Deuill and his Aungels And these shall goe into euerlasting payne and the righteous into life eternall The like saying is also in Daniell Danie 2.1 And at that time the people shal be saued euery one that shall be found written in the Booke And therefore they say If all these thinges are written of the day of iudgement how can it be that the elect should be called to the inheritaunce of the heauenly kingdome if they already possesse it How shall it be sayd vnto them come hither whenas they are already there how shal the people be saued whēas they are presently saued Wherefore the faythfull which nowe walke faythfully looke for none other day of their saluation according to that saying of S. Paule knowing that he who hath raysed vp Iesus frō the dead 2. Cor. 4.14 shall rayse vs vp also with Iesus Christ And in an other place it is sayd looking for the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ who will make you strong euen vnto the end in the day of his comming c. And admitte we graunted thē all this yet thē by the way why do they of their owne brayn put to the thing that is not to wit sleape For they cannot shew vs one sillable of sleape amongest all the places which they alleadge And although they be awake yet it may be that they are with out glory Wherfore seing it is not onely a rash but also a madde mans part boldely to conclude vpon thinges which man his reason is not able to comprehend of which sort are these straunge obstinate opynatiuers dare they defend sleape which they haue not receiued from the mouth of the Lord. And therfore this may suffise discreete and sound iudgement to the end they might know this sleape to be a shameles forgery or fayned inuention as in very deede it is because it cānot be proued by the manifest word of God Howbeit let vs handle these places as briefly as we can to the end the simpler sort might not be troubled therwith whēas they heare it sayd that the saluation of the soules is prolōged and put of vnto the generall day of iudgement First of all we must vnderstand this to be a most resolute and sure thing that our blessednes is still on the way going vnto this great day which shal end our iourney In like case the glory of the elect and the end of theyr last hope doth tend and hath an eye vnto the same day because their blessednes and glory shall then be accomplished For it is agreed hereupon emōgest all men that there is none other perfect blessednes or glory but the onely perfect coniunctiō with God And vnto this end we all bend runne and shew our selues forward and all the scriptures and promises of God send vs thereto For that which God once sayd vnto Abraham by mouth belongeth also vnto vs where he sayth Gene. 12. I am thy verye great reward Seing then this reward is appointed for all those that haue part with Abraham to witte the enioying of God and the blessed possessing of him besides which reward it is not lawfull to wish any other for whē there is any question of our hope wee must cast our eyes vpon it And thus farre if I be not deceiued doe our aduersaries agree with vs. Moreouer I likewise trust that they will agree with vs in this that this kingdome wherunto the chosen and faythfull are called which in other places is called saluatiō reward and glory is none other thing but this most blessed coniunction and vnion with God to wit for that they are fully in God and that God maketh them perfect that on theyr behalfe they cleaue vnto God enioy him fully wholly and to speake it in one worde God and they are one For after this sort whēas they are in the fountayne of all fulnes they come euen vnto the last end of all righteousnes wisedome and glory vpon which blessinges the kingdome of God veryly consisteth For S. Paule sheweth it to be the last point of the kingdome of God 1. Cor. 15.28 whenas he sayth To the end that God might be all in all thinges And therefore seing god in this day shall in very deed be all in all thinges and bring hys chosen and faythfull to a iuste perfectiō it is not without cause that this great day is called the day of our saluatiō before which tyme our saluation is not perfectly accomplished For they whome God filleth are filled with all riches which no toung cā vtter no eare hath heard nor eyes haue seene nor yet vnderstanding hath conceiued Wherfore seing these two thinges are out of all question our sleapers vaynely take in hand to proue that the holy seruauntes of God who are departed this life are not as yet entred into the kingdome of God because it shall be sayd vnto them come ye blessed of my Father inherite c. Now this is easely aunswered to be no good consequence to say that there is now no kingdome because as yet it is not perfect But contrarywise wee say that the kingdome which is already begonne shall then be made perfect Neither would I haue any man beleue me herein if I doe not first of all manifestly shew by sure argumentes of the scripture that this is true 1. Cor. 15. For this day is called the kingdome of God because that at that time hee shall in deed put vnder him all contrary powers subdue Sathan with the breath of his mouth and destroy him through the brightnes of his coming 2. Thes 2. But he himselfe shall fully and wholye dwell and raigne in his chosen For God cannot hereafter otherwise raigne in himselfe thē he hath raigned from the beginning whose Maiestie can no way be either encreased or yet diminished But shall raigne in such sort as that he shall be opēly shewed vnto all the world When then we pray to haue his kingdome come doe we thinke that he hath now no kingdome And besides what say they then to this saying the kingdome of God is within you Wherefore God raigneth at this present in his elect whome he guideth and gouerneth by his holy spirite He reigneth also ouer the Deuill sinne and death when he commaundeth the light to shine in darkenes by which error and lying are confounded and when as he wil not suffer the powers of darkenes to hurt thē who haue the signe of the Lambe in their forehead He reigneth also I say euen at that present when as we pray and say let thy kingdome come And surely he lykewise raigneth when as he worketh power in his faythfull and whē he geueth a law to Satan appoynting him what to doe But then shall his kingdome come when as it shall be accōplished And then shall it be accomplished whenas he shall fully shew the glory of his Maiestie vnto the faythfull saluation and vnto the reprobate shame and confusion Howbeit is there any other
1581. Your Lorships most humble and duetifull to be commaunded in the Lord Iesus Christ Thomas Stocker ⧠The Preface of Iohn Calvin to a very friend of his ALthough in deede it is very true that certen godly honest men were a great while sithence earnestly in hand with me to write somewhat for the confuting and repressing of the foolishe and confused opinion of some who at this day goe about to mainteine the sleape and death of the soules yet could they not hitherto winne me to yelde vnto their petitions and requestes because it is cleane contrary to my nature to thrust my selfe in to deale with matters of controuersie and debate And surely I had at that tyme great reason to excuse me partely because I thought that in short time this fond opinion would finde no companions and therefore be soone forgotten or els that a few Cockbrayned and lightheadded fellowes would onely keepe it in hugger mugger and partely also because I had no lyking to deale agaynst such aduersaries with whose power weapons and Ambushes I was no whit acquainted For as yet I had neuer hard any speach of them saue onely a confused kinde of buzzing of a thing so that if I should haue had to doe with such as were not yet entred into the open playnes I must needes haue played the part of one beating the bush as we say on the blinde side Neuertheles in the end it grewe afterward to another manner of matter then I thought it would haue done For these Ianglers were so busy and carefull to maintayne and encrease their faction as that they had already drawne into their error I know not how many thowsands of people And in deed to say truly so far as I cā se this mischiefe waxeth worse worse For at the first beginning there were but a few that made a confused kinde of prattle of the sleaping of the soules and therewith they would neuer let it be vnderstoode what they meant by this sleape Now sithence that tyme haue stept out these boucherly soule-sleaers who at the first blow cut their throates and yet thankes be to God doe them no hurt at all Notwithstanding I verely thinke that the error of the first sort is not to be borne withall and besides that this second kinde of them is liuely to be repressed For neither of both sortes haue any foundatiō either of reason or yet of Iudgement Howbeit it is no easy matter to perswade others thus except Mauger their beards as we commonly say I openly refute these babling Gallauntes and so discouer their leasings which can no way be perceiued but by their wrytings Now as I heare say they heare and there let flye I know not in what short sceduls and pamfletts their leasings and dolteries vnto which I could neuer as yet once come to the sight of thē Onely I haue receiued frō a friēd of mine certen aduertisements which he by aduenture met withall and set them downe in wryting as they came to his hands or as he could here and there get them And although one of my excuses is as it were halfe taken from me by reason of these aduertisementes yet remaineth the other halfe still to my selfe But forsomuch as they drawe vnto their error great store of people by reason of their troublesome speaches and mighty prattle wherewith they so greatly deale as if they had caused printed bookes to haue bene spread all the world ouer I know not how I can be guiltles of treason agaynst the trueth of God if in so great a necessitie I holde my peace and dissemble the matter And truely because I hope my trauell wil be very profitable euen to the most simple and ignoraunt who may set themselues occupied about this matter and Argument I will not be a feard to render vnto all honest and godly men a reason of my fayth And yet it may be that it is not so well furnished with all kindes of defence able at full to geue the attempt to the enemy neither yet so strongly bulwarked as to keepe them from approching thereto neuertheles I hope not altogether vnarmed and defenceles Howbeit if the importunitie of these dreame sowers would haue geuen me some more leasure I would with all myne hart haue entred into this combate which can no way bring with it so great gayne as payne considering especially because I thinke that the exhortation of the Apostle might if it were at any tyme needefull be sufficient in this behalfe to witt that we should be of discreete Iudgement And although these men will not suffer vs to vse the discretion which we gladly desier yet will I haue as great regard as I can modestly to dispute of the matter Neuerthelesse I would if it had so pleased the Lord our God that some other meane might haue bene found for the soddayne cutting of of this mischiefe which too too much encreaseth least it eate in farther and farther lyke a Cancker Although this be not the first tyme onely of the beginning thereof For we reade that the Arabians were the first Aucthors of this error who sayd that the soule dyed together with the body and that they should both of them rise agayne at the Iudgement day And within a while after Iohn Byshop of Rome defended the same which the Sorbonistes of Paris made him recant Now when this error had long tyme after that bene repressed the Anabaptistes beganne lately to reuiue the same and blow abroad certein sparkes thereof which sparkling farre and wide in the end fell out into hoat fiery flames which I beseech the Lord God to quench euen at the first day with this gladsome raine which he especially reserueth for his Church Now then by the assistaunce of God his holy spirite I entend to dispute hereof without bitternes of minde without tying my selfe to any man particularly and also without desier to scoffe and slaunder so that no man shall be able in trueth to complayne that I haue hurt him or yet by any meanes possible once offended him Though we may in deede at this day see some men very hoatly geuen to reprehend sting and finde fault whome if a man should touch but with the typp of the finger would by and by cry out and say that we breake the vnitie and quietnes of the Church and vtterly violate charitie and Brotherly loue But to these men this is mine aunswere in the first place That we acknowledge no vnitie but such as is founded in and vpon Christ neither yet allow we of any other charitie then of that whereof he is the bond So that the principall poynt and beginning to preserue charitie is this that our fayth remaine holy and sound emongest vs. And ouer and besides this I say that this disputation may very well be decyded with out any breach of charitie if they bring with them such eares as I determine to bring a tongue And as for you right worthy Syr there are many causes
one dyeth so dyeth the other For they haue all one breath and there is no excellency of man aboue the beast For all is vanity All goe vnto one place and all was of the dust all shall returne to the dust Who knoweth whether the spirite of a man ascendeth vpward and the spirite of the beast descendeth downeward and to the earth What and if Salamon aunswered them here in a word Vanity of Vanities saith the preacher and all is but vanitie For what meaneth he hereby but to shew that the minde of man is vayne and vncertayne of all things Man seeth that he dyeth as the beastes doe that lyfe and death is with him as with the beastes and therefore he thus concludeth that his state and condition is lyke vnto the state conditiō of beastes And lyke as beastes haue nothing remayning after death no more doth man reserue any thing vnto him selfe after he is dead And thus we see what the spirite the reason and vnderstāding of man is For the carnall man perceiueth not the thinges of the spirite For they are to him foolishnes and can neither vnderstand nor know them For a man beholdeth with his carnall eyes looketh at present death and ascendeth no higher but considereth this after maner that the earth bringeth forth all things and shall lykewise returne to the earth and in the meane while neuer looketh to the soule And for this cause he addeth this saying who knoweth whether the spirite of man ascēdeth vpward So that when we come to the soule mans reason is dryuen to such a straight in it selfe as that it wil not vnderstād any thing that is sure or manifest be it that it stādeth meditateth or reasoneth Seing then it is so that Salamon sheweth the vanitye of mans minde because that in respect of the spirite it is changeable and wauering he no way fauoreth their error but strongly and soundely vpholdeth our fayth For the wisedome of God layeth wide opē telleth vs of that which surpasseth the capacitie and measure of mans vnderstanding to witt Gene. 9. That the spirite or minde of the children of men looketh vpward I will also propound another lyke thing out of the selfe same Author to the end I might somewhat bend plucke downe their stiffe neckes For thus it is sayd Ecclesi 9. ver 1.2.3.4.5 There is no man that knoweth by any outward thing the loue or hatred of God towardes men but all thinges are in an vncertayntie because that all thinges fall out a lyke vnto all The selfe and same estate is aswell to the Iuste as to the wicked to the good as to the euill to the pure as to the polluted and to him that sacrificeth as to him that sacrificeth not And therefore if all thinges be in an vncertaintie for that which is to come shall then a faythfull man vnto whome all thinges worke for the best enterpret that affliction is a signe of the hatred of God no not so For thus it is sayd vnto the faythfull you shall be oppressed in the world but in me you shall haue consolation And they trusting vpon this saying doe not onely reast themselues in a constant minde vpon whatsoeuer shall come vnto them but doe also glory in their troubles confessing with Iob That although he would slay vs yet will we put our trust in him How then are the things that are to come vncertayne Forsooth so farre forth as man can iudge they are so And yet for all that euery man that liueth is nothing els but vanity For he goeth on further and sayth this is an euill thing amongest all the rest that is done vnder the sunne that there is one condition vnto all and also the hartes of the sonnes of men are full of wickednes and madnes is in theyr life and after that they goe to the deade There is no man which liueth euer and hopeth therof For a liuing dogg is better then a dead Lyon For the liuing know that they shall dye but the dead know nothing at all neither haue they any more a reward For the remembraunce of them is cleane forgotten And speaketh he not all these thinges by reasō of the beastlynes of those which looke onely downe at theyr feete hauing no hope of the blessed life nor yet of the resurrection For although this were in deed true that we are nothing after we be dead yet notwithstanding there is a resurrection vpon hope whereof if they did cast theyr eyes they would neither be seasoned with the cōtempt of God nor yet filled with wickednes to the end I might ouerslippe all the rest And therefore let vs conclude with Salamon that mans reason is not able to comprehend all these thinges So that if we would haue any certaynty thereof Let vs runne vnto the lawe and testimony wherein is contayned the truth and wayes of the Lord. For see what is sayd in that place Eccle 12.7 vntill such time as the dust returneth to the earth whereof it was and the spirite returneth vnto God who gaue it And therefore whosoeuer hath heard the word of the Lord needeth not to doubt that the spirit of the children of men ascendeth vpward I do here simply take to ascend vpward is to consist and be immortall as to descend downeward is to tumble fall downe and perish As for their first argument they vomit it out with open mouth and strayne forth theyr wide wesauntes to the end to awake the sleapers out of theyr deepe and sound sleape For in it they think standeth the greatest part of theyr victorye And at what tyme they meane to deceiue and bleare their young schollers eies this is it that they chiefly lay holde on whereby to corrupt theyr fayth and sounde vnderstanding For say they there is but one iudgement by which euery one shall receiue his reward The good ones glory and the wicked ones hell fier And before this day come there is neither blessednesse nor yet misery apoynted For the scripture euery where beareth thereof witnes for thus it is said Mat. 24.31 And he shall send his Angels with the great sound of a Trompet and they shall gather together his elect from the fower wyndes and from the one end of the heauens vnto the other It is likewise sayd Math. 13. The sonne of man shall send forth his Angels which shall gather all offences out of his kingdome and they whiche haue wrought iniquity shall bee cast into the fiery furnace where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth And then shall the iust men shine as the sunne in the kingdom of their Father Math. 25.34.41.46 Also it is sayd Then shall the king say to them that are on hys right hand come ye blessed of my Father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world And shall say vnto them on the left hand Depart from me ye curssed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the
holy man herein â—…ther theÌ„ strayghtly to binde any much lesse my selfe to the necessity of this distinction For S Augustine himselfe as I thinke wisheth it not but meant to shew as plainly as he could that there is a going on of the soule which it shall neuer fully attayne vnto vntill the day of iudgement Finally for this day of iudgement with which they so greatly deÌ„fend themselues there is an argument come to my minde which may plucke this error cleane vp by the rootes For in our creed which is the very effect of all our beliefe we confesse the resurrection of the flesh and not of the soule Neither is there any place left for their wrangling whenas they will tell vs that by this word flesh is meant the whole man We graunt theÌ„ that it is sometymes so taken but in this place we flatly denye it them whereas wordes which are very playne and easy to bee vnderstood are set forth vnto the rude and ignoraunt people In very deed the pharysies who were stout defenders and and mayntayners of the resurrection and who had alwayes this word resurrection in theyr mouthes did not yet notwithstaÌ„ding many tymes beleue that there was a soule Yet do they still lay hold on vs and force vs to sticke vnto this daungerous rock For they now alleadge the wordes of S. Paul wherein he telleth vs that we 〈◊〉 miserabler then all men if the dead did not rise agayne And thus they frame their Argument what needeth say they any resurrection if we be blessed before the resurrectioÌ„ But that which is more what is that great misery of christians which surpasseth the misery of all men if this be true that they are at rest whiles the residue are so greeuously tormented and after so wonderfull a manner And here I geue them warning that if I meant to dally and shift as they goe about none other thing but to abuse the ignoraunt people I would finde sufficyent passage enough to escape For who shall let me from following of other good men that haue disputed not of the last generall resurrection in which after the corruption of our bodies we shall receiue agayne incorruptible bodyes but of the lyfe which remayneth for vs after this mortall life for it is an ordinary and common maner in the scripture to let vs vnderstaÌ„d by this speach of the resurrection what the blessed and euerlasting life is For when we heare it spoken that the Saduces denyed the resurrection it is not referred to the body but is simply spoken accordyng to theyr opynyon that after a man be dead there is no memory left of hym And hereof is a probable Argument that whatsoeuer wherewith S. Paule helpeth himselfe to streÌ„gthen that which he hath sayde should be ouerthrowen in one word if it were aunswered that it is very true that the soules liue and that the bodyes whiche shall turne to duste can by no meanes ryse agayne Let vs now then come to examples first as touching this saying they which are dead in Iesus Christ are lost this might the philosophers haue easely coÌ„futed who haue mightely and constantly defended the immortality of the soule And as for this saying What shall they doe who are baptised for the dead It is very easely aunswered For the soules liue after death And to this which followeth wherefore are we also continually in danger It may be auÌ„swered that we lose this fraile lyfe to recouer Immortall lyfe wherein we shall lyue a great deale better We haue already bestowed many wordes whereof the teachable haue had no neede For the Apostle himselfe sayth that we are miserable if our hope in Iesus Christ stretched it selfe no farther then vnto this present life which thing Psal 73. ver 2.3 euen by the testimony of the prophet is out of all doubt who confesseth that his feete had almost foultred and his steppes had well nye slipt when he saw the prosperitie of the proud and wicked And to say truely if we looke but downe vnto our feete we wil say those to be blessed which haue all thinges come to passe as they would wishe But if our eyes looke farther of we will call them blessed who haue the Lord for their God in whose hand is the issue of death Howbeit we will bring some thing which shall be a great deale more certaine by which we will not onely repulse their obiections but also declare the true and natural meaning of the Apostle be glad without stryfe of wordes to as many as would meekely and curtisly learne For if there be no resurrection of the body the faythfull may of very right be called accursed yea were there none other reason but this that they are so often vexed hurt beaten and violently handled and doe suffer in their bodies such extreame wantes all which they thinke to be appoynted and ordayned for an euerlasting blessednes because they are disapointed of this hope For is there any thing I say not more miserable but rather more ridiculous theÌ„ to see and beholde the bodies of those who all the lyue long day doe nothing els but sport and laugh in the fulnes of all delightes and pleasures and contrarywise to see the bodies of feeblished Christians dead through hunger and colde and pressed with all kindes of violences if the bodies both of the one and the other pearished alyke For this thing could I very well confirme by the wordes of the Apostle which he setteth downe anone after when he sayth wherefore are we continually in daunger I dayly suffer death for your glory c. Let vs eate and drinke for to morrowe we shall dye It were a great deale better for vs sayth he that this saying should take place in vs as to say Let vs eate and drinke if these tormentes and shames which we suffer in our bodies be not changed into the glory which we hope after which thing should neuer be without it were in the resurrection of the body Furthermore although I should passe ouer this defence yet could I bring in another reason that we are more miserable then all men if there were not a resurrection For although we be very blessed before the resurrection yet is it no blessednes without the resurrection For we say that for the same cause the spirites of the Saintes and of the faythfull are very blessed for so much as they reast in the hope of the blessed resurrection and therefore if there were no such thing all this blessednes should turne to nothing wherefore the saying of the Apostle is most true that we are more miserable then all men if there be no resurrection And this doctrine is not agaynst these wordes that the spirites of the Saintes are more blessed before the resurrectioÌ„ but yet it is by reason of the resurrectioÌ„ They laye before vs also that percell of scripture which is writteÌ„ in the Epistle to the Hebrewes of the aunci Fathers where it is sayd All these
dyed in fayth and receiued not the promises but sawe theÌ„ a farre of and beleued them and receiued them thankefully and confessed that they were straungers and Pilgrims on the earth For they that say such thinges declare playnely that they seeke a Countrey And surely if they had bene mindefull of that Countrey froÌ„ whence they came they were at leasure to haue returned thither But now they desier another much better which is an heauenly one And now let vs se how these our sleapers frame their iolly Argument For say they If they desier the heauenly Countrey Then doe they not inherite it But we frame it after this maner and say If they desier it then haue they a being for there can be no desier without there be some to desier Now I would draw but this out of them That where there is a desier there must also be a feeling of good and euill which desier must either follow the thing that seemeth good or eschew that which seemeth euill Why say they this desier reasteth wholy in God Now tell me I beseech you is it possible to think or deuise a more ridiculous saying And to say truely you shall see that of these two poynts we shall gaine vnto our selues one of them either that God desiereth some better thing then he hath or els that there is something in God which is not of God And this maketh me thinke that these Gallauntes doe buriest at an earnest and wâ—â—ghtie matter But now let vs leaue to speake of all this geare and see what the tyme or space of returning meaneth let them therefore returne with a good minde and heare a better thing then this fantasticall opinion which hitherto they haue held The Apostle speaketh of Abraham and of his posteritye who dwelt out of their Countrey emongest straungers And they differed not greatly as it were from banished men or els as Seaiournes because they had scarsely any Tents or Cabines to couer them withall following the commaundement which the Lord g ue vnto Abraham which was this That he should leaue his parentes and kinsefolkes and get him out of the land For God had promised them a thing which as yet he had not manifested and performed And so they sawe the promises a farr of and dyed in a sure fayth that it would one day come to passe that God would fulfill his promises By which fayth they confessed that they had no certaine and sure abiding or dwelling place on earth but that they had a CouÌ„trey which was not on the earth and which they wished for to witt heauen And in the latter end of the chapiter he sheweth that all they whome he there spake of receiued not the last promise to the end they might not come to perfection without vs. And so if these our sleapers had obserued the proprietie of this saying they had neuer raysed vp so many troubles Now it is a wonder to see how blinde they are in so great light But yet this is a more strange thing that they geue vs bread in stead of stones to witt whiles they goe about to ouerthrow the cause they mainteine and vphold it Now for the matter which is spoken of Thabita in the Acts of the Apostles Acts. 9.40 they thinke they haue by it a suer piller to leane vnto For she being a scholler of Iesus Christ full of good workes and a good Almes woman was raysed agayne by S. Peter And therefore say they Thabita had great wrong If it be true that we say That the soules which are seperated from the bodies doe lyue in God and with God because she was taken away from the company of God and from that blessed lyfe to returne into this sea of wickednes As though we could not returne the selfe and same thing agayne vpon their owne hedds For be it that she sleapt or that she was nothing yet was she blessed because she dyed in the Lord. And therefore it was not expedient that she should returne in that lyfe which she had finished They them selues haue snarled this knot and therefore let theÌ„ first of all loose it agayne if they please For it is good reason that they should be subiect to that law which they make for others Notwithstanding we will easely enough vndoe it For the state and condition which is prepared for vs after death which S. Paule speaketh of himselfe is put ouer to all the faythfull to witt Philip. 1.21 that in death is aduauntage and that the best being is with Christ And yet Saint Paule sayth of Epaphodite who without doubt was one of the number of the faythfull That God hath pitie of him because he had deliuered him from a great sicknes Phil. 2.27 and restored him to his health Now these Gallauntes who deale with the misteries of God so vndiscretely and so vnreuerently might say that this mercy and compassion was cruell dealing But we say and confesse it to be mercy because the mercy of God hath certein degrees For this it is sayd Those whome he hath chosen he hath sanctified Rom. 8. â—0 and whome he hath sanctified them hath he also glorified Doth not the Lord then exercise his mercy when as he more and more sanctifieth vs Let vs then say thus much If it be the good will of God as S. Paule sayth to haue Christ to be magnified in our bodies by lyfe is not this mercy what is it for vs to appoynt God a law to worke miracles And it is sufficient that the glory of the Aucthor shineth in them for what matter were it if we say that God in the doing hereof regarded not the coÌ„modities of Thabita but the poore who wept and shewed the garments which she had made for them at whose prayers she was raysed vp agayne For S. Paul thinketh this to be a reason good enough for him that he lyued although it had bene better for him in deed to haue gone to the Lord. And after he had sayd that God had had compassion of Epaphrodite he addeth and not onely of him but vpon me also to the end I should not be out of measure sorrowfull Now goe your wayes and quarell with God because he hath agayne deliuered vnto the poore a carefull woman for the relieuing of their necessitie For although we see not the reason of this deede yet hath Iesus Christ very well deserued to be glorified both by our lyfe and by our death Seeing that he dyed and role agayne that he might 〈◊〉 Lord both of quick and dead Rom. 14.9 They bring in Dauid also for a mainteiner and defender of their cause who notwithstanding is our very good patrone But they so shamelesly sencelesly alledge him as that I am ashamed and greued to recite many of their ArgumeÌ„ts which they borrow of him Howbeit we will faythfully recite those which we haue heard they doe abuse first they are not ashamed to alledge this place I haue sayd ye are
out of the graues and going before the king of Babilon where he also maketh mention of their talke saying Behold thou art brought lowe euen as we are c. For I haue as good a coulor by that place to reason that the dead haue wit and vnderstanding as they haue to gather by the wordes of Iobe that the dead haue vtterly lost their whole vnderstanding But I leaue vnto them those tryfling and toyish inuentions Now it will be no hard matter to make playne the place which they alledge without we would deuise mazes of our owne mindes For Iob being pressed with maruelous affliction and almost fainting vnder that burden had none other regard but vnto his present miseries and did not onely thinke them to be the greatest that mought be but thought also that there could not well be any moe such He no whit feared death but desiered it because it bringeth with it a common condition vnto all maketh an end of the rule of kinges of the oppression of seruauntes and lastly it is the end of all thinges wherevnto euery man resigneth the estate which he had in this world For by this meane he trusteth to see the end of his misery And yet by the way he looked not what manner of lyfe it was that they there leadd neither yet what he should doe or yet suffer But onely desiered most earnestly the chaunge of the present state as they commonly are wonted to doe that are tormented with the vehement feeling of sorrow For if when we feele the great and extreame heates of Sommer we iudge winter to be temperate and milde and contrarywise when we are nipped and pinched with sharpe and cold weather we altogether wishe for Sommer what shall he doe in respect who feeleth the mighty hand of God agaynst him And therefore let vs not maruell although this be not enough to perswade our gallāts For they gather together fragments and curtalled sentences for their defence and neuer consider of the somme and effect of the whole matter But I trust they who with a single eye haue perused the whole story will allow my reason The second is this Iob. 7.7.8.9 Remember that my lyfe is but a winde and that mine eye shall not returne to see pleasure The eye that hath seene me shall see me no more Thine eyes are vpon me and I shall be no longer As the cloude vanisheth and goeth away 〈◊〉 he that goeth downe to the graue shall come vp no more By these words Iob bewayleth his misery before the presence of God and enlargeth it as one who had no hope before his eyes to see the issue of his griefe For his griefes were before him which persued him euen to his graue And therfore it came in his minde that after his miserable lyfe he could looke for none other but for as miserable a death For whosoeuer feeleth the hand of God agaynst him can not otherwise thinke So that in amplyfying his griefe it moueth compassion and maketh him selfe miserable before God Now I see not what other thing is to be demaunded in this place besides this except it be that there is no resurrection to be looked for Which thing at this tyme I minde not to discusse Iob. 16.17 The thyrd is this The graue shall be my house Also All my thinges shall goe downe into the bottome of the pitt All this is true For there remaineth none other thing for him whome God fauoureth not as Iob then thought of himselfe but the graue the deepe pit and death And therefore after he had long discoursed of all his miseries he sayth that the end of them is cōfusion And this is the end and issue of all those whome God scourgeth with his hand For in his wrath is death and in his louing kindenes and mercy Ecclesiast 37.24 is lyfe The booke of Ecclesiasticus hath very wel declared this whenas it is sayd The lyfe of man standeth in the number of dayes but the dayes of Israell are innumerable But because this Aucthor is of no sound aucthoritie we will heare leaue him and heare the prophet teaching this very notably saying Psal 102.23.24.25.26.27.28 He abated my strength in the way and shortned my dayes And I sayd O my God take me not away in the middest of my dayes thy yeares enduer from generation to generation Thou hast a foretyme layd the foundations of the earth and the heauens are the worke of thy handes They shall pearishe but thou shalt enduer euen they all shall waxe olde lyke a garment as a vesture shalt thou chaunge them Hitherto hath he declared how frayle and brittle our state is although in deede nothing vnder heauen is stedfast and suer seing they all corrupt and come to naught And anon after it followeth But thou art the same and thy yeares shall not fayle The children of thy seruauntes shall continue and their seede shall stand fast in thy sight Herein we may very well see how he ioyneth the saluation of the faythfull with the eternitie of God And therefore so often as they set before vs Iob as afflicted by the hand of God and almost fallen into despayre they speake nothing of hell and death and I tell them that when God is angry we can looke for none other issue and that it commeth of his free mercy when we are taken out of deathes chapps Iob. 34.14.15 The fourth is this If he set his hart vpon man and gather vnto him selfe his spirite and his breath all fleshe shall pearish together and man shall returne into dust If they take these words for iudgement as if it were sayd that by the wrath of God mā is cast downe ouerthrowne confounded and vtterly brought to naught I will graunt them more then they demaund Or els if they meane that the spirite to wit the soule returneth to God after death and that the breath to wit the mouing power or liuely motion departeth from man I will not gaynesay it But if their controuersie be that the soule pearisheth I am tooth and nayle agaynst thē Although in the Hebrew it is somewhat otherwise But being contented that I haue put by their wranglings I will heare leaue They cast also other dartes but they are blunt and hurt not therefore are not to be greatly feared For they alledge certayn places which serue to no purpose out of such bookes whose Aucthoritie is vncertaine As out of the fourth booke of Esdras and out of the second booke of the Macabies And yet for all this we will none otherwise aūswere but as we haue heretofore spoken of the resurrection Although that in all these things they openly shew their impudēcy and shamelesnes seing they are so bould as to take Esdras for them selues who maketh altogether on our side Neither are they ashamed to bring fourth the bookes of the Machabies for the defence of their cause Where Ieremy after his death prayed the Lord for the