it 12. Woe vnto him that buildeth a towne with blood and erecteth a citie by iniquitie 6. The follie that is shewed in building of fine houses and committed in louing them when they are builded For first mens liues are shorter now than euer they were and yet now they must haue brauer houses than euer they had and what wise man thinkes not that a follie Secondly mens soules are as pretious now as euer they were yet now they will haue better houses for their bodies than for them and what religious man knowes not that a follie The care for the soule should not be lesse than the care for the bodie he that saith for the bodie Care not for the bodie saith for the soule Keepe thy soule diligently Matth. 6.25 Deut. 4.9 and he that will be worshipped in Spirit because he is a spirit wil be glorified with the body because the spirit remaines in the bodie as the Apostle therefore saith in one place 1. Cor. 6.13 The bodie is not for fornication but for the Lord and the Lord for the bodie So againe hee saith in another Therefore glorifie God in your bodie and in your spirit for they are Gods And betweene both Knowe yee not that your bodies are the members of Christ Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid and againe Know ye not that your bodie is the temple of the holy Ghost which is in you whom ye haue of God And ye are not your owne Thirdly the Apostle saith Col. 3.2 Set your affections on things which are aboue and not on things which are on the earth yet now they haue such loue to their houses as for their houses they are loath to goe to God loath to yeelde to nature vnwilling to goe the way of all earth and what good man deemes not this a folly Howsoeuer men loue their houses here yet for loue of them they should not bee careles of the houses they should seeke otherwhere 2. Cor. 5.2 We sigh saith the Apostle desiring to be cloathed with our house which is from heauen and they sigh because they must forgoe their house which they haue on earth and yet the Apostle by his speech sheweth what house their loue should bee most to their house from heauen their house eternall in the heauens How much soeuer they loue their houses yet will not their houses here continue neither shall they euer get any thing by the loue they beare them Fourthly their houses shall and will decay the temple of Ierusalem was a fine house a finer house I guesse than the finest they haue yet as fine as it was Matt. 24.2 Iesus said of it when his Disciples shewed him the building of it there shall not be left a stone vpon a stone which shall not bee cast downe If that might not stand which was built at Gods appoyntment and for his seruice they may well thinke theirs shall not which are built at their owne assignement and for their owne pleasure and delight theirs haue no such priuiledges as that had What the Lord spake against the houses of Iaakob Amos 3. they may well thinke spoken against theirs Amos. 3 1◠Surely in the day that I shall visite the transgressions of Israel vpon him I will also visit the altars of Bethel and the horne of the altar shall be broken off and fall to the ground And I will smite the winter house with the sommer house and the houses of iuorie shall perish and the great houses shall bee consumed saith the Lord. And thereupon conclude that what betided them will also in time betide theirs for among the signes which shall goe before the day of iudgement Hierome recites this as one that all buildings shall fall and therfore theirs too because els al shal not for none is exempted where all are expressed Secondly though they should or could stand yet they should get nothing by their loue towardes them For our Sauiour Christ sayth Whosoeeuer shall forsake houses or
this world may easilie be gathered by this his praier which he made to God his father at his way going Father into thine handes I commend my spirit Luk. 23.46 for why should he commend his spirit into his handes except he knew it were then to goe into his hands and thereupon also it may soone and readily be collected where the soules of the righteous after their departure are and shall be for where the head is there the members must be If the head therefore bee with God and so hath been euer since his departure out of this world the members shall also bee after their departure and so shall continue for euer Q. Yea in time peraduenture but not presentlie R. Yes presently without any peraduenture for as Christ said to the thiefe vpon the crosse This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise so Paul said to the Philippians Luk. 23.43 Phillip 1.21 22. Christ is to me both in life and death aduantage desiring to be dissolued and to be with Christ Q. It is true that Christ said as you say to the theefe and that Paul so said vnto the Philippians but what you would will not thereupon presently follow for Christ said to the theefe this day shalt thou be with me in paradise to wit in hope but not in deed for henceforth thou shalt hope to come thither and Paul said to the Philippians I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ according to his petition but not according to Christes execution for it followeth not because Paul desired to bee with Christ that therefore presentlie after his dissolution he was with Christ R. All followes that I would haue to follow for all that yet you say for these toyish distinctions haue nothing in them because they haue not in scripture any thing for them Where is it there said the theefe according to hope should bee in paradise also where is it there said that Christ did not execute Paules petition when once he came to his finall dissolution hope hath respect to the time that is peradueÌ„ture long yet to come Christ speakes to the theefe as it were in the time present to day thou shalt be with me in paradise as heri yesterday is an aduerbe of the time past and cras to morow an aduerbe of time to come so hodie to day as I guesse is an aduerbe of the time present as I take it therefore your distinguishing inter spem rem is but triâ—â—ing circa spem rem and so nihil omnino ad rem that is nothing at all to the matter for this day thâ—â— shalt bee with mee in Paradise is as much as this assoone as life is gone out of thy bodie whatsoeuer becommeth of thy bodie thy soule shall goe with mee into the kingdome of heauen that so where I thy master am thou my seruant maiest be And whatsoeuer you say touching Pauls desiring to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ yet I am sure Paul himself saith the contrary for Paul saith that when the time of his departing came there was no distance of time betweene his dissolution and his acceptation In his second epistle to Timothie his sonne in the faith when hee was neere his end this was his saying I haue fought the good fight 2. Tim. 4.7.8 and haue finished my course I haue kept the faith from henceforth is laid vp for me the crowne of righteousnes which the Lord the righteous iudge shall giue me at that day not to me onlie but vnto all them also that loue his appearing Q. If this be as you say and seeme to proue what shall become of purgatorie R. Euen what will or else what should for what should become of that which is not Q. Is not say not so for so saying you may haue more tongues on your toppe then you are aware of R. As Pilate said touching the superscription set vpon Christs head Ioh. 19.22 What I haue written that I haue written so say I touching purgatorie what I haue spoken that I haue spoken Otherwise then I haue said will not be said how many tongues soeuer I may haue on my toppe for saying so yet still and euer I must say so for out of this life there is no purgatorie and in this life the true and onelie purgatory by which and in which our sinnes must be cleansed is the sweete pretious and euer vertuous bloud of Christ 1. Ioh. 1.7 For the bloud of Iesus Christ as Iohn saith cleanseth vs from all sinne Q. What then doe you thinke that presentlie after the seperation of soule from bodie by death that the soules of all men goe either to heauen or to hell R. I doe more then thinke it for I constantlie beleeue it Q. What ground haue you for it R. As much as neede to be for any matter of faith Q. What Scriptures R. Yea and Fathers also Q. Faine would I see that R. Soone may you see it if wel you listen to it The petition of old Tobit doth prooue so much Tob. 3.6 for this it was Commaund O Lord that I may be dissolued out of this distresse and goe into the euerlasting place and what may this euerlasting place be but the kingdome of heauen It can no waies be vnderstood of purgatorie for purgatorie is not an euerlasting place as Fisher sometime Bishop of Rochester saith in his booke against Luther Among the old Doctours and Fathers of the Church there was either no talke at all or verie little of purgatorie Tobit 1.3 besides Tobit was a right good man as his historie doth declare and therefore not to goe into purgatorie for by the new deuised doctrine of the purgatorie proctours no such persons are to come there They themselues exempte martirs out of purgatorie Aret. prob part 1. loc de purgat Luc. 16.22 the historie of Lazarus and Diues doth proue so much for this it is It was so that the begger died and was caried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome The rich man also died and was buried and being in hell in torments he lift vp his eies and saw Abraham a farre off and Lazarus in his bosome and what may the inference hereupon be but that which I say this heere upon I am sure is the saying of Iustine Iustin q. 60 to Orthod this is a plain and a manifest doctrine of Lazarus and Diues by which is taught that after the departing of the soule from the bodie men cannot by any meanes or prouisions or by any pollicies bring profit or commoditie to them the sayings of Christ Iohn the third and Iohn the fift doe proue so much for these they are Ioh. 3.18 Hee that beleeueth in him â—hat is Gods owne beloued sonne whom he sent into the world not to condemne the world but to saue it shal not be condemned but he that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie because hee beleeueth not in the name of the
onelie begotten sonne of God And againe he that beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life and hee that obeyeth not the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him and againe Verilie verilie I say vnto you he that heareth my words and beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life And what is hereupon to be gathered but that the soules of the righteous at their departure from their bodies goe vnto God in heauen and not vnto fire or water in purgatorie for they goe vnto that which they had ante seperationem before their seperation and not vnto â—hat which they neuer had in expectation and what had they before their seperation but life Ioh. 5.24 He that beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life neither may haue nor shall haue but hath and where is that life but with God Colos 3.3 With thee is the well of life saith the Psalmist and your life is hid with Christ in God saith the Apostle Whither then must they go when they go but vnto God who was and is their life and with whom their life is Whether also I see not in this heir life when and while they heere liued they neuer so much as once dreamed of going into purgatorie after death but of going into heaueâ— some of them both write and speake We knâ—w saith Paul 2. Co. 5.1 that if our earthlie house of this â—abernacle be destroied we haue a building giuen of God that is an house not made with hands but â—ternall in the heauens For therefore we sigh desâ—â—ing to be clothed with our house which is from heauen Neuerthelesse we are bolde and loue raâ—her to remoue out of the bodie and to dwell wiâ—h the Lord. And againe Philip. 1.21 22.23 Christ is to mee both in life and death aduantage and whether to liue in â—he flesh were profitable for me and what I do I know not for I am greatlie in doubt on both sides desiring to be loosed and to be with Christ which is best of all Newes quoth Oecolampadius to his friendes who came vnto him a little before his death I shall be shortlie with Christ my Lord. I pray thee my Lord Iesus Christ saith Luther receiue my poore soule my heauenly father though I be taken from this life and this bodie of mine is to be layd downe yet I know certainlie that I shall remaine with thee for euer neither shall any be able to pull me out of thy hand Returne ô my soule vnto thy rest quoth Babylas martir of Antioche When his head was to bee chopt off because the Lord hath blessed thee because thou hast deliuered my soule from death Ps 116.7.8 mine eies from teare and my feete from falling I shall walke before Iehouab in the land of the liuing Furthermore in a generality these are the sayings of the auncient Fathers touching this point August lib. 13. ca. 8. de ciuitat dei The souls of the godlie being seperated from their bodes are in rest and the soules of the vngodlie â—oe suffer punishment vntil the bodies of those do rise againe vnto life euerlasting and the bodies of those vnto eternal death which is also called the second death so saith Augustine I is most certaine that the soules of the rightâ—ous being loosed from the flesh Greg. lib. 4. Dialog c. 25 are receiued into heauenly seates and that the very trueth it selfe testifieth saying where the corps is there the Eagles will resorte So saith Gregorie Of these sayings I gather what all this while I went about to gather to wit that presently vpon the departure of any out of this life their soules goe straight waies either vnto God in heauen or else vnto satan in hell For as Augustine saith August in his serm of Time the 232. serm There are but two places and as for any third place there is none at all he that reigneth not with Christ shall perish with the diuell without any doubte Againe there bee two habitations or dwelling places August de verb. apost serm 18. the one in the fire euerlasting and the other in the kingdome that neuer shall haue ende the first place the Catholike faith by Gods authoritie beleeueth to be the kingdome of heauen August lib. â— hypog the second place the same Catholike faith beleeueth to be hell where all runnagates and whosoeuer is without the faith of Christ shall taste euerlasting punishment as for any third place we vtterly know none neither shall we finde in the holy scriptures that there is any such Now for mine own part sith there it will not be found it shall not any other where bee sought For as Theodoret saith Theodoret. lib. 1. cap. 7. The Euangelists and Apostles writings and the sayings of the olde Prophets doe cleerely instruct vs what iudgement we ought to haue of the meaning and will of God Q. What then What though also you will take no further paines to seeke a third place doth it therefore follow that therefore there is none Augustine I can tell you vpon whom you so much stand is very doubtfull in the case for sometimes hee denies as you say sometime he affirmes as others pretend and sometimes againe he doubtes as himselfe declares he denies in the places by you named hee affirmes De gen contra Manich. lib. 2. c. 20. de vera falsa poenit c. 18. lib. 21. de ciuit Dei c. 23. c. 26. Non redarguo saith he quia forsan verum est I reproue it not because it may peraduenture be true that some after this life suffer temporall punishment Hee doubtes in his Enchiridion cap. 69. Item de fide operibus cap. 16. in quaestione 1. Dulcitij Tale aliquid post hanc vitam fieri incredibile non est vtrum ita sit quaeri potest It is not incredible that after this life some such thing may bee and whâ—ther it bee so or no it may bee demaunded R. Whatsoeuer Augustine is I much passe not for I stand not so much vpon him but that I can follow him or reiect him Neither herein doe I him any iniurie at all For this is his owne saying August in proem lib. 3. de Trinit Be not bound vnto my writings as vnto the canonicall scriptures But when thou shalt finde in the scriptures that which thou diddest not beleeue beleeue it without any doubting or delay but when thou findest that in my writings which thou diddest not know certainelie before except thou shalt certainelie vnderstand it doe not stiffelie affirme it August epist 198. ad Fortunatum And againe We receiue not the disputations or writings of any men be they neuer so catholike or praiseworthie as we receiue the canonicall scriptures but that sauing the reuerence due vnto them we may well reproue or refuse some things in their writings
so soone as God brought her vnto him and called her by her name for assoone as she was come vnto him he said this now is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh she shall be called woman because she was taken out of man And therefore the departed out of this life shall know one another after this life For why their knowledge in heauen shall not be infetiour to Adams knowledge in paradise But their estate shall be much more blessed and perfect For Adam in his best estate had possibilitie to fall but they in theirs shall haue neither power nor will Out of the .84 Psalme it doth thus appeare Psalm 84. they which are singing men in this world but for a season continuing togither know one another and therefore the departed hence in the faith of Christ shall also in the life to come Apoc. 4.8 9 10.11 Apoc. 5.11 12. Apoc. 1.15 Matth. 17.3 know one another for they shall euer praise the Lord. Out of the Gospell according to Saint Mathew .1 the .17 chapter it doth thus appeare when Christ was transfigured in mount Thabor his Disciples Peter Iames and Iohn did not only know Christ but also Moses and Elias which talked there with Christ whome notwithstanding they had neuer seene nor knowne in the flesh And therefore the departed hence being once come to beholde the glorious maiestie of God shall not onely know Christ their Sauiour and such as with whome heere in this world they were acquainted but also all the elect and chosen people of God which haue been since the world began for being gone hence they are gone as before hath bin said To the mount Zion Heb 12.22 23 24. and to the citie of the liuing God the celestiall Ierusalem and to an innumerable sight of Angels and to the congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen and to God the iudge of all and to the spirits of iust and perfect men and to Iesus the mediatour of the new Testament c. And being there their knowledge cannot be lesse than was the knowledge of Peter Iames and Iohn on mount Thabor but greater for now Christ is both ascended and glorified but then he was but for a time transfigured and the fashion of his countenance changed 2. Luk. 9.29 the 19. chapter it doth thus appeare They which are to iudge one another must knowe one another for they cannot iudge whome they knowe not but after this life the departed hence shall iudge one another for when Peter in the person of his fellow Disciples as himselfe Mat. 19.28 said vnto Iesus Beholde we haue forsaken all and haue followed thee what shall we haue Iesus said vnto them verilie I say vnto you that when the sonne of man shall sit in the throne of his maiestie yee which followed mee in the regeneration shall sit also vpon twelue thrones and iudge the twelue Tribes of Israel The departed hence therefore after their departure shall one knowe another not onely those their friends whom before they knew in the flesh but also those the saints and seruants of God whom in this life they neuer knew ne yet at any time euer were acquainted with 3. The 22 chapter it doth thus appeare they which shall bee like the glorious Angels of heauen shall knowe one another as the Angels doe Mat. 22.30 But the saints departed shall be like the glorious Angels of heauen therefore the Saints departed shall know one another For what reason should they belike to the Angels in other things and vnlike to them in this Out of the Gospell according to Saint Luke Luk. 16. it doth thus appeare if there bee mutuall knowledge after this life betweene the good and euill there is much more so betweene the good themselues for they are all Citizens in one citie fellow heires of one kingdome members of one body fellow seruants in one householde seruing one Lord and God and they we all know well know one another but there is mutuall knowledge after this life betweene the good and euill For after death Luke 16. The rich glutton being in hell Luk. 16.23 did know both Abraham and Lazarus being in ioy and Abraham againe though he were long before the rich man did know that miserable and vnmercifull rich man though hee were much after Abraham for as the rich man seeing Abraham a farre of and Lazarus in his bosome cryed saying Father Abraham haue mercie on me and send Lazarus that he may dippe the tippe of his finger in water and coole my tongue for I am tormented in this flame so Abraham hearing the rich man crying answered and sayd Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasure and likewise Lazarus paines now therefore hee is comforted and thou art tormented Therefore there is mutuall knowledge much more after this life betweene the good themselues for neerer together and much more conuersant one with another are the good themselues than are the good and euill the good are in heauen the euill are in hell Heauen and hell are much distant one from another the one is aboue the other is beneath Betweene both there is a great gulfe set so that they which would goe from heauen to hell cannot neither can they which are in hell goe from thence to heauen If therefore they which are in hell doe both see and knowe them that are in heauen and they which are in heauen knowe them also which are in hell much more doe they which are in heauen knowe those that are with them in heauen For it is easier to knowe them that are of the same house and familie with them with whome they are daylie conuersant than those which are of another and with whome they seldome or neuer meete Conuersing one with another is a ready way to the knowing one of another But to proceede out of Paules epistles to the Romanes it doth thus appeare the members of one and the same bodie know one another for the head knoweth the hand and the hand the head the eye knoweth the foote and the foote the eye the eare knoweth the tongue and the tongue knoweth others and the heart knoweth all But all the godly departed are members of one and the same bodie for saith the Apostle We being many Rom. 12.5 are one bodie in Christ and euery one one anothers members As the members therfore in the bodie know one another so also doe the godlie departed know one another if they know one another while heere they liue togither where they see God but with the eies of faith why should they not in heauen much more know one another where they shall see God face to face shall their knowledge bee lesse there then heere In the first of his Epistles to the Corinthians Paul the Apostle seemes to say the contrarie For there he saith Here we know in part 2. Cor. 13.9 10.12 and we prophecie in part