felynge after death of good nor euyll what shoulde thys narracion of the Lorde be but a fable and as a tale of the boke of Mellusine Therefore thys tergiuersation of the Anabaptistes is a blasphemye which dishonoreth the Lord Iesus as thoughe he had told vs a vayne tale to no purpose Besides this it is a folyshe imaginacion repugnaunte to humayne sence as lyttell chyldren maye perceyue ☞ And thys is the promes whyche was made vnto the poore theife whan he axed mercy on the crosse For the Lord Iesus answered hym This daye shalt thou be wyth me in paradice By thys word paradice we nede not to imagen that he woulde specifye a certayne place but onely the Ioye and felicitie which they haue that liue with him This is plaine that Iesus Christe doeth not sende thys poer synner to the daye of resurrection but doeth assigne him the selfe same daye to liue eternallye in his companye The Anabaptistes to trifel out thys place do alledge that whiche is sayed in a nother place that a thousande yeres are as one day before the Lorde Whiche thinge we graunt vnto them but thys muste we consider that when God speaketh vnto men he frameth hys speache accordynge vnto their capiacitye In suche wyse that you shall neuer finde in the scripture that God hath at any time sayed I wyll thys daye do thys meanynge that he wyll do it a thousande yeres after In suche maner whan Ionas shewed the Niniuites that after fortye dayes their Citye shoulde perishe it hadde bene greate folye for them to haue vnderstanded fortye thousand yeres Lykewyse whan the Lorde sayde that he woulde ryse agayne the thyrde daye we knowe he speake after the common maner of menne But I wyll sease from thys matter for as muche as all men do see howe muche the Anabaptistes haue bene begyled in vsynge of suche euasions They haue yet a nother cauilation To daye doeth signifye the tyme of the newe testamente And to proue thys they abuse thys sentâ—nce whyche is in the Epâ—stell to the Ebrues that Iesus Christe whyche was yester daye is to daye and shal be for euer But they se not that if we shoulde so expound the word thys day the word yester day shoulde signifye the tyme of the olde Testament and so shoulde it folowe that the Lord Iesus dyd begyn to be whych were a great absurdite for as much as we knowe that he is our eternall God and also touchynge his humanitie he is called the Lambe sacrificed from the begynnyng of the worlde Moreouer after theyr sayinge we myghte conclude that they whole sinnes Iesus Christ hath forgeuen ought to enter into heaueÌ„ before the daye of the resurrection For the Apostle speaketh of thre tymes of the whyche the one as I thynke sygnifieth the daye of the olde testamente and the other signifieth the tyme whyche shal be from the renewynge of the worlde Therefore it resteth that thys word to daye must signifye the tyme in whych we be whych is betwen the death of Iesus Christe hys last commyng And that they may the better knowe theyr beastlynes If Iesus Christ had promised heauen vnto the these for the day of IudgemeÌ„t he ought to haue sayd in the worlde to come and not thys daye For that is the scriptures maner of speakynge Who thinketh them not ouercome by thys cleare reason Yet is theyr impudency suche that they brynge yet an other replycation whyche is that heauen is promised vnto the thefe in lyke sorte as deathe was pronouÌ„ced to Adam and Eua in what daye so euer they shoulde eate of the fruyte whyche was forbydden theym Nowe is it certayne that they dyed not the same day but longe time after I answere that in the same instaunce that Adam traunsgressed the commaundement of God he dyed as touchynge the soule For as muche as he was alienate whyche was hys verye lyfe and was made subiecte to bodily death And thus thoughe we shoulde receyue theyr glose yet spyte of theyr teathe shall we haue wonne this much of them that in the selfe same daye the thiefe was deliuered from the misery in whych Adam was fallen by hys offence In summâ— we conclude that euen as deathe beganne to raygne in Adam froÌ„ the daye of hys traunsgression euen so the thyefe the same daye in whyche the promise was made vnto him beganne to be restored into the beatitude of heauen We se that S Paule liued in this hope wheÌ„ he sayed that he desyered to be losed to lyue wyth Christe Fyrst he vseth an apte speach in sayinge that the fayethfull man thorowe deathe is deliuered frome the bandes of hys bodye as in an other place he doeth more clearlye expresse it Further he addeth that his desyre is to be with the Lord Christ wheÌ„ hys soule shall be seperated from the bodye And in dede if it be not thys these wordes whiche he speaketh in an other place can not be true that there is neyther lyfe nor deathe whyche can seperate vs from the â—oue whyche God hath vnto vs. For if we perishe by death or that oure soule lese hyr lyfe howe canne the loue of God consist towardes vs but thys is more playnelye deduced in an other place where he sayeth We knowe that if our earthly house of the tabernacle of our bodye were destroyed we haue a buildynge in heauen by God whych is not made with handes Therefore beynge in thys tabernacle we morne as beyng greaued not that we desyre to be vnclothed but clothed agayne that our mortalitie myght be swallowed vp of lyfe Notwythstandynge we be alwayes of good courage knowinge that whylse we be in our bodyes we be as straungers frome God bycause we walke by fayeth and not by syghte ¶ But we haue thys confidence and desyre to be seperat from the body and to be present wyth God bycause there is made mention there of the daye of iudgemente The Anabaptistes do theyr indeuoure to wrape vp al there that they myght drawe all the wordes of the Apostle vnto that daye But they can not do so muche but that the trueth wyll be yet more stroÌ„ger to maintain it selfe against theyr false accusations For the Apostle doth saye expresly that the fayethfull man departynge frome hys bodye goeth to God from whom he was absent in thys worlde After that he addeth that as well absente as present we do our indeuour to please God bycause we muâ—â—e al come before hys iudgement seate That man is very obstinate and more then hardened agaynste all reason whyche wyll not consente vnto these wordes Nowe is it so that the Anabaptistes in place where saynte Paule sayeth that by death we approche to God do make vs beleue that wee retule and be further of then in thys presente lyfe ☞ That so it is it is wrytten that he whiche beleueth in the sonne of God shall not come into coÌ„demnation but is already gone from death vnto lyfe If lyfe euerlastyng be alreadye
syng wyth Dauid My soule blesse thou the Lorde whych fylleth thy mouthe wyth good thynges and maketh the yonge agayne lyke the Egle. And to this we haue the prayer whyche the Lorde Iesus made to hys father for the same purpose sayinge Father I desyre that those whyche thou haste geuen me may be with me to se my glory Nowe as we haue suffitiently proued the true doctrine touchynge the immortalitie of the soules so on the other syde is it necessary to answere to those places whych the Anabaptistes do brynge forthe to grounde theyr errours on Fyrst they aledge that the description whiche the scripture maketh of maÌ„s soule agreeth wyth the same of Beastes as where it is sayd that God hath created the greate whales and euery lyuing soule Also that the beastes entered by couples into the Arke al that had spirit of lyfe And to confyrme this they helpe them selues wyth that whyche saynte Paule sayeth that in thys lyfe man is corruptible mortall and animall But he shal ryse agayne incorruptible immortall and spiritual as it is wrytten that the fyrste man was made in a lyuynge soule I graunt that thys tytle of lyuynge soule is oftentimes attribute to beastes bycause they also do lyue in theyr kynde But there is greate diuersitie betwene them and meÌ„ For in man the soule by whyche he knoweth Iudgeth and hathe discretion is called lyuynge The Soule of beastes hath none other facultie but to gyue mouynge vnto theyr bodyes Therefore it is no maruayle if the soule of man whyche hath reason vnderstanding wil and other powers distinct from the bodye do subsiste beinge separate from the bodye wher as the soules of beastes do perishe for as muche as they haue onelye but corporall sence ☞ For thys cause Sayncte Paule alledgeth the testimonye of Aratus an Heathen Poete whyche sayth that we are the lynage of God to declare the excellencye of our soules Touchyng that saynt Paule putteth difference betwene a liuyng soule and a liuyng spirite is not done to declare that the soule whych we now haue doeth peryshe but onelye to declare howe muche more power ther shal be after the resurrectioÌ„ that is fowete that we shall be lyke vnto the Aungelles of God liuynge wythout meate and dryncke not beynge subiecte to anye mutation or fragilitie ☞ They do yet further alledge the vâ—sion of Ezechyell where the Prophete wrytynge of the resurrection doeth say that God calleth the spirite from the foure wyndes to inspyre lyfe into the deade bones But the solution is easye that Ezechyell after the maner accustomed of the Prophetes vseth an exterioure fygure to signify the foule of manne as in hys fyrste vision speakynge of the spirite of God he calleth hym also wynde Who so woulde vpon that reason that the spirite of God were not an essence were farrre wyde Therfore it is greate folye of these madde menne that they do not obserue thys maner of speache whyche is so commune thorowe out all the whole scripture ☞ Theyr thyrde Argumente is that thoughe the soule were created immortal yet thorowe synne she hathe laste hyr immortalitye as Sayncte Paule doeth saye that the rewarde of synne is death But fyrste I aske whether the deuil haue not receyued the same rewarde And yet is he not so dead but that he alwaies watcheth and buselye seketh whome he maye deuoure Secondely I aske whether thys death take ende or no For if it haue no endeÌ„ wyll they nyl they they muste nedes graunte me that the soules thorow death do not cease to fele the eternal fyre and the wormes that gnaweth theym It appeareth therefore that the soule doeth not so dye but that shee hathe fealynge of hyr euyll Touchyng the body it is sayed that it shal returne to the earth whence it is come there to rote But the deathe of the Soule is to be put from God and to be coÌ„fouÌ„ded wyth the felynge of hys yre as the Apostle declareth sayinge Awake thou that sleapest ryse from deathe and Christe shall illumine the. It is euidente that he speaketh not to the insensible bodye but vnto those whiche beynge buried in synne do beare Death and Hel wyth them Moreouer we haue alreadye shewed that that thynge whyche we haue loste in Adam is restored in Iesus Christe For that thyng whych was shewed before by the prophetes that he shoulde destroy death for euer and that he shoulde swallowe it vp the Apostles haue declared that it is fulfylled He hath destroyed death sayth saint Paule and hath geuen lyfe thorowe the Gospell Agayne if death haue reygned thorowe one mans faulte they whyche haue receyued abundaunce of grace shall raygne in lyfe thorowe Iesus Christe Thys one sentence is sufficieÌ„t to stoppe theyr mouthes For seyng that the deathe whyche is come thorowe Adam is abolished by Christe the whole question lieth in the comparison whych Saynte Paul maketh there Which is that the vertue of Iesus Christe is of greater strengthe to restore theÌ„ was Adams to destroy Whiche thynge in that place he doeth wel declare And folowynge that whych he spake he addeth further after that there is no dampnation to theym whyche are in Christe Iesus whych walke not after the flesh And in dede if deathe shoulde haue dominion ouer the Soules of the fayethfull the grace of God should not haue his raigne which importeth lyfe as he sayth but rather the lawe of god shoulde exercyse hyr power ouer them whyche is contrarye to the whole doctrine of the scripture ¶ They do also abuse theim selues with thys that oftentymes thys worde sleepe is token for death as where it is sayed of saynt Stephan that he fel a slepe in the Lord. Againe Lazarus our frend slepeth Againe sorowe you not for them that sleepe And in dede this manner of speach is more frequeÌ„t in the Hystories of the Byble then anye other I answere that thys slepe appertayneth nothynge vnto the Soule but oughte wholie to be vnderstanded of the body For ther are two speaches whyche do vnderstande in one selfe sence to sleepe wyth hys fathers and to be wyth hys fathers Nowe when it is sayed that a man is put vnto hys fathers it is playne that it is ment of hys Sepulchre I woulde haue no manne beleue thys excepte I can proue my sayinge by good wytnes of the scripturs WheÌ„ Iob sayed Beholde I slepe in duste he ment not that hys soule should slepe ther. So when he sayth in an other place that al men shal slepe in the duste togyther and that the wormes shall couer them it maye not be vnderstande out of the bodyes A lyke meanynge is in these wordes of Dauid wher he sayeth that he was lyke vnto the dead sleapinge in then Sepulchres And Esayas speakyng to Nabuchodonosor sayeth All other kynges haue slepte in theyr glorye and were putte into theyr places but thou arte caste oute of thy Sepulchre ☞ Therefore in a some we se that thys worde sleepe is by similitude applied vnto
beyng come from heauen ¶ There is no doubte but that thys place oughte to be vnderstande as the other of the qualitie of Iesus Christe and not of the substaunce I meane of that vertue supernaturall and diuine which he hath frō heauen as the sonne of God and not of the earth as a mortall manne And in dede as we haue said the strēgth of the argument whyche saynte Paule maketh ther to confyrme vs in the hope of the resurrection were nothynge if Iesus Christe had an other substaunce of bodye then we They aledge further that it was conceyued of the holy Goste But this vertue of the holy Goste is not to exclude the substaunce of hys mother It is true that there was no cōiunction of man and woman to beget hym after the naturall course of other men But that is no impedimente to the merueylouse operation of the holy Goste by which he was formed of the substaunce of hys mother that he myght be the very sede of Abraham and fruite of the wombe of Dauid as the same holy Gooste had longe tyme before named hym I knowe theyr answere to this is that this inconuenience shold folow that foras much as the whole sede of manne is a cursed and corrupted so shoulde the Lorde Iesus discend of corruption But I answer that this miraculos conception taketh awaye that difficultie Fo◠the workynge of the holy Gost was to that ende to sanctifie hym frome the begynnynge and in sanctifiynge to preserue hym from all spottes of mās fylthynes For thys cause S Paule sayed that he toke the similitude of synfull fleshe to cōdemne sinne in the fleshe For in takynge oure fleshe he toke not the synne for as muche as the vertue of the holye Goste dyd seperate from the condition o the other They haue also a folyshe and fantasticall consideration that they thinke that it sholde be a dishonorynge to Iesus Christe to make hym so lowe that he shoulde be of lyke nature to vs and therefore they thynke that it appertayneth better to hys dignitie to attribute vnto hym an heauenly bodye I answere that it is greate folye to esteme that the glory af Christe is any thynge lessened or that it doeth anye thinge derogate to hys dignitie to saye that he humilied yea made hym selfe of no reputation for our redemption and saluation There is muche more sayed of hym in the xxii psalme that he is a worme and no man the opprobrye and abiection of the people Lykewyse that whyche Esayas sayeth is muche more that he was estemed as one of no valure rekened as a lipper coūted amōg the numbre of euyll doers But can a manne saye more then Saynte Paule hathe sayed That is that he was accursed and made an execration for vs if thys diminyshe hys honoure then muste we be ashamed to confesse that he was crucified for vs. For thys word crucifiyng is a more ignominios word then at thys day is the gallowes ☞ Therefore lette vs not deceyue our selues wyth these folyshe imaginations thynkynge to honoure Iesus Christe after oure fantasy or else to be in feare that we shal dishonoure hym in knowledgyng that he was made lyttle for our sakes as touchynge hys humayne natures Euen as wythout all begynnynge he was God of one selfe glory with hys father euē so doth he cōtinue styl wythout anye diminution In that he hath taken vpon hym oure fleshe and in the same was humbled he hath geuen a notable testimony of hys infinite goodnes and of hys incomprehensible loue whych he hath vnto vs So farre is it of that thys shoulde anye thynge derogate to his highnes that it is the principal matter that we haue to magnify praise hym for For a conclusion if we wyll trulye confesse the Lorde Iesus to be our sauiour let vs confesse accordynge to the exhortation of saynte Iohn that he is come in the fleshe to vnit vs to God his father by meanes of the obedience whyche he gaue vnto hym in our humanitie as in oure persons He that maketh not thys confession is Antichriste and we ought to abhorre hym ¶ The second Article IT is tyme that I do come vnto the secōd Article of the which I promised to treat That is that the Anabaptistes communely all do hold opinion that the soules beyng departed from the bodye do no more lyue vntyll the day of the resurrectiō Howbe it they do somewhat differ amonge them selues For some of theym do thinke that the soule is not a substaūce or a creature hauīge an essensiall beynge but that it is onely the vertue that mā hath to breathe to moue and to do other actions of lyfe whylse he is yet a lyue The other do confesse that the soule is an essensiall creature and yet neuertheles do Imagyn that the soules of theym that be deade do slepe wythout any sence or vnderderstandynge vntyl the daye of iudgemente Therefore if we shall thorowlye confute the Anabaptistes we muste fyrste shewe that the soules haue an essensial being of theyr own Secondelye that after deathe they do felt and knowe theyr condition and estate but before we go any further in thys matter we muste note that thys worde Soule is diuerslye taken in the scripture Fyrste for the lyfe as where it is fayed in Iob I beare my soule in my handes Also in saynt Mathewe is not the soule more then the meate and in infinite other places Sometyme it is taken for the wyll or the desyre as where it is sayed in Samuel that the soule of Ionathas was knytte to the soule of Dauid And in the Actes wher it is sayd the multitude of beleuers had one hert one soule Somtime it is takē for the whole man as wher it is sayd that there descended into Egypt wyth Iacob three score and fyf tene soules Also wher the Prophet pronoūceth that the soule which synneth shal dye Also for breathinge or blowynge as in Samuell where Saull sayeth I am ouercome wyth angwyshe thoughe all my Soule be yet in me Lykewyse when Eliseus sayed that the soule of the chyld dyd returne into hys bowels Fynallye when it is ioyned wyth thys worde spirite it signifieth an affection as when Esaias sayed my soule desyereth the in the night and I watch vnto the in my spirite Also saynte Paule prayeth God to kepe the Thessalonians vndefyled in bodye and in spirite and in soule Lykewyse thys word spirit is diuersly takē of whych I nede not now make long declaration but onely thys that we know that it is often tymes taken for the soule as it shall euidently appeare in those places whiche hereafter shall be alledged Thys beynge noted let vs se whether the soule of man haue an essensuall beyng of hir owne whiche is geuen to hyr of God And let vs beginne at the creation of man which wyll helpe muche to thys marter Touching Beastes and other lyuynge creatures God doeth commaunde them to be made symplye When he commeth to the
the tyraÌ„ny of men that when we shoulde dye euerye one of vs shoulde commende hys soule vnto hym Lykewyse when saynte Peter sayeth that the Lorde Iesus came in hys spirite to the spirites that were in pryson he doeth clearly testifye by hys wordes that the Soules haue sence and vnderstandynge ofter death For otherwyse they shoulde not perceyue the preachynge of Christe whyche as he sayeth dyd preache vnto them I confesse that thys place hath bene taken for a darke place and that it hath bene diuersly expounded but yet wâ—ll I aledge nothing for my purpose whiche is not certayne The Apostle therfore hauynge before spoken howe Christe was humilied and hauynge also shewed howe that all fayethfull men muste be made lyke vnto â–ª hym for consolation he addeth that Iesus Christ was not ouercome by death but that he ouercame death After this to certifie vs that thys vertue of hys resurrection doeth pertayne vnto vs he sayeth that not onelye the lyuynge haue felte it but also the deade and not onely the fayethful but also the vnbeleuyng and rebels It is true that wheÌ„ the matter requireth that we muste distinguyshe we se that he speaketh but of the secoÌ„d kind but that hindereth not but that he speaketh fyâ—ste of all in generall Touchyng that he putteth as wel the soules of the good as of the euyll in pryson that doeth he to signifye the vehemente desyre whyche the fayethfull had for the commyng of Iesus Christ which hild them as it were in anguyshe ¶ Therfore the sence is thys the vertue of Christes redemption hathe appeared vnto the soules of theym that be deade as well to the beleuynge as vnto the vnbeleuyng But when he muste speake in speciall he leaueth the fyrste ☞ Notwythstandynge to the ende that we do not dispute touchynge the sence wheÌ„ there is no nead concernyng the present matter onely I aske thys question of these good people whether the spirites of whom the Apostle doeth speake be lyuynge soules or no Moreouer he addeth an other sentence whiche to yet more cleare that is that the gospel was preached vnto the dead that they shold be condempned in the fleshe as touchynge to men but shoulde lyue to God in the spirite We se that he doeth subiect the bodye onely vnto death reseruyng the soule alyue ☞ The lyke was shewed before by Salomon where in discouerynge mannes death he sayeth He doeth seperate the fault far froÌ„ the bodye vntyll the earth do returne to hyâ— earth wheÌ„ce it was taken and that the soule go to God whyche gaue hyr If they glose and saye that thys worde spirite doeth signifye but lyfe there is not so lyttle a chylde whyche serth not that that is a corruptinge of the texte If there were none other testimonye but thys sentence of Moyses where he sayeth that God is the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob aboute three hundred yeares after theyr death it shoulde be sufficiente to suche as woulde not be contentious But if there be any opiniatoure whiche wyl agayne say it then wyll the exposition whyche oure Sauiour Iesus Christe maketh vpon these wordes take awaye all doubtes That is that hys father is not the God of the deade but of the lyuyng ¶ I knowe theyr answere is that the dead be called lyuynge bycause of the hope of the resurrection But that is nothynge For seynge that the Patriarckes were deade at that tyme when Moyses spake it foloweth that they lyued in a better lyfe And therefore Saynte Luke addeth that they do all lyue vnto God signifiynge that the Lorde doeth mayntayne hys in lyfe by hys grace and vertue Vnto which agreeth this saying of the Apostle If so be that we liue let vs liue to the lord if we dye let vs dye to the Lorde And whether we lyue or dye we be the Lordes and Iesus Christe is dead and risen agayne that he myghte haue rulle ouer the lyuynge and the deade For thys is sure that Iesus Christ tolde haue no dominioÌ„ ouer vs if we were not therefore if hys empeyre be extendyd vnto the deade it moste nedes be that the fayethfull after death haue an essentiall beinge ☞ And in dede the vision whiche Sainct Iohn rehereseth in the Apocalipse cannot other wyse be true Whiche is that he sawe the soules of the Martiers vnder the heauenlye â—â—iter criyng wyth a loude voyce Lorde howe longe doest thou differ to auenge oure bloude And that God commaunded to geue them white garmentes and commaunded them to haue pacience for a littell whyle vntyll the number of theyr fellowes were fulfylled There is no doubte but that these white garmentes do signifie begynnyng of glorye whiche God doeth geue vnto the martiers whyle thy tarrye for the daye of iudgement For that is no newe thynge in the scripture as whan Daniell sayde that he sawe the Lorde clothed in a longe white robe And Iesus Christe was so in hys transfiguration in the mount of Tabor The Aungel also whiche apered to the women by the sepulcher was clothed in a white robe So were the aungelles whiche appered to the disciples after the ascencion of the Lorde Iesus as much is sayed of the Aungel whiche apered vnto the Cornelius the Cneturien Final lye in the parable of the prodigall sonne it is sayde that whan he was retourned hys father commaunded to brynge hym hys best robe in sygne of Ioye and fastynge We se therefore howe much thys doeth repugne agaynste the erroure of the Anabaptistes whyche in the place of whyte robes woulde geue pyllowes to the soules to make them slepe Moreouer in that it is sayed that the soules crye axynge vengaunce of God it is declared that they slepe not For thys crye cannot be expounded as the crye of Abelles bloud bycause the desire whych the holy soules haue is ther expressed Thys is sufficientelye comfirmed vnto vs by the historye of Lazarus where it is sayed that hys soule was borne by the aungelles of God in to the bosome of Abraham And the soule of the riche man wente in to hell They thynke that they haue a fayre solucion and wel coloured whan they do answere that it is a parable that is to saye an exemple and not a storye But I axe them where they haue sene it in holye scripture that in a simple parable or similitude the proper name of a manne hath bene expressed as it is here And euen thus haue all the doctours of the churche vnderstande that a place as reson woulde But be it that I do graunte vnto them that it is â—â—parable yet must it nedes be that it be taken of the veryte Oure Lorde sayth that the soule of Lazarus was borne by hys aungelles in to the bosome of Abraham and that ther it receyued Ioye coÌ„solacion ☞ On the othersyde he sayeth that the soule of the rich infidle did suffer maruelous tormentes in hell He sayeth that there is a greate distaunce betwene the one and the other If the soulles haue no
be gonne in vs what absurditye is it to saye that in death there is interruption If we be already entred into the kyngdome of God for what cause shoulde we be made go oute agayne by death or at the leste made go backewarde as the sea Crabbes The kyngedome of God is in you sayeth the Lorde Iesus what meaneth thys but that we haue already the rote of lyfe whyche can not be extynguyshed And that is it whiche in an other place he sayeth Thys is the wyll of my father that whosoeuer doeth beleue in the sonne shall not peryshe but hathe euerlastynge lyfe and I wyll rayse hym vp the laste daye ☞ Also who so euer eateth my fleshe and drynketh my bloude hathe euerlastynge lyfe and I wyll rayse hym vp at the laste daye Note thys that he doth promise vnto vs .ii. thynges euerlastynge lyfe and resurrection The Anabaptistes do take the one of these membres leaue the other as if they mighte be deuided He speaketh yet more playnely in an other place sayinge I am the resurrection lyfe he that beleueth in me though he were dead he shall lyue and who so euer lyueth and beleueth in me he shall neuer dye Also who so euer kepeth my word shal neuer se deth I prai you is it possible to speke more playnly thē thys And shuld a christē man desyre more stronger testimonies to settle hys conscience wyth Peraduenture some man wyll obiecte that thys is not true but onelye of faythfull men I graunte that and for my parte it sufficeth me to instructe the chyldrē of God what shall be theyr condition after death Howe be it hereafter wyl I speake of the reprobate But here we se what Iesus Christe doth promise vnto vs if we be his That in the middell of death our spirituall lyfe shall not be interrupted But that more is saint Paul declareth that it is euen then that it begynneth to be in hys moste strength As our outwarde man sayeth he is corrupted so is the inwarde man renued from daye to daye By these wordes he declareth that as thys present lyfe doeth declyne and become corruptible so the lyfe of the soule increaceth and is fortified more and more Therfore it is contrary to this sentence to esteme that the soule is quēched whē the corporal lyfe taketh end I wyll yet deduce this argumente further We must daylye encrease and profite in the Lorde auauncynge oure soules alwayes to approche vnto hym as if we stepped thys daye one pace and to morowe an other Or as if we dyd ascende by steppes Nowe is it sayed for thys presente tyme that we do walke in the bryghtnesse of hys face Also that hys spirite doeth beare vs recorde that we be hys chyldren If it so be that in death we do lese thys bryghtnes and confidence whyche the holy Gost geueth vnto vs howe shall we then aduaunce oure selues Lykewyse Saynte Paule sayeth that thought we haue oure conuersation in thys worlde yet is our habitation in heauen Let vs se if death maye dryue vs out of the kyngedome of God wherein we had oure abydyng before thorowe hope It is true that thys mortall bodye is to vs as a pryson to thruste downe oure soule so lowe as captiue to earthly thynges ☞ Therefore is it mete that when she is gone forth of suche a seruitude into libertye that she be more disposed to contēplate God more familiarly And when she is lyghtened of suche a burthen that she be more chereful to lifte hyr selfe vp vnto God It is therfore to greate a beastelynes to laye theym downe softe as do the Anabaptistes to make them slepe vnto the day of the resurrection Howbeit theyr erroure is yet better conuinced by that the scripture doeth declare touchynge our regeneration For when it pleaseth God to call vs into the participation of hys grace he sayth that he maketh vs newe creatures How is that In that by the vertue of hys worde and of hys spirite he mortifyeth the corruption of oure nature makynge vs to be borne agayne to liue in hys kyngdome Let vs nowe heart what is the operation of the one and the other in vs. Saynt Paule goynge aboute to conforte vs sayeth that though the bodye he deade bycause of synne yet the spirite of the Lorde Iesus dwellinge in vs is lyfe bicause of reghtuousnes I knowe that thys lyfe is neuer perfitte whylse we are in thys world but seyng that the spirit of God is a sparke of lyfe whyche is geuen vnto vs to quicken vs more and more tyll we come vnto perfection it foloweth that oure lyfe can neuer be quenched ☞ As touchynge the worde Saynte Peter speaketh yet more clearlye sayinge that it is a sede of immortalitye yea an incorruptible sede whyche God hathe put into vs to exempte vs from that condition wherein we be by nature whyche is as Esaias sayeth that all fleshe is haye and all the glory of mā is as the floure of the grasse bycause that when the spirite of God doth blowe on mā he is by and by wythered and dryed and falleth wholy downe Nowe after that the Prophete had thus spoken of vs he added by and by the contrarye that the worde of God abideth for euer Saynte Peter doeth aledge thys place and sheweth that thys eternitie of the worde of God is shewed in vs bycause that by the same we are borne agayne hauinge it in our soules for an incorruptible seede the whyche neuer rolleth nor withereth What is it that maye be replyed agaynste thys whyche shall not be thynges apparant and already resolued for we beinge regenerate by the grace of God are broughte into hys kyngedome to lyue in cleauynge to hym wythout ende To resolue thys matter there is nothinge more mete not more certayne then to consider what coniunctiō vnitie we haue with our Sauioure Iesus Fyrste we knowe that in Baptisme we be entexed into hys bodye to be verily hys membres and to fele in vs such an effect of hys vertue as the braunches of a tre do of theyr rote For we are so vnited vnto hym that we are made one self substaūce And we nede not aledge any other probatiō then that whyche he hathe spoken wyth hys owne mouth As I lyue sayeth he so shall you lyue Now we knowe that the lyfe of Iesus Christe is not temporall nor yet by interposition of tyme. Therefore if we lyue as he liueth it foloweth that it muste be wythout ende For it was necessarye that he shoulde dye wyth vs. And thys is it that he spake before He that eateth my flesh drinketh my bloud he dwelleth in me I in hym If Iesus Christ dwel in vs it foloweth that forthwith lyfe dwelleth in vs accordyng to the which he spake before as the father hathe lyfe in hym selfe so hath he geuē vnto his son to haue life in him selfe It is easy to se that the Anabaptistes neuer tasted howe wee be ioyned to oure Lorde
it must nedes folowe that they are vnhappy Seynge that all the blessednes of the chyldren of God proceadeth and hangeth of thys that in the daye of the resurrection they shall be lyke vnto God and inioye theyr heritage It is no maruaile if saynte Paule do saye that they shoulde be more vnhappy theÌ„ the reste of the worlde if there shall be no resurrection ☞ And in dede in one maner sence he putteth these two thynges that there is no resurrection and that our hope should be onely in thys worlde I doubte not but that euery man seeth playnelye that thys sentence of saynte Paule is nothynge agaynste vs. For he sayeth that if we be deceyued in our hope whyche we haue of the resurrection that we be vnhappye And we saye that the soules of the fayethfull are ryght happye thorowe the same hope wythout whiche we confesse that they can haue no Ioye nor blessednesse In thys there is no contradiction ☞ They obiecte yet more againste vs that which is wrytten in the epistle to the Hebrues of the Auncient fathers how that thei departed in fayeth wythoute receyuynge the promises but saluted theym a farre of and confessed them selues to be straungers vpon the earthe ☞ Nowe in saying thus they do signifye that they soughte theyr heritage and naturall countrye in that they had no mynde of that contrei froÌ„ whens they came they might haue returned but they desired a better that is to saye from heauen Thys texte is wyckedly depraued by them thorowe false gloses in that they do refer thys to the presente tyme where the Apostell speketh of the tyme whan the Patriarches were conuersaunte in thys worlde Howe be it touchynge the purpose of oure matter I am ryghte well contente to alowe their glose They make their argumente thus if Abraham and the other fathers do desire the heauenly heritage than they haue it not yet I replye to the contrary that if they haue a desire than do they lyue and haue relynge of good and euyll Where is their slepyng than Thus we se that they be contrary to them selues lyke litell chyldren Touchynge the reste I wyll well the Apostle sayeth afterwarde that all the auncient fathers haue not yet receyued that whych in thys worlde they loked for bycause God hath ordeyned that they w thout vs shoulde not be made perfect And this is it that we saye that all the consolation whych the fayethfull soules haue is reduced to thys glorious immortalitye in which we shall all at one tyme be gathered together whan Iesus Christe shal apere in iudgemeÌ„t These places which here after I wyll recite shal declare howe these phantasticalles do kepe together al the cauillations that they canne and that impudentlye to haue some apparence to colour their errour If the soules say they beynge seperate from their bodies do lyue wih God than dyd saynct Peter greate iniury to Chaâ—ita in raisyng her vp seynge it was a wythdrawynge of hir from the companye of God and from the blessâ—d lyfe whan he broughte her agayne in to thys sea of miseries I Answere that this argumente maketh as muche agayne them as agaynste vs. For if she slepte wythout felynge anye euyll we maye saye that it was not for her prophet to come from such a rest to enter into the fyghtes of thys presente lyfe I myghte require of them the solution of this argumâ—nt But I knowe that it were vaynt to tarye for anye good solution of theÌ„ Touchynge vs oure answere is easye that whyche Sayncte Paule spake of hym selfe is common to all fayethfull men That is that it is profitable for vs to dye that it is for oure aduantage to be wyth Christe And yet notwythstandynge he sayeth that God whan he healed Hepaphroditus of his sycknes and deliuered hym from death had pitie on hym allthoughe he were of the number of the fayethfull The Anabaptistes do saye that thys is a crueltye if the soules do liue after death ☞ We saye that it is a mercifull deade whaÌ„ it pleaseth God to be magnifâ—ed in vs in thys corporall lyfe makynge vs instrumeÌ„tes of his glorye Moreouer it is not sayed that Thabitha was raysed vp for her owne commoditye but at the requeste of the poore whiche wepte for the losses that they hadde by her death Therefore let vs byde faste by thys that the Lorde doeth alwayes vnto vs a singuler grace whan he maketh vs to lyue and dye to hym ☞ Let vs come to the testimonies whyche they aledge of Dauid althoughe I be asshamed to reherce them bycause they do abuse them so chyldyshelye But yet muste I reherse them bycause they go about to disceyue the simple with them They do aledge thys sentence I haue sayed you are goddes and sonnes of the moste hyghest yet shal you dye lyke men They do expouÌ„d thus that the faythful are there called goddes but yet do they dye lyke the reprobate and that there condition is lyke vntyl the daye of iudgemente But we haue the exposicion of Christe that in that place is mencion made of princes and ministeres of Iustice whiche haue the tytle of goddes bycause that in there estate they are as hys lyuetenauntes And thoughe oure sauioure Iesus Christe had spoken nothynge thereof yet the phrase of scripture doeth declare it plainelye And the texte it selfe is so playne â–ª that it beareth hys glose wyth it For there are reproued all suche as exercise tiranny and iniquiti and it is sayed to them that they muste dye and be depriued of that dignitye whyche they haue and muste geue an accompte to God as well as the leste of all They aledge also thys texte put not youre truste in men the spirite of man goethe and returnethe into hys earthe and in that daye shall perishe al their cogitations They take thys worde spirite for wynde as thoughe ther were none other soule in man Than do they make their argumeÌ„ce Thus if mannes cogitations do perishe it muste folowe that the soul doeth slepe or else that it is nothing I answere that the spirite of man doeth signifye an other thynge than breth as I haue ryghts well proued before But were it so that thys worde in thys place were taken in suche a significacion as it is taken in some other places yet shoulde it not therefore folowe that man hath none other soule but breth Touchynge that it is sayde that the cogitacions do perishe that doeth importe none other thyng but that the enterprises of men are dissipate by death and vanishe as smoke as it is sayde in a nother place that the desires of synners shall perishe to signifie that they shall not come to ther effecte Therefore Dauid sayth not that men shal thyncke nothynge after ther death but he meaneth that all ther delyberacions shall come to nothing They aledge an other place all moste lyke thys he hath remembered that they are but flesh a spirit that goeth and retorneth not agayne Nowe I graunte
do import For to shewe it to tell it and to declare it to their chyldren doeth signifye wyth the mouthe to celebrate the benefites of God that the worlde maye not vnderstande them ☞ They brynge yet more two verses â—â—te of the Psalmes the one is I wyl prayse the Lorde in my lyfe I wyll synge to my God whylse I am Agayne go frome me that I maye take courage vntyl I go hence and be no more In place of the fyrste texte I wyll bringe them forth fiue other to proue the contrarye of that which they pretend Lord God I wyl confesse the euerlastyngly Agayne I wyll blesse the Lorde alwayes His prayse shal be euer in my mouthe Agayne I will praise the euerlastingelye for those thynges which that hast done Agayne I wil euer praise thy name in the world of worldes Agayne I will euer singe Psalmes vnto thye name and in the world of worldes Daued sayeth not that he wyl prayse the Lord only during this presente life but he promiseth to do the same wythout ende What meaneth he than in the other places some man wil answere that he doeth promise to prayse the Lorde whylse he liueth I aunswer that that doth not exclud the prayses which the saiÌ„tes do giue after theyr deth bycause the maner of their praisiÌ„g of God is other theÌ„ oures Touchyng the second place they be the wordes of a man pressed wyth anguyshe of conscience the which desyreth of God if he haue deserued to be thruste downe that he maye be but once as we haue a lyke exemple of Iob where he sayeth to God Let me alone that I maye a lytle bewayle my sorowe and whylle I go to the region of darkenes where there is nothyng but confusion and eternal horror This maketh nothyng to the purpose to proue that the soules haue an ende There be yet other places in the historie of Iob whiche they do wreste to theyr purpose whyche I wyll brieflye touche as they shall come to my memorie the fyrst is Wherfore dyd I not die in the matrice or why did I not perysh coÌ„ing out of my mothers woÌ„be For then shoulde I nowe sleepe in silence shoulde reste in my sleepe where I should be as a chylde borne before the tyme as those whyche being conceyued do not come to perfection of lyfe I should be in the place wher both grete smale do reste But if I shoulde alledge agaynst them the xiiii chapter of Esaias where he describeth the dead coÌ„myng before the Kynge of Babilon to mocke hym what would they auÌ„swere vnto me But I wyl passe that ouer content my selfe with the symple exposition of Iob whych is this He beynge pressed downe to the vttermoste and almost ouercome wyth his burtheÌ„ had no respecte but onlye to his presente myserie and therfore he maketh it greater then all other thynges Therfoâ—e he had not death in horror but rather desired it as that which is the end of all myserie hauyng no respect to that whych doth folowe after death And this is the maner of all suche as be compassed with greate anguyshe and doloure For if in the great heates of the somer we desyred a great froste and agayne in wynter hauyng forgotten how muche the beat did greue vs would desyre that it myght be very hotte it were no greate meruayle though a vehement passion dyd dryue vs to suche a desyre Let vs nowe therefore se what a man persecuted by the hande of God maye do that is whether he maye not in suche wyse be transported that he forget altogather bi reasoÌ„ of his doloure There is alike reason in many other sentences whiche he afterward speketh as be these whych do folowe Remembre Lord that my lyfe is but wynde and that myne eye shal not returne to see hys good Agayne there remayneth nothyng for me but the graue Agayne all that belongeth vnto me shall descende in to the depth of the pytte and suche lyke places For we see here that Iob beynge compassed wyth the dystresse which he felte bycause that God dyd persecute hym in hys wrath had nothyng before his eyes but confusion and toke death but as an abolishmeÌ„t of hys hoale lyfe hauyng no respecte to that which doeth folowe after ss we haue sayd Wherefore to conclude by this that the soule of man perisheth wyth the body is not onely a most shamefull beastlynes but also a moste shameles boldenes Wherfore in this and in al the reste I thinke I haue so euideÌ„tlye rproued all that whych the Anabaptistes do pretende to geue coloure to theyr wycked opinion that I maye well make an ende of thys matter I protested in the begynnyng not without a cause that myne intente was not to in treate of all the opinions whyche the Anabaptistes do holde for that were to entre into a Foreste whyche hath none ende And besydes that it shal not greatly neede It were an enterpryse more curiouse then profitable to heape together all the folyshe phantasyes which euery folishe head amoÌ„g theÌ„ hath imagined I thought it therfore fufficieÌ„t briefly to treat as faythfully as I could those articles that they commonly bolde whyche haue the mooste subtile wytte or at the leaste be be leaste brayneles amonge the hoale secte For touchyng those whiche name them selues Lybertynes whych are holy madde and wythout wytte I wyll reserue them to a nother treatie Now for conclusion I beseche all christen readers to examen thys wholye by the scryptures as by that which is the trew touchston to examen all doctrynes I doubte not but that whosoeuer wyl suffre hymselfe to be led by the trueth of god and wyll submit hym selfe to reason shal find sufficientlie where with to be satysfyed touchyng the articles which I haue here intreated of Besydes thys I haue indeuored my selfe asmuche as I could to accomodate my selfe vnto the rudenes of the symple for whome chieflye I trauel So the Anabaptistes cannot make cauilacion as they are wonte that I woulde ouercome them by subtiltie or oppresse them by crafte of mans eloquence seynge I haue vsed as homelye and as symple maner as can be desired Yet is it meete that I do aduertyse all fayethfull men of theyr malyce bycause they cannot make theyr matter apeare good but in mingling al together in suche wyse as all theyr doctryne is a confuse mâ—ssâ—ne as a bodye without heade armes and legges they vse oftentymes folyshe and straunge maner of speches and without a deliberate purpose styl leapyng frome the Locke to the Asse do interlace diuerse matters and bryng in diuerse places of scripture cutte and broken and so pleasyng them selues in thys matter make menne beleue that there is muche more maiestie to speke so brutyshelie then well to disgeste the matter by order Now to confounde them there is no better waye then to expound and deduce the matters distinctly and by a certeyne ordre to brynge forth one matter after a nother
well weighing and marking the sentences of the scrypture to draw out therof the trewe and naturall sence and to vse a simplicitie and playnenes of wordes whych is not straūge frome the common speche Which thyng if a man do they crye out that men go aboute to disceyue and circumuente them by humayne subteltie and sophystrie as thoughe it were the custome or intente of sophysters to make darke thynges cleare For my parte I confesse that asmuche as in me is I do study to dispose by ordre those thynges whyche I speke that I maye geue the more cleare and easye vnderstandyng If the Anabaptistes maye not abyde thus I wotte not what to saye but that he which doth euyll hateth the lyghte And to geue the better coloure to theyr doctryne they haue imprinted wyth theyr resolucion the history of the death of one Michael theire complyce maynteyner of theyr secte and in deede they are wonte to make a greate buckeler of that many haue suffered death to maynteyne theyr opiniones and woulde not recante althoughe therebye they myghte haue escaped death and haue redemed their lyfe And to saye truth it is a fayre apparaunte wytnes to authorise a doctryne whā a man constātly and wtout difficultie geueth ouer his life for the confirmacion of the same As whē ther are set before vs those thīges which the Prophetes Apostles Martyrs haue suffered for the mayntenaunce of the truth of God we bee the more strengthened to cleue vnto the faythe whych we hold the whyche they haue sealed by ther bloud I confesse therefore that we ought not vily to esteme the dethe of Godes seruantes seinge it is precious in hys syght and that they re constancye and stedfastnes is no smale helpe to succoure our infirmytye But bycause we might often times be deceaued by thys yf we loked no further therfore must we come to the foundation with out whych we can haue no sure iudgement nor yet certaintye in thys behalfe It is trewe that the dethe of a man what soeuer he be cā not be so precious that it maye or ought in any thynge do preiudice to the verite of God or can be auaylable to proue eronious and peruerse doctryne Let vs therfore stycke fast vnto thys that as the good and holsome doctryne founded vppon reason taketh his confirmation after the dethe of hys witnesses and confessors by whōe it is mayntayned euen so if all the mē on the earthe shulde dye they cā not therby approue a lye And to dye for a iust cause is that whiche dothe decerne the martirs of God frō the diuels martirs Therfore euen as it is a prayse worthye cōstancye to suffer deeth if nede be for witnessinge of the truthe euen so is it amadd obstinacie to suffer for to mayntayne a naughty matter So that he whyche sufferith moste is so muche the more to be dispraysed So far is it of that vnder the coloure of that we should suffre our selues to be caried awaye depryuynge oure selues of all iudgement and consideration If it bee nedeful to haue certitude of Goddes veritie which we do preach we haue it more then sufficiēt in the death of our lord Iesus the Prophetes Apostles and Martyrs aswel of the primatiue Church as of thys preasente tyme. And as for that whyche is repugnaunt vnto it whether it be sealed with bloud or with waxe yet shal it alwayes be false Finis ☞ Anno. M.D.xlix xvi daye of Aprill Imprinted at London by Ihon Daye dwelling at Aldersgate and William Seres dwellinge in Peter Colledge These bokes are too be sold at the new shop by the litle Conduite in Chepeside ☞ Cum gracia et Preuilegio ad imprimendum solum