also to the former part of the Apostles speech in the afore-saide chapter concerning the comming of Christ to iudgement with the resurrection of mens bodies and the immortality of the soule speaketh holy Iob in the 19. of his booke with a confident and perfect hope thereof saying * I am sure that my Redeemer liueth Iob 19 25 26 27 and that he shall stand the last on the earth And though after my skin wormes destroy this bodie yet shall I see GOD in my flesh whom I my selfe shall see and mine eyes shall behold and none other for me though my raines are consumed within mee The aforesaide S. Paule likewise comforting the Thessalonians with the remēbrance of the resurrection of the body and last Iudgement saith thus * I vvould not 1. Thes 4 13. 14. 15. 16 c. Bretheren haue you ignorant concerning them that are a sleepe that ye sorrow not euen as other which haue no hope For if we beleeue that Iesus is deade and is risen euen so them which sleepe in Iesus vvill God bring with him For this say we vnto you by the worde of the Lorde that vvee which liue and are remaining at the comming of the Lorde shall not preuent them which sleepe For the Lord himselfe shall descend from heauen with a showte and with the voyce of the Archangell with the trumpet of GOD and the dead in Christ shall rise first Then shall we which liue remaine be caught vp with them also in the Clowdes to meet the Lord in the ayre and so shall wee euer be vvith the Lord. By the testimony of vvhich places it plainely appeareth that at the last iudgement there shall not onely bee a generall raysing vp of all mens bodies which from the beginning of the vvorld haue already departed out of this life but also a suddain changing of all mens bodies then liuing on the earth which change shal be vnto them in sted of death And then shal the saints of God presently after the finall sentence frō Christ our Iudge pronounced enter both body soule into endlesse pleasure the wicked both body and soule into eternall paine ¶ of the vncertaine time of the last Indgement §. 1. NOvv for that the time of this day is vncertaine the houre of Christes comming vnknowne our Sauiour himselfe his beloued Apostles haue therefore vouchsafed to leaue behind them many forewarning speeches as a very necessary meanes to make vs more wary watchfull of the same Affirming that suddainly * and in an houre that we think not Math 24. 44 will the sonne of man come But of that day and howre saith Christ Math 24 36 knoweth no man no not the Angels of heauen but my Father onelie But as the dayes of Noe were so likewise Math. 24 37 38 39 shal the comming of the Sonne of man be For as in the dayes before the floode they did eate drinke marry and giue in marriage vntill the day that Noe entred into the Arke and knewe nothing vntill the flood came and tooke thē all away so shal also the cōming of the sonne of man be Likewise also as it was in the dayes of Luke 17 28 29 30 Lot they eate they dranke they bought they solde they planted they built but in the day that Lot went out of Sodome it rained fire brimstone from heauen and destroyed them all After these ensamples shal it be in the day when the sonne of man is reuealed At that day he that is vpon the house Luke 17 31 his stuffe in the house let him not come downe to take it out and hee that is in the fielde likewise let him not turne backe to that he left behind Then two shall be in the fieldes the one Math. 24 40 41 42. shall be receiued the other refused two women shall be grinding at the Mill the one shall be receiued and the other shal be refused Watch therfore for yee know not what houre your Maister will come Whether at euen or at midnight at the Mar 13 35 Cock-crowing or in the dawning Of this be sure saith Christ that if the Math 24. 43 44. good-man of the house knew at what time the thiefe would come hee woulde surelie watch not suffer his house to be digged through Therfore be ye also readie for in the houre that ye thinke not will the sonne of man come If thou wilt not watch saith hee I vvill Reue 3 3 come on thee as a theefe thou shalt not know what houre I will come vpon thee §. 2. These and sundry other such like speeches are set down in the New-Testament as admonishments to forewarne vs caueats to make vs careful how we spend our time least at that houre wee be found with the fiue foolish Virgins vnprouided For * the day of the Lord will come as a theefe 2 Pet 3 10. in the night in the which the heauens shal passe away with a noyse and the elements shal melt with heate the earth with the works that are therein shal be burnt vp Seeing then that all these thinges must be 2 Pet. 3. 11. 21 13 14. dissolued what manner of persons ought we to be in holy conuersation godlines looking for and hasting to the comming of the day of God by vvhich the heauens beeing on fire shall be dissolued and the elements shall melt with heate But vvee looke for newe heauens and a new earth according to his promise wherein dwelleth righteousnesse Wherfore beloued seeing that yee looke for such things be diligent that yee may bee founde of him in peace without spot and blamelesse c. And take heede to your selues least at Luke 21 34 any time your harts be oppressed with surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of this life and least that day come on you at vnwares For as a snare shall it come on all them verse 35 36 that dwell on the face of the vvhole earth VVatch therefore and pray continually that ye may be counted woorthy to escape all those thinges that shall come to passe and that ye may stand before the Sonne of Man And those things that I say vnto you I Mar 13 37 say vnto all men vvatch For blessed is that seruaunt whom his Math 24 46 Maister when he commeth shall finde so dooing ¶ Of Christ Why hee came into the world and of the profit vvee haue by his Death Resurrection and Ascention IOHN 17. verse 3. To know GOD and Iesus Christ whom he hath sent is life euerlasting ¶ Of Christ. c. §. 1. AT sundry times and in diuers manners Heb 1 1 2 saith the Apostle God spake in the old time to our Fathers by the Prophets in these last dayes hee hath spoken vnto vs by his Sonne vvhom he hath made heire of all things by whom also he made the worlds Who beeing the brightnesse of the glorie
killed heere on earth for the word of God and for the testimonie of his truth And to shew that they liue there he further addeth in the next veâ—se folowing that they cryed vnto God with a loude voyce verse 10 saying Howe long Lorde holy and true tariest thou to iudge auenge our blood c. King Salomon also in his booke of wisdome affirmeth that the soules of the righteous Wised 3. 1. 2 3 4. are in the hande of God and no torment shall touch theÌ„ Though in the sight of the vnwise saith hee they appeared to die and their end was thought greeuous and their departing from vs destruction yet they rest in peace and though they suffer paine before men yet is theyr hope full of immortality §. 7. Besides these former places of holy scripture wee finde also diuers other proofes in the booke of God concerning this poynt as namely the hopefull speech of Dauid vvho when newes was brought him that his base-borne child for whom hee fasted prayed and wept was dead hee lamented no longer but presently washed his handes and called for meate And being demaunded 2 Sam 12. 23. the reason thereof by his seruants hee aunswered I shall goe to him but he shall not returne to mee Also when old Tobias was derided of his kinsfolkes and acquaintance and scoffingly Tobie 2. demaunded by theÌ„ where his hope was for the which he had doone almes and buried the dead considering he was now euen after the finishing of a good vvorke suddainly smitten blinde hee nothing there-with dismayed confidently rebuked them saying Say not so for wee are the children of holy men and looke for the life which God shall giue vnto them that neuer turne their beleefe from him The same Tobias also at another time to witnesse vnto the worlde vvhat confident hope hee alwaies had of the soules immortalitie earnestly requested of the Almightie Tobie 3 6 that his spirit might be taken from him and that his body might be dissolued and become earth The like may be read in the prayer of Elias wheÌ„ he desired to die saying ô Lord 1 Reg 19 4 I pray thee take my soule for I am no better then my Fathers c. §. 8. And to shew yet a little further that it resteth in the power of God to take the soule from the body and to giue it againe at his pleasure vvee finde in the first Booke of Kings that the fore-said Elias found such 1 Reg 17 22 23. fauour in the sight of God that vvhen the sonne of his hostesse was dead he through his earnest prayer obtained that the childes soule was restored to him againe So did Elisha in the same manner obtaine 2 Reg 4 32 33. his peticion of the Lord and reuiued the dead body of the Shunamites sonne We reade also in the Gospell written by S. Mathew that after our Sauiour had giuen vp the Ghost the Scpulchers of dead Math 27 52 53. men through the miraculous working of the Almightie opened themselues and many bodies of the Saints which slept arose and came foorth of the graues after his resurrection and vvent into the holie Citty and appeared vnto many So that by these sayings and examples Gene 5 24. 2 Reg 2 1â— Num 16 32 33 with the taking vp of Henoch and Elias both body and soule into heauen the swallowing downe of Corath Dathan and Abiram quicke into hell and sundry other proofes in the Booke of God to this purpose we may sufficiently assure our selues that the soule of Man is immortall that there is not onely a place of rest ordayned of God for the godly but also a lothsome pitte or place of punishment appointed by him for the wicked after this life The veritie whereof is likewise further witnessed vnto vs by the wordes of S. Augustine Augustine where he sayth The soules of the godly beeing separated from their bodies are in rest and the soules of the vngodlie doe suffer punishment vntill such time as the bodies of the righteous doe rise againe vnto life euerlasting and the bodies of the vnrighteous vnto eternall death which is also called the second death ¶ Of the first Iudgement after death called by Diuines particuler Iudgement when the soule of euery man after it is parted foorth of his body shall presently receiue sentence from God eyther of eternall ioy or euerlasting payne §. 1. IT is appointed vnto men saith the Apostle Heb 9 27 that they shal once die and after that commeth the iudgement For wee must all appeare before the Iudgement-seate of Christ that euery man 2 Cor 5 10 may receiue the workes which are done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad Also at the very houre of death the soule Cyprian must render vp a particuler account vnto God concerning all her doings in this life and then shall it be iudged knowe assuredly what shall become of it for euer If it finde fauour in the sight of God it Basill shal presently enter into the rest and ioy of the righteous if otherwise it shall be condeÌ„ned by the Iudge to perpetual torments Yea Of euery idle vvorde that men Math. 12. 36 shall speake in this life they shal giue an account at the day of iudgement For GOD will bring euery worke into Eccles. 12. 14. iudgement with euery secret thing whether it be good or euill Hee vvill render vnto man according to Iob 34 11. his worke and cause euery one to finde according to his way That is to them which by continuaunce Rom 2 7 8 in well dooing seeke glorie and honor immortalitie shall be eternall life but vnto them that are contentious and disobey the truth and obey vnrighteousnesse shall be indignation and wrath Tribulation and anguish also shall be Rom 2 9 10 vpon the soule of euery man that doth euil of the Iewe first and also of the Grecian But to euery man that doth good shall be glory and honour and peace c. §. 2. Againe so soone as the soule of man saith Augustine S. Augustine is parted froÌ„ the body it passeth presently to the tribunall seate of God vnder the custodie both of good and euill Angels and after it hath there abidden the triall of a straite examination it shall forthwith receiue the sentence either of eternall blessednes or els of endlesse vvoe and miserie Yea euery one of vs shall giue accounts Rom 14 12 of himselfe to God And euery man shall receiue his wages 1 Cor 3 8. or reward according to his worke But in most happy state shall the soules Beda of all the godly bee after theyr departure hence vvho through grace giuen them from GOD haue earnestly in this life resisted euill and followed goodnes for they shall then enter into that place of perpetuall happines which Christ their Captaine hath prepared
7 saith Salomon and blessed shall his children be after him The path of the righteous is to decline Prou 16 17 from euill and hee keepeth his soule that keepeth his way The way of the wicked is abhomination Prou. 15. 9 vnto the Lord but he loueth him that followeth righteousnes And better is the poore that walketh in Prou. 28 6. his vprightnes then he that peruerteth his wayes though hee be rich For there can be no greater gaine then Bullenger the good that commeth by godlinesse nor any sweeter comfort then the inward solace of an vnpolluted soule §. 22. The way of the righteous shineth as the Prou. 4. 18 light which shineth more and more vnto the perfect day And vnto them ariseth light in darknes Psal 112 4 Through his religious knowledge and Pacuuius vnderstanding the godly man shal diuers wayes be helpfull to others by his own vertues hee shall be able to withstand many vices For the righteousnes of an vpright man Prou 11 5 ordereth his way It preserueth him in his life * And causeth Prou. 13. 6 Prou 14 32 him to haue hope in his death It also deliuereth from death Prou 11 4 And defendeth the faithfull from eternall Pet. Mar. destruction For hee that walketh or continueth to Prou 28 18 the end in his vprightnes shall be saued And there is no confusion vnto them Dan 3 40 that put theyr trust in God §. 23. Doubtlesse saith Marlorate diuers are Marlorate the fauours and many the mercies which almightie GOD sheweth vnto the godly heere in this life but most vnspeakeable are the sundry consolations which through fayth they feele in conscience at the verie houre of theyr death Marke as Dauid saith the vpright man Psal 37 37 behold the iust for the end of that man is peace And the last houre of his life is the first Cyrill houre of his soules entrance into endlesse felicitie §. 24. Thus much in effect Balaam the lucrelouing Prophet could confesse to be true vnto the comfort of other men though hee himselfe walked in the way of wickednes when hee saide * Oh that my soule Num 23 10 might die the death of the righteous and that my last end might be like his For as many as in this life beleeue in Christ and keepe his doctrine * they shall Iohn 8 51. neuer see death Nor come into condemnation but haue Iohn 5 24 euen as it were alreadie passed froÌ„ death vnto life They finde by experience that the true seruice of GOD giueth inward testimonie Mar. Bucer of eternall saluation vnto theyr soules vvhere-vnto all worldly wealth is not worthy to be compared and that the peace of conscience excelleth al earthly possessions Death vnto them is no death but rather Erasmus a long-desired releasement from their many molestations in this life a most pleasant passage into the Paradise of GOD. VVhere with a number more then may bee numbred of Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Saints and holy Martyrs they shall be made partakers of euer-during happinesse and continue alwayes in the company of Christ Iesus theyr most mercifull Protector VVherfore if thou desire to prosper in Origen thy life and to speede well at thy death bestow thy studie in the lawe of the Lord practise to please him according to his precepts For it is a pleasure full of profit a solace Plotinus voyde of all sorrow for a man to giue his minde to godly meditation §. 25. Light saith the Psalmist is sowen for Psal 97 11 the righteous and ioy for the vpright in hart To euery man that doth good shall be Rom. 2. 10. glory and honour and peace And to the righteous God will recompence Prou. 13 21 good For GOD greatly esteemeth vertuous Socrates people though in this worlde they be little set by For them are good things created from Ecclê° 39 25 the beginning and euill thinges for the vvicked For them is euerlasting rest and glorie 2. Esdr 8 59 made ready but thirst and paine is long since prepared of God for the vngodly Yea the Lord himselfe hath promised 2. Esdr 8. 39. that he wil reioyce in the wayes of the righteous and that hee will remember the pilgrimage the saluation and the revvard that they shall haue For glorious is the fruite of good labours Wisd 3 15 and the roote of wisedome shal neuer fade away §. 26. Theyr first felicitie after this life is the Iust Mar. sweete rest quiet peace that their soules possesse in Christ But the second shall be the immortalitie and glory both of theyr body and soule together at the day of generall iudgement when with triumphant ioy they shall in the sight of all their enemies receiue openly theyr portion in the kingdome of perpetuall blessednes For they shall liue for euer their reward Wisd 5. 15. also is with the Lord and the most High hath care of them Therefore shall they receiue a glorious verse 16. kingdome and a beautifull crowne at the Lords hand for with his right hand shall he couer them and with his arme shall hee defend them Their recompence or reward consisteth Constantiuâ— not onely in Gods grace and fauour towards them during this life but also in his most mercifull receiuing them into eternall felicitie and safe preseruing them froÌ„ the danger of damnation which is the second death of the vngodly So that heauen is not onely the seate of Erasmus Gods glory and the habitation of his holie Angels but it is also the resting place of the faithfull and the inheritance of all his Saints §. 27. The certaine truth vvhereof is further vvitnessed vnto vs by the words of Christ himselfe where among many other petitions made vnto his Father both for himselfe and the faithfull in the end hee concludeth his speech with this saying * Father Iohn 17 24 I will that they which thou hast giuen mee be with mee euen where I am that they may beholde my glory vvhich thou hast giuen mee Also in another place he sayth * If any Iohn 12 26 man serue mee let him followe mee for where I am there shall also my seruant be and who-soeuer serueth mee him will my Father honour And what honour receiued from anie Tertullian Prince in this vvorld be it neuer so great is worthy any way to be compared vnto the least honour vvhich the seruaunts of GOD shall receiue from theyr Creator in the kingdome of Heauen VVhere life shall not be limitted vnto Beda them by number of monthes or yeeres nor theyr pleasures appointed at certaine times and seasons but as God himselfe is without any ending so shall theyr life be euerlasting And as his power endureth perpetually so shall their pleasures last continually §. 28. For it is a thing agreeable to reason that
and wretchedly to end his dayes in anguish and desperation For saluation is farre from the vngodlie Psalm 119. 155 because they seeke not the statutes of the Almightie But ceaselesse sorrowes and perpetuall Cyprian paines continually doe attende them as a iust reward ordained of GOD for theyr loue of vnrighteousnes carelesse neglecting the knowledge of his waies For they that plow iniquitie and sowe Iob. 4. 8. wickednes shall reape the same And such as forsake the Lord shall bee Esay 1. 28. consumed §. 24. These few many moe such like speeches to expresse the wrath of God against the wicked are set downe not onely in the sacred Scriptures but also in the works of diuers worthy Writers which being rightly considered wee may well be mooued at the remembrance thereof to say with Origen * Farre better were it for the vngodly Origen that they had neuer beene at all then to be borne into the world and not liue as they should doe For besides all the former places to this purpose already recited wee finde it further to the terrour of the vnrighteous by seueral sentences affirmed * That the vngodly Wisd 14. 9. man and his vngodlines are both alike hated of God And that a wicked mans life is his soules Chrisostome death That hee that committeth sinne is of 1. Ioh. 3. 8. the deuill And the vengeance belonging to the Ecclê° 7. 17. vnrighteous is fire and wormes That hee which worketh wickednesse Ecclê° 27. 27 shal be wrapped in euills shal not know from whence they come vnto him That malice shall sley the vngodly man Psal 34. 21. and they that hate the righteous shall perrish That the congregation of the vvicked Ecclê° 21. 9. is like towe wrapped together and theyr end is a flame of sire to destroy them That the transgression of a wicked man Prou. 29. 6. is his snare And he that soweth iniquitie shall reape Prou. 22. 8. affliction That hee which diggeth a pit shall fall Ecclê° 27. 26 therein and he that layeth a snare for another shal be taken in it himselfe That the way of the vngodly is made Ecclê° 21 10 plaine with stones but at the end thereof is hell darknes and paines That as the dry ground and heate consume Iob. 24. 19 the snow waters so shal the graue the sinners That when the vngodly man dyeth his Prou. 11. 7. hope perrisheth the confidence of the wicked shal come to nought That although men mourne for theyr Eccê° 41. 11. body yet shall the wicked name of the vngodly be put out That their portion shall be cursed in the Iob. 24. 18. earth Theyr name shall rotte Prou. 10 7. Iob. 8. 22. Prou. 24. 22 Prou. 14 11 Iob 24. 20. Theyr dwelling places shal not remaine Theyr destruction shal come suddenly Theyr houses shal be destroyed And they themselues shall be no more remembred That hee that is wicked shall fall in his Prou. 11. 5. owne wickednes And hee that transgresseth shall be taken Prou. 11 6. in the sinne of his transgression That the curse of God is in the habitation Prou 3 33. of the vngodly And the vnrighteous mans substance Ecclê° 40 13 shall be dryed vp like a riuer That vvicked men wanting the feare of Boetius GOD are hunted of euill to theyr owne ouerthrow and destruction That as vnto the good theyr goodnesse Hermes is a reward so vnto the wicked theyr owne euill is a punishment That the eyes of the wicked shall fayle Iob 11 20 theyr refuge shall perrish and theyr hope shal be sorrow of minde That such as seeke to get wealth by any Plato wicked meanes shall possesse there-with more vnquietnes then profit and the substance that by sinne is attained shall by some misfortune be consumed That the robbery of the vnrighteous Prou. 21 7 shall destroy them And the riches of the vngodly are layde Prou 13 22 vp for th 〈…〉 st That â—â—e Lord will be a swift witnesse Mala 3 5 against the Southsayers and against the adulterers and against false swearers and against those that wrongfully keepe backe the hyrelings wages and vexe the widow and the fatherlesse and oppresse the stranger and feare not to offend him That the vngodly are kept vnto the day Iob 20 30 of destruction and shall be brought forth to the day of wrath That for vnrighteousnes other mischieuous Socrates deedes the soules of the vngodly shall after this life be greeuously tormented in hell That when the vngodly shall say Peace 1 Thes 5 3 and safetie then shall come vppon them suddaine destruction as the trauaile vpon a woman vvith childe and they shall not escape That the wicked haue no gaine by the Cyprian death of Christ but all the benefites comming to mankinde by his Passion vvhich they haue despised doe most iustly condemne them That outwardly they receiue the Sacrament Augustine of Christes body and blood but the thing it selfe inwardly in theyr harts they haue not and therefore they eate drink thevr owne iudgement That the wicked by reason of their vnquiet Esay 57 20 conscience which alwaies tormenteth them are like the raging Sea that cannot rest whose waters cast vp mire and dyrt And the Lord himselfe hath said it that Esay 48 22 there is no peace to the vngodly person That the Lord hath made all things for Prou 16 4 his owne sake yea euen the vvicked for the day of euill And as all that is of the earth shal turne Ecclê° 41 10 to earth againe so the vngodly goe from the curse to destruction That as GOD greatly delighteth in the Hillarius louers of his Law so hee highly contemneth the peticions of the disobedient That the chyldren of the vngodly are Ecclê° 41 5 abhominable chyldren And the of-spring of the vnrighteous Ecclê° 40. 15 shall not obtaine many branches That God will lay vp the sorrow of the Iob 21 19 wicked father for his children And the posteritie of the vngodly generation Ecclê° 41 6. shall haue a perpetuall shame That if the vnrighteous happen to liue Pet. Ramus long theyr sorrowes at theyr death shall be the greater And according to the number of theyr Mar. Buâ—er sinnes here on earth such shal be the quantitie of theyr punishments in hell That as GOD vnto the godly is most Plotinus sweet gentle and louing so vnto the wicked proude and disobedient hee is verie seuere sharpe and rough specially appearing and felt for euer vpon them in the terrible day of damnation and vengeance That as euerlasting felicitie doth quickly Lactantius follovv the godly after the short race of theyr â—orldly miserie so euerlasting wretchednes speedily followeth the vngodly after the short race of their earthly felicitie That all such as for
euerliuing GOD to maintaine it which shal neuer be wearie §. 31. Rightly therefore is hell termed the hold â—rasmus of horrour distresse and misery and the Cell of torment griefe and vexation Wherein nothing els is to be heard but Cassiâ—dorus onely the furious raging of hellish tormentors and the ruthfull lamentations of damned persons Where all hope of ease and comfort for Gregory euer is exempted no redemption from thence may be expected For after the vvhole company of most Anselmus miserable damned vvretches haue there suffered torments both in soule and bodie for their sinnes as many thousand yeres as there haue been dayes since the beginning of the vvorld or as there be drops of water in the deepest Sea yet shall they then notwithstanding haue as farre to the ende of theyr punishment as they had the first day of theyr entrance into those greeuous calamities And as long as Almighty God shall be GOD which is for euer and euer world without end so long shall the wicked burne in the tormenting lake of fire brimstone vvithout mittigation of theyr miseries hope of heauenly fauour or likelihood of any releasement From the which pit of endlesse perdition and stinking dungion of eternall darknesse hee that is the Father of mercies and God of euerlasting glory deliuer all those that belong vnto him for his beloued Sonne Iesus Christ his sake our only Lord and Sauiour Amen FINIS ¶ Behold howe I haue not laboured for my selfe onely but for all them that seeke vvisedome Ecclus. 24. 39. Vnto God alone be giuen all praise honour glory ⧠A necessary Table of all the speciall matters contained in this Booke ¶ The seuerall matters handled in the first Discourse THat the Lord our God is immortall inuisible euerlasting page 1. 2. 3. 4. Of the mightie power of GOD. page 6. 7. 8. 9. c. That it belongeth onely vnto GOD to pardon our sinnes page 23. 24. 25. Of the wisedome of God page 31. Of the knowledge of God page 38. That the Lord God knoweth both the godly and vngodly page 40. 41. Of the great mercie and louing kindnes of God page 43. 44. That the mercy of God is both generall and speciall page 46. Of the iustice of God page 53. The iustice of God deuided by S. Ambrose into three parts page 56. Of three speciall causes that daily moue men to sinne against God page 57. Of the vvayes of God page 63. That the wayes of God are to be taken for all manner of his dooings page 64. That the Lorde is righteous in all his wayes page 65. That the wayes of God are not like vnto the wayes of man page 66. Of the word of God page 68 The authoritie of Gods word page 70 That Gods word coÌ„taineth in it al things needfull for our saluation page 72 That Gods vvorde is easie to be vnderstoode page 74 75 Of the workes of God 76 77 That of all the works of God man is the cheefest page 83 Howe man is saide to be the Image of GOD. page 83 84 God hath created man foure seuerall vvayes page 84 ¶ The seuerall matters handled in the second Discourse OF man of his naturall inclination page 90 91 92 c That man hath no free-will of himselfe to doe any thing that is good page 97 98 99 c That mans naturall free-will reacheth onely but to carnall and worldly matters page 100. Of the shortnes and vncertaintie of mans life page 106 Of the many miseries hapning to man in this life page 113 The causes why God suffereth man to be so much subiect to misery page 121 Of the parting of the soule from the bodie and of the immortalitie thereof 125 Of the first Iudgement after death page 132 133 Of the last Iudgement after death page 135 136 Of the vncertaine time of the last Iudgement page 142 ¶ The seuerall matters handled in the third discourse OF Christ page 146. That by him were all things created page 147 That Christ hath all power giuen him both in heauen and in earth page 148 That Christ is the way the truth the life vnto the kingdome of heauen page 148 149 That Christ is both the power of God and the wisedome of God page 150 That Christ is our wisedome and righteousnes sanctification and redemption c. page 150 151 The seuerall causes of Christes coÌ„ming into the world and the necessity thereof page 152 153 That Christ came to offer grace vnto all men page 152. That Christ came to fulfill the Lawe to make satisfaction vnto his Father for our offences page 153 That Christ came into the world both true God and true man page 154 That Christ came downe from heauen to vs that wee might ascend vp to heauen by him page 157 That Christ came to loose or destroy the workes of the deuill page 157 That Christ came to seeke and to saue that which was lost page 157. Of the Passion Death Buriall Resurrection ascention of our sauiour Christ according to the Scriptures page 158 159 160 161 c That Christ was deliuered to death by the determinate counsell and fore-knowledge of God page 165 166 Of the seuerall benefites which wee haue by the death resurrection and ascention of our Sauiour Christ page 172 173. c That Christ by his death gaue himselfe a raunsome for all men page 172 That Christ was clothed vvith death that hee might thereby kill death for vs. page 173 That Christ by his death hath destroyed him that had the power of death 173. That Christ hath taken on him our infirmities and borne our paines page 174 That Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law when he was made a curse for vs. page 176 That when Christ suffered death in his flesh vpon the Crosse the God-head and manhood were together page 177 Of foure benefites that wee receiue by the death of Christ page 177 That the meanes of our saluation by the death of Christ are two-fold 178 That Christ by his death hath put out the hand-writing that was against vs contained in the Law written page 178. That like as Christ by his owne power raised himselfe to life so by his own power hee is able to raise vp all them that are his members page 183. That the resurrection of Christ vvas long since prefigured in Adam 184 That Christ our Sauiour is ascended into heauen and sitteth for euer at the right hand of God page 185 That although Christ be absent from vs as concerning his humanitie yet hee is alwaies present with vs by the power of his diuinitie page 186 That Christ by his ascention hath taken sinne and sathan prisoners page 187 That Christ is ascended to prepare a place for vs in heauen page 187 That Christ being in heauen at the right hand of God maketh request vnto his Father for vs. page 189 That although Christ be both GOD and man yet
and art comforted all that see my good intent and there-with are pleased First his blessed Name be honoured thy comfort daily increased all our saiths for euer through Iesus Christ established Thine I. B. ⧠The contents of the whole booke following 1. OF God that he is great in power rich in mercie slowe to anger iust in iudgement righteous in all his wayes and wonderfull in all his works 2. What Man is by nature how short and vncertaine the dayes of his life are And how sure it is that after this life ended we must all appeare before the Iudgement seate of God to receiue euery one according as his works shall be 3. Of Christ why he came and what profit we haue by his Death Resurrection and Ascention 4. Of Faith Feare and Loue beeing three principall vertues necessarilie belonging to euery true Christian. 5. What the will desire of Almighty God is concerning men and how louinglie he admonisheth euery one to come to repentance promising mercy forgiuenesse to all those that amend 6. What manner of seruice is required of vs during this life both towards God and our Neighbour 7. Of trouble and affliction whereby God trieth the harts of all those that faithfully feare and loue him 8. Of the manifold benefites of God bestowed vpon the godly heere in this life with the promises of their euerlasting felicitie in the world to come 9. Of the heauie wrath of God against the wicked and vngodly heere in this world with the threatnings of their eternall torments in the world to come ⧠The Names of all the Authors mentioned in this Booke Christian Authours SAint Ambrose S. Augustine S. Ierome S. Chrisostome S. Gregory Clem. Alexandri Epiphanius Hillarius Origen Cyprian Cyrill Isidorus Basill Beda Anselmus Bernard Erasmus Constantius Vincentius Lactantius Ignatius Tertullian Theophilactus Ireneus Iusti. Martyr Cassianus Cassiodorus Eugenius Euagoras Fulgentius Fulgotius Luther Pet. Ramus Marlorate Plotinus Pacuuius Caluine Lyra. Boetius Virgilius Orosius Rauisius Pet. Lombardus Polion Maxentius Carolus Magnus Sigismundus Arnobius Anth. Gueuara Bullenger Leo. Aeneus Siluius Pet. Martyr Phil. MelancthoÌ„ Martin Bucer Hemingius Becon Osorius Beza Granado Iunius Tremelius Vrsinus Heathen Philosophers SOcrates Plato Hermes Plutarch Pythagoras Solon Cicero Macrobius Cleobulus Seneca Crates Thales Chilo Bias Menander Protogenes Antisthenes Anaxagoras Heraclitus Pyndarus Marcus Aurelius Gallen Hipocrates Alex. Seuerus Euripides Aristides Demonax Valerius Max. Dion Theophrastus Salust Quintilian Zenophon Isocrates Xenocrates Diogenes Aristotle Anacharsis Herodotus Thucidides ⧠Faultes escaped Page 14 line 4 for setteh reade setteth Page 39 line 4 for wondefull read wonderfull Page 63 line 25 for or God read our God Page 265 line 28 for that that it read that it Page 352 line 17 for body read belly Page 500 line 25 for misciefe read mischiefe Page 512 li. 20 for imagination read imaginations ⧠The Harmonie of holie Scriptures ¶ Of God that hee is great in power rich in mercy â—â—ow to anger iust in iudgement righteous in all his waies and wonderfull in all his workes VISDOM 15. verse 3. For to know GOD is perfect righteousnesse and to knowe his power is the roote of immortalitie Of God c. §. 1. MOyses the seruaunt of the liuing GOD after hee had seene many miracles and vvrought diuers vvonders through Diuine assistance before the face of Pharao King of Egipt and the children of Israel in the vvildernes talking on a time familiarly with his Maker amongst many other petitions humbly Exo 33. 18 besought the Lord to â—hew him his glorie Wherevnto the Almightie returned this 〈…〉 swere saying Thou canst not see my Exo 33 20. 〈…〉 or there shall no man see mee liue No man saith S. Iohn hath seene God Iohn 1 18 at any time the onely begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him No man knoweth the Son saith Christ Math 11 27 but the Father neither knoweth anie man the Father but the Sonne and he to whom the Sonne will reueale him §. 2. What man hath seene GOD thâ—t the Ecclê° 43 31 might tell vs saith the Wiseman oâ— who can magnifie him as hee is Who shall declare * vnto vs the power of his greatnes Ecclus 18 4 or vvho will take vpon him to tell ouâ— his mercie Canst thou saith Zophar vnto Iob by Iob 11 7 8 9 searching finde out God Canst tâ—ou find out the Almightie to his perfection The Heauens are hie saith he what canst thou doe It is deeper theÌ„ Hell how canst thou knowe it The measure thereof is longer then the Earth and it is broader then the Sea By which kinde of questioning the holie man seemeth to tell vs that if we be not able to comprehend the height of heauen the depth of hell the length of the ea 〈…〉 or the bredth of the sea which are but 〈…〉 tures it wil be much more vnpossible for vs to vnderstand the perfection of the Creator which is God himselfe For hee as Sirach rightly saith is * aboue all his workes Ecclê° 43 28 §. 3. Salomon as we reade of him was the richest man in wisedome that euer liued and one that gaue his minde to knowe as much as man might know yet could he not by all his diligence come neere the perfection of the Almightie but plainely euen in his Booke of Wisdome confesseth both his owne and all other mens imperfections in that poynt where he sayth Hardly can we discerne the things that are vpon the earth Wisd 9 16. with great labour find we out the things which are before vs who can theÌ„ seeke out saith he the things that are in heauen For like as the grounde is appointed to beare the wood and the Sea to carrie his 2 Esdr 4 21 floods so they that dwell vppon the earth can vnderstand nothing but that which is vpon the earth and they that are in the heauens the things which are aboue the height of the heauens §. 4. Wisedome willeth vs therefore as Fulgosius Fulgosius sayth not to bee ouer-quisitiue in searching out either the secretes of Gods hidden counsell or the greatnesse of his incomparable maiestie for feare wee be suddainly smitten with the thunderstroake of his glorie But let it rather suffise vs in knowledge touching the proportion of his person to say as Plato that diuine Phylosopher saide Plato God is without any body invisible and also immortall whose forme cannot be deprehended with the eyes of mortall men nor yet described by any sensible knovvledge Or to say as learned Hermes Trismegistus Hermes sayd That is God which lacketh beginning and ending which God beeing made of none hath by his own power created all things Or els to say as much as a more worthie man then any of them both namelie holie Iob sayd Behold God is excellent wee Iob 36 26 know him not neither may the number of his yeeres
Deut 32 4. the mightie GOD For all his waies are iudgement God is true saith he without wickednes iust and righteous is he If thou sinne against him and prooue Osorius truly penitent hee will be found readie to graunt thee forgiuenesse but if thou persist in euill and presume vpon his mercie the path thou walkest in is very perrillous and thou daily standest in danger of his heauie wrath and iudgement For although it sometimes please God Mar. Aur. as Marcus Aurelius affirmeth to forbeare the sinnes and transgressions of diuers persons that persist in theyr euill liuing a great while yet notwithstanding wee â—ften see by example that hee dooth not sâ—are at length suddainly and vnawares to chastise such offenders vvith so much the greater chastisement according to the measure of theyr many iniquities For God is in his corrections saith he like vnto a man that giueth a blowe to another body the higher that hee lyfteth vp his hande vvith the greater force falleth downe the stroake semblably the more yeeres that the Almightie forbeareth our sinnes the more will he afterward afflict vs with punishment for them vnlesse we repent §. 6. It is not as Melancthon saith the great Phil. Mel. wealth of worldly rich men that can cause theyr Creator to with-hold his wrath from the wicked neyther is it the magnificence of mighty men that can procure him to proue partiall in iudgement For there is no iniquitie with the Lorde 2 Chro. 19 7. our God saith Iehosaphat neyther respect of persons nor receiuing of reward Hee being Lord ouer all will spare no Wisd 6. 7 person neyther shall he feare any greatnes For he hath made the small and great and careth for all alike Hee hath no respect vnto the persons of Iob 34 19 Princes neither regardeth he the rich more then the poore for they be all the vvorke of his hands Hee as Tobie saith is iust and all his Tob 3 2 workes and all his vvayes are mercie and truth and he iudgeth truly and iustlie for euer For his eyes are vpon all the wayes of the Iere 32 19 sonnes of men to giue to euery one according to his wayes and according to the fruite of his workes Whosoeuer he be therefore as Vincentius Vincentius saith that walketh in the vvay of the wicked and yet notwithstanding looketh for the reward of the righteous foolishlie flatters himselfe with a false hope and hath more neede of good counsaile to reclaime him from error then hee hath of badde encouragement to cause him continue his course §. 7. Beholde saith the Almightie all soules Ezech 18 4 20. are mine both the soule of the Father and also the soule of the sonne are mine The same soule that sinneth it shall die the sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of the Father neyther shall the Father beare the iniquity of the sonne but the righteousnes of the righteous shall be vpon him and the wickednes of the wicked shall bee vppon himselfe For euery man shall beare his own burden Gala 6 5 And as his workes are founde so shall Luther his reward be giuen Also It is most certaine saith Iob that Iob 34 12 the Lord our God will not doe wickedlie neither will the Almightie peruert iudgement Hee will not cast away an vpright man Iob 8 20. neither wil he take the wicked by the hand For as he is called the * God of iudgement Esay 30. 18 So hee is termed the rightfull * Iudge of Gene 18 25 all the world And therefore hee will vndoubtedly as Dauid sayth * iudge the worlde in righteousnesse Psalm 9 8. and the people with equitie §. 8. Diuers examples also may bee collected from the Scripture concerning the iustice of almighty God and the expressing of his punishments vpoÌ„ offenders but these few folowing shew proofe enough to perswade vs. As namely how he punished * Achan Iosua 7. the sonne of Carmi for his theft Nadab and Abihu for presuming to offer Leuit 10 1 * strange fire before him The two sonnes of Eli * for abusing the 1 Sam 4 Priestes office King Saule * for his disobedience in sparing 1 Sam 15 Agag Gehazi the seruaunt of Eliah * for his 2 Reg 5 couetousnesse Ananiah and his wife Saphira for * lying Acts 5 vnto the holy Ghost By which examples and the like we may coniecture that as the mercy of the Lorde is meruailous great to those that feare and loue him so is his punishment also vppon such as walke in wickednesse and wilfully presume to offend him For as the Angell said vnto Esdras there 2. Esdr 7 19 is no Iudge more iust then God nor anie more wise then the most High ¶ Of the wayes of Almighty God §. 1. THE * vvay of the Lorde or God 2 Sa. 22. 31 as Dauid sayth is vncorrupt And * all his pathes are mercie Psal 25. 10. and truth Vnto such as * keepe his couenaunt Psal 103. 18 thinke vpon his commaundements to doe them §. 2. God hath not as Caluine saith made Caluine manifest vnto man one way onely but he hath shewed vnto vs all his wayes that is all that is needful to make vs walke aright so that wee can neuer goe amisse if we followe the direction which hee in his holie Word hath set downe before vs. §. 3. The wayes of the Lorde our God as S. Augustine Augustine saith are to bee taken for all manner of his dooings and how soeuer it pleaseth him at any time to remoue things first to one side then to another yet his wayes therein are alwaies righteous and he best knoweth wherefore he doth so Besides It is not to be doubted saith he that God doth well yea when soeuer hee suffereth to be done whatsoeuer things are euill done for hee doth not suffer this otherwise then by iust iudgement and surelie all that is iust is good Although therefore those things that be euill inasmuch as they bee euill be not good yet it is good that there should be things not onelie that are good but also that are euill For except it were good that there should bee thinges that are euill the Almightie goodnesse woulde by no meanes suffer them to bee For it is no doubt as easie a thing to him not to suffer that thing to be which hee woulde shoulde not be as it is to doe that which he is willing to doe Therefore whatsoeuer happeneth heere at any time against our wills wee ought to vnderstande that it hapneth not but by the will of God by his prouidence by his decree by his commaundement and by his Law And although wee know not vvhy and wherfore it is done yet we must consider it is done according to his wisedome that gouerneth all things and that it is not done without some speciall cause For the Lord our God is righteous as
the giuer thereof wil neuer alter his mind nor change his first determination Theyr seauenth and last beatitude shall be absolute or perfect ioy such as no pen can expresse nor any mortall hart be able to comprehend For there shall be thousands of thousands and more then tenne thousand hundred of thousandes of the righteous whom no tongue can number which shall all enioy this heauenly happinesse and ioy altogether in the same blessednes And euery one of this blessed cōpanie shall as much reioyce giue thanks vnto GOD for the felicitie of others as for himselfe They shall also aboue all this as hath partly before by another Authour beene expressed reioyce with an admirable ioy at the onely sight of almightie GOD in whose presence they shall cōtinually abide and whose glory they shall alwaies behold They shall delight in him more then in themselues and they shall for euer be beloued of him more then they can loue themselues They shall abound in all ioy and be filled there-with both within and without they shall haue ioy aboue them and ioy beneath them and ioy on euerie side and round about them so that theyr reioycing shal be incomparable and theyr felicitie without measure or end For as there is no end of Gods greatnes Augustine nor number of his wisedome nor measure of his benignitie so is there neither end number nor measure of his rewards towards them that loue him and continue constant in his truth vnto the death §. 34. Now then there is no condemnation to Rom 8 1. them that are in Christ Iesus which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit For as many as are led by the Spirit of Rom 8 14. God they are the sonnes of God And if wee be sonnes then are vve also Rom 8 17 heires euen the heires of God heyres annexed with Christ And shall vvith all the righteous and elect of the Lord at the day of our Sauiours comming to iudgement be called to the possession of that kingdome vvhich Math 25 34 was prepared of God for the godly from the beginning of the world Or as Saint Paule saith * Before the Ephe 1 4 foundations of the world were layd Where the beloued chosen of God Eugenius shall neuer be crost with any moe calamities nor combred with any more care or greefe but dwell in euerlasting delight without dread of danger raigne in perpetuall pleasures without feare of paine Where also they shall hunger no more Reue. 7. 16. 17. neyther thirst any more neyther shall the Sunne light on them neyther any heate For the Lambe of GOD Iesus Christ theyr Mediatour and Redeemer vvhich sitteth in his kingdome of glory in the mids of his throne shal gouerne them shall leade them vnto the liuely Fountaines of waters and GOD shall vvipe avvay all teares from theyr eyes And they shall see his face his Name Reue. 22. 4 shal be in their fore-heads And there shall be no more death neyther Reue. 21. 4 sorrow neither crying neyther shall there bee any more paine for the first things are passed away §. 35. Be glad therefore ô yee righteous Psal 32 11 reioyce in the Lord and be ioyfull all yee that are vpright in hart For the things which eye hath not seene 1. Cor 2 9. neyther eare hath heard neither haue entred into the hart of man to conceiue are which GOD hath prepared for them that loue him Hee that is righteous let him be righteous Reue 22 11 still and hee that is holy let him be holy still And beholde saith Christ I come verse 12 shortly and my reward is with me to giue euery man according as his worke shall be ¶ Of the heauie wrath of GOD against the vngodly here in this life with his threatnings of theyr eternall torments in the world to come PROVERBS 11. verse 19. As righteousnesse leadeth vnto life so hee that followeth euill seeketh his owne death §. 1. FRet not thy selfe saith Dauid because Psalm 37 1 of the vvicked or vngodlie neither be thou enuious against the euill dooers For they shall soone be cut downe like verse 2 the grasse and shal wither away as dooth the greene hearbe They are exalted for a little but shortly Iob 24 24 are they gone and are brought lowe as all others they are destroyed cut off euen as the top of an eare of corne Though they florish in the world for a Cyprian season yet is their safety in the same alwaies most vncertaine and when they perswade themselues to be farthest from perrill then commeth theyr confusion speedily vppon them They haue as the Prophet affirmeth Psal 17 14 theyr portion in this life They liue for a time in most prosperous Basill estate they enioy vvealth according to their wish and haue chyldren at theyr desire they spend whole months in mirth banquetting and fill themselues with all varietie of delights but at vnawares they end theyr dayes in sorrow and die without any hope of the felicitie to come Therefore shal not the wicked be able Psal 1 5 6 to stand in iudgement nor sinners in the assemblie of the righteous for the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked shal perrish His owne iniquities shal take the wicked Prou 5 22 23. himselfe and hee shal be holden vvith the cordes of his owne sinne Hee shal die for faute of instruction goe astray through his great folly Lewde things are in his hart hee imagineth Prou 6 14 15 euil at al times and raiseth vp contentions Therefore shal his destruction come hastilie vpon him he shal be destroyed suddainly without recouery §. 2. As for my selfe saith Dauid my feete Psalm 73. 2 were almost gone my steps had wel-neere slipt For I fretted at the foolish when I Psal 73 3 saw the prosperitie of the wicked For there are no bandes in theyr death verse 4 5 but they are lustie and strong They come into no misfortune like other folke neyther are they plagued like other men Therefore pride is as a chayne vnto thē verse 6 7 and crueltie couereth them as a garment Theyr eyes stand out for fatnes and they haue more then hart can wish They trust in their goods and boast Psal 49 6 themselues in the multitude of their riches They see that wise men die and also that Psalm 49 10 11 the ignorant and foolish perrish and leaue theyr riches for others Yet they thinke theyr houses theyr habitations shall continue for euer euen from generation to generation and call theyr landes by theyr names Theyr seede also is established in their Iob 21 8 sight with them and theyr generation before theyr eyes Theyr houses are peaceable vvithout verse 9. feare and the rodde of God is not vppon them Theyr Bullocke gendereth and fayleth