Theophilus. As soon as we begin to know God in 1this world, and to believe in Jesus Christ, we begin also to taste the goodness of the celestial life and of the world to come: But we have not yet perfect joy. Yet nevertheless sithence that we have once tasted that celestial goodness we grow from day to day, from knowledge to knowledge, from faith to faith, from good to be better, until we become unto the age of a perfect man, to the fullness of 2Christ, to the eternal felicity and ended blessedness. Now if already in this vale of misery, our soul, being charged with this terrestrial body, shut up and kept in the same, as in a dark prison, altogether wrapped in miseries, sins and maledictions, receiveth such consolation and joy, there is no doubt, but that after that it is delivered from that ⟨image 253⟩prison and captivity and hath put of all earthly corruption, it may grow into all goodness and perfection: or else in vain hath Saint Paul said: I desire to be loosed and to be with Christ, which thing is to •e best of all. 3And yet nevertheless it hath not her •e•i••tie and perfect glory, until the resurrection of his glorious body, And that it be again united wi•h it, and se• God face to face, and know him as we have been know•• of him: 4then when he shall have vanquished all things, and shall be all in all. For it is not yet appeared, what we shall be: but our life is hid in Jesus Christ. Even as then, those which do now depart out of this life, have not yet such joy, as they shall have after that Jesus Christ shall appear in glory, •or to judge all flesh, when we shall all arise, so by the like reason we may esteem and think, that the ancient fathers, which have been before the coming of Jesus Christ, have not had altogether such joy and felicity, before •is resurrection as afterward. For if the Angels themselves, which always do behold 5the face of the heavenly father have received increase of the science and knowledge of God and of their felicity by the coming of Jesus Christ, and there ought to receive it more ample in the resurrection of the just and righteous, we must not doubt, but that as much shall happen unto the blessed spirits and just souls. Wherefore we may easily know by the same: how great and admirable the mystery and secret of the redemption of mankind is: and what is the excellency of the Church of Jesus Christ:
Theophilus. Assone as we b•gin to knowe God in 1this worlde, and to beléeue in Iesus Christ, we begin also to tast the goodnesse of the celestiall life and of the worlde to come: But we haue not yet perfect ioy. Yet neuerthelesse sithence that we haue once tasted that celestiall goodnesse we grow from day to day, from knowledge to knowledge, from faith to faith, from good to be better, vntil we become vnto the age of a perfect man, to the fulnesse of 2Christ, to the eternall felicitie and ended blessednesse. Now if alreadie in this vale of misery, our soule, being charged with this terrestiall body, shut vp and kept in the same, as in a darke prison, altogether wrapped in miseries, sinnes and maledictions, receiueth such consolation and ioy, there is no doubt, but that after that it is deliuered from that ⟨image 253⟩prison and capti••tie and hath put of all earthly corruption, it may growe into all goodnesse and perfection: or else in vaine hath Saint Paul saide: I des•re to be losed and to be with Christ, which thing is to •e best of all. 3And yet neuerthelesse it hath not hir •e•i••tie and perfect glorie, vntill the resurrection of his glorious bodie, And that it be againe vnited wi•h it, and se• God face to face, and knowe him as we haue béene know•• of him: 4then when he shal haue vanquished all things, and shalbe all in all. For it is not yet appeared, what we shalbe: but our life is hid in Iesus Christ. Euen as then, those which doe nowe depart out of this life, haue not yet such ioy, as they shall haue after that Iesus Christ shall appeare in glorie, •or to iudge all flesh, when we shall all arise, so by the like reason we may estéeme and thinke, that the auncient fathers, which haue béene before the comm•ng of Iesus Christ, haue not had altogether such ioy and felicitie, before is resurrection as afterwarde. For if the Angels themselues, which alwayes doe behold
- 1A comparison of the life present and of that to come. Heb. 6. •. 4 Jo••. 5.A comparison of the lyfe present and of that to come. Heb. 6. •. 4 Io••. 5.
- 2Ephe. 4
- 3P•il. •. d. 2•
- 41. Cor. 13. d. 12 1. Cor. 15 d 28 1. John. 3. • • Colos. 3. •, 31. Cor. 13. d. 12 1. Cor. 15 d 28 1. Iohn. 3. • • Colos. 3. •, 3
- 5Augmentation of the felicity to the AngelsAugmentacion of the felicitie to the Angels
