The Hope of the Faithful, Title page – To the reader
THE HOPE OF the Faithfull.
Declaring Breefely and clearly the Reſurrection of OVR LORD IESVS CHRIST paſt, and of oure true eſſentiall bodies to come: and plainly confuting the cheefe Errors, that hath ſprong therof, out the Scripture and Doctors.
VVith an euident probation, that there is an eternall life of the Faithfull, and an euerlalaſting damnation of the Vnfaithfull.
Nevvly Imprinted and Corrected. 1574.
To the Christian READER, GRACE and peace.
EVERYE MAN muſt needes confeſſe, that this is novve a lamentable time. In the vvhichwhich the vvorld is not onli vnquieted vvith vvars, dearthe, ſickneſſe and ſuch like but alſo ſtandeth euer more and more in greater pearill, thorovve vices eueryevery vvhere bearing the ſvving. So that it is to be feared if vve banishe them not the ſooner, vve and our poſteritye shall yet come into farre greater ſorovv, then vve are already vvrapped in. For if one should barely, and vvythout all rhetorical amplifications, but reherſe only the great pompe, vainglory, riot, fornication, open idolatry, periury. &c. of mighti men and rulers, vvhichwhich vvaſt the vvorld miſerably, the ſpace euen of many dayes vvold ſcaſe be any thing ſufficient thervnto. And vvhat heapes of vvickedneſſe priuate perſons do adde vntounto the ſame, all vviſe men cā ponder by themſelues. For if vve goe into our ovvne boſomes, vve finde that vve altogether vvill vvholy fashion and frame oure liues after the vvorld: ſeeking vaine pompe and priuate commodity for our ovvne luſte, vvith ſure shame and publike diſcommodity to others loſſe.
VVhichWhich all are vndoubted tokens, that the lavve and louelove of God is litle eſtemed among vsus. VVhichWhich vvith greeuous threates forbiddeth the foreſaid and other vices by ſtraight commaundement forſing, and ſure revvardes alluring vsus to the contrary dealing Neither may vve thinke, but that ſuche vices daily vvill encreaſe till the time they ouervvhelme vsus, excepte the contempte of Gods la ve ſet apart, being the only ſufficient vvelſpring of all vvickednes, for vvhichwhich the vvrath of God is inkindled, and his bitter curſes fall vppon vsus the ſame vvorde be had in greate… price and reuerēce. For vvhy, vvhat godline…e can be hoped for of them, vvhichwhich hold nothing of God, the only fountaine of goodneſſe, and laugh his vvorde to ſcorne, of vvhom vve can knovve nothing, but that is there shevved vsus: ſaue that ſmall knovvledge, that is of beholding of the creatures▪ vvhichwhich neuertheleſſe declareth rather that there is a God, then vvhat he is, & hovv he vvill be pleaſed. And though al the ſcripture ſerue vsus to enioy Gods bleſſings, yet as in a compound medicine, all the ſimples being holſom, ſome one may leſſe be ſpard thē the other ſo the article of reſurrection, clear and ofte inculcated in Sc ipture, is moſte auaileable, ſo that it vnknovvne, all vices ſvvarm and roſte in vsus. For vve, not conſidering our end, vvherein ſaluation & life ſtandeth, or paines prepared for the accurſed, vvill but ſtaine our ſelues in voluptuouſnes. For vvho knovveth but the fleshe in this life, vvhy shold he not thinke, as good take it as leaue it, and beſt to make the moſte of that vvhichwhich at laſt ceaſſeth. In this caſe the Ethnikes being ſaide: liue merely vvhile ye be in the vvorld: and eat vve and drink vve luſtely, to morovve vve shall die, vvhichwhich all the Epicures proteſt openly, and the Italian atheoi in life practiſe, and no vvorſe man, then a Pope, in oure dayes hathe geuen the like definitiue ſentence, among his Courte deuines, of the ſoules immortality: the ſtory is knovven. Contrarivviſe, the learned in Goddes vvorde, knovving that this life is a death from ſinne, and a vvaye to the life to come, vvhichwhich Chriſt vvith his croſſe hath opened vntounto them, for deſire thereof runne forth in the race of godlineſſe: aſſured of the revvard, ſith Chriſt, therfore bidding deathe battaile, that vve mought liue, hath broken her bondes and riſen againe. For goodes are not the poſſeſſors, as the Philoſopher ſaithe, and Chriſte alludeth in the parable of the tvvo ſtrong men, but the more valiant mās. VVherfore, gentle reader, I hauing this litle but abſolute vvorke of Chriſtes and our reſurrection, and that there is an eternall life and damnation, vvherin the deuill hath ſore aſſaulted the churche, by men, this only excepted, of greate authoritye and learning: thought it my duety, to put it in Printe, not keping that priuate, vvhichwhich might doe ſuche good common. The matter is plain in ſcripture: yet learne vve better things called in queſtion, and forced to vsus by reſon. VVherfore not to ſtirre vp Gods grace in vsus by imbraſing ſuche treatiſes, vvere to tempt God, and extincte the ſpirite.
For the ſcholer learneth of his ſchole fellovv, that he perceiued not by his more lerned maſter, and vnderſtandeth him euer after the better: and ſo men forder one an other in ſcripture. VVhichWhich as I meane in printing, if thou deſire in reading, the Lorde no nay shall graunt our requeſt: vvhichwhich geueth bleſſings plentuouſly to all ſuche, as aske it conſtantly. To vvhom geue honor & thank… from heart, for the good that thou repeſt in his creatures.
FARE VVEL.