is so that there is no light without God which lighteneth our night it is most certayne that the soule being buried in her darckenesses must needes be blinde And then is she domb seing she cannot confesse that vnto saluation which she beleued to righteousnesse Deafe also she is because she heareth not this liuely voyce Lame likewise she is and that which is worsse she is not able to stand vpright when as shee hath not to whome shee may say thou hast held me by the right hand and guided me according to thy will and finallye she doth nothing wherein is life For heare what the Prophet sayth Baruc. 3.14 whenas he will shew that the spring and fountayne of lyfe wholy resteth in God Learne where is wisedome where is strength where is vnderstanding that thou mayst also knowe from whence commeth long continuaunce life and where the light of the eyes and peace is What wouldest thou els more desire to come vnto death And to the end we shoulde not here stay in this godly way let vs consider with our selues what life it is that Iesus Christ hath brought vs and it will put vs in minde with what kinde of death he hath redeemed vs. Ephe. 5. S. Paule teacheth vs both the one and the other For thus he sayth Awake thou which sleapest and arise frō death Christ will enlighten thee He speaketh in this place vnto dust but yet vnto such as being wrapped vp in their sinnes cary with them both hell and death And in an other place he sayth Colo. 2. And you when you were deade through sinne he hath quickened you together with Christ forgeuing you all your sinnes And like as according to the saying of S. Paule Rom. we dye vnto sinne whenas lust is quenched in vs Euen so dye we vnto God whēas we subiect our selues vnto our lust which liueth in vs. But to speake all in a word in liuing we dye which thing S. Paul speaketh of the widdow which liueth in pleasures to wit 2. Tim. 5. we are immortal vnto death For although the soule keepeth her vnderstanding yet is a gilty conscience as it were a verye blockish and vnfeeling vnderstanding Nowe therefore whatsoeuer this death of the soule was yet for all that it is farre of that the death which Christ dyed for vs is such one For he hath accomplished by his death whatsoeuer the prophets haue promised of his victory agaynst death For thus haue the prophets sayd Isaiah 25. he will destroy death for euer It is likewise sayd I wil be thy death O death hel Oseah 13. I will be thy sting Also Hebr. 2. Death shal go before his face The Apostles likewise declare the things already done for thus it is sayde he hath ouercome death 2. Tim. 1. Rom. 5. But hath enlightened life by the Gospell For if by the offēce of one death raigned through one much more shall they which receiue the aboundance of grace and of the gifte of righteousnesse raigne in life through one that is Iesus Christ Let them now abide and withstand these lightenigs if they can For since they say that death came by Adam which we also confesse but not in such sort as they imagine but as we haue before said whereinto the soule fell we on the contrary part say that lyfe came by Christ which they are neuer able to denye so that the poynt of the whole controuersy cōsisteth betwene the comparison of Adam and of Iesus Christ And therefore they must first of all reconcile this with that saying of S. Paule that whatsoeuer was onely lost by Adam hath bene also restored by Iesus Christ But looke howe farre the power of grace hath surpassed sinne euen so of a more farre passing greater power hath Ie-Christ bene in making restitution thē Adam was in the losse For he playnely teacheth that the gift is farre greater then the sinne although not vpon many men yet most plentifully vpon those vpon whom it aboundeth And nowe let them aunswere if they will that it aboundeth not because it hath geuen life more aboundantly but because it hath blotted out many sinnes seing the onely sinne of Adam is it which hath brought vs to destruction And this is the thing which I demaund Moreouer seing he teacheth in another place that sinne is the sting of death what death is it that can sting vs since his sting is rebated yea altogether consumed And so he handleth none other thing in many Chapiters of the Epistle to the Rom. But playnely declareth that sinne is wholy abolished because it hath no longer dominiō ouer the faithfull Rom. 8.1 Wherefore if the lawe hath power ouer sinne what other thing then do our sleapers who kill those that liue in Iesus Christ but draw them into the cursse of the law which is cleane dead And therefore the Apostle boldly sayth that there is no condemnation with them that are in Iesus Christ who walke not after the flesh but after the spirite Surely they pronounce a fearefull sentence agaynst those whom S. Paule freely acquiteth of condemnation whenas they say ye shall dye the death What is then become of grace whenas death raigneth as yet amongest Gods chosen Nowe according to the saying of S. Paule sinne raigneth in deed to death but grace Rom. 6.7 vnto euerlasting life and therefore if grace surmounteth sinne there remaineth no place for death Wherefore as by Adam death entred raigned euen so doth life also now raigne by Iesus Christ Now then we know that Iesus Christ being raysed agayne from the dead dyeth no more neither hath death any more power ouer him For in that he dyed vnto sinne he dyed onely once for all But in that he lyueth he lyueth vnto God And hereby we may see that they themselues refute their error with their owne weapons For when as they say that death is the punishment of sinne they forthwith graunt that if man had not sinned he had bene Immortall For that which began to be was not sometymes and that cōmeth through punishmēt and not by nature Contrarywise S. Paul that sinne is swallowed vp of Grace so that it hath nothing to doe with the children of God And so we haue gotten this poynt of thē that Gods chosen are now such as Adam was before he sinned And as he was created incorruptible Euen so are they now who are by Iesus Christ framed a newe into a better nature And that saying of the Apostle is not agaynst this 1. Cor. 15.54 That the written word shall be accomplished death is swallowed vp into victory For if they say it is so that the word shall be made then can it not be denyed but that to be made must also be taken to be accomplished For whatsoeuer is now begonne in the soule shall be accomplished in the body or rather whatsoeuer is onely begone in the soule shal be accōplished together both in
nor deliuer him into the power of death crauing none other thing at his Fathers hand but that our weakenes which he bare in his body might be deliuered from the power of the Deuill and death And this is the fayth whereupon we must now stay our selues that the punishmeÌ„t of sinne coÌ„mitted in our fleshe which was to be payd in the selfe same fleshe for the satiffying of the righteousnes of God hath bene discharged and payd in the fleshe of Iesus Christ which was ours And therefore Christ neuer fledd the death but this horrible feeling of the seueritie of God which required that he should be chastised with death for the sauing of vs. Wilt thou know from what affection and minde this voyce came I know not which way better to expresse it but euen by another speach comming from himselfe when as he sayd My God my God why hast thou forsaken me He calleth then these dead and buryed and those that were carryed into the land of forgetfulnes the forsaken people of God After this manner the saints who were taught by the spirite of God vsed not these speaches to dryue death away to thrust God back that called them but to the end they might â—schew the Iudgement wrath and seuerity of God by which they felt Gods chastisement with death And because they shall not thinke that I make this of mine owne head I aske this question to witt whether a â—aythfull man calleth a simple and naturall death the wrath and terror of God I thinke our sleapers are not so shameles as to dare to affirme this And yet the Prophet thus interpreteth this death in these places Psal 88.16 Thine indignations goe ouer me and thy feare hath troubled me He addeth besides many other thinges which apperteyne to the wrath of God Another place also there is which sayth For his anger lasteth but a while Psal 30.5 but in his fauour is lyfe But I exhort the Readers to run vnto the booke To the end they might haue a farre surer beliefe of these two whole psalmes and of the song of Ezechiah For by this meane they shall not be deceaued and I eftsoones shall get credite with those parties who reade them with a good and sound Iudgement And therefore thus I conclude thaâ— death in these places is to feel the wrath and horrible Iudgement of God and to be feareâ— and troubled with the feeling thereof Euen so Ezechiah seing that he must leaue the Realme tâ— be put out for a spoile to the enemies and that he leaft no children of whome might descenâ—… the hope of the Gentiles his soule was troubled with thesâ— thinges which were signes and tokens of Gods anger and punishment and no signes of the feare of death For in deede hâ— afterward dyed without desiering to be deliuered from death To be short I confesse thaâ— death of it selfe is euill because it is the curse and punishment for sinne For on the one side iâ— is of it selfe full of feare and desolation and on the other side it driueth those who feele that God sendeth it them in his anger for their punishment eueâ— to the very last cast of desperation And there is but one seasoning which is able to mittigate or ease this so great sharpnes of death and that is to know in the middest of the anguishes thereof that God is fauorable and a mercifull Father and hath Christ for his guide and companion Now as many as are not thus seasoned death is to them confusion and euerlasting destruction Wherefore it is impossible for them to prayse God in death And as for this verse The dead prayse thee not c. Is a conclusion of the prayses of the people geuing thankes vnto God because he defended them from daunger by his mighty power This is then the meaning If the Lord had suffered vs to be ouercome and that we had fallen vnder the power of ouer enemies They would then haue lifted themselues vp agaynst his Maiestie and gloryed in them selues that they had ouercome the God of Israell But now after the Lord had suppressed and abated their pride and after that he had deliuered vs from the cruelty of our enemies through a mighty hand and an outstretched arme the Gentiles could not say where is now their God who shewed himselfe in very deede to be the liuing God Neither can his mercy come euer in questioÌ„ which he so notably hath manifested And here they whome God hath forsaken and whose power and louing kindenes they haue not felt are called dead As if he had forsaken his people through the crueltie and vnmercifulnes of the wicked This saying is fully confirmed by the prayer that is set downe in the booke of the prophet Baruck There it is sayd O Lord open thine eyes Baruck 2.17.18 and behold for the dead that are in the graues and whose soules are out of their bodies geue vnto the Lord neither prayse nor righteousnes But the soule that is vexed with the greatnes of sinne and he that goeth crookedly and weake and the eyes that fayle and the hongry soule wil geue thee praise and righteousnes O Lord. In this place without doubt a man may very well see that vnder the name of the dead are comprehended all these which are afflicted and throwne downe by the hand of God and fallen into destruction and that a sorrowfull rent and torne soule is such a one as being voyde of her owne power and not staying it selfe vpon her owne confidence runneth vnto the Lord calleth vpon him and looketh for helpe at his handes If any man would take all these thinges as it were by the discribing of a person he may soone haue an easy order to come to the manifest laying of them opeÌ„ because that in persons the deed is taken and when we heare this saying of the dead in this sence is meant death For the Lord winneth no commendatioÌ„ for his mercy goodnes when as he afflicteth punisheth and destroyeth although the punishmentes be iust But euen then createth he a people vnto himselfe to sing and celebrate the prayse of his goodnes when he deliuereth those who are afflicted cast downe and fallen into despayre and lifteth them agayne into hope But because these sleapers might not wrangle and say that we runne into crooked figures I auÌ„swere that these thinges may also be taken without any figure In the second place I haue sayd that there might be a naughty and false conclusion of these places that the sayntes after they are dead are no body and doe no longer prayse the Lord. But I say agayne that they rather prayse him which is they tell fourth and declare the benefites of God vnto others who doe prayse him And these wordes doe not onely beare this sence but doe also requier it For to declare and tell fourth and that the father geueth his children knowledge is not to conceiue the glory of God in spirite and vnderstanding
is now meant by this that Isaack was not put to death but because that the sonne of God hath made the soule which is proper to man Immortall And the Ramme which is a beast without reason and that was layd in his roome is the body And in that Isaack was bound the same representeth the soule which maketh an open shewe of one dying in the death of Iesus Christ and sheweth it also dayly in the common death of men wherein all thinges in the opinion of men doe pearishe and yet for all that the soule of Christ was losed out of bonds and so shall ours also be losed before they come to pearishe Come off now some of you my maisters the sleapers which are voyd of all shame and bragge that the death of the our Lord Iesus Christ was but a dreame or els let him take part with that deuilishe heretique Appollinaris Surely this good Lord Iesus waketh so long as he so willingly bestoweth himselfe about your saluation But you sleape your sleape and being o-ouerwhelmed with the cloude of blindenes can not heare those which keepe watch Moreouer this doth not onely comfort vs that the sonne of God our head is not perished in the shadow of death but his resurrection also doth assure vs that he is apointed to be Lord ouer death Colos 3.3 and hath raysed vp so many of vs from death as haue any part or portion in him Gala. 2.20 in somuch that S. Paul hath not sticked to say that our lyfe is hid with Christ in God And in another place he sayth I lyue yet not I now but Christ in me What can be sayd more of them except they cry with open mouth that Christ sleapeth in these soules that sleape For if Christ hath liued in theÌ„ he is the selfe and same which dyeth in them If the lyfe of Iesus Christ be ours he then which would haue our lyfe to end by death violently plucketh the sonne of God from the glorious right hand of his father putteth him to a second death But if it be possible for him to dye then vndoubtedly must we dye But if his lyfe hath no end surely our soules which are ingraffed into him caÌ„dy no death But what needeth vs to take all this payne Are his wordes straunge when he sayth Iohn 14.19 because that I lyue you also shall lyue If we lyue because he lyueth then if we dye Iohn 6.56 he shall no longer lyue Is his promise straunge when he sayth that he which shall be knit vnto him by fayth shall dwell in him he in him Let vs then clearely dismember the Lord Christ if we will take away their lyues froÌ„ them 1. Cor. 15 22. This is our confession which we haue well fenced with his weapoÌ„s to witt that we are all truely dead in Adam but yet we lyue â—n Iesus Christ S. Paule handâ—eth these thinges with an honorable style in the Epistle to the Romaines to witt Rom. 8.10 that if the spirite of Iesus Christ dwelâ—eth in vs that the body is surely dead by reason of sinne but the spirite liueth because it is iustified Rom. 7.23.24 He calleth the body a Lumpe of sinne which from the natiuitie of the fleshe remaineth in man And the spirite that part of maÌ„ which is spiritually regenerate Wherefore as a litle before he lamented his misery by reason of the dregs of sinne which remained in him he desiereth not simply to be taken out of this world and to be nothing so that he might escape this great misery but also desiereth to be deliuered from the body of death to witt that the Masse of sinne might be abolished in him to this end that the spirite being cleansed might be at peace with God openly declaring hereby that the best parte of him was kept captiue through the bondes of his body and that it should be deliuered out of it by death I would to God we were able to vnderstand with a true fayth what the kingdome of God is Which is emongest the faythfull euen whiles they liue here in this world and to taste thereof in good earnest for it should be very easy withall to vnderstand lyfe euerlasting already begonne He which can not deceiue vs hath made vs this promise for thus he sayth Iohn 5.24 He that heareth my wordes hath euerlasting lyfe and commeth not to condemnation but passeth froÌ„ death to lyfe If a way be made to euerlasting lyfe why hinder they it by death And in another place Iohn 6.49 46. This is the will of my Father that whosoeuer beleueth in the sonne shall not pearish but hath euerlasting lyfe and I will raise him vp againe at the last day He sayth furthermore in the same place Iohn 5 5â— 57. Whosoeuer eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloud hath euerlasting lyfe and I will rayse him vp agayne in the last day Not as your Fathers eate Manna and dyed but he that eateth this bread shall lyue for euer Brag not heere of your goodly gloses coÌ„cerning the last day He promiseth vs two things lyfe euerlasting and this blessed resurrectioÌ„ Although you heare two thinges yet onely embrace you but one of them There is also another saying of Iesus Christ which is yet more agaynst you when he sayth I am the resurrection and the lyfe Iohn 11.2 he that beleueth in me yea although he were dead yet shall he lyue And whosoeuer lyueth and beleueth in me shall neuer taste of death For the sonne of God meant not onely to shew this but also that it might neuer come to passe that they should dye He sayth in another place he that keepeth my word shall neuer see death This is an inuincible Argument agaynst them that whosoeuer keepeth the word of God shall neuer see death And this alone might be sufficient for Christians throughly to arme their fayth agaynst the peruersenes of these sleapers We beleue this and we looke for it But as for these men this is it that they must looke for euen to sleape a sound sleape vntill such time as they be wakened by the sound of the trumpet which shall sodainly come vpon these sleapers as a theefe in the night And if God be the lyfe of euery faythfull soule as the soule is the lyfe of the body what is the meaning that the soule all the while it is in the body causeth it to moue and is neuer so idle nor her streÌ„gth so weakened but that she doth her duety some maner of way and shall God leaue his busines vndone as if he were wery of working If there be so great power in the soule as to support moue and dryue on this masse of earth how great in respect shall the power of God be in the soule which by nature is liuely and very apt and ready to styrre and moue it And yet there are some which dare say that the soule vanisheth away and others that
day calleth him to the blessed pleasures of his kingdome The cauill of these drowsy heads wherewith they sport thēselues with the word of God they canuasse to fro For say they one day is as it were a thousand yeares in the sight of God But they neuer call to minde that God frameth himselfe to the capacities of men when as he speaketh vnto them Neither doe they reade that one day in the scripture is put for a thousande yeares who would abide such an expositor who hearing that God would doe something to day would thinke of a thousand yeares or moe For when Ionas denoūced vnto the Niniuits Yet fortie dayes and Niniuie shall be destroyed 2. Pet. 3.8 might they carelesly look for the Iudgement of God vntill forty thousande yeares were come and gone Neither hath S. Peter spoken it in the same sence that a thousand yeares are but as a day before God But when as certein false prophets did count the houres and dayes because they went about to reproue God of lying when as he fulfilled not his promises at the first according to their Imaginations he admonisheth thē that God is euerlasting with whom a thousand yeares is scarsely a momēt But because they feele thēselues to be yet entangled they stifly contend and say that this word to day signifieth in the scriptures the tyme of the new Testament as this word to morrow signifieth the tyme of the olde Hebr. 13.8 To this purpose wrest they that which is written in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Iesus Christ that was yesterday and to day is the same also for euer Howbeit they are greatly deceiued For if he was onely yesterday then he that was not before the beginning of the olde Testament had sometyme his beginning Colos 1.15 Where shall Iesus then that eternall God be the first borne also of all creatures as touching his humanitie Apo. 13.48 and the Lambe slayne from the beginning of the worlde Besides if by this word to day is meant the tyme that is betwene the day of Iudgement and the humanitie of Iesus Christ then haue we woone this poynt of them that the theefe shall be in paradise before that day wherein the soules as they teach shall wake out of their sleape And so by their owne confession we shall wring this from them that the promise made vnto the theefe is accomplished before the day of Iudgement which they say is not to be accomplished vntill after the day of Iudgement But if they draw this word vnto the tyme that followeth after Iudgement why doth the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes add for euer And that they might feele with the hand their darkenes and acknowledge euen by the eyesight their ignoraunce if in this promise Iesus Christ looked vnto the day of Iudgement it ought not to haue bene sayd to day but in the world to come As when Isaiah went about to shew the misery of the resurrection he calleth Iesus Christ the father of the world to come Now seing the Apostle hath sayd to morrow and to day and for euer Whereas we say it hath bene is and shall be which three tymes declare vnto vs eternitie what other thing els goe they about by their cunning subtilties but euen to corrupt and peruert the sence of the Apostle Isaiah 30.33 wee may learne out of the prophet Isaiah that the nature of this first word conteineth an euerlasting tyme who sayth that hell fier is prepared for the wicked from yesterday considering that we know by the wordes of Christ that fier is prepared for the Deuill his Angels from the beginning They then which are of an vpright and sound iugement do here right well see that there is nothing left for them to be deceiued by so open a trueth Neuerthelesse they yet moyle and say that paradise was for that day so promised to the theefe as death was denounced vnto our first parentes the same day that they tasted of the tree of knowledge both of good and euil But let it be that we graūted thē this yet for all that we will draw this from them agaynst their willes that the theefe was that day deliuered out of the misery whereunto Adam fell wherin he transgressed the commaūdemēt that was geuen him and so euerlasting lyfe was restored to the theefe Moreouer when as I shall hereafter speake of death I will sufficiently declare as I thinke after what sort our first parents dyed the same day in which they estraunged thēselues from God And now must I turne my talke to those who remembring the promises of God doe rest in them with a quiet conscience And therefore my brethren let not this fayth be shaken of from you no not although hell gates should lift thēselues vp agaynst you seing you haue God for your pledge who can not deny his trueth For his speach is not darke which he deliuereth vnto his church being yet but a straunger here below in this world when he sayth Isaiah 60.19 Thou shalt haue no more sunne to shine by day neither shall the brightnes of the Moone shine to thee For the Lord shall be thine euerlasting light and thy God thy glory So that as they are ordinarily wonted if they will stretch this vnto the last resurrection it shall be an easy matter for vs to refell their vanitye by euery word of the chapiter seing that the Lord hath now promised his Christ and that the Gentiles shall be now adopted and called vnto Fayth Let vs alwayes call to minde that saying which the spirite of God hath taught vs by the mouth of Dauid Psal 92.12 13.14 The lust shall florishe as the Date tree and shall be multiplyed as the Cedars in Libanus For they that are planted in the house of the Lord shall florishe in the Courte of our God And in their age shall bring forth fruite and be freshe and in good case Neither maruell you at this because it seemeth that the powers of nature doe fayle whē you heare that age shall be green budding and fruitefull But cōsidering these thinges with your selfe sing vnto your soule after the example of Dauid Psal 103.5 My soule blesse thou the Lord who hath filled thy mouth with goodnes thy youth shall be renued Psal 121.8 as the youth of an Eagle Remitt all the rest vnto the Lord Who looketh vnto our comming in Ioel. 2.23 and our going out from this tyme forth for euermore It is he which causeth the morning and euening dewes to rayne vpon his chosen faithfull Of whome it is sayd Psal 68.21 our God is the God of deliueraunce and the issue of death is from the Lord God Iesus Christ hath vnto vs this goodnes of the Father when as he hath sayd O Father Iohn 17.24 those whome thou hast geuē me I will that where I am that they be also there to the end they might see the brightnes which
is so quickened as that it causeth the spirituall body to consume al corruption and not to feare any separation To be short albeit I graunt vnto them all thinges concerning a liuing soule vpon which title as I haue before sayd I stand not yet that seat of the Image of God remayneth whole and sound be it that they terme it by the name of soule or spirit or by some other title Neither is it a harder matter to refell that saying which they bring out of the 37. Chapiter of Ezechiell where the Prophet describing the order of the resurrection calleth the spirite from the foure windes that it might blowe life into the dry boanes Whereupō they verily think it a very good consequent that the soule of man is none other thing but a mouing power without substaunce which power vanisheth away in death but is receiued agayne in the generall resurrection As if it were not likewise lawfull for me to inferre after the same manner to witt that the spirite of God is a winde or vanishing motion seing that Ezechiell in the first visiō nameth winde or breath in stead of the eternall spirite of God But it shall be an easye matter for any man without he be too too blockish to resolue this doubt which these Gallauntes can neither marke nor perceiue as learned and sharpewitted as they are For in both these places hath bene set downe the very same thing which the prophets very often haue set down who figure out spirituall thinges that are beyond mans reach and reason by corporall and visible signes And therefore Ezechiell entended liuely to set before our eyes as by a vision liuely pictured aswell the spirit of God as also the spirites of men and because the same was contrary to the spirituall nature he hath borrowed a similitude from corporall thinges which was as it were an Image or paterne thereof The second obiection whiche they make is this for although say they the soule was endued with immortallity yet notwithstanding because it sinned it hath through that sinne lost her immortality And this punishment was ordayned for sinne and denounced to our first Parents Gen. 2. where it is sayd You shall dye the death And S. Paule sayth Rom. 6. That death is the reward of sinne The prophet also cryeth out and sayth Eze. 18. That the Soule which sinneth shall dye And these and such other like places these drowsy sleapers alleadge for that purpose But in the first place I aske them was not the Deuill also payd with the same reward for sinne And yet for all that he is not so dead but that he waketh cōtinually compassing here and there seeking whom he may deuour still busiyng himselfe emongest the children of vnbelief Moreouer I aske them whether this death shall haue an end or not If there be no end thereof as in deede they must needes so confesse these then howsoeuer they are dead shall feele notwithstanding euerlasting hell fire and the worme whiche neuer dyeth These thinges therefore playnely shew vs that although the soule be dead yet it is immortall whiche wee graunt them and say that it feeleth both good and euil and that this death is an other manner of thing then that whiche they would haue to witt that it should turne to nothing Neither haue the scriptures forgotten this and that they should haue found if they had bestowed their minde and applied their wit vnto them rather then arogātly and after a proud maner to stand to that whiche their drunken sleapy brayn hath told them For when God pronounceth this sentence agaynst a sinneful man and sayth thou art dust and into dust shalt returne to wit sayth he any other thing but that that which is taken framed out of the earth shall returne vnto the earth And what becommeth then I beseech you of the soule Goeth it into the graue to become rotten stincking But we will handle these thinges hereafter a little more playnely Why doe they then goe thus about the bushe we haue already heard that that which is of the earth must goe agayne to the earth Nowe is there any reason that we should plunge the soule of mā vnder the earth It is not sayd that man shal returne vnto the earth But the thing which is dust shall return into dust And the thing that was made of the slime of the earth is thys dust It is that forsooth that shall returne into dust and not the soule which God gaue vnto man as a thing taken from els where thē from the earth After this sort we read in the booke of Iob Iob. 10.9.12 Remember O Lord that thou hast made me as the clay and wilt thou turne me into dust agayne He speaketh there of the Body and a litle after he speaketh of the soule and sayth thou hast geuē me life and grace and thy visytation hath preserued my spirit And therfore this life shall not turne into dust For the death of the soule is farre otherwise to wit Gods dreadfull iudgement the burden whereof the poore soule is no way able to beare but must be vtterly confounded and destroyed as by the scriptures we are taught as they whom God hath liuely touched haue by experience most fearefully felt And to the end we might beginne at Adam who first obtayned this gentle reward let vs somewhat consider what hart he had or to speake more properly what was in him at all whenas he heard this terrible voyce Adam where art thou This is a thing easelier thought of thē spoken Although in very deed a mā can not think of it except he eftsoonnes feeleth the same And like as the mightynesse and excellēcy of the Maiesty of God can not in wordes be expressed so also can not the terriblenes of his wrath be declared how greuous it is to those vpon whome it lighteth For they very wel see the anger of God and because they would auoyde it they are ready euen to plounge thēselues ouer head and eares in a thousand bottomlesse depthes and yet are no way able to escape it And who is he that will not graunt this to be a death in deede Agayne I say that a few wordes will serue them who haue bene seared with the hoate yron of conscience And therfore let them which haue not had experience thereof heare what the scriptures say whenas it is sayd Deut. 4. Our God is a consuming fier who whē he speaketh in iudgement killeth And such one knew they him to bee which sayde Exod. 20. Let not the Lorde speake vnto vs for feare we dye Wilt thou then knowe what the death of the soule is It is euen this whenas it is without God and that he forsaketh it leaueth it vnto her self For since God is the light thereof she loseth her life whenas she loseth his presence And to the end we might shewe that by particularityes whiche haue bene sayd in generall since it
body soule For this generall death wherof as by the common necessitie of nature we all dye is a naturall way for the elect to come to the souereigne degree of Immortalitie Augustine in his 43. Chap. of the difference betwene the lyfe of maÌ„ the lyfe of brute beastes rather then to any euill or punishment And as S. Augustine sayth It is nothing els but a finishing of the fleshe which consumeth not the thinges that are fast ioyned and knit together but maketh a partition of them when as it bringeth both the one and the other to their first originall The third thing which they alleadge Acts. 7. is that which they so often speake of those which are dead Iohn 11.11 2. Thes 4.3 Kings 11 21.43 to witt That they sleape As it is sayd of S. Stephen That he sleapt in the Lord. Lykewise Lazarus our friend sleapeth Also sorrow not for them that sleape And this saying is so often repeated in the bookes of the kinges as that a man shall scarcely finde any phrase of the scripture more familyar and common But chiefely aboue all Iob. 14.7.11 they vrge and make a great reckoning of the saying in the booke of Iob where it is sayd There is hope of a tree if it be cut downe that it will yet sproute and the braunches thereof spring but when a man is dead what is become of him As the waters passe froÌ„ the sea and as the flood decayeth and dryeth vp euen so a man after he be a sleape ryseth not agayne neither shall he wake out of his sleape vntill such tyme as the heauen be not Now if we beleue that the soules sleape because that death is called a sleape In the first place the soule of Iesus Christ was possessed with the very same sleape Psal 3.5 For Dauid so speaketh of him selfe I layd me down and sleapt and rose vp agayne for the Lord susteyned me His enemies also vsed this wicked speach towardes him Psal 41.8 Shall he that sleapeth rise any more agayne Wherefore if it bee not lawfull to thinke so basely and vily of the soule of christ as heretofore hath largely bene handeled we ought not to stand in doubt that the scripture had onely regard vnto the outward shape of the bodye neither yet hath deryued and fetcht this sleape from the consideration of men For these two manner of speaches he sleapt with his fathers and he was layd or buried with his Fathers we take indifferently And yet by the way the soule is not layde or buryed by the soules of the Fathers But the body is caryed to be layd in the graue of the Fathers Samuell lykewise in the story of the Kinges attributeth this sleape vnto the Faythlesse kinges as may be seene in the two last bookes of the kings as also in the bookes of the Cronicles And therefore when thou hearest it sayd that a wicked man sleapeth thinke thou not once of the sleape of the soule which can not haue a worse hangman to torment and vexe it then an ill and guilty conscience what becommeth then of this dreamer or sleaper who is thus vexed and distressed Isyiah 57. ver 20.21 For the wicked are lyke vnto the raging sea which can not calme it selfe when it lusteth whose flowing surges cast vp filth and stinking badgage There is no peace sayth the Lord vnto the wicked Neuerthelesse Dauid meaning to set forth the sharpe pricking sting of the coÌ„science Psal 13. ver 3. sayth O Lord my God lighten mine eyes that I sleape not in death Thus we see that the bottomles depth of hell holdeth wretched man besieged and the streÌ„gth of sinne tormeÌ„teth him and yet he sleapeth yea he doth more then sleape because he abideth all these thinges And therefore these simple and ignoraunt fondlinges must be set agayne to their A. B. C. seing they haue not as yet learned that part is sometymys taken for the whole and sometimes the whole for parte which figure is so oftentimes vsed in the scriptures Neither would I haue any man beleue me except I strst bring forth certaine places which playnely shew that so often as this saying sleaping is taken for death Iob. 7.21 it is spoken by a figure called Synecdoche For when Iob sayth Behold I sleape now in the dust and if thou seekest me in the morning I shall haue no more being Is it to be thought that his soul should be ouercome with sleape Now therefore the soule is not to be turned into dust Iob. 21. v. 2.6 nei is it to sleape in the dust As also it is sayd in another place They shall sleape both in the dust and the wormes shall couer theÌ„ Psal 88. ver 5. And when Dauid sayth Lyke the slayne lying in the graue Art thou of the opinion that Iob and Dauid by these sayings haue put out the soules to be eaten of wormes Isaiah 14. ver 7.8 The prophet likewise teacheth vs eueÌ„ the very selfe same thing who meaning to describe the destruction of Nebuchadnezer saith after this maner Isaiah 14. Verses 18.19 The whole world is at rest and is quiet The firre trees also reioyced of thee and the Cedars of Lybanon saying Since thou sleapst none hath rysen vp to come agaynst vs. And anon after it is sayd All the kings of the nations euen they all sleape in glory euery one in his owne house but thou art cast out of thy graue All which thinges are spoken of a dead body so that to sleape is to be layd down as they are which sleape Horace in his â—des who are layd vpon the earth The very pagane Poets were able to geue instructions of this manner of speaking And therefore haue in the olde tyme called the place which was appoynted to burye the dead a Churchyard which signifieth asmuch as a dorture or a place of sleape and rest Not meaning thereby that the soules were there layd to reast them selues but the dead bodies I trust now by this tyme that the smokes of these our Gallants are already well vanished wherein they haue wrapped the sleapy soules since it hath ben proued that in the whole volume of the scripture there cannot be found that this word Sleape so often as it is set downe for death is attributed vnto the soules and spirites And besides we haue els where more at large handled the reast of the soules For their fourth obiection they take great hold of the saying of Salamon as if thereby they had some great matter to thunder out agaynst vs Where it is sayd in the booke of Ecclesiastes or of the Preacher Ecclesi 3. ver 18. I considered in mine hart vpon the state of the children of men that God had purged them yet to see to they are in themselues lyke vnto beastes For the condition of the children of men and the condition of beastes are euen as one condition vnto them For as the
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
people that fought where prayers are appoynted for the dead to the end that by them their sinnes might be forgeuen It may be that they haue other Arguments but as yet I know them not For in very deede I haue not altogether seene all their gloses and drowsy dreames And for any thing I know I haue leaft out nothing which may cause the vnlearneder sort to chaunge or wauer But I agayne desier all those which shall reade this to remember that the Anabaptists whome it is enough that I haue so named for the declaration of all kindes of horrible wickednes are the Aucthors of this iolly doctrine For we are of very right to suspect whatsoeuer coÌ„meth out of such a filthy Iakes beastly Shopp which hath deuised and dayly deuiseth so many monstrous thinges 1. Timo. 1.17 Vnto the king euerlasting immortall inuisible vnto God onely wise be honor and Glory for euer and euer FINIS †The opinion and absolute conclusion of Maister Iohn Calvine in and about the questions ensuing agreeing with the opinion of Phillip Melancton Peter Martyr and Martin Bucer All godly notable and excellent learned Ministers in the Church of God BEcause sayth he I verely think that the parties abouenamed haue sufficiently sayd that that man doth not the duety of a Christian who in all the dayes of his lyfe maketh not a confession of his fayth Much lesse then he who defileth himselfe with dissimuling of Idolatry therefore will I cease to dispute thereof at large Neuerthelesse This is my opinion and aunswere to the Questions following First Whether a godly and deuoute man may rather forsake his Countrey and leaue his calling then to be present at Masses at the celebration of the burialls of the dead after the popishe manner and vsurpe such ceremonies of Popery as are agaynst the word of God I aunswere that not onely the spirituall Worshipp of God but also the outward profession of him wherein is conteyned the glory of his Maiestie are to be preferred before Countrey and kinsefolkes yea before lyfe it selfe And therefore whosoeuer they be which lyue in such places as that they cannot performe that duety vnto God which is necessarily required of all Christians let them vnderstand thus much that this commaundement stretcheth it selfe aswell vnto them as vnto Abraham where it is sayd in Gene. 12.1 Get the out of thy Countrey from emongest thy kinred except peraduenture they haue this couragious minde with them that they had rather dye whensoeuer they shall be driuen thereto theÌ„ forsake their profession for any fauour or gayne whatsoeuer which they may any way obtaine at the handes of men Here is also another obiection that no lawfull vocation or calling appointed by God is for any cause vnaduisedly to be neglected and therefore in no wise to be voluntarily leaft I aunswere that euery Christian is bound vnto his calling euen to the vttermost of his power Wherefore except God would render vp his owne title and interest there is nothing that ought or may hold vs from doing our duety For either God is to be respected in the calling or els we haue some other end and purpose And therefore without we make the chiefest accompt of the glory of God this name or title of calling is but vainely foisted in Howbeit if this obtayne the principall place as it is good reason it should we are to call to minde that we are so farfourth bound to our calling as that it ought by no meane to withdraw vs from the true and sincere worshipp of God To be short lyke as the first table of the law taketh place before the second Euen so lykewise are all the dueties of the second Table to be directed vnto it as to a true and perfect square For this is the somme and effect of the first Table to hold and keepe the pure worshipp adoration inuocation of our God This therefore is my opinion That there is nothing in all the world of so great a price whatsoeuer which ought to cause any Christian to prophane himselfe with any dregges of superstition thereby to dyminishe or violate the worshipp of God For if he doe it is impossible for him to be excused Furthermore when as I in this sort shall set downe that popishe Masses and dyrges and all solemne prayers wherein the dead Saintes are called vpoÌ„ are of this kinde he that shall heare me will neuer agree to heare Masse or yet be present at any such filthy trashe neither yet once flatter himselfe as if he might doe it But what if some man by fine and cleanly dissembling for the CommoÌ„weales sake and the benefite of many were able to redeeme great riches and commodities I aunswere that none of all these thing are able once to counteruaile the true and necessary profession of the worship of God and the testimony of Religion And besideâ— it is not for vs to make a reckoning of thaâ— which shall be most profitable But we arâ— to follow that which the Lord prescribeth vnto vs. For it belongeth to God alone to gouerne the euentes Lastly it is not for vs to alteâ— that which he hath set downe by any cyrcumstaunces but we are to keepe our selues vnspotted and blameles towardes his Maiestie both in soule and body But what if a greuous and hurtefull offence should arise through the departure of some so that the cruelty of the vngodly might be prouoked and occasion of backslyding be geuen to the weake I aunswere that this is a thing vncertayne vnto vs For God may so moderate the matter as that all thinges may turne to the contrary And surely there is not so much hurt to be feared thereof as hope of much good For how furiously soeuer the wicked are blinded it will be a notable hoate yron to wound their consciences to see that they which doe depart had rather forsake their Countrey kinsfolkes and whatsoeuer els that men greatlyest delight in then to defile themselues with Idolatry And â—herefore such great magnanimitie will â—ore preuaile to burst their stubborne harts â—hen furiously set them on fier And it will â—e a cause rather to confirme the weake â—hen make them stumble and stagger at it Neuerthelesse be it that all these daungers â—ang euen ouer our hedds yet is it our duâ—y to goe on without all controuersie and â—aynesaying whether soeuer it shall please â—he Lord our God to call vs and commend â—nto his Maiestie the gouernement of the â—uentes Onely let vs make earnest and â—arty prayers that he would turne and diâ—ect them to a good end and purpose Here also ariseth a complaynt of those which are very well able to helpe and reâ—ieue the poore Brethren that are troubled â—or the testimony of Christ For if say they â—hey forsake the place they also leaue them without helpe I aunswere that there can be no better â—ouncell geuen to such then euen to haâ—ard their lyues for the confirmation of the glory of Christ Howbeit if they haue not â—hat courage no duety of the second Table â—xcuseth them from Idolatry and other â—regges of superstition Now then to come to the very state and â—umme of the Question I thinke that this mine aunswere differeth not from the â—udgement of the rest For seing that Maiâ—ter Phillip with whome the other two agree although he aunswereth not perticulerly and seuerally vnto these obiections yet since in a word he excludeth all pretenses he sufficiently testifieth that in his opinion there is nothing of so great waight nor more pernicious then to geue lybertie to a Christian to vse the very least dissembled profession of Idolatry FINIS AT LONDON Printed by Iohn Day dwelling ouer Aldersgate Anno. Domi. 1581.