doth take hold of many matters and exhibite them to the vnderstanding And as many times captaines being drawn on by the errour of their spies do attempt some exploits which redound to their great harme so reason being beguiled with the errour of imagination doth fall into folly and rashnes The Greeke Philosophers doe erre about the imagination of maÌ„ some of them doe make it to bee all one with the common sense some make the imaginatioÌ„ in man in brute beastes to be both alike but both the assertions are erronious for the common sense or inwarde sense dooth in the same moment of time together with the outward senses perceiue those things which do fall vnder sense and when the obiect is remoued the actioÌ„ of the coÌ„mon sense doth vterly cease but the imaginatioÌ„ although the bodies be taken away yet it doth retain the formes and of diuerse things can make one as of a mountain and gold can make a golden mountaine Again the common or inwarde sense doth only perceiue those things which are brought vnto it by the benefite of the outward senses but imagination goeth further and doth put forth her power in high and lofty matters At the first sight of a wolfe the sheepe doth flie away and yet cannot that sagacity be attributed to the outward senses neither can we say that the imagination in brute beastes is the same that it is in man for in beastes it is occupied wholy in appetites in seeking those thinges wherewith it is delighted in flying froÌ„ those things which they imagine will bring harm But mans imagination doth beholde many thinges very farre remoued froÌ„ affections and appetites and when imagination hath conceiued many things and by the exhibiting of theÌ„ as it were rowsed reason out of sleepe then doth reason ponder discourse of the matters proceeding to fro from the effectes to the cause doth thereupon inferre conclusions and determine vpon resolutions Caluin Instit l. â— cap. 15. The commoÌ„ sense is as it were a receptacle into the which by the outward senses as by instrumentes all maner of obiectes are infused Phantasie dooth iudge of those thinges which bee apprehended by common sense Reason hath an vniuersall iudgement farre beyond those thinges which doe fall vnder sense And aboue them all that which is called Mens the minde doth with a quiet and fixed contemplation behold those thinges whereof reason hath discoursed The three faculties called cognitiuae the cognitiue or knowing faculties of the soule Caluin ibid. haue other three appetitiue faculties answering vnto them Voluntas the wil doth properly desire that which the mind and reason do propound Vis irascendi the courage doth catch at those thinges which are reached out by reason and fantasie And vis concupiscendi the concupiscence doth desire and apprehend such things as are obiected by fantasie and sense How all these should be rightly vsed it is thus defined by an ancient Father Gregor Mag in Prologo in 7. Psalm poenitent Caro quatuor constat elementis anima tribus vegetatur naturis est enim rationalis ad disceraendum concupiscibilis ad virtutes appetendum irascibilis ad vitia aduersandum The flesh consisteth of fower elemeÌ„ts and the soule is quickned in three natures for it is either rationall to discerne or concupiscible to desire vertue or irascible to abhorre sinne Some doe make in the soule three beginnings of actions Calu. Instit l. 2 cap. 15. sense vnderstanding appetite Some do more briefly bring it into a Dichotomy making onely two parts of the soule to witte vnderstanding and will vnder vnderstanding they do comprehend sense and in will they include appetite vnderstanding doth discerne decree and the will doth make choise of that which reasoÌ„ hath prescribed refuse what she hath disalowed The appetite if it do obey reasoÌ„ natural instinct it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an earnest desire but if it do shake off the yoke of reason it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sodain and rash perturbatioÌ„ which is rather a corruption infirmity theÌ„ a natural faculty of the soule The Orator or tather in that booke the Philosopher doth theÌ„ accouÌ„t the apetite to be a right force of the soule when it obeyeth reason Duplex est vis animorum Tul. lib. 1. off vna pars in appetitu posita altera in ratione quae docet explanat quid faciendum fugiendumque sit ita vt raâ—io praesit But our Christian faith geeth further and dooth teach vs that all our reason our thoughts Rom. 8.7 2 Cor 3 5. 1 Cor 2 14. Gen 8 21. Phil 2.13 Eph 4 23. Ioh. 1 9 2 Peter 1 19 2 Cor 4.4 1 Tim 5 6. Greg. in Ezech hom 17 our knowledge our appetites our wil our wisedome and the very spirites of our mind are blinde darke and euen dead vnlesse they be lightened by the beames of Gods word and quickened by his sanctifying Spirit It was well said of Gregorie Anima in corpore vita est carnis Deus autem qui viuificat omnia vita est animarum The soule in the bodie is the life of the flesh but God which quickeneth all things is the life of our soules And of Augustine Aug. de verbis dom in Math Cap. 8 sicut expirat corpus cum animam emittit ita expirat anima cum Deum amittit Deus amissus mors animae anima emissa mors corporis As the body dieth when it sendeth out the soule so doth the soule dye when it loseth God the seperation from God is the death of the soule euen as the parting of the soule is the death of the body This is opus animae regere inferiorem et regia superiore August lib 6 muâ—i cap 5 the proper office of the soule is to gouerne man and to be gouerned it selfe of God CHAP. III. Whether anima vegetatiua sensitiua et rationalis the vegetatiue sensitiue and rationall soules bee three seuerall formes of soules or but diuers faculties of one soule WHen the vegetatiue force the sensitiue life and the rational soule are considered in themselues and in their owne nature they must needs be accounted three distinct kindes because the first is in plants all things growing on the earth The second is common both to bruit beast and man And the third is proper to man onely But when they are all ioyned together in man then the question is whether they are to bee reckoned three sortes of animae or but only three distinct powers of one soule Galen doth in diuers of his bookes followe still the positions of Plato and as there are three principall parts of man the heart the brayne and the liuer so hee teacheth expressely that their seueral sortes of anima tres animae sunt species Gal. lib. de animi et corporis temperament mutua consequutione Gâ—l de placit Hipp. et Plat. lib. 9. saith he there
miseries of this worlde making light to shine in the middest of darkenesse Psal 112 4 Ioh. 16 20. and turning all their pensiuenesse into gladnesse but it conceiueth an assured hope of a better to wit an euerlasting life in the ioyes of heauen and that so soone as the soule is deliuered from the bodie The Apostle Paul did account his loosing from this prison to bee a present beeing with Christ I desire saith hee to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ Phil. 1.23 hee was assured that his remouing from this tabernacle should bee a present dwelling with the Lorde as hee saide wee had rather remoue out of the bodie 2. Cor. 5.8 and dwell with the Lord. Stephen prayed in faith and assurance that his soule should presently bee receiued into the hands of God Lord Iesus receiue my spirit Act 7.59 In the Reuelation of Saint Iohn Aopc 14.13 such a blessing and such a rest is promised to them that dye in the Lorde August in Psa 102. that their good workes may followe after them that is that God may crowne his giftes in them Our Sauiour saith to the repentant thiefe vpon the Crosse Luk. 23.43 This day thou shalt bee with mee in Paradise The soule of Lazarus beeing departed Luk. 16.22 was carried by Angelles into Abraham his bosome Polycarpus that holy Disciple of the Apostles amongst many excellent speeches at the time of his martyrdome added this Eccl. hist lib. 4 cap. 13. Hodiè representabor coram Deo in spiritu This day I shall be in soule represented before the Lorde The Wise man saith of the death of all the faithfull When earth goeth to earth Eccl 12.7 the spirit goeth to God which gaue it When the Prophet Dauid saith Psal 16 10. that God will not leaue his soule in hell nor suffer his holy one to see corruption No doubt hee prophesieth of the resurrection as it is expounded by Saint Peter Act. 2.29 but hee includeth in that resurrectioÌ„ of Christ the life also of his own soule hee called Christ his soule I liue saith the Apostle yet not I Gal. 2.20 but Christ liueth in me especially in the resurrection of Christ our life is hid with Christ Col. 3 2 therfore Dauid beleeueth that seeing his soule Vido Gen. 42 38. Iob 14.13 de significatione inferni Psal 16.11 and the life of his soule Christ Iesus shall not bee left in the graue he shall vndoubtedly be brought to the preseÌ„ce of God which hee calleth in the next verse a fulnesse of ioy and pleasures for euermore The hope of the Apostle Paul is to be made conformable to the death of Christ Phil. 3.10 vntill he come to the resurrection of the dead now as his death was no extinguishing of the humaine soule Ion. 2.3 Mat 12.39 but like the being â—f Ionas in the Whales belly his soule being stil safe and yeelded vp into the haÌ„ds of God as hee saide Father into thy handes I commend my spirite Luke 23.46 and like the sacrificing of Isaac wherein the soule remained vntouched so also by his quickening power Iohn 4.17 hee giueth to all his elect that well of water that springeth vp to eternall life The Ram which was offered in steed of Isaac may well signifie our body our irrationall part that dieth but the soule though it be a while bouÌ„d to the body as Isaac was bound yet as soone as the bandes are loosed it mounteth vp to the place of al blisse and perpetuall blessednes Our Sauiour saith Quia ego viuo vos viuetis Because I liue Iohn 14.19 Iohn 6.56 you shal liue I liue by the father and hee that feedeth on me shall liue by me Iohn 5.24 Hee that heareth my wordes hath life eternall and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life Eccle. hist lib 6. cap. 26. Aug. lib de heres c. 83 In decret distinct 2. de Iohanne Vide Gerson in sermone paschali Hereby are condemned two grosse heresies the one deuised first by the Arabians and after renewed by Iohn Bishoppe of Rome and of late defended by certain Anabaptistes to wit that the soule doth sleepe or dye with the body and that both are raysed vp againe together in the last day And the other of the Romish Catholikes confessing indeed that the soule liueth after death but yet that the soules of the children of God Their vsuall buls and indulgences goe for thousaÌ„ds of years doe and must remaine so many yeares or so many thousand yeares in Purgatory before they can be admitted to the ioyes of heauen For the former to wit such as defeÌ„d both body and soule to dye together and both at the last day to be raised together they are coÌ„demned as you haue heard by the manifest testimonies of the holy Scriptures you may adde if you please those wordes of our Sauiour Feare not them which kill the body Luke 12.5 and haue no power to kill the soule if the Soule dye as well as the body and together with the body how can it bee said that tyrants doe kill the one and not the other 2. Cor 5.1 4 How can the Apostle Paul desire no longer to be a Pilgrime from the Lord by remaining here in the body but rather to bee absent from the body and to bee present with the Lord vnlesse the soule remaine after death with what is God saide to bee present if both soule and body bee ouercome with death v. 1 or how can the Apostle say in the same place that when this earthly tabernacle is destroyed wee haue a building or house not made with hands but euerlasting in heauen vnlesse the soule do continue to possesse that heauenly habitation Our Sauiour Christ doth promise eternall life resurrection as two distinct things and the one taking place before the other Ioh. 6.39.40 This saith he is the will of the Father that whosoeuer beleeueth in the sonne should not perish but haue euerlasting life and I will rayse him vp in the last day Iohn 6.54 And againe hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath euerlasting life and I will rayse him vp in the last day And afterward Iohn 11.2 I am the resurrection and the life whosoeuer beleeueth in me though hee were dead yet hee shall liue and hee addeth hee that liueth and beleeueth in me shall not dye for euer The Saduces denyed not onely the resurrection but also the immortality of the soule Our Sauiour doth by one argument confute both their heresies Mat. 22 32 Exod. 3.6 God is the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob God is not a God of the dead but of the liuing therefore Abraham Isaack and Iacob doe now liue Rom 14.8.9 and all the Saintes shall liue for euer S. Paul saith whether wee liue wee
conceit of Purgatory or temporall punishments endured by the soules departed but as hauing an eye to the resurrection which was yet to ensue and neyther to be hastened nor to be deferred by any prayers and yet they prayed to testifie their hope as S. Paul praied for Onesiphorus 2. Tim. 1.18 that the Lorde would graunt vnto him that hee may find mercy with the Lord in that day meaning as some expound it the day of resurrection hee had a further respect in his praier then eyther to his life or to his death and so had the fathers a further respect then to the present estate of the soules for as for their present estate they did not doubt of their happy rest Augustine when hee prayed for his mother said Credo quodiam feceris quod te rogo Aug. confess lib. 9 cap. 12 sed voluntaria oris mei approbo Domine non respondebit illa se nihil delere sed respondebit demissa debita sua ab eo cui nemo reddet quod pro nobis no debens reddidit I beleeue that thou hast already graunted what I request but good Lord accept the voluntary wordes of my mouth shee shall not say that she oweth nothing but shee will answere that her debtes are forgiuen of him to whome no man can recompence that which hee hath freely done for vs. And so likewise although Ambrose prayed for Theodosius yet hee doubted not but that he was in eternal glory Ambros de obitu Theod. for so he affirmed Absolutus crimine fruitur nunc Theodosius luce perpetua tranquilitate diuturna sanctorumque caetibus gloriatur Theodosius hauing his sinne remitted doth euen now enioy perpetuall light and a lasting rest and doth triumph in the company of the saints by the name of prayers were oftē signified thanksgiuings 2. Tim. 2.22 psal 14.4 as indeed calling vpon the name of God is taken often in the scriptures for the whole seruice of God They had their commemoration of the dead especially at the ministration of the Lords supper which they tooke to bee Eucharistia a sacrament of thanksgiuing and as Chrysostome noteth what was done for the dead was done most in Hymnes doe testifie their ioy and thankfulnesse Quid sibi volunt Hymni nonne glorificamus Deum Chrysost ad popul Antioch hom 70 gratias illi agimus quia iam defunctum coronauit haec omnia sunt gaudentium What meaneth Hymnes or songes doe wee not glorifie God and giue thankes vnto him that hee hath already crowned a soule departed Al these are effectes of hearts reioycing And further in the commemoration of the dead there was especially a rehearsing of the resurrection of our Sauiour by himselfe and all the Saints by him to shew that that was the time which they most respected and if they praied for forgiuenes of the sinnes of the departed the meaning of their petition was that their sinnes should not be imputed vnto them in the resurrection Vide August in Io. tract 49 How lawfully they might make that praier I will not now dispute It sufficeth here to haue shewed that they did not acknowledge any temporall tormentes after this life appertaining to such as haue ended their dayes in the faith of Christ and that the secret rest which they placed in Abrahams bosome did not signifie vnto them a sleepe or idle rest but a place of ioy and happinesse Ioh 8 56 that as it was Abraham his ioy in this world to see the dayes of Christ so it is a farre more infinite felicity to him and his faithfull seede this transitory life being ended to behold and fully to enioy the presence of our Redeemer in the eternall kingdome of heauen S. Augustine sayth that hee doth fully belieue that his sweet friend Nebridius is in Abrahams bosome Aug. confess lib. 9. hee sheweth presently what that is Pomt spirituale os adfontem tuum bibit quantum potest sapientiam pro auiditate sua sine fine foelix He setteth his spirituall mouth to thy fountain O Lord and drinketh wisedome to the full according to his chiefest desire being happy without end This happy estate of the soules of Gods saintes is at large laid open by the manifold testimonies of the holy scriptures in the beginning of my tenth Chapter as likewise in the whole course of that and the chapter following By the word of God as by the touchstone of all truth the ancient fathers doe desire that their writings should bee examined what is agreeable thereto to be receiued and what not to be reiected Augustine sayeth Aug. in psal 57. Auferantur é medio chartae nostrae prodeat in medium codex Dei Let our writings bee laide aside and let place bee giuen to the booke of God Hee also nameth the olde and new Testament Duo vbera Ecclesiae The two breastes of the Church out of which all sound and perfect truth must bee drawne and deriued vnto vs. In them wee finde but onely these two places or habitation for the soules once separated from the bodies to wit for them which dye in carnall security as did the rich glutton hell torments those which are spoken of in Deuteronomie fire is kindled in my wrath Deut. 32.24 and my wrath doth burne to the bottome of hell those which are called by Salomon the Chambers of death by Esay a tophet prepared deepe and large Esay 30.33 the burning whereof is fire and much wood and the breath of the Lord a fire of brimstome to kindle it and by our Sauiour vnquenchable fire where the worme neuer dyeth Mar. 9.44 the flame neuer goeth out And in the Reuelation A lake burning with fire and brimstone which is the second death of those torments Apoc. 21. ◠Abraham said to the rich man Luke 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is such a gulfe and distance placed betwixt them and the ioyes of the godly that there is no hope of passage from one to an other whereby is signified that the paines are vnrecouerable easelesse endlesse and hopelesse But for them which close vppe their eyes in a true faith vnfained repentāce Iohn 16.22 there are prepared eternall ioyes in the kingdome of heauen where the knowledge will integrity and all the powers of the soule Luke 20.36 shall haue such a correspondencie and conformity to the wil of God that they shall bee equall with the blessed Angels and where wee shall haue the fruition of Gods presence wherein doth consist the fulnesse of ioy For as the Apostle doth make this as greatly to augment the vengeance that is shewed on them which shall bee punished with euerlasting perdition 2. Thes 1.9 because it shall bee from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power so on the other side this is named as a high degree in our heauenly felicity that as here we see in a glasse 1. Cor. 13 12.
reason Tul. Tusc 5. that corpus est quasi vas anim quoddam receptaculum the bodie is but as it were a vessell for the soule and a receptacle for a time Againe if the soule were not a substāce of it selfe why should the Apostle saint Peter call the end of our faith the saluation of our soules 1. Pet. 1.9 1. Pet. 2.11 or bid vs abstaine from lustes which fight against our soules Or the Apostle to the Hebrewes Heb. 1◠17 call the labour of Ministers a watching euer soules as they which must giue an account of them with sundrie other such exhortations as are set downe here in my first chapter Heb. 10.17 Or how could there be a terrour and trembling of conscience in the wicked when by the guiltinesse of their sinne they finde in themselues a fearefull looking for of iudgement and violent fire to consume the aduersarie It is not a motion but an essence which doth pierce vp to the tribunall seate of God and from thence strike terrour into it selfe This sting of conscience as it is a spirituall punishment and not corporall so it falleth not vpon the body but vpon the soule For the immortalitie of this spirituall essence what is reuealed by the holy scriptures I shall haue occasion to declare more at large in my four last chapters only my chief drift hath beene here to shew what the wise Philosophers of the world haue cōceiued thereof by the light of naturall reasō and to let vs see what a shame it is for vs not to make so much vse of deepe meditations as they did When Socrates did but consider that the minde doth thē discourse best when nothing doth trouble it neither hearing nor seeing nor griefe nor pleasure as wee see when the senses are stopped the vnderstanding doth most deepely meditate he could gather thereby an argument of immortalitie Seneca epist 111. When Seneca sawe that the greater and more heroicall mind was in man the more it did despise these base worldly things and the lesse it feared to depart out of the bodie he would say straight maximum est argumentum animi ab alitiori venientis sede It is the greatest argument that can be of a mind comming from heauen and therefore of a heauenly and eternall nature To conclude euen the Poets when they considered the diuine gifts bestowed on the soul of man Phoeylides could not but confesse that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Th' immortall soule stil yong lasteth for aye And Pythagoras a Poet but much more a Philosopher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pythag. in aureis carmini 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If soule and mind as wagoners rule all Then when thou leauing body comest to skies With God thou shalt be euer immortall And taste no more of death nor miseries CHAP. VIII How in the soule the image of God shal be renewed OF those words in Genesis Gen. 1.27 that God made man after his owne image likenes there haue beene amongst many sundry applicatiōs and sundrie opinions some plainely heretical and others more tolerable The heresie of the Anthopomorphitae is dānable which maketh God to be a bodily substance like vnto man for the scriptures doe shew vs abundantly Ioh. 4.24 2. Cor. 3.17 that God is a spirit inuisible and incomprehensible he appeared sometime visibly to the Patriarkes Exod. 33.20 Ioh. 6.46 Gen. 16.10 Exod. 2.2 Esay 6.1 and his holy seruants but that was not according to his essence which is infinite but according to certaine representments or as Athanasius speaketh maiesties farre inferior to that which he is of himself applied to the capacity of man And certaine it is that in Genesis that image of God which is said to bee in man was not in respect of the bodie which was made of the slime of the earth but in respect of the spirit which was giuen vnto man Gen. 2.7 whē God did breath into him and hee was made a liuing soule Osiander made the image of God to signifie Christ which in the preordināce of God was for to come and to take mans nature vpon him hee taught that then doth the soule beare the image of God when it hath the very righteousnesse of Christ Iesus as an inherent quality He had it from the Manichees groūded his opiniō especially vpon that place of the Apostle 2. Cor. 3.18 we all with open face beholding the glory of God as in a glasse are trāsformed into the same image frō glory to glorie as by the spirit of God Those wordes are spoken especially of the Apostles and Ministers of whome Saint Paul doth in that place intreat and doe import thus much that they in the glasse of Gods worde beholding the glorie of God are transformed into the same image to bee lights vnto others as our Sauior said Math. 5.14 ye are the lights of the world and to light them not onely in doctrine but in going before them in sanctification of life The righteousnesse of Iesus Christ is imputed to vs as the Apostle doth often declare when wee put on Christ by faith Rom. 4.9.10 Rom. 4.22 Gal. 3.27 1. Cor. 1.30 Phil. 3.9 and are clothed with the righteousnesse of Christ But that perfect righteousnesse it self such as is able to stand before the iudgement of God neither is nor euer was an inherent quality residēt in any but only in the manhood of Christ Iesus It may and ought to suffice vs to receiue of the fruit and to let the tree roote remaine where it should 2. Cor 5.21 The Apostle sheweth that in the same manner as Christ was made sinne for vs so we are made the righteousnes of God in him Now he was made sinne by imputation when all our sinnes were laid vpō him Pet 2 24 and as Saint Peter saith hee bare our sinnes in his bodie on the tree so likewise his righteousnesse as of one that hath vouchsafed to become our head is imputed to all the true members of his mysticall body for as Adā was as no priuate mā but the fountain and welspring of mankind therfore most iustly Rom 5 12 as in him we all sinned so in him we all died So the second Adā our Lord Iesus is not to be considered as a priuate mā but as the head of the church what was wrought by him is wholy benificial to al the faithful If by the husband as being the head a debt be answered how iustly thē is the wife discharged The church is called the spouse of Christ Eph. 5 27. although it be said to be without spot or wrinckle yet must it not be vnderstood that it is void of all sin for why should it then be taught by our Sauiour to pray continually for forgiuenes of trespasses but we are said to bee without spot or wrinckle as we are clothed with the iustice of
hee is euen as the stall-fed Oxe who still feeding to the full and neuer conceiuing any foresight of his death is yet neuer the better for it A sodaine death will bring the greater feare Nay he is infinite thousand times worse for the beast is fed but to perish temporally and he is fed to perish eternally The second kinde of ill conscience called turbata mala a troubled ill conscience though it haue no apprehension of Gods mercy yet doth it conceiue it selfe to be a spirituall essence endangered to the iudgement of eternall punishment This sting of corrupt conscience is called often in the Scriptures Esay 66.24 Mark 9.44 1. Tim. 4.2 Esay 57.20 Heb. 10.27 a worme that neuer dyeth It is named a searing with a hote iron a sea that alwaies rageth a terrible looking for of iudgement and violeÌ„t fire to deuour the aduersarie Esay 48.22 When the wicked feele no peace in themselues but that in the middest of all their ioyes and pleasures Eccl. 41.5 they haue often a bitter remembrance of death and condemnation so that as the wise man saith euen in the laughing Prou. 14.13 the heart is sorrowful and the mirth doth end in heauinesse What doth this argue but that the soule is a spirituall substance such as can flye vp to the tribunall seate of God and there both accuse her selfe and also pleade guilty for her selfe In iudiciall handling of matters before men there are sundry persons to performe seueral functions some doe accuse others witnes others condemne others torment but an euill conscience is of it selfe all in one It is to bad men as the scriptures shew both their accuser witnesse and iudge and tormentor Their accuser as saith the Apostle their own conscience accusing or excusing Rom. 2.15 Where Saint Iohn declareth that at the time of Gods iudgements Apoc. 20.12 the bookes shall be opened Chrysostome sheweth what those billes are conscientia est codex in quo quotidiana peccata scribuntur The conscience of man is the booke wherein his dayly sinnes are written Secondly it is the witnesse according to that of Paul Rom 2 15. their owne thoughtes bearing witnesse Wis 17 10 And of the wisemaÌ„ it is a fearefull thing when malice is condemned by her owne testimonie and a conscience that is touched doth euer forecast cruell things For feare saith he is nothing else but a beatraying of the succours which reason offereth this saw the heathen wisemaÌ„ Thales Miles Turpe quid ausurus te sine teste time If thou attempt any filthy thing feare thy selfe without any further witnes And the Oratour Quint decl 9 conscientia mille testes the conscience is as good as a thousand witnesses So Pythagoras 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of all men in the world stand most in awe of thy selfe â— Ioh 3 20 Thirdly it is the iudge as Saint Iohn saith if our heart condemne vs God is aboue the hart And Saint Paul speaking of the heretike that sinneth against his own coÌ„science saith that he sinneth damned of himselfe Se ipsum vnusquisque Ambro. epist ad Constant et animum suum seuerum iudicem sui vltorem criminis habet Euery man hath in himselfe and his owne heart a seuere iudge and reuenger of his wickednesse Fourthly it is also the tormenter 1. Tim. 4.2 Esay 66.24 Heb. 10.27 1 Tim 6 10 in which respect it is called a burning with a hote iron a worme gnawing still vpon the heart a violent fire consuming Gods enemies and such as pierceth man thorowe with many sorrowes The heathen Oratour could say conscientia graue pondus a mans conscience Tul â— de natura deorum if it be ill is a heauy burden It will make him to grieue at the losse of that which he neuer loued for vertue hath this triumph ouer vice that they which hate her most shall bee grieued at her absence Vertulem vi videant intabescántque relicta That though they loue not vertue yet they shall see it and pine away with the losse of it Luke 16 23 When it is said that the damned rich man did see Lazarus in Abrahams bosome no doubt it is signified to vs that this doth and euer shall greatly augment the punishmeÌ„ts of the wicked to perceiue and see froÌ„ how blessed an estate they are fallen These effects in the consciences of the vngodly doe euidently declare the soule to be a spirituall essence and apprehending much more then those things which concerne this life WheÌ„ Kaine said Gen 4 â— my sinne is more then can be forgiuen I shall be a vagabond and a runnagate Gen. 27 38. Gen. 9 27. when Esau wept for the losse of his birthright When Pharao seeing Gods fearefull iudgement cryed out God is iust and I and my people are wicked When Ecebolius the Philosopher of Constantinople because in the time of Iulian the Apostata hee had as a time seruer denied his faith in Christ threw himselfe downe before the Church Socr lib 3. cap 11 and said calcate me salem insipidum treade vpon me vnsauerie salt VVhen Francis Spaera for the like fault said to the Bishop Vergerius that he could wish to lye ten thousand yeares in hell so that once hee could hope of remission and deliuerie from eternall punishment what was this but that their owne consciences did both accuse them and also condemne and torment them This testimony of conscience made Iosephes brethren to shake with feare Gen 50 15. when they remembred their crueltie against their yong brother it made Adam to creepe into the thickets Gen. 3 10 when he heard the voyce of him whome hee had vnthankfully despised This made Faelix to tremble when hee heard Paul preach of righteousnesse and temperance Act. 24 2â— and of the iudgement to come This made Caligula that wicked Emperour in times of thunder and lightning to creepe vnder the beds and into corners This made that famous or rather infamous Medea sitting at sessioÌ„s within her selfe her owne heart being the foreman to accuse her selfe and condemne her selfe Video meliora probóque Deteriora sequor I see and like well what is right But followe wrong with al my might Yet such is the force of a corrupted and confounded conscience that it maketh the dead to see me aliue again Herod when he heard of the fame and miracles of our Sauiour Christ Mark 6 14 said surely this is that Iohn Baptist whome I haue beheaded he is risen from death to life againe Iohn was dead and buried he was dead to other men but he was aliue to Herod As it is recorded by a certaine Pythagorean Philosopher that when he came to a house to pay a little debt â—raâ—m lib. 6 apoph and at the very same time his creditor was new dead and he perceiued by hearing the wil read that there was no mention made of that debt he reioyced and went
liue vnto the Lord or whether wee dye wee we dye vnto the Lord whether wee liue therfore or dye we are the Lords for Christ therefore dyed and rose againe and reuiued that he might bee the Lord both of the dead and of the quicke How can our sauiour bee said to be the Lord and gouernour of the dead vnlesse some part of them doe remaine aliue to be subiect to his dominion Gouernement rule do of necessity import that there be also some to yeeld obedience and submission The Apostle sheweth Heb. 12.22.23 who bee the subiectes of that heauenly king to wit the angels and the spirites of iust and perfect men and hee sheweth there the great dignity of a Christian who is ioyned as it were to the Angels and spirites of iust men when he embraceth that religion which they doe continually reuerence But say they if the soule doe already enioy eternall blisse in heaueÌ„ what needeth then a day of iudgement If it be iudged already to what purpose should there bee any further sentence The day of iudgement is ordained of God for the vniting together both of body soule that as the elect haue serued God both in body and soule so they may receiue euerlasting ioy blisse both in body and soule and as the wicked haue serued the Diuell both in body soule so they receiue eternall tormentes both in body and soule And for this cause we are taught to belieue as an article of our faith the resurrection of the body wee do not say the resurrection of the soule for the soule doth not dye but the resurrection of the flesh or the resurrection of the body The soules of theÌ„ which haue dyed in the Lord August in Iohn tract 49. doe already enioy perfect and happy rest Nothing is wanting to the perfection of their ioyes but only the company of their bodies and the company of their brethren for this cause as some expounde it the soules of the Martyrs attired with white robes Apoc. 6.10 Anselmus in Apoc. Calu. in psychopanychia doe cry out in the ReuelatioÌ„ How long Lord holy and true as thirsting and longing for the comming of Christ to their full accomplishment If in this world a glorious sight doe delight vs neuer so much yet is our ioy increased when our friend doth behold the same together with vs. And no doubt this is as it were an accomplishing of the ioyes of the soules already receiued into the presence of Christ in the celestiall paradise when they shall receiue the company of their bodies the societie of their fellow-brethren An other argument doe the Anabaptists make Gen. 2.17 Rom. 6.23 Ezec. 18 4 20. drawn from the reward of sinne The stipend of sinne is death therefore say they seeing the soule hath sinned the soule must needes dye but death is in the scripture taken sundry wayes sometimes for the separation of the soule from the body sometimes for the separation of God from the soule 1. Tim 5.6 as when the Apostle calleth the widow liuing in wanton delightes dead though shee liue that is aliue in the body but dead in the soule sometime for the horror of condemnation as the Diuell did receiue the reward of sinne and yet was not so extinguished but that hee doth watch and goe about continually 1. Pet. 5. â— seeking whome to deuoure In respect of the Saintes of God death is saide to haue lost her sting and to become as a drone bee as the Apostle speaketh 1. Cor. 15 56 O death where is thy sting It was prophesied of our Sauiour Christ by the Prophetes Praecipitabit mortem in aeternum Esay 25.8 Hee shall throw death headlong for euer O Death I will be thy death O hell I will bee thy destruction They obiect further that the death of the saintes is called a sleepe Act. 7 60 Ioh. 11.11 2. Thes 4.13 Stephen when he dyed fell a sleepe Lazarus being dead was said to sleep the Apostle biddeth not to mourne for them that sleepe that is be dead If death bee a sleepe theÌ„ can there not be in the soule any conceiuing of ioyes vntill that sleepe bee awakened by the resurrection It is very apparant that in that Phrase by a Synechdoche that is giuen to the whole which agreeth but to one part when Iob saith Ecce nunc in puluere dormio Iob 7.21 Behold I shall sleepe now in the dust and if you seeke mee in the morning I shall haue no being did Iob thinke that when hee dyed his soule should lye in the dust that were too grosse to bee once imagined It is very apparant then that hee meaneth onely that his body shall sleepe in the dust and that figuratiuely hee doth attribute that to the whole which agreeth but to a part That which they alledge out of Salomon that man and beast haue both one end Eccl. 3.21 who knoweth whether the spirite of man shall ascend vpward or the spirite of beast descend downe into the earth is answered by those wordes which Salomon doth so often repeat in that book Eccl. 1.2 Eccl. 2.11 Vanity of vanities and all is but vanity hee sheweth often in that Booke what are the speeches of vaine men Eccl. 9.4 as after when hee sayeth Better is a liuing dog then a dead Lion for the liuing know that they shall dye but the dead know nothing at all wee must not think that Salomon speaketh this as of himselfe but to shew the affections of worldlinges who are led by vanity of vanities and by nothing but vanity Tertul. lib de resurr carnis Irenaeus lib. 9 aduersus haeresi Chrysost hom 28. in â—1 ad Hebr. August lib 12 de Ciuit. Dei cap. 9 When the Fathers doe sometimes affirme that the soules are not crowned vntill the day of resurrection they mean of the perfect triumph they deny not but that the soules of the Saints are in peace and happy rest but the perfect triumph crown of glory they made to be then when the bodies being againe vnited to the soules death should be vtterly swallowed vp in victory The argument which some doe alledge out of the Apostle that because he saith If the dead rise not againe 1. Cor. 15.19 we are of all men most miserable v. 32 therefore before the resurrection there is no ioy nor felicity is of no force at all for hee saith after what will it profite mee to fight with the beastes at Ephesus if the deade bee not raysed vppe the bodies of the Saintes in this life suffer many iniuries reproches and often martyrdomes Now vnlesse these bodies bee hereafter to be aduanced to glory we are of all meÌ„ most miserable and againe although the soule do enioy blessed rest yet a great part of the happinesse doth consist in the assurance of the expected resurrection Caluin in Phychopanychia haec tractat 1 vberrime It is further obiected
by them out of the Apostle to the Hebrewes all these dyed not receiuing the promises but saluted thē a far off The Apostle speaketh there of the posterity of Abrahā Heb 11.13 who liued a long time as Pilgrims in strange countries and did receiue and possesse that land flowing with milke and hony promised vnto Abraham that they might bee thereby taught to seeke a better country in heauen although they had the types and figures of Christ v. 40 yet they had not Christ in their time exhibited in the flesh because as hee saith after God had prouided a better thing for vs that they without vs shold not be made perfect if they had had the flourishing land of Canaan Christ also in their time come in the flesh then should they haue seemed to bee made perfect without vs. But God did prouide better for vs as hee gaue vnto them that glorious figure of our rest in Christ so in our time in this last age of the world hee did exhibite the truth euen the cōming of Christ himselfe to performe the worke of our redemption They say further that if the soules of the departed bee in heauen Act. 9.36.40 then S. Peter should seeme to doe wrong to that good and charitable Tabitha to raise her vp againe from death and so to bring her from a blessed life with God into a sea of all mischiefes but it is euidēt that the mercy of God is shewed not onely in time of glorification Phil. 2.25 but also in time of sanctification S. Paul accounteth that Epaphroditus did obtaine mercy when being sicke he was recouered againe And of himselfe he saith that life was to him a losse Phil. 1 22. ◠21 and death an aduantage yet is he cōtent to remain longer in this life so that Christ may be magnified in his body In that raysing vp of Tabitha God was glorified in the miracle the poore were benefited by the preseruing of so charitable a woman full of almes and good workes Tabitha her selfe had a larger time in this life to set forth the paise of God which was a thing that the saintes of God haue sought for with earnest praier Psal 6.4 psal 30.9 Esay 38.18 psal 88.11 psal 115.17 when the saints of God do pray in the scriptures for the lēgthning of their daies in this world do giue this the reason of their petition because the dead cānot praise God nor magnifie his name we must not imagine that they thought that their soules in death should perish or haue no power to praise God but their meaning was that the deade could not in this world by their good exāple draw others to magnifie God that publike glorifying of God to the edifying of their brethren was the thing which in desiring long life they principally respected but Dauid say they doth plainly affirme psal 146.4 that when mās breath goeth out he returneth to the earth then all his thoughts perish by those thougetes hee meaneth such imaginations deuises as they practised in this life and in an other place he saith The desires of the vngodly shall perish Esay Esay 33. the Lorde doth scatter the counsels of the Gentiles The Prophet Dauid whē he hath shewed the iudgements of God vpon the wicked Psal 49.14 that they lie in the graue death gnaweth vpon them he addeth in the next verse v. 15. but God shall deliuer my soule from the power of the graue for he shall receiue me And let this suffice against the opinion of the Catabaptists CHAP. XI Of the future aestate of the soule against the Romanistes THe Church of Rome is an other way iniurious to the soules of the departed they acknowledge that they liue after death but yet that there is no passage for them into ioy rest vntil such paines haue been suffered as their Purgatory doth require This assertion is so plentifully confuted by so many euident and plaine testimonies of the scripture set down in the beginning of the tenth chapter that I hope I shall not need to stand long vpon it There is none vnlesse hee bee wilfully obstinate but he must needs acknowledge that it is a doctrine wholy iniurious and repugnant to the mercy and iustice of God and doth blasphemously derogate frō the merite of Christ his passion It standeth best with the infinite mercy of God to grant a sound and perfect benefit as to forgiue the guilt of our sinnes so also to remit the punishment It can in no wise agree with the iustice of God to forgiue our debts in Christ yet to exact the penalties thereof And what is there that can more obscure and annihilate the most noble price of our redemption then to make it a ransome from the fault or blame and no ransome from punishment That which Christ bare vppon the Crosse is taken away from vs. Now he bare the punishment of our sins as S. Peter saith 1. Pet. 2.24 He bare our sins in his body vpon the tree and by his stripes we are healed It is therfore the stripe plague due for sin that is remoued frō vs the paines griefes which depend vpon sin for a wounde is not healed vntil the griefe thereof be mittigated or abolished Aug. de verbis domini super Lucam serm 37. very well saith S. August Christus suscipiendo poenā non suscipiendo culpā culpā deleuit poenam Christ by taking vppon him our punishmēt not taking vpō him our fault hath taken away both fault and punishment when sins are forgiuen there may yet some afflictions remain to the children of God as there did to Adam and Dauid 2. Sam. 12.14 and do daily to Gods elect but those afflictions are fatherly instructions corrections and trials of their faith they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as proceede from the loue of God Eph. 1.7 they are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 punishmentes of vengeance nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 punishments of ransom Al those tribulations which we suffer after remission of sinne are like Cicatrices signa vulneris curati non curandi they are as scarres rather signes of a wounde cured then of a wound to bee cured they differ as far frō punishments of vengeance as loue doth differ frō hatred for they proceed of loue Heb. 12.6 whō the Lord loueth hee doth correct and they differ as farre from punishments of ransome as East is from the West There is no ransome able to satisfie the iustice of God against sinne but onely the death and passion of Iesus Christ If any thing in man could haue satisfied for sinne the Sonne of God had not dyed The punishment of corrections and instructions haue their place then only when there is time of repentance and that is onely in this life as Saint Hierom noteth vppon these wordes of Esay seeke the Lord while he may
doth neuer apply it to any purging fire taking place betwixt the departure of the soule out of this life and that finall day of iudgement Similitudes as you see are easily drawne into sundrie expositions But it was well said of Aquinas Aquin. opusculo septuagesimo siue super Roetiū de trinitate though in words somewhat barbarous symbolica theologica non est argumentatiua when for pointes in Diuinitie there are no other proofes but similitudes and metaphors they rest vpon slender arguments Another such figuratiue speech they alleage out of the Apostle that at the name of Iesus euery knee must bowe Phil. 2.10 both of things in heauen and of things in earth and of thinges vnder the earth there by the thinges vnder the earth they vnderstand the soules in purgatorie But the Apostle there setteth downe a generall doctrine that all creatures whatsouer are subiect vnto Christ the good to bee gouerned by his spirit and the bad to be bridled by his power The bowing of the knee in Esay Esay 45.23 signifieth the worshipping of God and the bowing of the knee in the Epistle to the Romās Rom. 14.10 is taken for the appearing of all before the tribunall seate of Christ where shall also bee iudged euen the diuels Iude. V. 6. who as Saint Iude saith are reserued in euerlasting chaines vnder darkenesse vnto the iudgement of the great day The like maner of speech wee haue in the Reuelation where it is said that euery creature in heauē and in earth Apoc. 5.13 and vnder the earth and in the sea did ascribe honour and glorie and power to him that sate vpon the throne and vnto the Lambe that is so submit themselues to God that either his mercy or iustice might bee glorified in them So to the Philippians the Apostle speaketh of the soueraigne power of Christ ouer both elect and reprobate as it was foreshadowed in the kingdome of Salomon whereof the Prophet saith Psal 72.9 his enemies shall licke the dust CHAP. XII The Conclusion concerning the twofold estate of soules once loosed from their bodies WHen the soule is by death separated from the body it is either receiued into eternall happinesse as was the soule of Lazarus Luk. 16.22 or else it entreth into eternall torments as did the soul of the vnmercifull rich glutton Saint Augustine although in some places he call the bosome of Abraham onely secretum quietis eius Aug. de genes ad liter lib 12 cap 23 the secret of his rest into which the Fathers were gathered for as in the newe Testament Saintes departing are said to bee gathered to their head Christ so in the former times they were said to be gathered to Abraham the Father of the faithfull yet elsewhere doth Augustine at large define what this bosome is Aug quest Euang lib. 2. cap 38 tom 4 sinus Abrahae est requies beatorum pauperum quorum est regnum caelorum in quo post hanc vitam recipiuntur The bosom of Abraham is the rest of those blessed poore in spirit Mar. 5.3 to whom is promised the kingdome of heauen into which kingdome they are receiued when this life is ended but the hel which was possessed by the rich glutton he saith is that Paenarum profunditas quae superbos immisericordes post hanc vitam vorat That very depth of all punishments which doth swallow vp the proud and vnmercifull after this life Gregory affirmeth the very same Gregor in Euangel homil 40. Quid Abrahae sinus nisi secretam requiem significat patrum de qua veritas dixit multi venient ab oriente occidente c. What doth the bosome of Abraham signifie but that secret rest of the fathers of which our Sauiour speaketh Mat. 8.11 Many shall come from the east and from the west and shall sit downe with Abrahā Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen They doe both interprete the bosome to bee the kingdome of heauen and both also consent in this that there are but two wayes for the soule after this life Augustine sayeth Aug. de verbi Apost serm 18 Duae quippe habitationes sunt vna in igne aeterno altera in regno aeterno There are but two habitations one in an euerlasting fire Aug. lib. 5. Hypognost and the other in an eternall kingdome and againe Primum fides catholica diuina authoritate regnum esse credit coelorum secundum gehennam tertium ignoramus imo nec esse in scripturis sanctis inuenimus First the catholike faith by the authority of Gods word beleeueth that there is a kingdome of heauen and secondly a hell Greg. in 7 cap. Iob. lib. 8. cap. 8. a third place wee know not neither doe wee finde in the holy scriptures that there is any Hereto agreeth Gregory Cum humani casus tempore siue sanctus siue malignus spiritus egredientem animam claustro carnis acceperit in aeternum se cum sine vlla permutatione retinebit vt nec exaltata ad supplicium proruat nec mersa aeternis suppliciis vltra ad remedium ereptionis ascendat when in the time of mans fall or death eyther a good Angel or an euill Angell shall receiue his soule going out of the prison of his body it doth hold it for euer as it is holden it selfe without any change so that if it bee exalted it cannot fall into punishment neither can it ascend vnto any remedy of deliuerance if it bee once drowned in eternall punishmentes Mat 12.32 The scripture maketh mention of two worlds this world the world to come Damascene sheweth what is that worlde to come Aeterna vita Damascene de fide Orthodoxa lib. 2. cap. 1 aeternū supplicium seculum futurum The world to come is either euerlasting life or euerlasting punishment Bernard likewise acknowledgeth but two places Bernard in sentent cap. 9 when the soule hath left the earth Tria sunt loca coelum terra infernus coelū habet solos bonos terra mixtos infernus solos malos There are three places heauen earth and hell heauen conteineth onely the good the earth hath good and bad mingled together and hell hath onely the bad Aug. de vera religione cap 38. Augustine saith Omnia temporalia transeuntia mundus iste concludit This worlde is the place that containeth all temporall transitory things the things of the life to come 2 Cor. 4.18 whether ioyes or paines are not temporall but eternall But some may say how commeth it then to passe that Augustine praied for his mother Monica being departed and Ambrose prayed for Theodosius and diuers others of the auncient Fathers made rehearsall of the deade in their praiers and supplications if eyther the departed bee in torments vnrecouerable or in blisse immutable what neede there any prayers to bee made to God for them Those auncient fathers did pray for the departed not as hauing any