withall I would haue them to answere me simply and playnely what hope they haue of the resurrection Colo. 1.18 Apoc. 1.5 1. Cor. 13.20.21 without it be that Christ rose agayne For he is the first borne of the deade and the fyrst fruites of those that rise agayne For as he dyed and rose agayne so also must we dye and rise agayne in him For since it hath so fallen out that by death he hath ouercome death wherunto we were ordayned it is very certayne that he dyed of the same death as we dye and hath suffered in the same death whiche we doe suffer The trueth of the scripture maketh this manifest vnto vs whenas it calleth him the first borne of the dead and the first fruites of those which ryse agayne And it hath so taught vs that the faythfull might acknowledge him for their guide euen in the middest of death when they behold their death sāctified by his death they need not to feare the cursse thereof which is the thing that Saynt Paule meaneth when he sayth Phil. 3.10.11 that he is made like vnto his death vntil such time as he might come vnto the resurrection of the dead For this cōformity he prosecuted whiche he beganne in this world by the crosse vntill the time that he had by his death fulfilled it And now you my maisters the sleapers examine your harts awhile and consider with your selues how Christ Iesus dyed Do you in your cōscience think that he slept when as he waked for your saluation He speaketh not thus of himselfe Iohn 5.26 As the Father sayth he hath life in himselfe so also hath he geuen to hys sonne to haue life in himselfe And he that hath the power of life in himselfe how it is possible for him to lose it And I trust they wil not say that this belongeth to the deity For if it be geuen to him that hath it not it is then geuen to his humanity to haue life in it selfe and not to his deity For seing that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God and man that which is by nature as God the same is by grace as man to the end we might al receiue of his fulnesse grace for grace when men do heare that life is in God what hope may they conceiue thereof whenas they may also very well know that their sinnes do set a cloude betwixt God and them But here is the onely true great comfort that the Father hath annointed his Christ with the oyle of gladnes aboue all the rest of his fellowes That Iesus Christ as man hath receiued of his Father gyftes in mē to the end we might finde life in our nature And for this cause we read that the multitude glorifyed God after that the childe was raysed vp agayne forsomuch as he had geuē such power vnto men And this knew Cyrill right well who agreeth with vs in the explaning of this place Now whē we say that Iesus Christ hath life in himselfe in that he is man we doe not say that he is the cause of life to himselfe but onely this that the heauenly Father hath poured all fulnes of life in the manhood of his sonne Iesus Christ whiche thing might be geuen vs to vnderstād by a familiar similitude The fountayne from which all men do draw water and from which the small Creekes and Armes doe runne and flow is sayd to haue water of it selfe yet commeth not as of it selfe but from the spring which dayly feedeth it and from the flowing streames and is sufficient for all men to draw out of Euē so then Iesus Christ hath life in himselfe to wit the fulnes of life wherewith he lyueth and quickeneth his and yet hath he it not as of himselfe as he wytnesseth in an other place that he liueth because of hys Father And whenas he had life in in himselfe as God yet when he tooke vpon him the nature of man he receiued this gift of his Father that he might also haue life in that behalfe in hymselfe These thinges do most certainly assure vs that Christ could not be destroyed by death no not as he was man And although he was truely and naturally put to death whereof we must all dye yet held he alwayes this gift of his Father This was a true death and a true seperation of the Body and Soule yet the Soule neuer lost her life which being commended vnto his Father could not choose but be saued And this is the meaning of the wordes of S. Peter his sermon by which he affirmeth that it was impossible for Iesus Christ to bee holden downe with the panges of death Acte 2.24.27 that the scripture might be fulfilled saying Psal 16.10 Thou shalt not leaue my soule in graue nor yet suffer thine holy one to see corruption In which prophecie although we graunt that the soule is taken for lyfe Christ asketh and looketh for two thinges at his Fathers hand that he would not leaue his lyfe to destruction nor yet suffer him to come to corruption which was fulfilled For his soule was sustayned by an heauenly power that it should not be destroyed and his body was kept whole and sound vntill he rose agayne S. Peter hath knit vp all these thinges in a worde when he sayth that Christ could not be held downe by death to witt that he could not be subiect to the gouernement of death neither come vnder the power of death either yet be ouercome of death When as S. Peter in this sermon let the disputation of the soule alone and followed onely the incorruption of the body He did it because he would make the Iewes to see that they were vanquished euen by their owne testimony that this prophesie appertayned nothing at all to Dauid whose sepulcher was emongest them and they very well knew that his body was rotted neither could they deny the resurrection of our Lord Iesus Christ Ionas 2.12 We haue also another Argument of the Immortalitye of his soule when as he ordayned Ionas to be a figure of his death in that he was three daies within the Whales belly For so must he likewise be three dayes three nightes in the bowells of the earth Now Ionas cryed vnto the Lord out of the belly of the Fishe and was heard This belly is death his soule thē was saued in the middest of death Gene. 22.10 so that he might cry vnto the Lord. Isaack also who was a figure of the Lord and being saued from death Hebr. 12.17 19. was deliuered vnto his father openeth vnto vs as the Apostle witnesseth the trueth in a figure by the manner of the rising agayne For after he was layd vpō the Aultar as an oblation and sacrifice prepared for the purpose and bound vpon it he was soone after vnboūd by the commaundemēt of the Lord and the Ramme that was tyed by the hornes in the bushe was layd in Isaack his place What
1581. Your Lorships most humble and duetifull to be commaunded in the Lord Iesus Christ Thomas Stocker ⧠The Preface of Iohn Calvin to a very friend of his ALthough in deede it is very true that certen godly honest men were a great while sithence earnestly in hand with me to write somewhat for the confuting and repressing of the foolishe and confused opinion of some who at this day goe about to mainteine the sleape and death of the soules yet could they not hitherto winne me to yelde vnto their petitions and requestes because it is cleane contrary to my nature to thrust my selfe in to deale with matters of controuersie and debate And surely I had at that tyme great reason to excuse me partely because I thought that in short time this fond opinion would finde no companions and therefore be soone forgotten or els that a few Cockbrayned and lightheadded fellowes would onely keepe it in hugger mugger and partely also because I had no lyking to deale agaynst such aduersaries with whose power weapons and Ambushes I was no whit acquainted For as yet I had neuer hard any speach of them saue onely a confused kinde of buzzing of a thing so that if I should haue had to doe with such as were not yet entred into the open playnes I must needes haue played the part of one beating the bush as we say on the blinde side Neuertheles in the end it grewe afterward to another manner of matter then I thought it would haue done For these Ianglers were so busy and carefull to maintayne and encrease their faction as that they had already drawne into their error I know not how many thowsands of people And in deed to say truly so far as I cā se this mischiefe waxeth worse worse For at the first beginning there were but a few that made a confused kinde of prattle of the sleaping of the soules and therewith they would neuer let it be vnderstoode what they meant by this sleape Now sithence that tyme haue stept out these boucherly soule-sleaers who at the first blow cut their throates and yet thankes be to God doe them no hurt at all Notwithstanding I verely thinke that the error of the first sort is not to be borne withall and besides that this second kinde of them is liuely to be repressed For neither of both sortes haue any foundatiō either of reason or yet of Iudgement Howbeit it is no easy matter to perswade others thus except Mauger their beards as we commonly say I openly refute these babling Gallauntes and so discouer their leasings which can no way be perceiued but by their wrytings Now as I heare say they heare and there let flye I know not in what short sceduls and pamfletts their leasings and dolteries vnto which I could neuer as yet once come to the sight of thē Onely I haue receiued frō a friēd of mine certen aduertisements which he by aduenture met withall and set them downe in wryting as they came to his hands or as he could here and there get them And although one of my excuses is as it were halfe taken from me by reason of these aduertisementes yet remaineth the other halfe still to my selfe But forsomuch as they drawe vnto their error great store of people by reason of their troublesome speaches and mighty prattle wherewith they so greatly deale as if they had caused printed bookes to haue bene spread all the world ouer I know not how I can be guiltles of treason agaynst the trueth of God if in so great a necessitie I holde my peace and dissemble the matter And truely because I hope my trauell wil be very profitable euen to the most simple and ignoraunt who may set themselues occupied about this matter and Argument I will not be a feard to render vnto all honest and godly men a reason of my fayth And yet it may be that it is not so well furnished with all kindes of defence able at full to geue the attempt to the enemy neither yet so strongly bulwarked as to keepe them from approching thereto neuertheles I hope not altogether vnarmed and defenceles Howbeit if the importunitie of these dreame sowers would haue geuen me some more leasure I would with all myne hart haue entred into this combate which can no way bring with it so great gayne as payne considering especially because I thinke that the exhortation of the Apostle might if it were at any tyme needefull be sufficient in this behalfe to witt that we should be of discreete Iudgement And although these men will not suffer vs to vse the discretion which we gladly desier yet will I haue as great regard as I can modestly to dispute of the matter Neuerthelesse I would if it had so pleased the Lord our God that some other meane might haue bene found for the soddayne cutting of of this mischiefe which too too much encreaseth least it eate in farther and farther lyke a Cancker Although this be not the first tyme onely of the beginning thereof For we reade that the Arabians were the first Aucthors of this error who sayd that the soule dyed together with the body and that they should both of them rise agayne at the Iudgement day And within a while after Iohn Byshop of Rome defended the same which the Sorbonistes of Paris made him recant Now when this error had long tyme after that bene repressed the Anabaptistes beganne lately to reuiue the same and blow abroad certein sparkes thereof which sparkling farre and wide in the end fell out into hoat fiery flames which I beseech the Lord God to quench euen at the first day with this gladsome raine which he especially reserueth for his Church Now then by the assistaunce of God his holy spirite I entend to dispute hereof without bitternes of minde without tying my selfe to any man particularly and also without desier to scoffe and slaunder so that no man shall be able in trueth to complayne that I haue hurt him or yet by any meanes possible once offended him Though we may in deede at this day see some men very hoatly geuen to reprehend sting and finde fault whome if a man should touch but with the typp of the finger would by and by cry out and say that we breake the vnitie and quietnes of the Church and vtterly violate charitie and Brotherly loue But to these men this is mine aunswere in the first place That we acknowledge no vnitie but such as is founded in and vpon Christ neither yet allow we of any other charitie then of that whereof he is the bond So that the principall poynt and beginning to preserue charitie is this that our fayth remaine holy and sound emongest vs. And ouer and besides this I say that this disputation may very well be decyded with out any breach of charitie if they bring with them such eares as I determine to bring a tongue And as for you right worthy Syr there are many causes
filthynes of the fleshe and of the spirite For it very well appeareth that he maketh no difference there betwene the fleshe and the spirite as he is wont to doe els where when as he attributeth filthynes to the spirite by which title he meaneth in other places meere purity I wil yet bring in another place although I see that they which meane to wrest will forthwith fall to their gloses 1. Cor. 2.11 For when it is sayd what man knoweth the thinges that are in man but the spirite of man which is in him Agayne no man knoweth the thinges of God but the spirite of God It may well be sayd that man knoweth the thinges which are in himselfe but he meaneth in one word that part wherein the power of the thought and vnderstanding consisteth And also Rom. 8.16 when he sayeth that the spirite of God beareth witnes to our spirite that we are the children of God vseth he not the very same proper kinde of speach But what I coulde conuince them euen in a word For we know how many tymes Christ him selfe by his owne voyce condemneth the error of the Saduces Math. 22.23 a part of which error was that there was no spirite as S. Luke wryteth in the Actes The wordes are these The Saduces say that there is neither resurrection Angell nor spirite Acts. 23.8 but the Pharysies coÌ„fesse all these thinges I feare me that they will goe about to cauill and say that these thinges are to be vnderstood of the holy ghost or els of the Angels Which obiection is easely aunswered For he hath placed the Angells aparte by themselues and it is certayne that the Pharysies had skarcely any knowledge of the holy ghost And they which vnderstand the Greeke tonge know this best For S. Luke sayd spirite without putting to any Article which thing without doubt he would haue added if he had spoken of the holy ghost Now if this stop not their mouthes I know not by what meanes they may be drawne or ledd without it so fall out and say that the opinion of the Saducies is not condemned in that they deny a spirite nor the opinion of the Pharysies allowed which say the coÌ„trary Howbeit the very words of S Luke do mete which this Cauill For after he hath set downe the confessioÌ„ of S Paul that he was a Pharisy he addeth this opinion of the Pharisies We must then say either that S. Paul vsed a subtill and wicked dissimulation which ought not to be receiued in the confession of fayth or els that he was of the same opinioÌ„ with the Pharysies touching the spirite Now if we must beleue histories this was as certaine and sure emongest the Apostles Ecclesiast History 10. 4. c. 13. as the resurrection of the dead or any other Article of our faith I will not be ashamed to bring in here the words of Polycarpe a man who both in his words and doings in very deede looked for Martyrdome In the same c. 19. being also a disciple of the Apostles and so sincerely taught others that which he learned of them as that he would neuer suffer any Leauen to be mingled emongest it This holy man then amongest many excellent wordes which he spake in the middest of the fier sayd that the same day he should be present in spirite before the face of God In those dayes also Melito Byshop of Sardis a man of lyke sinceritye In the same c. 24. wrote a booke of the Body and of the Soule which if we had had at this day I needed not now to haue taken payne in this matter This opinion was so notably receiued in this blessed tyme In the same of the resurrection of the flesh that Tertullian put it euen emongest the common and chiefest conceites of the minde which nature commonly taketh hold of And although we haue already brought in many reasoÌ„s which are able as I think to conuince that which they straue about to witt that the Soule or spirite of man is a substance distinguished from the body yet that which we will add forthwith shall make the same a great deale more certayne For I come to that which I did set downe in the second place to witt that the soule lyueth after that the body is dead hauing both sence and vnderstanding Now whosoeuer thinketh that I doe heere affirme any other thing then the Immortalytie of the soule is greatly deceiued For they which confesse that the soule liueth and therewithall take from her all her senses doe imagine a soule which hath no parte at all of a soule or els deuise a soule of their owne heds considering that her nature without which she can no way stand is to moue her selfe to feele In the same of the flesh of Christ to haue streÌ„gth to vnderstaÌ„dt as Tertullian sayth that the sence is the soule of the soule Let vs therefore learne this Immortalytie of the soule out of the holy scriptures When our Sauior Christ exhorteth his disciples not to feare them which kill the body Math. 10.18 Luke 12.5 haue no power ouer the soule but to feare him who after he hath slayne the body is able also to send the soule into hell fier doth he not meane that the soule lyueth after that the dody is dead And truely God hath very louingly dealt with vs herein that he hath not suffred our soules to be at the disposition of those which would so soone kill them or at the least though they cannot yet doe their best The Tyrantes torment cut in peeces burne and hang but it is the body onely for God onely hath power ouer the soule to cast it into hell fier So then eyther the soule abideth after death or els this must needes be an vntrueth That Tyrantes haue no power ouer the soule Vnto this they auÌ„swere as I heare that the soule truely is slaine for the tyme when as the body is dead but that it pearâ—â—heth not because that in tyme to come iâ— shall ryse againe Now if they thinke to goe away with this they must and graunt that the body pearisheth not for somuch as it shall rise agayne And because that they are both reserued vntill the day of IudgemeÌ„t therefore neither of â—oth peâ—risheth And yet our Sauiour Christ confesseth that the body is slayne and testifieth that the soule abideth whole and sound Iohn 2.19 This maner of speach he vseth of his owne death when he sayth destroy ye this TeÌ„ple and in three dayes I will rayse it vp agayne But this he spake of the Temple of his body by which reason he tooke the soule out of their power which also as S. Luke wryteth and as Dauid foretold Luke 13.46 Psal 30.6 when he drewe neare vnto his death he commended into the handes of his Father S. Stephen lykewise after the same maner saith Actes 7.59 Lord Iesus Christ receiue my spirite Haue they
frame this Argument That the spirite returneth no more into the body seing it is sayd that it shall not know the place thereof any more But they will say That they make hereon a false collection because the places of the resurrection are very manifest agaynst this manner of reasoning Yea and they themselues make an ill collection whose Argumēt is commō with the rest And that saying in the booke called Ecclesiasticus is almost lyke for there it is sayd The number of a mans dayes for the more part is an hundreth yeares and no man hath certaine knowledge of his death As droppes of rayne are vnto the sea and as a grauell stone is in comparison of the sand so are a thousand yeares to the day euerlasting Therefore is the Lord louing and patient with men powreth out his mercy vpon them And therefore they must needs confesse that the Proyhet had another meaning then that which they dreame of That God of his goodnes hath compassion of those whome he hath allowed to be his and that onely through his mercy and that if he pull back his hand neuer so little from them they returne into dust from whence they were taken And a little after he maketh a short discription of the lyfe of man comparing it vnto a flower which springing to day is no better then grasse the next morning So that if it were to be sayd that the spirite of man pearisheth and commeth to nought yet were not their error any whit strengthned thereby For when we say that the spirite of man is immortall we doe not affirme that it is able to stand and abide agaynst the hand of God or to continue fast and sure without his power Now God lyketh not nor is not pleased that we should thus blaspheme But we say that the spirite is vpholden by the hand and blessing of God And so defendeth Ireneus also the Immortalitie of the soule with vs Ireneus in his 3. boke agaynst Marcian and yet would he haue vs vnderstand That by nature we are mortall and that God alone is Immortall And he speaketh it after this fort To the end we might not be puffed vp with vayne glory as if we had lyfe as it were of our selues neither yet proudly lift vp our selues agaynst God But that we might learne by experience That it proceedeth from his almightines and not from our nature that we haue a firme and euerlasting perseueraunce And thus ye see what the controuersie is which we haue agaynst Dauid whome they make so mighty an Aduersary agaynst vs. Now he sayth that if the Lord take his mercy away from man that then he commeth to nought and pearisheth And we for our part doe teach that he is firme and sure and vpholden by the louing kindnes and power of God and the reason is this That God is alone Immortall 1. Tim. 3. and whatsoeuer hath lyfe it commeth from him The fourth place is this My soule is filled with euills Psal 88.3 and my lyfe draweth neare to the graue I am counted emong them that goe downe to the pit and am as a man without strength free emong the dead lyke the slayne lying in the graue whom thou remembrest no more and they are cut of from thy hand What say they If they haue bene cut of by the power of God and fallen away from his prouidence and from out of his remembraunce doe they not then cease to be As if I could not returne them this Argument into their owne lappes and bosomes What and if they be cut of by the power of God and that there is more remembraunce of them how is it possible for them to be againe and besides what shall become of the resurrectiō On the other side how shall we reconcile these two places The soules of the righteous are in the hand of God Wised 3.1 or to the end we may set before them other sure Oracles of God The righteous shall be had in euerlasting remēbraunce Psal 112.6 By this we see that they are not fallen away from the hand of God neither hath he forgottē them But let vs rather by this manner of speach conceiue the griefe sorrowfull feeling of an affected troubled man that maketh his cōplaynt vnto God declaring that it wēt very narrowly that he had not bene left in destruction with the wicked of whome it is sayd that the Lord hath no knowledge and hath forgotten them because there names are not written in the booke of lyfe and pluckt away his hand from them because he guideth not nor gouerneth not them by his spirite The first place is taken out of the same psalme Psal 88.10.11.12 where it is sayd Wilt thou shew a miracle to the dead or shall the dead rise and prayse thee shall thy louing kindenes be declared in the graue or thy righteousnes in the land of forgetfulnes It is lykewise sayd in another place Psal 115.17.18 The dead prayse thee not O Lord neither any that goe down into the place of silēce But we which liue will prayse the Lord from henceforth and for euer It is also sayd Psal 30.9 What profite is in my bloud when I goe downe into the pit shall the dust geue thankes vnto thee or shall it declare thy trueth They bring in also the song of Ezechias which is of the same effect Isaiah 38.18.29 where it is sayd The graue cannot confesse thee death cannot prayse thee they that goe downe into the pit can not prayse thy trueth But the liuing the liuing he shall confesse thee as I doe this day and the Father to the childrē shall declare thy trueth And that saying also which is written in Ecclesiasticus Thankefulnes pearisheth from the dead Ecclesi 17.28 as though he were not But the liuing and he that is sound of hart prayseth the Lord. Here we make aunswere that in all these places which are recited that the dead who are departed out of this world according to the common law of nature are not in this place simply spoken of It is not simply sayd that God is no longer praysed when we are once dead but it is partely meant that none sing prayses vnto God sauing such as haue felt his mercy and goodnes It is also partely meant That his name is not gloryfied after we are dead For then he sheweth not his benefites vnto men as he sheweth them whiles they are vpon the earth And now let vs consider of these thinges one after another and handle them in order that we may thereby shew the meaning of euery one of them And heere in the first place we are to learne this to witt that though it be so that by death is very often and as it were alwayes meant the seperation of this lyfe and by this word hell the graue yet shall we many tymes finde in the scripture that these wordes are taken for the wrath and
soule Wil they they say that there is nothing meant by these words we know then that this word Soule is oftentimes taken for lyfe as in these places Psal 119 Nun. My soule is in my handes Also Wherefore teare I my fleshe with my teeth and carry my Soule in my handes Iob. 13.14 Likewise Math. 6.25 Is not the soule farre more precious then meate Also Thou foole Luke 12.20 this night shall thy Soule be taken from thee and such other like which these Soule murderers haue euer in their mouthes And yet for all that they haue nothing wheron greatly to brag For they must consider that this word Soule is taken there by the figure Metanomia for the lyfe for somuch as the Soule is the cause of the lyfe and that the lyfe is vpholden by the Soule and this figure euen yoūg boyes doe learne emongest their rudimentes in the Schoole But who would not maruell to see the foolish arrogancye of these roysters who are fully perswaded of some great matter in thēselues and would haue others make great accompt of them yet they must be taught their figures and formes of speaking We also know by an other lyke reason as it were that the soule is taken for the will and desier because it keepeth the seate of the will desier 1 Sam. 18.1 And in this sence it is sayd That the Soule of Ionathan was fast knit to the Soule of Dauid Gene. 34.6 and that Sichem his Soule longed sore for Dina Iacob his daughter Acts. 4.32 Saint Luke also sayth And the multitude which beleued were of one hart and of one soule Moreouer who seeth not that there is great strength in these Hebrew phrases Psal 115. 104. Luk. 1. My soule blesse thou the Lord my soule doth magnify the Lord say vnto my soule I am thy sauing health For by these is somewhat more expressed thē if it had bene simply spoken without addition As blesse the Lord I magnify the Lord say vnto me I am thy health Sometymes it is simply taken for a man that hath a Soule Gene. 19. As When it is sayd that threescore and sixtene Soules went downe with Iacob into Egipt Ezech. 18.4 Leuit. 20.6 2.6 Lykewise The soule which hath sinned shall dye Also The Soule which shall goe after Coniurers and Southsayers shall dye the death c. Many tymes it is taken for the breath which geueth breath vnto man wherein resteth the liuely motion of the body As I take these places 2. Sam. 2. Heauines and sorrow haue taken hold on me Acts. 20. although my whole soule remayneth in me Also his Soule is in him And agayne That the soule of the Childe returned into his body Moreouer 1. King 17.22 the scripture vseth this maner of speaking that the soule doth depart whereas we commonly say he yeldeth vp the ghost As when it is sayd of Rachell Gene. 35.18 And at the departing of the soule for Rachell dyed she called the name of the child Benom We know also that this word spirite emongest the Latines is called breath winde which we may likewise see by the word that the Grecians vse We know that it is taken in the prophesie of Isaiah for a vayne and tryfling thing Isaiah 26.18 We haue bene with childe sayth he and suffered payne as if we had brought forth winde And many tymes it is taken for that which the spirite of God regenerateth in vs. For when Saint Paule sayth Galat. 5.17 That the spirite lusteth cōtrary to the fleshe he meaneth not that the Soule sighteth agaynst the fleshe or reasō against Lust but that the Soule it selfe in somuch as it is gouerned by the spirite of God fighteth agaynst it selfe because as yet she is voyd of the spirite of God and geuen ouer to her owne lustes Moreouer we know that whē these two words the Soule and the Spirite are ioyned together that by the Soule is ment the will and by the Spirite the vnderstāding Isaiah 26.9 For thus sayth Isaiah My soule hath longed for thee all the night and I will seeke thee early in the morning with my Spirite which is within me 1. Thes 3.13 And thus doth Saint Paule vnderstand it When he beseecheth the Thessalonians to haue their whole Spirite Soule and body kept blamelesse in the cōming of our Lord Iesus Christ For he meaneth to haue all their thoughts and willes sound and not to geue ouer their members as instrumentes of iniquitye to sinne Heb. 4.12 And that which the Apostle wryteth to the Hebrewes must be taken in the same sence That the word of God is quick and mighty in operation and sharper then any two edged sword which entreth through euen vnto the deuiding asonder of the Soule and spirite of the ioynts and the marow discerneth the thoughtes and intentes of the hart Neuerthelesse some there are which in this last place had rather vnderstand by the spirite this being wherein doe consist reason and will and which we are now disputing of and by the Soule the vitall motion and the senses which the Philosophers call Superiors and Inferiors But seing that both the one and the other doe signify in many places an Immortall essence which causeth the lyfe of man let them not take any occasiō to striue about the words but let them take the thing as it is by what name soeuer it be called and meant And presently we will shew how true the same is Now we will beginne at the first creation of man wherein we shall right well perceiue what maner of one he was made from the beginning The holy history telleth vs what the determinatiō and councell of God was before he created man in making him after his owne Image and lykenes These words cā no way be meant of the body wherein although a wonderfull worke of the Lord God appeareth aboue all the rest of the bodyes which he created yet we se not any Image of God to shine in him Gene. 1.26 For what is he which thus sayth Let vs make man after our owne Image and lykenes It is euen God himselfe who is a spirite who cannot be represented by any bodyly shape For lyke as a bodyly image which representeth vnto vs the face of a man ought liuely to set before vs all his lyneaments and proportions that by the coūterfaiting or engrauing we might conceiue whatsoeuer might be sene in him which the same representeth Euen so this Image of God must through the same lykenes set before our senses a certaine vnderstanding of the knowledge of God And I right well know what a number of them prattle saying that the Image of God is lykened vnto the rule and gouernemēt which is geuen vnto man ouer the lyuing creatures because that therein man is somewhat lyke vnto God who hath dominion ouer all things Into the which error Chrisostome him selfe fell
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
but to worship him with the mouth to the end that others might heare But if they would here disturbe me of my purpose and talke and say that it is lawfull for them to doe the same if they be in heauē with God as we beleue to this I aunswere that to be in heauē and to lyue with God is not to talke one with another and one to heare another but onely to take pleasure in God to feele his good will and to reast in him And therefore if they haue any other reuelatiōs els where let them looke well vnto them For as for my selfe I will neuer goe about to seeke after such crooked questions which serue more to styrre vp debate and strife then to set fourth Religion and the feare of God Neither doth that saying which is written in the booke of Ecclesiasticus tēd to this end That the soules of the dead doe pearish But when he exhorteth that we in good time and as occasion serueth might geue thankes vnto God he soone after teacheth that after death there is no more tyme to prayse him That is to say that there is no place left for repentaunce Now if there be any emongest them that doe yet murmure and are not contented saying this toucheth vs nothing at all that destruction it selfe must come vnto children I aunswere for the faythfull Psal 118.17 Psal 84 4. that they shall not dye but lyue and shall set fourth the workes of the Lord. They that dwell in the house of the Lord Psal 146.2 will prayse him for euer The sixte place which they alledge out of the psalmes is this I will prayse the Lord during my lyfe and as long as I haue any being I will sing psalmes vnto my God And thus they reason If a man must prayse the Lord so long as he lyueth and hath any being he will not prayse him after death and whē he hath no being And because as I thinke that they speake this meryly and in the way of iesting euen so will I also for their sakes speake some thing by the way of myrth When Eneas as it is writtē in Virgile promised vnto his hostesse to acknowledge that humanitie and curtesy which he had receiued at her handes as long as he thought of her meant he hereby that he would sometymes forget her when as he sayd So long as my soule shall styrre in my body did he thinke by this that he would acknowledge the good turne after death in these fabulous fieldes God forbidd that we should suffer this wrong to be done vnto this place of scripture least soone after we suffer our selues to be ouercome of that cursed heretique Heluidius And this I speake in good earnest And to the end they should not finde fault with vs that we haue not done as much as them selues I will yeald them fiue tymes as good a reckoning hereof Psal 30.12 First where it is sayd I will geue thankes vnto thee O Lord my God for euer and euer Psal 34.1 Lykewise I will alway geue thankes vnto the Lord his prayse shall continually be in my mouth Also Psal 52.9 I will alway prayse thee because thou hast done this Lykewise O my God my king Psal 145.1 I will extoll thee and blesse thy name for euer and euer Psal 61.8 Also So will I alwayes sing prayse vnto thy name for euer And euen very now they see that Dauid who was so much their friend fighteth here sharpely agaynst them And therefore let vs make no compt of these Argumēts which are built vpon the poynt of a nedle or vpon so weake a foundation The Seuenth place which they alledge is this Psal 39.13 Stay thine anger from me that I may recouer my strength before I goe hēce and be no more And therewith they ioyne that which is sayd in Iobe Iob. 10. ver 1.21.22 Let me a little complayne my sorrow and griefe before I goe hence and shall not returne euen into the land of darknes and shadow of death into a land I say darke as darkenes it selfe and into the shadow of death where is none order but the light is there as darkenes All this geare serueth them to no purpose For these are words full of heate and of a troubled conscience in trueth expressing and liuely representing as in a Table the affection of those who being touched to the quick with the fearefull Iudgement of God are no longer able to beare his hand And therefore these men pray that if they deserue that God should forsake them yet that they might at the least in some small measure and that at the last cast gaspe for lyfe before the Iudgement of God wherewith they are shaken and terrified And we ought not to maruell although the faythfull seruauntes of God are driuen to this poynt For it is sayde 1. Sam. 2.6 That it is the Lord that killeth and maketh aliue bringeth downe to the graue and rayseth vp And this saying not to be signifieth to be seperated from God For if in this case there is no man that hath his being but he that is they that are not in him haue no true being because they are for euer confounded and cast out from before his face Moreouer I see not how we should be so greatly offēded with this manner of speach if it be simply sayd of the dead that they are not so that this saying be referred to men For with men they are not although before God they are And so to conclude in a worde not to haue any being is not to be seene any more According to that which is sayd in Ieremy Iere. 31. A voyce was heard in Rhama a mourning and bitter weeping Rachell weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children because they were not Let vs now come to that which remaineth out of the story of Iob. Iob. 3.11.12.13.14.15.16.17.18.19 For we haue herebefore handled something touching the same matter as it came in question The first is Why dyed I not in the byrth or why dyed I not so soone as I came out of my mothers wombe why did the knees preuent me and why did I sucke the breastes For so should I now haue lyen and bene quiet I should haue sleapt then and bene at reast with the kinges and Counsellers of the earth which haue builded themselues desolate places or with the Princes that had Gold and haue filled their houses with siluer or why was I not hid as an vntimely byrth or as Infants which haue not seene the light The wicked haue there ceased frō their tyranny and there they that labored valiauntly are at reast The prisoners reast together heare not the voyce of the oppressor There are small and great and the seruaunt is free from his Maister But what if I bring against them the fourtenth Chapiter of Isaiah Isaiah 14.10 Where he bringeth in the dead comming