when man shal be made incorruptible and be placed frée from all néede and misery and they also deliuered from all kinde of seruitude For if they were endued with the gifte of speaking they woulde not accuse the maker of all thinges as though contrarye to right they were placed vnder the condicion of men because they were not admitted into the fellowship of the same resurrection For to those thinges whose nature is not equall he that is iust doth not attribute one ende or honour where is no sense of iustice as in brute beastes and things without life there is no indignation for any in iustice This also can not be sayd that in man any iniurye is perceyued by that hée is raysed from the dead For he as he is framed of soule and bodye so he receyueth iniurye againste other parte other bodye or soule and a wise man will not affirme the soule to suffer iniury therefore because by this meanes it doeth not retayne the same trade of life in which nowe in this present worlde it liueth For if nowe dwelling in a corruptible body and subiect to passions it suffereth no iniury much lesse dwelling in an incorruptible body subiect to no passions shall it abide any wrong Nay farther then this euen the bodye féeleth no iniurie For if nowe being corruptible and ioyned in fellowship with an incorruptible soule it taketh no wrong thereby muche lesse shall it take wrong when on both sides they are incorruptible Furthermore neither can this be said that it is an vnworthye thyng for God that he should restore and gather againe resolued bodies For if that which is lesse in dignity namely to create a mortall bodye subiect to affections did not séeme vnworthye God much lesse shall it bée vnworthy for him to bring that into the worlde which is more excellente and endued with immortalitie and fréenes from passions If therfore by those things which are first in nature those also which consequētly do follow the first euery point whiche was in question be plainly shewed declared it is manifest enough that the restoring of bodyes is such as is not vnworthy of God and which he both will and can bring to passe For by these thinges the falsitie of the contraries and the absurditie of them which beléeue not is declared For what néede is there to speake of the mutuall agrée of one thing with another and of the mutuall coherence betwéene them as though they were seperated by some diuersity and it were not lawfull to saye that what God will that he can do and is for his maiestie to do with dignitie But wée haue sayde before that there is one disputation cōcerning the trueth another in defence of the trueth haue declared wherein one of them differeth from an other and when and amongst whom it profiteth Notwithstanding it will nothing hinder vs for common safties sake and order that those thinges which haue béene saide may agrée with those thinges that shal be saide to take our beginning from the selfe same thinges and suche as are congruente vnto them for it behooueth the one by nature to haue the preheminence the other in stéede of a wayting man to make waye for the chiefe And with his waymaking which goeth before to take awaye all hinderaunces and impedimentes For the treatise which is of the trueth séeing it is necessary for all men both for their safegarde and preseruation is first and chiefe both by nature order and profite by nature because it setteth foorth the knowledge of thinges by order because it is in and together with those thinges the iudgement and knowledge wherof it promiseth by profite because it maketh defence and safegarde to them which knowe and learne it But the discourse ▪ whiche is for the trueth is inferiour both in nature and power for it is lesse to reproue a falshood then to establishe a trueth and followeth by order For it exerciseth force against them which beléeue the falshoode But a false opinion groweth and procéedeth of a second sowing as it were of corruption But although these thinges be thus yet somtime this is put before the other and is more profitable because it taketh away and forepurgeth troublesome incredulitye or some new doubt or some false opinion and both these tende to one ende For both séeketh godlines as well that which refuseth the falseshood as that which establisheth the truth yet are they not all one For the one is necessary as I said for all beléeuers and them whiche haue anye care of the trueth their owne saluation the other is more profitable in some time and among some men These thinges are spoken briefely to kéepe the remembraunce of the former woordes But nowe we must retourne to oure purpose and declare that that treatise is true which is concerning the resurrectiō and that vpon that cause for the whiche and by the which the first man his successours were borne although they were not both created after one maner Then we must prooue it by the nature of all men in that they be men Afterwarde by the iudgement of the creatour which he will geue of them according as they haue liued whiche iudgement no man will doubt of but that it is most iust But the handling of the cause doth cōsiste in this point that wée searche out whether man were made vnaduisedlye and to no ende or for some purpose If he were created for some purpose whether it were that he should liue and continue in this life the whiche hée was naturally ordeyned vnto or that hée should minister some profit to an other But if he were created for some profite whether it were for the profite of the creator or of some other thing whiche belongeth to the creatour is more regarded of him then man. Here truely vsing a common and simple kinde of searching in beholding of thinges wée finde that whosoeuer is endued with reason and is mooued to do any thing by reasonable iudgement doth nothing vnaduisedlye of those thinges which he doth willingly For that he doth he taketh in hande either for his owne sake or for some mās sake whiche he loueth or inflamed with the desire and naturall inclination to that thing which he hath done As for example For we will vse a similitude that our purpose may be playn A man buyldeth a house and that for his owne proper vse hee furnisheth also his house being in order with Camels and other beastes whose helpe he hath néede of not for his owne vse as it séemeth although the latter end be referred to him but as touching the next néereth cause for their commoditie whome hée careth for But he begetteth children not for his owne vse nor for the profit of any thing which belōgeth vnto him but that those whom he begetteth may be remayne aliue as farre as it is lawfull and maye be done ministring a remedye to his owne death by the succession
of children beléeuing thus farre that he hath put of mortalitie But God neither created man vnaduisedly séeing he is wise For a wise man doth no thing vnaduisedlye neither for his owne vse necessity for he hath nede of nothing that which hath néed of nothing doth not desire profite of those thinges which he createth neither dyd he make man for the profite of any other of his woorkes for nothing amongst those thinges which are endued with reason and iudgement whether it be great or small is created or shal be created for the vse of any other thing For suche thinges are created only for theyr owne life and safetye Neither hath reason found out any other end why men were created séeing that they were ordeyned to be immortall without the néede of any thing séeing that they require no helpe of men for the safegarde of their life séeing that all beasts be subiecte and all thinges else do minister commoditie to men for whose vse they were made But beastes haue no vse of men for neither is it nor was it at any time lawfull to debase that creature which is chiefe ruler of all for the vse of other thinges whiche are vnder him or to bring that which is endued with reason vnder the yoke of those thinges which be without reason and vnfit to rule Wherfore if man were created neither without cause nor vnaduisedly nor to no end for there is nothing amongst the woorkes of God done vnaduisedly if we consider the meaning and intention of God nor yet for the profite of the creator nor for the commoditie of other thinges whiche the creatour made it is manifest enough that if we looke vpon the first and vniuersall cause GOD created man for himselfe and his owne goodnesse wisedome whiche you may easily perceyue in all thinges created but if you searche out the next cause and that which agréeth with men being created you shall finde that man was borne to this ende that he shoulde liue But not in such a life that should continue for a while straight way shoulde perish for euer For God I thinke hath geuen such a life to beastes that créepe and to birdes and to fishes but to them which beare about them his owne Image and there withal haue a minde which is the finder out of things and are adorned with the giftes of reason he hath assigned a perpetuall continuaunce that by knowing their creator and following his power and wisedome by lawes and iustice they might with those vertues happyly continue euerlastingly with which they established their former life when they yet liued in their earthly and corruptible bodies For such thinges as are created for the behoofe of other thinges when those thinges for whose vse they were ordeyned do perish do not without cause perishe also and can not remayne for any purpose because ther is no place amōgst thinges created of God for vaine idlenesse But those thinges which were for this end created that they should be and continue the cause being ioyned and intangled with their nature séeing the cause doth onely exacte and require that they should bée it is not possible that they should at any time suffer such violence wherby they should vtterly bée abolished Furthermore séeing that this cause is vnderstoode by a perpetuall kinde of being and doth consist in this poynt it is necessary that that creature do remaine in safetie which was thus created and do and suffer those thinges which bée agréeable to the nature thereof both the partes whereof it consisteth doing that which in them lyeth so that the minde doth continue and remaine inuariable in the nature wherin it was created For it was therfore created to brydell the affectiōs of the body to estéeme with séemely iudgement and measure with vpright measures whatsoeuer befalleth But the body was ordeyned to this ende that it should incline it selfe to suche thinges as be naturall receyue those alteratiōs which are attributed to it by nature and that amongest other chaūges which happen vnto it either in age or beautie or bignesse it should admit the resurrection For the resurrection is a kinde of chaunge and that the last of all and also the alteration into a better thing which then shal be in the bodies of them which be a liue We are as sure of these things as we are of them which haue already happened and considering our owne nature wee do not beare impacientlye this our néedy and corruptible life as agréeable to this present world and we constantly hoope for Eternitie of life rydde of all corruption whiche wée do not grounde vpon the inuentions of men féeding our selues with a vayne hope but we beleue an vnfayned and sufficient witnesse namelye the reason and ordinaunce of the creatour according to the which he hath framed man of a soule immortall and a body which also he hath endued with reason and equitye geuen by nature to conserue and kéepe his giftes and those things which be agréeable to a discrete life and a minde endued with reason Whereby we knowe well enough that God would not haue ordeyned such a creature nor furnished it with all thinges necessarye for perpetuall continuance if he would not haue it continue which he had in such sorte created Wherefore if the maker of the world created mā that he should vse wisedome in all his doinges and that being made a beholder of his magnificence and wisedome whiche he declared in euerye place with the cōtemplation of these thinges should continue and that according to his purpose and will and the nature which he ingendered in them truly the cause of the creation doth confirme and make credible an endlesse continuaunce and this continuance a resurrection without the which man cannot continue It is manifest therfore by those things which haue béen spoken namely by the cause of the beginning and the will of the creatour that the resurrection is cōfirmed Séeing that therfore the cause is such why man was brought into the world it shal be now expedient to consider those thinges which by naturall order do followe the former reasons For if we weigh and consider this businesse the nature of men created doth followe the cause of their creation and the iuste iudgemente of the creatour vpon them doth followe the nature of men created and after all these followeth the end why they liue Séeing that therefore those thinges which go before be playnly declared the nature of men must be hereafter declared and that either by true opinions or by inquisitions what sorte soeuer they be of That demonstration doth get a credite not inconstant to those thinges whiche are spoken whiche hath his beginning not from some thing or place which is without the matter or doth arise of the opinions or decrees of others but doth arise of common vnderstanding or is gathered by the consequence of those thinges which be last to them which be first For that is
either of the first decrées or of those thinges which only by warning do stirre vp and as it were rayse out of sléepe naturall vnderstanding or of those thinges which naturally in fellowship do cleaue vnto the first decrées and be of naturall consequence And it behooueth him which declareth this order to make playne what doth follow consequently the first or the last in déede that he do not negligētly handle either the trueth or some assertion procéeding from the trueth neither confoūd those thinges whiche be repugnant in nature or peruert the naturall order of thinges Wherfore I thinke it expediente for them which take paine in this argumēt and do desire wisely to determine whether ther be any resurrectiō of mens bodies first to consider the force of those thinges whiche do make this demonstration the partes being compared together and what place euery thing doth obtaine and what difference is betwéen these thinges and the first seconde and thirde and last of all what doeth consiste in the last place In placing of these thinges in order it behooueth that the cause be declared why man was created that is to say the minde and purpose of the creator for the which he tooke in hande to create man Afterwarde the nature of man which in order obteyneth the seconde place muste bée fitlye placed and applyed partly because we cannot iudge of both at once partlye because they bée both together do bring the same furtheraūce to this present purpose partly also because by these thinges as chiefe principall and drawing their beginning from the workemanship of God the resurrection is playnly declared notwithstanding by the rule of wisedome also a man maye gather the certentye of this thing I say the rule of wisedome doth consiste in this that rewardes and punishmentes according to iust iudgemēt may be bestowed vpon euery man according to his desertes and that the end of them do aunswere to theyr life For many which haue taken in hande to dispute of the resurrection did assay to bring all their businesse to effecte onely for that which is thirde thinking the cause of the resurrection of men to be only for iudgement But that is manifestly prooued false because that all men rise againe yet all that rise againe are not iudged For if only the iustice of iudgemente be the cause of the resurrection it should necessarylye followe that they whiche haue not at all offended or haue committed notable actes in their liues should be exempt from the resurrection and they also which in the beginning of their age do ende their life which they themselues also thinke sufficient that the resurrection be not for iudgement according to the principall cause but according to the determination and appointment of the creatour and the nature of that which is created But séeing that the onely cause of the creation of man doth suffice if it be well looked vpon to confirme the resurrectiō which by the naturall guyding of reason doth followe the bodies being dissolued yet peraduenture it shal be reason to omit nothing of those which we haue appointed and to declare in cōuenient order the power efficasie of the causes then afterwarde of those thinges that followe for the behoofe of such men as cannot perceyue those thinges by their owne wit and amongst other things to set foorth the nature of men created whiche doth leade vs to the knowledge of the same matter and doth bréede as great credite to the resurrection For if the whole nature of man doth consist of an immortal soule and a body made fit according to his creation and if God haue attributed neither to the soule by it selfe nor to the bodye alone suche a beginning or life but vnto perfit men which are made of both these parts that whilest they liue vsing the same partes of the which they receyued their beginning and life they mighte come to the same common ende and rewarde it is necessarye séeing one creature is made of both these partes whiche is endued with all the affections both of the minde and bodye which doth and exerciseth all thinges that requyre the iudgement either of the senses or of reason that the whole course of these things be referred to some ende that all thinges and in all pointes both the beginning of man and the nature of man and the life of man and whatsoeuer hée doth or suffereth the ende agréeing to his nature do run together to one consente and mutuall combination But if there be one consent or harmonie of euery liuing creature and a mutual passion and participation of affections both of those which haue theyr beginning from the minde as also of those which procéede from the body it is necessary that in all these there remaine one ende and one rewarde but there shal be one ende in déede when the same creature shall consist of both his partes whiche shall happen for the endes sake but the same creature shall perfitly consist when those thinges shal be present with it and those partes restored to it by the which his perfitnesse is absolued But the renuing of the same men doth declare that the resurrection of dead bodies doth necessaryly followe whether the selfe same partes can not bee naturally ioyned together or the same men restored or returne again to their owne nature If therefore minde and reason be geuen to men to the ende that they shoulde iudge not onely of intelligible substances but of the wisedome iustice goodnesse of him that gaue these thinges it is necessary that if those things remayne for whose sake this reasonable iudgemēt was geuen reasonable iudgemēt should also remayne whiche was geuen to discerne those thinges But it is impossible that this iudgement should cōtinue vnlesse that the nature do eke continue which kepeth cherisheth it in the seate resting place therof but man is he which receyueth wit reason into him and not the soule by it selfe therfore it must néedes be that man consisting of both partes do continue for euer But it is impossible for him to continue for euer vnlesse he rise agayne For vnlesse a resurrection be a meane man in no case can endure And if the nature of man can not endure the soule was in vayne mingled with the néedinesse of the body the accidents and affections therof The bodye also is in vayne vnto the soule geuing place to the regiment therof and is bridled by it to the ende it may obtaine the thing which it desireth And in vaine is minde in vayne wisedome in vaine the obseruation of iustice and exercise of vertue among men and the appointing and disposing of lawes is to no purpose And to be short what soeuer is commendable in men by mens procurement is in vayne Yea that which is greater the very engendring and nature of men is in vayne Wherefore if all vainenesse bee all together excluded from all the workes of God and his function it is
necessary that the continuance of the bodye in hys nature be coeternall with the immortalitie of the soule Let no man maruayle that wée call life cutten in sunder by death and corruption a continewing sith wee are not ignoraunt that there is not one only signification of the worde nor one only maner of continewing and no maruayle séeing the nature of thinges continuing is not all one For euery thing according to the nature therof hath her proper continuance You shall not finde in those things which are wholly incorruptible and immortall a like and vniforme continuaunce because the substaunces of the things aboue are not like the things beneath Neither is it conuenient to require in men a continuaunce euer like vnto it self indistinct without any variety as in those thinges is which from the beginning were created immortall and do onely by the appoyntment of the creator continue euerlastingly but that mē haue their continnaunce according to the soule from their creation without any alteration or chaunge But according to the nature of the body men haue immortalitie by a chaunge For the cause of the resurrection doth require it looking thervpon wée looke for the dissolution of the body as it which followeth this néedy and corruptible life and after ward we hope for an incorruptible continuance without alteration neither making our end like to the end of bruite beastes neither to the continuaunce of those thinges which be immortall lest for the lacke of knowledge in this matter we make the nature and life of men equall and like to those thinges which we ought not Wée must not therfore be troubled If there be any inequality espied in the perduration of men neither oughte wée to dispayre of the resurrection when the separating of the soule from her bodylye members and the dissoluing of the bodyly members from it do dispart the cōtinuall tenoure of the life For although the bringing a sléepe of the senses of other naturall strengths which naturally doth arise in mans rest for a season do slumber and in a maner are again reuiued do séeme to cut a sunder the sensible life yet wée do not refuse to count it a life for which cause I thinke some men dooe call sléepe the brother of death not because they would therby declare the stocke of them as though they came of one aunceters parentes but because like thinges happen to them which be a sléepe and to thē which be dead in respecte of the rest and quietnesse of the senses when they vnderstande nothing of thinges present or which are then done nay they perceyue not themselues either to be or to liue If therfore wee do not refuse to call the life of man being full of suche inequalitie euen from mans birth vnto his death interrupted by all those meanes which we haue before rehearsed a life then ought we not to dispayre of the life which is ordeyned to succéede our dissolutiō which bringeth together with it the resurrectiō although for a season it be cuttē a sunder by the departure of the soule from the body For the nature of men posseding from the beginning and that according to the decrée of the creatour an inequalitie attributed vnto it hath an vnequall lyfe and a continuance distinct sometime by sléepe sometime by death by diuerse alterations of ages so that the first do not playnlye appeare when the last do sodenlye come vpon them For who woulde beléeue vnlesse he were taught by experience of thinges that so great force lyeth hid in the moist and softe séede or that such diuersitye of bignesse and greatnesse whiche ariseth and is framed therof is hidde therin namely of bones sinewes gristles and also of muscles fleshe and bowelles and other partes of the bodie For in the séede being yet moist a man can perceyue no suche thing nor in children be those thinges perceyued which in young men do encrease nor those thinges do appeare in youth whiche the estate of man possesseth nor agayne in the state of man which age hath But although amongst those thinges which are sayde before some do nothing at all and some but obscurelye declare the naturall chaunges and alterations comming on men yet notwithstanding they which are not blinded with naughtinesse and sluggishnesse do know what we must iudge of these things For first of all it is requyred that the séede bée sowen afterwarde when it is separated into partes ioyntes the young ones being nowe fashioned do come to light receyue in their first age height after their height the absolute perfection of the whole bodye after a while commeth on the naturall decreasing of strength which prolongeth it selfe euen vnto old age then at the last when the bodies are worne awaye dissolution commeth on Like as therefore in this businesse neither the séede by any likenesse or similitude doth declare either the life or forme of man nor the life doth foreshewe the dissolution wherwith the ioyning together of partes shal be resolued into the first element yet the order and guyding of naturall euentes doth get credit to those thinges which in their owne apparence and shew do séeme to deserue no credite euen so reason by searching the naturall consequence finding the trueth doth establishe the resurrection which is much more certayne then experience to prooue those sayinges wherwith a litle before we endeuoured to get credite to the resurrection and that therfore because we are all of one 〈…〉 kindred as procéeding frō one the 〈◊〉 beginning For our beginning procéedeth from the procreation of our first parentes whome God created But some men euē from the beginning whence they come are established to beléeue other some following nature and the life of man as their guide do get beleife of the wisedome of God toward vs. For the cause according to the which and for the which mē were borne agréeing with the nature of men doth obteine her force by the workemanship of man created But the cause of iustice according to the which God will iudge men whether they liue well or ill doth take his force from the ende of men For therefore are men borne But it dependeth rather vpō the prouidence of God. Séeing that therefore those thinges be declared and prooued by vs as fare as we coulde which were of the first order let vs declare nowe also those thinges that follow But I speake of the reward and punishment which according to iust iudgement shal be bestowed vppon euery man according to his desertes and of 〈…〉 which shal be correspondent to 〈…〉 of man But let that bée done in such order that such thinges go before as be naturally of the first place and first let vs entreate of the cause of the iudgement which words we therefore speake because we haue a care of the cheife stay and order of this disputation in hande and because it behooueth them which admit God as the creatour of the whole worlde to attribute
the charge care of all thinges to his wisedome and iustice if so be that they will sticke vnto the foundation appointed the principles once allowed Furthermore séeing they be of this opinion it is reason that they thinke nothing either of thinges terrestriall or celestiall to be destitute of the care and prouidence of God but that the care of the creatour doth extende it selfe vnto all thinges indifferentlye as well vnto those which be open as those which be hid and vnto those which be great as those which be smal For al things whiche be haue neede of the prouidence of their creatour but euerye thing peculiarly according to his nature for that purpose for which it was created For I do not thinke it expedient with much labour particularly to declare and distinguish with diuisiōs what is agréeable to the nature of euery thing Man truely of whom we nowe entreate as he is hungry hath néede of meate as hée is mortall hath néede of succession of children as he is endued with reason hath néede of iudgement But he hath néede of iudgement that he may lawfully labour for liuing and succession But it is necessary that séeing sustenaunce and succession do pe rtayne to that which consisteth of both partes iudgemēt also do perteyn to the same But I call that whiche is compounde of both partes a man consisting of a soule and a body and such a man to be accused of all thinges which he doth so that he receyueth either a rewarde or punishmēt for them If therefore the sentence of iust iudgement be pronounced against that which consisteth of both parts according to his doinges it cannot be that the soule alone should receyue either rewarde or punishement for those thinges which it committed with the body For the soule by it selfe is not touched with those offences which are committed by the pleasures of the body or meate or apparell neither must the body receyue rewarde or punishment because it perceyueth not the daunger of lawes iudgement but man which cōsisteth of both these partes must receyue iudgement for all his doinges But you can perceyue by no meane that this doth happen in this life for that is not lawfully obserued in this present life séeing that we sée many which are wicked and abounde in all iniquitie to persist voyd of any misfortune euen vntill death we sée them which are well knowen for there vertue to spende their life in suffering gréefes vexations sclaūders reproches and al kind of affliction Neither can you perceyue it after death for that which consisteth of both partes doth not remayne séeing the soule is separated from the body and the bodye it selfe dissolued into those thinges of whiche it was first made and nothing now remayneth whiche reserueth the olde forme or nature or yet the memorye of those thinges which are done Wherefore that which followeth is euident namelye that as the Apostle sayth this corruptible being dissolued must put on incorruption that those bodies which be dead being made aliue by the resurrection and those thinges being ioyned together agayne which were cast a sunder or altogether consumed euery man may iustlye receyue those thinges whiche he hath committed by reason of the body whether they be good or ill Against them therefore which do admit the prouidence of God and receyue the same principles and groundes whiche we do and afterwarde I know not howe do shrinke and reuolt from those opinions which they receyued thought well of you may vse such woordes and other much more plentifull if you will dilate at large those thinges which haue béen spoken briefely in fewe wordes But against such as make a doubt concerning the principles them selues it shal be good to appoint another principle and ground before these that in the meane time wee maye imagine thinges that maye be doubted of and must be searched out by questions which they doubte of namely whether the life and maners of men be neglected and darkened with the grosse shadowe of the earth which hideth and wrappeth in ignoraunce and silence both the men themselues and also their déedes Or which is much more certen whether wée must thinke the creatour to be ruler of the thinges created and to bée the obseruer and iudge of all thinges whiche are done or committed as well déedes as thoughtes For if there shall at no time be iudgement of the actes of men then men shal haue no preheminence aboue bruite beastes and they shal be in worse case then bruite beasts which do bring their affections vnder bondage and do greatly regarde and honour godlinesse iustice other vertues Cōtrarywise the beastly and sauage life shal be counted best and vertue on the other side a foolish thing the threatens of iudgment worthy to be laughed at and to followe pleasure the happyest thing of all that shal be counted the common decrée and chiefe lawe of all men which is pleasant to naughtypackes and riotous persons let vs eate and drinke for to morow wee shall dye For the ende of suche a life is not pleasure as some men thinke but a full voydnesse of perceyuing If therfore the creatour hath some care of his creatures and the iudgement of good or euill actes shall at any time approch it shal be either while they do wel or ill in this present life or after death as long as they consist in dissolution and separation But neither waye can you finde that iust iudgement is obserued For good men in this presente life do not receyue the rewardes of vertue nor euill men punishment for their wickednesse that I maye in the meane time let passe that as long as the nature wherein wée nowe are doth continue in safetye the nature of man cannot abyde sufficient punishment for his manifold gréeuous offences For when a théefe or prince or tyrant doth heap innumerable murders of men one vpō another it cannot be that he can make satisfactiō for his sinnes by one death Whē also a man doth thinke nothing truely of God and hath liued in al voluptuousnesse and blasphemie hath despised all the diuine commaundementes hath broken the lawes hath cōmitted whoredome both with women and children hath iniuriously ouerthrowne Cities hath burnt houses with the inhabitants hath spoyled prouinces hath destroyed by slaughter great people and countryes whole nations how can he in this corruptible body suffer condigne punishment for his desertes séeing death doth preuent his deserued tormentes and this mortall nature is not sufficient to punish duely one offence Therfore in this present life the iudgment of euery mā according to his worthinesse and desert can not be declared nor after death for death is a destroying of the whole life altogether if the soule perish and be putrified together with the body Or els truely the soule remayneth cannot be dissolued nor broke in sunder nor corrupted but the body is dissolued kéeping no longer the remembraunce of things done or
the sense of such things as happen vnto it For if the whole life of man be vtterlye destroyed there appeareth no respect or care of men neither doth there séeme any iudgment ordeyned for well or euill doing but whatsoeuer wickednesse is in a lawlesse life will approch and ouerflowe again and other inconueniences which such a life doth bring with it as a flocke of companioÌ„s and amongst them impietie the denyer of God whiche is chiefe ruler of that life in whiche men liue without lawe And if the body be corrupt and as euery part is dissolued so it departeth to the elementes which be of the same nature but the soule doth continue by it self incorrupt yet there shall not be place to iudge the soule when iustice shall not be present But it is an heynous offence to suspect any iudgement to procéede from God or of God in which iustice is not present but iustice is not present wheÌ„ he remayneth not in safety and capable of iudgement which committed iust or vniuste actes but he that committed all thinges in his life which muste be iudged was man and not the soule alone to be short this kinde of dealing doth defende iustice in no poynt For in receyuing rewardes for things well done vndoubtedly the bodye shall suffer wrong because it was partaker of the trauayle in doing thinges wel and nowe is not partaker of the honor which is rendred for well doing and séeing pardon is often graunted to the soule for diuerse offences in respect of the néede and necessitie of the body if the body be disapoynted of the rewardes for the which whilest life lasted it suffered laboures howe shall it be counted not vniust Contrarywise if wickednesse be condeÌ„ned the soule shal be iniuriouslye dealte withall if it alone suffer punishemente for those thinges which it committed in life time at the suggestion of the bodye drawing it to his owne appetites and motions whilest some time it is lead from that which is honest by violence sometime by stealth sometime it is drawen by a violent inclination some time it geueth it selfe to vices for to gratifie and slatter the fellowship of the bodye Or howe I pray you is it not vniust that the soule only should be condeÌ„pned for those things to the which according to his own nature it hath neither desire nor motion nor inclination as superfluitie in carnall pleasure violence couetousnesse iniustice other offences which are committed for this cause For if many offences be committed because men cannot well rule their inordinate affections and the affections kéepe a whurly burly to this ende that they maye helpe and remidy the néede and necessitie of the body For they prepare all thinges for the behoofe of these thinges that thereby a man may come to the vse and fruition and also mariages are begon and other businesse which happen in the life time in which and about which euery thing that is worthye either of prayse or dispraise is coÌ„sidered Where is here equities séeing the soule is condemned for those things which the body is destrous of and draweth the minde to the felowship of the same affection that it maye obtayne the thing desired And séeing desire pleasure feare gréefe the vnrulinesse of which affectioÌ„s is subiect to iudgement haue their beginning from the body notwithstanding the offences procéeding from thence and the punishmeÌ„ts for them do lye vpoÌ„ the soules shoulders which required no such thing which desired no such thing nor feared nor suffered any such thing by it selfe as man is accustomed to suffer Furthermore if wée say that they be affections not onely of the bodye but of man because he hath a life consisting of both partes yet can we not affirme that they pertayne to the soule if wée playnlye behoâ—de the proper matter therof For if it haue no néede at all of anye nourishment it will neuer desire those thinges whose vse it requireth not to conserue his being neither will it be rauished with those thinges which by nature it doth not inioye nor yet be sorye for the want of mony and possessions as thinges nothing perteyning vnto it Wherefore if it remayne frée from corruption it feareth nothing that may destroy it For it feareth not huÌ„ger or sickenes or mayming or mangling or fire or sworde because it can take no misfortune or hurt by these thinges séeing no bodye or that which hath a bodye can touch it in any point If therfore it be absurde to ascribe the affections peculiarly to the soule it is also great iniurye and farre from the iudgement of God to attribute the punishment of them to the soule Beside these things which haue bene spoken how I pray you is it not vniust that although the vertues and vices can not bée considered to remayne specially in the soule séeing we throughlye perceyue that all vertues of men as also vices contrarye to vertues bee not in the soule separated froÌ„ the bodye and consisting by it selfe yet we wil referre the punishment and rewarde of them to the soules alone Or how I praye you can a man perceyue valiaunce and manlinesse in aduenturing daungers to bée onely in the mynde whiche feareth neither death nor wounds nor mayming nor hurt nor reprochfull handeling nor those gréefes or miscries which happen thereby Or how againe can you perceiue temperaunce and wisedome where no desire doth allure the minde to meat or naturall copulation or any other pleasure or delight and where nothing either disturbeth within or prouoketh without Or last of all howe can you imagine prudence when the matter of thinges to bée chosen or to bée eschued doeth not perteyne vnto the Soules séeing the matter of choyse in doing thinges is not subiecte to the soule or rather no motion or naturall inclination is in it to do any thing But where is there at all any fit iustice amongste the soules whether you consider thinges of the same nature or thinges externall or from whence or to whome or by what means shall they geue that which is right according to the worthynesse of euery man or according to proportion Trulye there is no such thing if you except the honour to be bestowed by them vpon GOD séeing they haue no inclination or motion either to vse their owne or absteyne from other mens séeing vse and abstinence is séene in those thinges whiche by nature haue néede of such things Contrarywise the soule is so borne that it néedeth no such thing and thence is it that you can not perceyue the propre vse of the members in a thing so ingendered Furthermore this is moste absurbe that the lawes made should be referred to men and the punishmente of the lawes wrested to the soules alone For if he whiche receyued the lawe ought also rightlye receyne punishment for breaking the lawe and man receyued the lawe and not the soule alone it is right that man suffer punishment for his offences and not the soule alone For truely God
commaunded not the soules to abstreyne from thinges vnlawfull as adulteries murders théefts robberies and from contempte of parentes and all hurtfull and vniust desire of other mens goodes For this commaundement honour thy father and mother doth not appertaine vnto the soules séeing such names do not belong to them For one soule doth not beget another that it may chalenge to it selfe therby the name of a parent But one man begetteth another And furthermore this commaundemeÌ„t thou shalt not commit adulterye can not bée spoken or vnderstoode aptlye of the soules séeing in them there is no discretioÌ„ of the masculine or feminine kinde or aptnesse or desire of carnall copulation and where the desire is not it is impossible that the mixture should be made But amongst whom such mixture is not truely lawful copulation namely which is in wedlocke cannot be found where such copulatioÌ„ as is in wedlocke is not there also vnlawfull desire of carnall companye with another mans wife for that is adultery hath no place Moreouer the precept of eschuing theft or desire of too muche doth not serue for the soules For they haue no néede of such thinges as they that haue néede of do get for themselues for their naturall néede or necessitie either by thefte or robbery as golde siluer cattell or any thing els necessary either for meate or apparell For that is vnprofitable for an immortall nature which is desired of them that néede because it is profitable But let a more curiouse trade be left for them whiche desire more diligentlye to search out these thinges or more earnestlye striue with our aduersaryes But séeing those things which haue bene spoken before be sufficieÌ„t for vs agréeable with these things as it were with one consent do establish the resurrection it doth not séeme conuenient to tary longer in them For we did not direct our purpose to this marke that wée should omit nothing that belongeth to this matter but that wée might briefly declare to all them that are come hyther what men oughte to thinke concerning the resurrection and that by the force of those things that we haue already spoken they mighte measure the force of other reasons belonging to the same purpose Séeing those thinges whiche wée had in hande be searched out and examined it remayneth nowe that wée consider the cause of the ende already playne and euideÌ„t which hath néede of no care more then that it bée added to the rest lest it séeme either to be omitted by reason of obliuion or hinder the argument in hand and diuision made in the beginning For these causes and other belonging to the same purpose it shall bée conuenient to declare the matter only for this cause because those things whiche consist by nature or arte haue their peculiar ends which custome common vnderstanding doth teach those things which are before our eyes do witnesse the same Do wée not sée one ende ordeyned for husbandmen another for Phisicions and againe one for those thinges which growe out of the earth another for creatures liuing therby and ingendered according to a naturall order and sequele of succession Wherefore if it bée euidente and necessarye that naturall and artificiall faculties and the actes of them do followe their ende euery one according to his nature it is necessarye altogether that the ende of man be excepted from the communioÌ„ of the rest as a peculiar nature For it is not lawful to assigne one end to those things which lacke reasonable iudgement and those which according to naturall lawe and reason dooe their actions and vse wisedome and iustice in life Neither therfore voydnesse of gréefe is the proper peculiar end of these things For you maye finde that also in those that bee without sense nor yet the enioying of those thinges whiche delight or nourish the body nor aboundance of pleasures Otherwise it were necessarye that the beastly life did excell the life adorned with vertues were an vnperfit thing For such an end is proper to beastes and cattell doth not perteyne to men which haue an immortall soule reasonable iudgement nor yet the felicity of the soule separate from the body For we do not looke vpon either the life or end of either parte of which man consisteth but on that whiche hath fulnesse and perfection of both partes For man which hath receiued this life is such a one And it is necessary that he haue a proper end agréeable to his life Wherfore if an end must be ordeyned for that which is both together namely for that which consisteth both of soule body you cannot finde it neither while he continueth in this life for the causes now oftentimes alleged nor then when the soule is separate froÌ„ the body because man must be thought no such thing wheÌ„ his bodye is dissolued or wholye dispersed although the soule remayne by it selfe it is altogether necessarye that the end of men do appeare in some other recomposition and renuing of both partes and the same creature and séeing that doth followe of necessitie it is necessary also that there be a resurrection of bodyes dead and wholye dissolued and that the same men be made agayne séeing that the law of nature doth commaunde not euery ende nor of all men bâ—t of those which liued in the former life But it is impossible for the same men to be made again vnlesse the same bodyes be restored to their soules But that the bodye receyue the same soule can by no other meane be broughte to passe then by the resurrection For when that coÌ„meth to passe an apt ende doth followe the nature of men an ende trulye of a 〈◊〉 life and reasonable iudgment A man shall not offend if he saye it is it that wée maye for euer cleaue and continue with those thinges wherwith chiefely and especially naturall reason doth agrée and consent and that in respecte and consideratioÌ„ of him which is for the behoofe of those things which it plesed him to promise although the common sort of men more earnestly and vehemetlye desire such thinges as are nowe presentlye and dooe nothing estéeme or regarde this ende For the multitude of suche as do leaue and go from the ende agréeable to them doth not weaâ—… 〈◊〉 common ordinaunce of duety 〈…〉 a peculiar examination is â—â—pointed against that and puniâ—â—ment and rewardes orâ—â—â—ned which be correspondent to the measure of well or euill doing FINIS
this maner For truelye all hardenesse of beléefe doth procéede not rashly of a vayne light opinion but for some vrgent cause likelihoode well fortified For then incredulitie hath a reasonable excuse when the matter it selfe whiche is not beléeued conteyneth some thing whiche is incredible For not to beléeue those thinges which haue no cause of doubting is propre to such men as do not vse any sounde iudgement in searching out of the trueth Therfore it behooueth them whiche do not beléeue the resurrectiō or do doubt of it not to directe their opinions according to that which without consideratiō séemeth to them probable or acceptable to the prodigall and those which liue in too muche riote but in searching and considering the trueth of this doctrine either to ascribe no cause therof to the creatiō of man whiche is easie to be refuted or else to impute all things created to God the aucthor of all and therby to prooue that the resurrection in no case is to be beléeued And they may do this if either they declare that God lacketh will or wanteth power to restore to life a dead and dissolued body so that he make it sounde and ioyne it together to renewe the forme of the olde man Which thing if they can not prooue let them leaue of their wicked vnbeléefe and detestable blasphemie But it shall appeare by those thinges that follow that they say falsely whether they alledge that God can not or that he will not For lacke of power in anye man is therby perceyued if either he know not what must be done or if he know it yet is so weake in strength that he can not well accomplish the same For he which knoweth not what must be done can neither take in hande nor yet bring to passe anye thing at all especially of those thinges whiche he hath no knowledge of But he that knoweth what is to bée done and howe and by what meanes it maye be finished but yet hath either no strength at all or else not sufficient to accomplish the matter the which he well vnderstandeth he if he be wise wil looke vpon his owne abilitye either will not take it in hand vnaduisedly or shal be disapointed of the ende of his worke But it is impossible that God should be ignoraunt in any point or parcell of the bodyes which be appointed for the resurrection For it is not possible that it shoulde bée hidde from him whether euery one of the corrupted members bee gone and what putrified things the partes of the elements haue receyued into them haue admitted into like nature although amongest men that which is powred again into the vniuersall nature of the elemēts doth séeme altogether inseperable indeprehēsible For to him which before that any thing was created was not ignorant of the nature of the elementes before they were where of bodies do take their beginning neither were the parts of the elementes vnknowen out of the which he was minded to gather that which pleased him for the constitution of mans bodye it is manifest enough that he would not be ignoraunt whether euery thing might departe which he tooke to make perfect his worke withal when the composed masses are to be sundered and seuered For as touching the order of our affayers and the iudgement of other our businesse it is a greater matter to foreknow those thinges whiche are not yet before they come to passe but as touching the maiestie wisedome of God both these are naturall like easie both to foreknow those thinges which are not yet created also to discerne those things which be resolued And truely euen the creation of bodyes doth well declare that God hath power sufficient to restore dead bodyes For if he made bodies whē as yet they were not and brought foorth the principles of them whence they had their beginning he can also repayre the same by what meane soeuer they were dissolued with the like case Neither here shall this reason fayle whether they draw the beginning of things from the matter and stuffe of them or frame bodies of the elementes as the firste principles of all thinges or of their séede in procreation For in whose power it is to transforme matter which in the beginning was with out forme and to adorne it with many and diuerse countenaunces which before had no shape and to gather together the partes of the elementes and to diuide into manye parts the séede which was one and vniforme and to garnish that with ioynts which before was without ioynts and to geue life to a thing without life he also is able to vnite together that which is scattered abroad raise vp that whiche lyeth and make that aliue whiche is dead and chaunge that whiche was corruptible into incorruption The same workeman also can by his power and wisedome when a bodye is is toarne in péeces by a multitude of diuerse beastes howe many so euer do vse to set vpon such bodies therby fill their paunches seperate it from them and ioyne it again to his mēbers and partes whether they went into one beast or mo or whether they went into diuers one after another successiuelye or whether with them being consumed they do retourne againe to their first beginninges as by naturall putrefaction thinges are accustomed to do This thing truely doth séeme to haue greatlye troubled men of excellent learning which thought the doubting of the common people I know not vpon what occasion to be weightie of great force They saye that manie bodies in shipwracke by sea and in riuers haue béene meate to fishes and that bodyes whiche were slayne in warre or vpon some other sharpe occasion other circumstances of things when they could not be buried were a praye to euery beast as eche first could méete therewith Séeing therefore that these bodies bée deuoured in such sorte and the mēbers and partes wherof these bodies dyd consist be torne in péeces and therefore by the nature of growing together be made the brawnes sinews inyutes of beasts they say it is impossible that they should suffer any separatiō or diuision one from an other Besides this they bring foorth another thing which is more harde namely that séeing those beastes which be nourished with the members of men be eaten as fit for mans meate and therefore being put into mens bellyes be vnited together with the bodye of them which eate them it followeth necessaryly say they that the members of man whiche tell before to these beastes for their foode do passe into other mens bodies séeing those beastes whiche dyd deuoure the fleshe of man do transmit their substance into the brawnes of them whiche receyue nourishment of those beastes whom men were eaten Then do they here vnto tragically exaggerate the limmes of Children cut of and eaten either in hunger or madnesse and children denoured of their parentes through the craft and deceyt of enemies they adde moreouer the table
of the Meads and the tragicall banket of Thiestes and what so euer mischiefe hath béene committed either amongst the Gréecians or among the Barbariās vpon these groundes they inferre wel as they suppose that there can be no resurrection séeing it can not be that the same members shoulde rise againe in diuerse bodyes together For either the first bodies can not consist when the limmes are gone thether where they make a furniture or if they be restored to the first owner the bodies of them which followe can not be perfit These men do séeme to me first of all to be ignoraunt of the power wisedome of the creatour gouernour of all things which prepareth nourishinent fit agréeable to euery nature and kinde of liuing thing doth not ordeyne euery nature to concurre to the contemperature and mixture of euerye naturall body neither doth stagger stay in seuering the parts of thinges growen together and suffereth all thinges according to their proper nature both to do suffer and sometime contrariewise stoppeth them doth conueigh take awaye what he list whether he listeth Beside this the same men séeme to me not to knowe throughly the strength and nature either of thinges whiche do nourishe or of those which are nourished Otherwise they would haue knowē that not euery thing whiche is powred from one in to another is made foode fit agréeable to the nature of that thing that taketh it But that some thinges assoone as they be receyued into the bellye do perishe either by vomiting or by excrement or by auoyding by some other meane so that they endure not one litle while the first and natural concoction or any other mixture with the things that nourishe As therfore not euery thing which is cōcoct hath suffered the first alteration is wholly ioyned with that which nourisheth the body séeing that some thinges thereof be as it were expelled of the nourishing power faculty of man by the belly other some after the seconde chaunge and alteration in the liuer are auoyded and seuered vnto other thinges which do excéede the power of nourishing the very chaunge it selfe which is in the liuer doth not wholly nourishe but strayneth some of it vnto accustomed superfluities so in like maner the liuer doth sometime conuert that which it did reteyne to nourishe the partes of the bodie with all into some other thing according to the nature of that whiche beareth greatest sway and doth most abound which is accustomed either to destroy that which is next vnto it or else to chaunge it into his owne nature Séeing that there is therfore much naturall difference in all liuing creatures séeing that foode must by nature bée aptly applyed to euery kinde of beast and chaūged with the body whiche is nourished therwith and séeing that in the meate of creatures there be thrée maners of purifyinges and auoydinges therof it is requisite that that meate perishe wholly or be sent whether it is accustomed or be chaunged into some other thing what soeuer is not couenable for the nourishment foode of any creature as a thing which can not be mingled and contempered therwith and the force of the nourishment of the creature must naturally agrée and descende through naturall as I may terme them sieues sarches and being throughlye purged by these naturall cleansinges be made most pure that it maye be adioyned to the body the whiche only if you vse the termes of things a right you maye call nourishmente as that which hath cast awaye all which is not agréeable but hurtfull to the constitution of the creature to be nourished hath also shaken of that great infarced and stuffed waight which the stomacke vsed to fill it selfe and satisfie appetite withall But no man will doubt that this most pure nourishment is vnited with the body and that it is entangled doth grow with all the members and ioyntes therof and that it which is not so but is contrary to nature doth perish by and by if it be mingled with the strongest partes of the body or doth destroy by litle litle the strength of the body which it ouercōmeth and doth turne it into naughty and venemous iuyse as a thing whiche bringeth nothing agréeable and holesome to nourishe the body withall And the greatest argumente of this thing is because that either griefe or daungers or death doth thervpō inuade bodies if with an eger appetit they swallowe with their meate some poyson or other thing which is cōtrary to their nature whiche without peraduenture bringeth destruction to the whole bodye For truelye those thinges which are nourished are nourished with those thinges wherewith they bée acquainted and bée naturall but are destroyed with those thinges which be repugnant to their nature If then by the discorde of these thinges which do striue with the nature of liuing creatures the naturall nourishment also is corrupted and doth take neither al those things which be ministred to the body nor yet any thing vpon a sodayne to the increase of the flesh but that only which being purified by all concoctions commeth pure and therfore sheweth it selfe fit to nourishe the partes it is plaine enough that nothing which is against natrue can be vnited to those creatures to whom that meat is not both naturall agreable but that either it is cast downe rawe and corrupt through the belly before it be chaūged into some other ioyce or if it doe longe continue in the members it doeth bréede some fault or disease harde to be cured corrupting either the naturall nourishmēt or else the flesh which hath néede of nourishment And if it be driuen awaye with medicines or ouercome with better dyet or naturall strength yet it will not departe out of the body without some smal hurt as bringing nothing auaylable for lacke of abilitie to growe to be ioyned together with it To be short if anye man graunt nourishment to be subministred therby and adde there withall that it is vsuall although in déede it be contrary to nature that it be digested and changed into anye thing that is moyste or drye or hote or coulde yet although these thinges bée graunted it shall not folowe that any furtherance commeth thereby to the bodies of those which rise againe that they get therby a fuller number of members séeing that it is neither a part of the bodye nor yeldeth the likenesse or stéede of any parte of the bodye nor yet doth continue still with the members nourished or if it do rise againe together with the members rysing againe it doeth profite nothing to the vse of life whether it be blood fleame choler or spirite For then the bodies whiche were nourished shall not now haue néede of that which sometime they néeded when hunger and corruption being past the necessitye of taking nourishment shal be taken awaye Now if any man imagine that suche transmitation of meate doeth extende it selfe to
the creation of fleshe yet notwithstanding necessitye shall not compell that this fleshe being newlye created of nourishment when it commeth to the body of an other must retourne again to absolue the perfection of the former body as a parte of it because that the â—â—she which hath receyued this nourishment from some other body neither doth kéepe it long nor that whiche commeth froÌ„ another doth long abyde there whyther it commeth but to the contrary suffereth a great alteratioÌ„ when sometime it vanisheth away by gréefe sometime it pineth awaye by care sorowe labour and sickenesse and sometime by reason of the vntemperatnesse of heat and colde the humours do not chauÌ„ge themselues into flesh and fatnesse so that the bodyes which haue receyued these meats do coÌ„tinue still the same that they are Séeing that such thinges happen in the affections of the fleshe you maye muche more easily perceyue the same in the fleshe whiche is nourished wyth improper meats séeing that it somtime increaseth to a huge bignesse and couereth it with fat by reason of the meates which are taken and agayne casteth it awaye by some meanes is diminished either for some one or for manye of those causes whiche wée haue before rehearsed so that that flesh only remayneth which hath streÌ„gth to binde to thickeÌ„ and to cherish namely suche as is chosen of nature and is like and agréeable to those meats wherwith according to nature nature furnisheth life and susteyneth the labours of life But neither as the right is whether those thinges whiche we haue spoken of be cleansed away or whether they be receyued can that bée prooued to be true which is obiected by these men neither can mens bodies be mingled coupled with bodyes of the same kinde whether in eating they be beguyled by some maÌ„s guyle so that they feele not the taste therof or else voluntaryly for hunger or by reason of madnesse do pollute theÌ„selues with deuouring bodyes of their owne kinde vnlesse peraduenture wée knowe not that there be some beastes indued with the shape of men or compounded of diuerse natures so that they consist partlye of men partly of beastes such as the bouldest of the Poets are woont to fayne But what shall I saye of those bodyes which are geuen to no liuing creature to deuoure and which onely for the worthinesse of their nature haue obtayned the honour of buriall séeing that the maker of all things hath assigned to no creature any bodye of like forme for meate although according to nature they are fedde with bodies of diuerse forme If so be that they can declare that the flesh of men is geuen to men for meate by the ordinaunce of nature what impediment shall there be why there shoulde not be mutuall slaughters of vs committed as is accustomed to be done in things graunted by nature And truely let them which dare saye thus rauenously deuoure the bodyes of their dearest friendes as moste deyntye meate that they may eate them whome they loued best But if this be vngodly and an haynous and abominable offence to be spoken to bée detested aboue all other wicked meates and mischieuouse actes for man to deuoure the limmes of men againe if it be true that that whiche is against nature is not receiued of the hungry meÌ„bers and that which is not receyued for meate cannot growe together with those bodyes for whiche it is not meate naturally it cannot be that mens bodies at any time should be coÌ„founded with other bodies of the same kinde into whoÌ„ contrarye to nature they are thrust for meate although they be stuffed into their belies by reason of some gréeuous calamitie For flying backe and refusing nutritiue facultye and being cast thither from wheÌ„ce they had their first beginning are ioyned to their first grouÌ„des for a time yet being seuered froÌ„ thence by the wisedome power of him which ordreth al things they shal be ioyned one to another again in most conuenient order whether they haue béene burnte with fire or consumed with water or deuoured of beasts or being cut of froÌ„ the body of him which is yet aliue waxed rotten before the other partes yet comming together agayne amongest themselues they shall possesse the same place that they maye make the same proportion and constitution of the body and repayre the resurrection the life of the bodye being dead or all together dissolued It is not coÌ„uenient to prosequute these thinges at large for they haue a declaration confessed and not doubted of especially among such men as do hate beastly and brutishe customes But séeing their be many thinges profitable to the searching out of these matters first of all I wish them to be excluded which runne to humane workes to men the makers thereof whose workes being worne out or rotteÌ„ by reason of time or cleane vndone by some other meane cannot be renewed again by a similitude drawne their hence do go about to prooue that God either will not or if hée will can not restore a dead and vanished karcas to his former state neither do they consider with them selues that by this meanes they be contumeliouse against God whilst they compare powers differing one from an other in euery respecte or rather the possessours of the powers and do compare thinges artificiall with thinges naturall It is not without fault earnestlye to deale with such men For it is a foolishe thing in déede to gaynsaye light vayne persons but it is a great deale more probable of al other the truest to affirme that to be possible to God which is impossible to meÌ„ Wherfore if either by these thinges whiche are probable or by all those things which be heretofore examined reason doth declare it to bée possible to God it is manifest enough that it must not be counted impossible or to abhorre from the will of God. For what he will not do therfore hée will not do it either because it is vniust or els because it is vnworthy Furthermore this iniustice is perceiued either about him which ryseth or about some other thing without him But it is manifeste that there is no iniury done to any thing at all which is without those that rise againe and are existent in nature For the intelligible creatures do receiue no iniurye by the resurrection of men for there being is nothing therby hindered and the resurrection of men doth bring no reproch or hurt to them as it doth seme not to do also vnto thinges without reason and soule For they after the resurrection shall not remayne and to such thinges which be not can no wrong be done But if you do imagine them to be then yet shall they féele no wrong by the resurrection of men For if when they are bestowed on the nature of man and be broughte vnder yooke and all kinde of seruitude for the behoofe of them being subiect vnto miserye do yet suffer no wrong much lesse shall they suffer iniury