The Institution of Christian Religion

Forsooth, he did set before his eyes, not what the altering course of the world beareth, which is unstable & more unsteadfast than the ebbing and flowing of tides, but what the Lord will do, when he shall one day sit for the eternal settling of heaven and earth.¹ As in an other place he excellently well describeth it: The foolish do stay upon their wealthiness, and are proud because of their great riches. And yet no man, though he flourish in never so great dignity, can redeem his brother from death, no man can pay to God the price of his ransom, but whereas they see that both the wise do dye, and that the wicked also and fools do perish & leave their riches to strangers, yet they think that their houses shall abide for ever, & their dwellings to the end of ages, and they advance their names upon the earth, but man shall not continue in honore: he shalbe like to the beasts that die. This imagination of theirs is extremest folly, which yet their posterity do greedily follow. They shall be placed like a flock in Hell, and death shall have rule over them. When the light ariseth, the upright shall have dominion over them, the beauty of them shall perish, Hell is their dwelling house. First this laughing to scorn of the foolish, for that they rest on the slippery and rolling good things of the world, doth show that the wise must seek a far other felicity. But there he more evidently discloseth the mystery of the resurrection, ⟨p. 74⟩where after the destruction & extinguishment of them, he erecteth the kingdom of the Godly. For what rising of light (I pray you) shall we call that, but the revealing of the new life which followeth the end of this present life.

Forsoothe, he did set before his eyes, not what the altering course of the worlde beareth, whiche is vnstable & more vnstedfast than the ebbing and flowing of tides, but what the Lorde will do, when he shall one day sitte for the eternall settling of heauen and earth.¹ As in an other place hee excellently well describeth it: The foolish do stay vpon their welthinesse, and are proude bicause of their great riches. And yet no man, though he florish in neuer so great dignitie, can redeeme his brother from death, no man can paye to God ye price of his raunsome, but wheras thei see that bothe ye wyse do dye, and that the wicked also and fooles do perishe & leaue their ryches to strangers, yet thei thinke that thier houses shal abide for euer, & their dwellynges to the ende of ages, and thei aduaunce their names vpon the earth, but man shall not continue in honore: he shalbe like to the beastes yt die. This imaginacion of theires is extremest folly, whyche yet their posteritie do gredyly folow. Thei shalbe placed like a flock in Hell, and deathe shall haue rule ouer them. When the lyght ariseth, the vpright shall haue dominion ouer them, the beautie of them shall perishe, Hell is their dwelling house. First this laughing to scorne of the foolish, for that thei rest on the slipperie and rollynge good thinges of the worlde, dothe shewe that the wyse must seeke a farre other felicitie. But there he more euidently discloseth the misterie of the resurrection,