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
A short instruction for to arme all good Christian people agaynst the pestiferous errours of the common secte of Anabaptistes ¶ Compyled by Mayster Iohn Caluine ¶ The contentes of thys boke ☞ In this boke are first reproued fiue articles cōtayned in one resolution composed by the patriarches of that secte which articles are common to them all that is to saye Of the baptisme of infantes Of excommunicacion Of the ryghte or authoritie to beare armore Of the power of princes Of sweringe Also two other articles Of the incarnacion of Iesus Christe Of the life and condicion of the folles betwene death the daye of the laste resurrection ¶ Iohn Caluine to the ministers of the churches in the countie of Newecastel IF anye man maruell my dere brethren and companions in the worcke of the Lorde that I wyll occupie my selfe to answere vnto a boke whyche is vnworthy to be spokē of or to be made mencion of seinge that I maye occupye my selfe as men thincke in beter thynges and thynges of more frute it shal be sufficiente excuse for me to alledge that I haue done it at the request and instaunce of manye good fayethful men wyth sente the boke to me from far countries which testimonie that it was verye nedefull for the helth of many soules that I shoulde take it in hand For I thincke verelye that this should be sufficient to contente them that be resonable that my intente was to obtayne as well to the iudgementes as to the desires of them whiche I knewe to be zelous for the glory of God and the edification of his people But yet haue I an other answere for to excuse me by to them which may thinke that it is foly in me to occupie my selfe in a thyng so barren and trifelynge as is thys little boke which apereth to be made by ignoraunte people which is that we haue no greater priuyledge than had the prophetes of God and that oure payne is no more preciouse than was theirs Nowe we se that Ezechiel was constrayned to speake and write not only agaynst disceiuers which were ignoraunte and of no reputacion but also agaynste women which woulde be prophetesses Seynge the prophet spared not to dispute agaynste women ye and that it was commaunded hym by God so to do because thorow their leasynges they led the people to supersticiō and erroure and letted the veritie of his course it should be a presūption to vs not to wytsafe to do the lyke It is trewe that thys boke whiche I am desired and exhorted to confute hath no nede of resolution towardes them that haue learnynge and vnderstandynge for as muche as of it selfe it is sufficientelye reproued in that it is so vnlearnedly folishly written But for as much as it hath a certayne coloure to abuse and circumuente the simple which haue not the iudgemente to discerne oure dutye is to helpe them and aduertise thē of the malicious subtelties of sathan to the intente that they be not thorow imprudence disceiued we are dettours to one and other sayeth sanicte Paule Therefore we muste do seruice vnto all as muche as in vs is specially whan necessitye requireth it I protest therfore that myne entencion is onlye in shorte or fewe wordes to shewe vnto all fayethfull christen men which be rude and vnlerned what and how daūgerous a poyson thys doctrine of the Anabaptistes is and also arme them by the word of God agaynste the same to the ende that they be not disceyued or if ther be any which all redy be wrapped in their snares that they may be brought agayne vnto the ryght way Wherefore I beseche all them whiche desire to continew in the pure knowledge of Iesus Christe and in the obedience of his Gospel to take paynes to rede attentiuely thys little boke euen as I haue dedicated it vnto them and also take the paynes well to peyse the resonnes whiche I do alledge vnto them that they maye abyde in the trueth whan it is declared vnto them Therefore reason whyche moued me to dedicate this presēt treatise vnto you is double Fyrste bycause it shoulde be a publyke testimonie of the coniunction whiche I haue and desier alwayes to haue wyth you and that al menne myghte knowe howe we are vnited as wel in doctrine as in affection of herte The seconde is to the ende that the redynge thereof myghte be the better commended and receyued of all them ouer whom you haue charge to bere the worde of Iesus Christe in suche sorte that the churches ouer whych the prynce of pastours hath made your ministers maye be intertayned in pure doctrine and preserued from al peruerse opinions contrarying the truth of the gospel It is true that you myght right well my dere brethren haue discharged me of thys payne And also alredye oure brother M. Wyllyam Farell accordynge vnto the grace whyche God hathe geuē him and the exersies whiche he hath of longe tyme had and continual custume in fyghtyng astaynste the ennemyes of the trueth and resistynge all false doctrines for to mayntayne Christes kyngedome hath well satisfied you in parte in that thynge whyche you nowe require of me As I haue sene by the actes of a disputatiō done in the good towne In such sorte that of those Articles whyche are there treated no man can desyre a more suffitiente declaration to satisfy hys conscience then is ther geuen But bycause they vnto whome I desyre and am bound to do seruice do make me beleue that it is necessarie that I take thys charge vpon me I wyll consent vnto theyr request without makynge any longer excuses The Lord Iesus Christe haue you alwayes in hys holye protection and hys churches whiche he hathe committed vnto you and leade you by hys holye spirite alwayes for to serue hym with youre ministerye vnto hys honoure and vnto the healthe of hys pore people Amen ☞ From Geneua the fyrst of Iune Anno Domini M. D.xl.iiii Of the Anabaptistes TO write against al the false opinions errours of the Anabaptistes shoulde be a thing to lōg such a botōles pit as I could not wel come out of For this cāker differeth in thys thinge frō al other sectes of heretikes that she hath not erred only in certain points but she hath ingēdred a hole sea as it were of folish salse opinions In such wise that skant shal a man find one Anabaptist which hath not some phātasy singular which his felowes haue not So that if we wold plucke out or reherse al their wicked doctrines we should neuer make an end But nowe at lenght they become vnto two principal sectes whereof that on though she be ful of wicked pernicius erroures yet doth she abide in much more simpliciti For she yet receiueth the holy scripture as we do And if men do dispute with those that be of the secte it shal be perceiued wher in they dissēt frō vs they wil expresse thermeaning in cōclusiō
a vocation if it letted a manne to be the seruaunte of God Saynte Paule exhorteth euery christian man to persiste in that vocation in the whyche he was called All shepeheardes and labourers of the earth all handye craftes and suche lyke oughte to thynke theyr estate holy and that it hyndereth them nothynge towchynge christian perfection Let vs se nowe whyche estate is mooste approued of God of one that keapeth beastes or of one that gouerneth the people whyche is not onelye approued but also praysed as worthye and excellente aboue all other I wyll cease to rehearse a greate meynye testimonies whyche make well for the probation of thys matter onely for breuites sake And also bycause one onely is suffitiente for vs. What greater prayse wyll we haue of anye estate then that by Gods owne mouth it be called diuine If this title be geuen vnto the estate of Prynces who shall dare saye that it is vnmete for a fayethful man Nowe it hath a more large prayse For the Lorde sheweth thys fauoure to Prynces as to call theym Goddes and that not for theyr owne persons sake but in cōsideration of the dignitie wherein they are The Lorde Iesus sheweth the reason why that is bycause god hath committed and ordeyned such a charge vnto theym Me thynke that God canne not geue a more expresse testimonye for the approbation of anye estate then when he communicateth hys name vnto that man which is constitute in the same as if he called hym hys Lieuetenaunt whyche representeth hys person Wherefore I conclude that who so euer despiseth this vocation so muche honored of God doeth blaspheme hys heauenlye maiesty They wyl answer me that to make it inferiour to the christian perfection is not to disprayse it But I replye that they can not speake wyth greater contumelye For in sayinge that it can not stande wyth christianitie they do reiecte it as a prophane thynge I passe not of theyr faire coloure by whyche they couer theyr blasphemye in sayinge that it is an ordinaunce of God For the whole matter standeth in thys whether it be an holy office which may be exercised by the faithfull or whether a man whych commeth therto be thereby polluted Nowe they do saye that who so euer doeth sytte in the seate of iustice can not be reputed a christian manne bycause the office of a swerde hathe no place in Christes churche Though ther were no more but that which saynte Paule sayeth there were inoughe to contente all suche as wyll agree to reason He pronounceth that prynces are ministers of God and that the swerde is geuen theym by God for the cōseruation of the good and puneshemente of the euyll Vpon these wordes these poore frensye menne do make thys glose that it is very true that they be ordeyned of God but yet that it is not lawefull for a fayethfull manne to take it on hym Whyche is as one woulde saye I confesse that thys worke is commaūded of God but there is no man that can do it wyth a good conscience and also who so euer shall do it shall forsake God I praye you is there anye man that hath but oune once of brayne that wyll speake on thys maner I woulde they shoulde answere me in thys one thyng Seynge they put no doubte but that all handye craftes whyche are ordeyned to serue vnto the commune vtilitie of mankynde are lawfull and holye wherefore do they exclud out of thys numbre the vocatiō of prynces whiche doeth excell all the other As for example They denye not but that a christian man maye be a tayloure or a shoomaker And yet these craftes haue no expresse wytnes in the scriptures Wherfore thē do not they as wel permit a christian manne to be a minister of Iustice seynge that that estate hath so large approbation praise of the mouth of God God doth pronounce that Prynces and all Superiours are hys ministers and that he hathe ordeyned theym to be defenders of the good and innocente and to chastyce the wicked and that in doinge thys they do execute hys worcke whych he hathe committed into theyr handes What Deuyll constrayneth these frensye menne to make thys addition that the maMagistrates in seruynge God are shutte oute frome the companye of Christen men Whyche thing is not done to the hangeman for dogges by theyr owne cōfession I wyll aledge one place more and then an ende Saynt Paule perceyuing in his tyme that the most parte of the princes were mortall enemies of the Gospell that this thing myght stomake the faythfull and cause them to beare no good affection towardes theym doth cōmaund Timothe that solēne praiers shoulde be made for theim in the churche addynge for a reason that God would that all should be saued and come to the knowledge of the trueth He meaneth not that God wyll brynge to saluation and by consequence to the knowledge of his gospell all men of the earth frō the fyrst vnto the laste but he meaneth al estates bicause it might appeare that this estate of princes of which he spak was as it were reiecte curssed for asmuch as all dyd persecute the gospel Whiche thing if it had bene true it had bene superfluous foly to pray for them Lette vs now gather out of these wordes of the Apostle that which may playnely be gathered and seduced If god wil bring Princes vnto the knowledge of hys trueth by what authoritye wyll the Anabaptystes thurste theym oute If any man wyll replye that Prynces maye well be conuerted vnto God but that muste be in forsakynge their dignitie That saiyng is to to manifeste agaynste the mynde of Saynte Paule For saynte Paule sayeth not that they sholde forsake theyr Principalities for to become christiās And also the wordes that he vseth cā in no wyse stande wyth suche euasion For if it behoued a prynce to geue ouer hys dignitye to become a christian man it shoulde folowe that that estate shoulde be voyde of the grace of God as vnlawfull reproued But they thynke surely that they haue inuincible obiections to excommunicate oute of the churche and from all hope of saluatiō the estate of Prynces in alledgynge certaine places euyll vnderstanded whych they wrest shamfully to thys purpose Fyrste they aledge that the Lorde Iesus dyd not ordayne that the womanne whyche was taken in adulterye shoulde be stoned to death as the lawe of God required but that he vsed mercye towardes hyr sayinge Go sinne no more Before I answere I wyl are one question of them They saye that in the christian church excommunication doth succede the materiall swerde in suche wise that where as afore tyme a cryme was punished by death nowe the offender oughte to be punished by priuatiō from the companye of the fayethfull Therefore I aske them how they wyll excuse Iesus Christe for that which he hath done For he hathe not obserued theyr rule neyther in condemnynge the woman to be banished from the holy
makynge of man be entreth into consultation sayinge Let vs make mā to our Image and lykenes Nowe where shall we fynde thys Image of God excepte there be a spirituall essence in man in whyche it is imprynted For the bodye is not that thynge wherein the Image of God is residente It is true that Moyses by and by addeth that manne was made a lyuynge soule whyche thing he doeth saye also of Beastes But to declare a speciall excellencye he saith That God hath inspired the vertue of lyfe in the bodye whyche he made of the earth Therefore thoughe the soule of man haue certayne qualities cōmune wyth those of beastes yet for as much as she beareth the Image lykenes of God she is of condition differente from the other And for as much also as she hath hyr beginnyng apart she is of an other preheminence and thys is it that Solomon meaneth where he sayeth that in deathe the bodye returneth vnto the earth whence it was taken and the soule returneth to God whych gaue it And therfore it is sayd in the boke of Sapience That man is immortall in that he is created to the Image of God It is no autētyke boke of the scripture but yet is there no inconuenience that wee vse the testimonye thereof as we maye do of an aunciente doctoure how be it thys onely reason oughte to suffice vs that the same image of God whiche was set in man can not be but in a spirit immortall if we marke well what it doeth containe after saint Paules exposition that is that we do resemble God in ryghtuousenes and true holines Thys muche is sayed touchynge the creation ☞ Nowe are there manye places in holye scripture whyche are muche more euidente as where Sainte Peter sayeth that the rewarde of oure fayth is the saluation of our soules Also where he sayeth that the fayethfull do purifie theyr soules Agayne that the desyres of the fleshe do fyghte agaynste the soule Also where he calleth Christe the Byshop of oure soules For these sentences can not consiste excepte there be soules whyche be saued and whych be assaulted by euil cōcupiscences whyche be purified from their spottes and gouerned by Iesus Christ their byshop Accordynge to thys it is sayed in the hystorye of Iob that men do dwel in earthē housses whych maner of speakyng S. Peter vseth where he sayeth that he wyll admonyshe the fayethfull as longe as he shall dwell in hys earthlye tabernacle If it were not that the pryncipall parte of manne dyd dwell in the bodye as in a tabernacle thys shoulde be spoken wythout reason The Apostle also in his Epistle to the Hebrues declareth as muche or more expreslye the same thynge where he sayeth that oure fathers whych begat vs in thys worlde are fathers of oure fleshe but God onelye is father of our spirites I praye you how shal we vnderstande these wordes if the soule be not an essensiall thynge and a lyttle after speakynge of the citezyns of heauen he sayeth that they be the Aungels and spirites of Iuste men Woulde we haue a more cleare proste then this Also I se not howe we shal expounde the exhortation whyche S. Paule maketh vnto vs that we shold purge vs frō all fylthynes of the fleshe and the spirite except we take this word spirit for an essential soule For as the bodye is a subiecte whych receyueth pollutiō so muste it needes be that the soule on hyr behalfe be a creature which may be polluted sanctified ☞ There is a lyke reason in that where he sayth in an other place that the spirite of god beareth wytnes to our spirites that we be the chyldren of God Howbeit if we dyd hold that principle whiche oughte to be certain amongest vs christen mē we should not nede to enter into disputatiō of this matter that is to say whether the soule be an essensiall substaunce or no seynge that thys was the errour of the Saduces whyche expreslye is reproued in the scripture For in the .xxiii. of the Actes it is saied that saint Paule goynge about to excuse hym selfe doeth protest that he was persecuted bicause he did not approue the sect of the Saduces And Saynte Luke declaryng what this secte was sayeth that the Saduces do not beleue the resurrection nor that there be any Aungels or anye spirites or soules What wyl we haue more then thys S Paule confesseth that he is a Pharisee in hys Articles Now is it playne that the Phariseis do confesse as sayeth Saynte Luke that the soules be verye essensiall creatures ☞ Therefore lette the Anabaptistes take the quarell of the Saduces theyr predecessours and defende it agaynst saynte Paule And when they haue wonne theyr cause agaynste hym then shall we se what we canne saye vnto them In the meane whyle we folowynge the whole doctryne of God wyll holde for certayne that manne is composed and conlifteth of two partes that is to say of bodye and soule It is now tyme to come vnto the .ii. point that is what is the estate of the soules after the separatiō frō their bodies The Anabaptistes do thinke that they be a slepe like dead We saye they haue lyfe and felynge and that it so is we haue the testimony of Iesus Christe where he exhorteth his disciples not to feare them whyche do kyll the bodye and haue no power to kyll the soule but to feare hym whyche after he hathe kylled the bodye can caste the soule into hell fyre if the soule were nothynge or that shee were as kylled when she is separate frome the bodye then were it not true that tyrauntes and persecutours haue no power ouer hyr Thus hath God shewed greate mercy vnto vs in that he hathe not made oure soules subiecte vnto these hangmen whyche wolde do worsse and more cruellye then all the persecutours of the worlde whyche is woulde murther oure soules wyth oure bodies But let vs heare theyr propre cauelation It is true saye they that the Soule dyeth for the tyme but she doeth not vtterly perish for as muche as shee shall ryse agayne ☞ I aske them what doeth the body For if the soule doeth not dye alonely bycause of the hope whyche she hathe bycause of the resurrection the same reason may be made for the bodye that he doeth not peryshe nother Nowe the Lorde Iesus doeth notably decerne betwene the one and the other sayinge that the body is staine and not the soule In thys maner spake Iesus Christe when he sayed vnto the Iewes destroye thys temple and I wyll reedifye it in thre dayes Saynte Iohn added that he spake of the temple of hys body thus he reserued the soule a parte signifiynge that he coulde not be distroyed and in dede when he dyed he commended hir vnto God hys father And saynte Stephan after hys ensample Lorde Iesus sayed he receyue my spirite Thys oughte we therefore to thynke that God is protectour of our soules to preserue them from
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