Selected quad for the lemma: opinion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
opinion_n	certain_a	faith_n	persuasion_n	574	5	10.3406	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A72420	The soule is immortall, or, Certaine discourses defending the immortalitie of the soule against the limmes of Sathan to wit, Saducees, Anabaptists, atheists and such like of the hellish crue of aduersaries / written by Iohn Iackson.	Jackson, John, fl. 1611.; Houppelande, Guillaume, d. 1492. De immortalitate animae.; Xenocrates, of Chalcedon, ca. 396-ca. 314 B.C. De morte.; Athenagoras, 2nd cent. De resurrectione.; Palingenio Stellato, Marcello, ca. 1500-ca. 1543.	1611 (1611)	STC 14297a.3; ESTC S116566	64,456	189

he can not be deceiued in any thing Who is so perfect that he is perfectly quieted in all thinges and fully satisfied Was not Aristotle deceiued in many thinges and found ignoraunt in many thinges as about the Eternitie of the World and the Perpetuitie of generation and corruption and in very many other thinges also he foully erred The second Conclusion FAyth secluded and set apart in the light of naturall Reason it is more agreeable to Reason and more probable to affirme that the reasonable Soule is Immortall then to say that it is Mortall Or that the opinion of those Philosophers that auouch that the Soule is Immortall is more reasonable and more probable yea Fayth being secluded and set aside then the opposite or contrary thereof First it is very manifest according to the Philosopher that that is probable which doth seeme to the most euen chiefely to the wisest But very many of the Philosophers those whom we see to be preferred aboue all others of euery sect and nation in fame glory wisedome haue verily thought the Soule to be Immortall And but a few and those of the meanest of the Philosophers of no fame and reputation haue said That it is Mortall as hath been shewed before therefore the Soule is Immortall Hereof the Philosopher sayth in the ninth Booke of Ethicks that Opinionibus sapientum oportet acquiescere habent enim fidem quandam 1. Wee ought for to rest and stay our selues in the Opinions of Wisemen for they haue a certaine Fayth Whereof he also sayth That the opinions of Wisemen doe sound togeather c. Also that Opinion is more reasonable and probable whereunto there are more effectuall perswasions or more dialecticall reasons But for this Opinion That the Soule is Immortall there are more effectuall perswasions and more Topicall reasons then for the contrarie opinion Yea for that part the reasons are most slender neither haue they scarsely any shadow of probabilitie for all the reasons wherewith they goe about to impugne the Immortalitie of the Soule are founded in errour or on a false ground as are these wherevnto all for the most part doe leane If the Soule should be Immortall it should follow that all the Soules should be perpetually idle and depriued of their proper act But this Reason is grounded on two thinges whereof both are false and erroneous The first is that the Body being corrupted cannot be repayred and brought againe to the same forme and maner that it was before The second is That the Soule cannot vnderstand but in the Body by the meanes of the Body of which thinges at this present it is not needfull to speake Also Reasons dialecticall how effectuall or forceable soeuer they shall be or multiplied out of the nature of them or from the Empire or Godly affection of the Will cannot cause but an opinion or assent with a feare of the opposite From the same feate are Reasons bred with the empire of the Will the godly Affection thereof to cause a greater assent in the kind of opinion yea verily sometimes Fayth or a firme Assent without feare of the opposite whereof the Philosopher saith in the seauenth Booke of Ethicks that Aligui ita firmiter harent his de quibus habent opinionem sicut alij his quibus habent scientiam 1. Some doe so firmely cleaue to the thinges whereof they haue opinion as others doe to those thinges whereof they haue full knowledge or skill And this proceedes of the empire and godly Affection of the Will Whereof the Text thus lyeth Some that doe hold Opinions doe not doubt but esteeme or thinke that they doe surely know that whereof they hold opinion and doe nothing lesse belieue those that are of opinion then others those that know But euery one well disposed is inclined Ad esse et non ad non esse To bee and not to not bee to the affirmatiue not negatiue and is affected to alwayes to bee if it be possible therefore others being like euery one well disposed is borne to haue a greater Assent yea a firmer and a surer that the Soule is Immortall then of the opposite thereof Therefore it is more agreeable to reason and more probable in the light of naturall reason to suppose or to thinke that the Soule is Immortall then the opposite thereof Whereof our Cicero thought it more saf secure to erre with those Philosophers that hold that the Soule is Immortal then with those meane and base accounted on Philosophers that doe affirme and hold of opinion that the Soule is Mortall If the Soule be Mortall then they that hold it to be Immortal do not therby get any detriment losse hinderance or euill neither can they be blamed in an other life nor noted of ignorance If it be Immortall then they that hold it to be Mortall are worthy in an other life to be reprehended laughed to scorne Therfore it is more agreeable to reason in the light of naturall reason to say that the Soule is Immortall then to say that it is Mortall For so saith Cicero Quod si in hoc erro quod animos hominū credebū immortales esse lebenter erro Nec mihi hunc errorem quo delector dum viuo extorqueri volo Sin mortuus vt quidam minuti Philosophi censent nihil s●ntiam Non vereor ne hunc errorem meum Philosophi mortui irrideant If so be I doe erre in this that I beleeued the Soules to be Immortall I doe willingly erre Neither while I liue will I be wrested away from this error wherein I am delighted But when I am dead as certaine meane Philosophers doe thinke I shall feele nothing I doe not feare least the dead Philosophers should scorne this my errour Therefore the foresayd Philosophers of whom wee haue spoken aboue not ouercome by euident reasons and demonstrations but fully setled and grounded in the foresaid perswasions and all other reasons probable which for breuities sake I omit haue concluded That the Soule is Immortall For the Philosophers in following Naturall reason haue written and taught those thinges which they haue not prooued euidently neither by demonstratiue reason but perswasiuely and dilectically They also supposed thought and concluded many thinges without any great proofe by mingling and conforming themselues to the opinions of the common people and the sentences of the Philosophers that were before them Whereof the Philosopher saith Secundo de caelo cap. Of two hard Questions saith he it is to be tryed which thing we should say is the worthy thing Reputing Promptitude to be imputed a poynt of shamefastnesse rather then of bouldnesse If any do stand on Philosophies part and doth loue few sufficiencies of that thing whereof we haue very great doubtinges whence few sufficiencies perswasions vsually haue sufficed Philosophers where they were not able to attaine to greater thinges neither did they contradict the principles of Philosophie or the opinions of their predecessours wherein

first it is manifest by the wordes of our Sauiour Christ himselfe in the Gospell Mat. 10. vers 28. 28. Feare ye not them which kill the Body but are not able to kill the Soule but rather feare him which is able to destroy both Body and Soule in Hell Mat. ca. 18. v. 9. 9. It is better for thee to enter into Life halt then hauing two feete to be cast into Hell Mar. 9.43.44 43. Wherefore if thy Hand cause thee to offende cut it off it is better for thee to enter into Life maimed then hauing two Handes to goe into Hell into Fire that neuer shal be quenched 44. Where the Worme dieth not and the Fire neuer goeth out c. Mat. 25. 31. When the Sonne of man commeth in his glory and all the holy Angels with him then shall he sit vpon the Throne of his glorie 32. And before him shal be gathered all Nations and he shall separate them one from another as the Shepheard separateth the Sheepe from the Goates 33. And he shall set the Sheepe on his right hand and the Goates on his left 34. Then shall the King say to them on his right hand Come ye blessed children of my Father inherite the Kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world 41. Then shall he say to them on his left hand Depart from me yee curssed into euerlasting Fire which is prepared for the Deuill and his Angels Iohn 10. My Sheepe heare my voyce I giue vnto them eternall life ¶ Of these Places I doe conclude that the Soule is Immortall because it liueth eternally or is punished euerlastingly In the Booke of Wisedome cap. 3. 1. The Soules of the Righteous are in the hand of God and no torment shall touch them 2 In the sight of the Vnwise they appeare to die and their end was thought grieuous 3. And their departing from vs Destruction but they are in peace 4. And though they suffer paine before men yet is their hope full of Immortalitie 5. They are punished in few thinges yet in many thinges shall they be rewarded for God prooueth them and findeth them meete for him 6. He tryeth them as Gould in the furnace and receiueth them as a perfect fruit offring 7. And in the time of their vision they shall shine and run through as the sparkles among the stubble 8. They shall iudge the nations and haue Dominion ouer the people and their Lord shall raigne for euer Ecclesiastos 12. Because man shall goe to the house of his eternity Also in the last iudgement euery man that is predestinate to saluation shall rise againe to life euerlasting with the same Bodyes they had heere according to that saying of Job Job 19. 25. I am sure that my Redeemer liueth and that I shall rise againe out of the earth at the last day 26. And though after my skinne Wormes destroy this Body yet shall I see God in my flesh 27. Whom I my selfe shall see yea my selfe shall behold and none other for me So that hereby it is very manifest and plaine that all the Soules of men shall euery one of them take againe their owne proper Bodyes being become Immortall or brought vnto the state of Immortalitie of the good and blessed 1. Thessal 4. 14. If we beleeue that Iesus is dead and is risen euen so them that sleepe in Iesus will God bring with him 16. For the Lord himselfe shall descend from Heauen with a shoute and with the voyce of the Archangell and with the Troumpe of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first 17. Then shall we which liue and remaine be caught vp with them also in the Cloudes to meete the Lord in the Aire and so shall wee euer be with the Lord. Rom. 6. 5. If wee be dead with Christ to the similitude of his death euen so shall we be to the similitude of his resurrection 8. If we be dead with Christ we beleeue that we also shall liue with him 9. Knowing that Christ being raysed from the death dieth no more death hath no more power ouer him ¶ Of all good and bad is plaine in the Epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 15. 51. Wee shall not all sleepe but wee shal be all changed 52. In moment of time by the last Trumpet for the Trumpet shall blow and the dead shall be raysed vp incorruptible and we shall be changed 53. For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortalitie The Conclusion OF these Authorities and Reasons there may in the minde of euery faythfull man that vndoubtedly beleeueth the holy Scriptures be bred a sufficient Fayth of the Immortalitie of the Soule sufficient I say to saluation yea it doth not seeme possible that those that are instructed in the foresayd Scriptures should doubt of the Immortalitie of the Soule For it doth not seeme natuturally to be possible that some one euidently Assent that the Antecedent cannot be true without the Consequent and vndoubtedly Assent to the Antecedent but the must vndoubtedly Assent to the Consequent which he doth euidently know to be concluded and deducted out of the Antecedent But the Reasons Topicall or Perswasions Probable which we haue before set downe to perswade the second part of the first Conclusion although as it is sayd it be not of their nature to breed nothing else but an Opinion or Assent with feare of the Opposite for Opinion is the acception of one part of the Contradiction with feare of the other yet not withstanding out of the empire of the Will they may breed a firme and sure Assent of the Immortalitie of the Soule aboue Opinion and beneath Science by reason of the same euidence and not adherencie From hence may such perswasions or reasons be able manifoldly and sundry wayes to profite and auayle the fayth of the faythfull for they helpe our Fayth for by them in the vnfaythfull is begun the Fayth of the Immortalitie of the Soule By them is the same Fayth pres●rued and strengthned against the Wicked and Heretickes By the same is it suslayned and defended thereby are the simple at the length throughly mooued and prouoked to true Fayth Wherefore Peter commaundeth To be readie prepared to render to euery one that asketh a reason of the Fayth that is in vs. But the faythfull man hauing such like reasons and perswasions doth not leane to the first trueth and conclusion of Fayth or that the Soule is Immortall principally for those same reasons but rather doth assent to them and vseth them which doe consent to the first trueth that it is well as the Lord sayth by the Samaritanes that worshipped in the Mount By whom are figured and signified the true beleeuers who seeing JESVS by Fayth are called Samaritanes This is to humaine reason Now we doe not beleeue because of thy saying but because wee our selues haue seene and heard Of these thinges it most plainely and most euidently appeareth how great thankes are

THE SOVLE IS Immortall OR Certaine Discourses defending the immortalitie of the Soule against the limmes of Sathan to wit Saduces Anabaptistes Atheists and such like of the hellish crue of Aduersaries Written by IOHN IACKSON Imprinted at London by W. W. for Robert Boulton dwelling in Smithfield neere Long-lane 1611. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER Grace and Peace be multiplied THe Arch-enimie of mankinde Sathan that olde Aduersarie as he dared to giue the assault vpon the Author of Saluation himselfe so hath he not rested from the beginning to lay battrie to the fortresse of Fayth seeking by all meanes to beat it downe and vtterly to rase the very foundations of it And to this end hath he not left vnshaken any one article of our Christian beliefe both by old and new Heretikes the wicked instrumentes of his infernall warringes So maliciously is he set against vs that like a ramping and roring Lion he goeth about seeking whom be may deuower And where GOD hath his Church be euermore adioyneth his Chappell with his counterfaite false and faigned Religion odious to God and wonderfull to the world Amongest the rest he hath not onely of old but euen of late battered the soule yea euen the life of the soule of man yea euen now doth he most stoutly batter it by perswading some that it is corruptible and mortall and putting into their mouthes the most venomed swordes of poysoned sophisticall Argumentes to maintaine the same against the most certaine and necessarie trueth of the Soules immortalitie For not onely the Saduces did dispute against the immortalitie of the Soule yea and they in like manner who sayd in Saint Paules time that the Resurrection was past alreadie to him that beleeueth and made no other resurrection besides the resurrection of the regenerate But also the Anabaptistes of later yeares doe denie the Soule to be immortall And Paul the third of that name Pope of Rome when he was breathing out his Soule and readie to die sayd that now at length he should try and know three things First whether there were a GOD second whether the Soules were immortall third whether there were a Hell or no whereof all his life time he was in much doubt Yea verily euen at this very day there are now wicked Epicures and gracelesse Atheistes whom the Diuell to lull them faster a sleepe in their sinnes and enforce them to heape sinne vpon sinne hath so suggested them that they are fully perswaded that there is no rewarde for the Good nor punishment of the Wicked but that Man perisheth as Beast and the Soule to come to nothing according to that wicked verse of Horace Et redit in nihilum quod fuit ante nihil For they affirme that the Soule of man like as of brute Beastes is nothing else but Life or the vitall power arising of the temperature and perfection of the Body and therefore dyeth and is extinguished togeather with the Body And some againe say that the Soule sleepeth when the Body dyeth that is is without motion or sense vntill the raysing of the Body which indeed is nothing else but that the Soule is mortall that is a meere qualitie onely in the Body which when the body is dissolued becommeth nothing because if it were an incorporeall substaunce it could not be without sense and motion Wherefore hauing my selfe met with some of this badde sort and hearing of moe I thought good euery way to fight in the cause of Christ Iesus with the weapon put in mine hand by my grand Captaine and with might and maine to heaw at these two Monsters and vtter Enemies to the Soule Therefore seeing that the print of the Penne may come vnto the eyes of moe than the sound of the voyce into the cares I by Gods assistance haue set my talent on worke against them both proouing the contrarie First that the Soule is not as they say mortall but immortall Secondly that the Soule is not a forme perfection temperament force power or agitation arising out of the temperature of the Body but a substaunce incorporeall liuing vnderstanding dwelling in the Body and susteining and moouing it And this latter is prooued true by these Scriptures Psalm 48. His Soule shal be blessed in life Heb 12. God is called the Father of Spirites And it is sayd of the faythfull Yee are come to the Celestiall Ierusalem and to the companie of innumerable Angels and to the Spirites of iust and perfect men 1. Cor. 2.11 Noman knoweth the thinges of a man saue the spirite of man which is in man In these and like places of Scripture both the Soule of man is called a Spirit and the properties of a liuing and vnderstanding substaunce are attributed vnto it therefore it is a substaunce And therefore to no purpose doe the aduersaries of this Doctrine oppose those places wherein the soule is taken for the life and will of man as Mat. 6. The Soule is more worth then Meate Iob. 13.14 I put my Soule in my hand For by the fore alleadged places it is manifest that this is not generall but is vsed by figure of speach whereby we call the effect by the name of his cause Now for the former that the Soule is not mortall but immortall and also for a further declaration of this latter I haue translated foorth of latine for their sakes that vnderstande not latine a certaine Treatise of the Immortalitie of the Soule and thereunto haue adioyned other mens iudgments and reasons for the helpe of the matter Scriptures confirming the same and confuted the Aduersarie GVILERMVS HOVPPELANDVS Of the immortalitie of the Soule THat the auncient Philosophers flourished in Witte and profited in Studie it is no common opinion but vnto all men a sure and certaine perswasion For by Studie and Exercise they on euerie side made themselues away vnto those thinges that are by Nature almost incomprehensible And by their benefite there are many thinges publikely left vnto all posterities which we are glad of and doe marueile at their inuentions They measured the World subiected Heauen to their Rules searched out the sundry causes of Nature and in some sort with their eyes contemplated the Worke-man of all the World But of the state of mans Soule and the Immortalitie thereof sundrie sectes haue in their Writinges left sundrie opinions Some say that Soules are Mortall and die togeather with their bodyes Some doe say that they are Immortall and alwaies remaine in a fixed stabilitie Heraciuus affirmed mans Soule to be a Vapour Thales a Moysture Empedocles Blood for hee taught that the Soule is Blood infused in the Heart Diogenes and Anaximenes Ayre The Storkes whereof Zeno and Chrisippus are the chiefe do say it is a Fire Democritus affirmed the Soule to be made by a certaine chauncing course of certaine light and round matter Aristoxenus an Harmonie Aristophanes a due proportion of qualities The Saduces so called of Sadoc denying both Honours and Punishmentes and vniuersally both

doe no rewardes remaine Amased all their virtuous workes shall cease and perish plaine So many stately Temples trimde so many Altars hie With Gold and Marble garnished and decked sumptuously Beside Religion Godly zeale Honour and worshipping Of God shall come to nought if after death remaine nothing That men may hope for if the Soule as Winde doth passe away Of wild and franticke common sort Religion must be stay And feare of smart for mischiuous and full of fraud their braine Is alwayes seene nor of themselues they well doe meane or plaine The common sort doe Virtue loath and euermore her hate Religion is the comlinesse and glorie of our state Which makes the Gods to fauour vs which we winne Heauen by No wise nor good man therefore dare attempt her openly To teach that Soule shal come to nought and so corrupt the mindes Of rude vnskilfull common sort that wauer like the windes Now must we teach by reason good that Soules shall neuer die But free from sting or dart of death doe liue eternally Which euery Christian man doth hold and Greshop eater Iew Who our foreskins abhorres beleeues which God that all thinges knew Would not haue made if he had thought they had been needlesse sure And Nations all besides do thinke that Soules shall aye endure For first the thing resembling most the mightiest Lord of all Of longer lasting life we count and perfecter must call For that which doth not long endure but shortly doth decay That it should be vnperfecter who is that will say nay And therefore do celestiall thinges a greater while endure Because they are more perfecter and more Diuine and pure But thinges that nearer are the earth and farthest off from skies Vnperfect since they are do fade and soonest euer dyes Shall then our Soule sith life in it and knowledge doth appeare Most like vnto the state Diuine be closde and shut vp heere With Body for to end Nor shall it heere haue longer place Then fading flesh Or shall it liue no more nor larger space Besides that Soules cannot decay this Reason witnesse shall Because it is of single state and voyde of matter all Adde this that when the Body fades the force of Minde doth grow As weake and aged Fathers old doe more good Counsell know Then youthful blouds of younger years and often he lacks wit That doth excell in strength and force for rare doth God permit Both strength and wit to any one Wherefore if force brought low By space and course of many yeares the Minde doth stronger grow Of Body doth it not depend but of it selfe consist Another thing and after Graue doth liue and death resist Doth not beside when foote doth ake the Minde iudge thereof plaine It is no doubt But how can griefe to towre of Minde attaine Doth it ascend from lowest partes as Smoke doth vpward flie No for many partes not foote alone if so should ake thereby Nor of the foote but of the part that nearest is to Minde The ake should grieue This shewes that Soule is not of Bodyes kind And is so free from death since it in distance needes no meane Adde this when we would call to minde the thing forgotten cleane Or else deuise some worthy fetch from Minde the Senses all It then behoues to gather vp whereby doth often fall That many better for to muse doe shut vp close their eyes Or else forsaking companie some secret place deuise Or whē the night with darksome cloude the earth doth ouer spread And creatures all with heauie sleepe do take their rest in bed They still do watch and silent all vpon their beds doe rest And light put out in darknesse whet their Minde with Body prest For Senses doe the Minde disturbe Affections it destroyes Amazing it with Dulnesse great and Blindnesse it annoyes None otherwise then Cloudes do hide the Sunne that clearely shines If therefore when it doth remaine within his owne confines And flying farre from Senses all and cares that Body bringes It wiser be then shall it know and vnderstand all thinges In better sort when it is free and from the flesh doth flie More perfect of it selfe it is and liues continually Againe sith Man as Meane consistes the Saintes and Beastes betwixt Some part with each he common holds with Beast his Body mixt And with the Saintes his Minde agrees one of these partes doth die Of th' other death can haue no power but liues continually Death therefore takes not all away for why his deadly dartes Doe neuer harme the Soule a whit when it from Body partes And more then this I haue to say if nothing doe remaine Of vs when Carcasse lyes in Tombe God shall be called plaine Vniust and one that fauour shewes to such as naughtie liue For such for tearme of all their life no Sorrowes do them grieue No Ritches lacke nor Pleasures great but happily reioyce Exalted with Promotions hie and with the Commons voyce On th' other side the Virtuous men a thousand Griefes molest now sore diseasd now plagu'd with need In fine alwayes opprest Therefore the Soule liues after graue and feeles deserued paynes And if it haue done iustly heere a Crowne of Glorie gaines By these and many other wayes I could declare no doubt That Soule of man doth neuer die and Body liues without But thi 's enough time bids me end Not ignorant am I That some the soule although vnapt doe tearme an Harmonie And as of sundry voyces mou'd proceedes a melodie Of sundry Compounds Medcine made which heale with soueraigntie So of the ioyned Elements by certaine meane and way Created of the Heauens eke the Soule to be some say A part whereof in Body dwels and part abroad doth lie As sight doth spring of outward light and virtue of the eye But this opinion is not true for if it should be so The Soule with flesh should neuer striue nor once against it goe But euermore in one agree As euery power doth show That wonted are of mixed thinges By spirit Diuine to grow As in the kind of Hearbes appeares and in the precious Stone Some thinke the Soule doth not remaine when flesh from it is gone Because the heauie sluggish sleepe the nearest thing that may Resembles Death and seemes to take both Sense and Minde away Or for because they see the Minde with sicknesse diuersly So vext and harmd that it cannot the place it hath supply And with the Body to encrease with which it eke decayes As well appeares in Children young and men of elder dayes Fond is the child the man discreete the old man doteth still For weake vnwealdie withered age doth Minde and Body spill And more say they if that the Soule of substaunce be Diuine And seuered from these fleshly limmes may lead a life more fine Then why should it in wretched flesh so seeke it selfe to place by whose defect so many illes and mischifes it deface But fond she is therefore if that