Why should we that live by hope, that believe in God, & trust that Christ suffered for us, & is risen again, that remain in Christ, and be risen by him, and in him, •e so unwilling to depart out of this world, or else mourn & lament such as be departed, as though they were lost, sense Christ our •ord & our God doth admonish us, •aying:1 I am the resurrection and •he life, he that believeth on me, ⟨p. 158⟩yea though he were dead, yet shall he live, and whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall never die. If we believe in Christ, and trust his words and his promises, we shall never die, but shall come with glad surety unto Christ, with whom we shall ever live & reign. And yt in the mean season we do die, we do but thereby pass to immortality. For except we depart from hence, the life everlasting can not come. Death is no departure, but a passage, to the intent that this worldly journey once over run, we may come unto eternity. Wh• will not make haste to a better estate? Who will not desire to be changed and transformed into the likeness of Christ, and to come out of hand to the dignity of the heavenly grace? which thing Paul the Apostle doth declare. Our conversation, saith he:2 is in heaven ⟨p. 159⟩from whence we look for a Saviour, even the Lord Jesus Christ, which shall transform our vile body, that he may make it like unto his glorious body. And Christ the Lord, doth promise, that we shall be such, when that we may be with him, live with him in his eternal seat, and rejoice with him in his heavenly kingdom, he prayeth unto the father for us on this manner: father I will that they, which thou haste given me, be with me where I am, that they may see my glory which thou hast given me, for ye didst love me before the making of the world. Therefore we •ught nether to mourn nor to la•ent for coming unto the seat of Christ, to the glory of the heavenly king •ō, but ought rather according to •he promise of God, according to •he faith of the verity to rejoice […] our departure and transformation. ⟨p. 160⟩Hitherto have I rehearsed the words of. S. Cyprian, which do manifestly declare that they which die in the Lord: are in a blessed state,3 and therefore not to be mourned nor lamented. I fear least I have been tedious unto you in rehearsing so much of .s. Cyprian's mind concerning this matter.
Why should we that liue by hope, that beleue in God, & truste that Christ suffred for vs, & is risen again, that remain in Christe, and be rysen by hym, and in hym, •e so vnwylling to departe out of this worlde, or els mourn & lamēt suche as be departed, as though they were lost, sence Christ our •ord & our God doth admonish vs, •aying:1 I am the resurrection and •he life, he that beleueth on me, ⟨p. 158⟩yea though he were dead, yet shal he liue, and whosoeuer liueth and beleueth in me, shall neuer die. If we beleue in Christ, and trust his wordes and his promises, we shal neuer die, but shal com with glad suerty vnto Christ, with whome we shal euer liue & raigne. And yt in the meane season we do die, we do but therby passe to immortalitie. For except we departe from hence, the lyfe euerlasting can not come. Death is no departure, but a passage, to ye entent yt this worldlye iourney once ouer runne, we may come vnto eternitie. Wh• will not make haste to a better estate? Who will not desyre to bee chaunged and transfourmed into the likenes of Christ, and to come out of hand to the dignitie of the heauēly grace? which thing Paul the Apostle doth declare. Our cō uersacion, saith he:2 is in heauen ⟨p. 159⟩from whence we loke for a Sauiour, euen the Lord Iesus Christ, whiche shall transforme our vile body, that he may make it like vnto his glorious body. And Christe the Lorde, doth promise, that we shalbe such, when that we may be with him, liue with him in his eternall seat, and reioyce with hym in his heauenly kingdom, he praieth vnto the father for vs on this manner: father I will that they, whiche thou haste geuen me, be wt me wher I am, that they may see my glory whiche thou hast geuen me, for ye didst loue me before ye making of the worlde. Therfore we •ught nether to mourne nor to la•ent for cōming vnto the seate of Christ, to ye glory of ye heauēly king •ō, but ought rather according to •he promise of God, according to •he faith of the veritie to reioyce our departure and transformation.
- 1John. ••.Iohn. ••.
- 2Phi. ii.
- 3Apoc. xiiii.
