sayeth saynt Paul the Lorde Iesus is come for to ratifie hys promises made vnto the Iewes and to shedde furthe into all the worlde the mercye of God Yea as it is euident in another texte he hath broken downe the walle whych stode betwene bothe to seperate the one from the other and this hath he doone that there shoulde bee no more difference betwene them but that we al together shoulde haue one maner of priuiledge to be the chyldren of God Wherefore whosoeuer wyll make the grace of God lesse towardes vs our chyldren than it was towardes the people of the Iewes doth great iniury vnto our sauiour Iesus Christ and blasphemeth him But some wyl say that the grace of God is not made lesse towardes vs in that our chyldren are not receyued to Baptisme so that we denye not that God hath shewed vnto them lyke mercy as vnto the chyldren of the Iewes I answer yesse For we must esteme the grace of God pryncipally by the declaratioÌ„ which he hath made vnto vs aswell by hys worde as by his sacramentes Seynge nowe that Baptisme at this daye is ordayned to seale in our bodies the promes of saluation as of olde tyme Circumsicion was vnto the people of the Iewes we shoulde take from the ChristiaÌ„s a synguler consolation if we take from their chyldren that confirmation the whych the faythful haue alwayes had that is a visible sygne by whych our Lord declareth vnto theym that he accepteth their chyldren into the communion of his Church ¶ I knowe the cauillation which the Anabaptistes make in this place takyng the name of chyldren allegoricallie to signifie theym which are childreÌ„ in malisse and not in age And therfore do mocke vs bicause we are so symple to vnderstande this after the lettre But what subtiltie is this I praye you to ouerwhelme those playne and cleare promises where it is saide that God sheddeth out hys mercy vpon the seede of the faythful after their death And on the other syde what better and more certayne exposition of thys thynge can we haue than the holy goost the whych by his apostles hath interpreted that which he had showed before by his prophetes Nowe saynt Peter dooth testifye vnto the Iewes that they are chyldren of the promisses that is to saye heyres forasmuche as they become of Abrahams stocke And saynt Paul though of a deliberat purpose he fighteth agaynst the foolyshe presumption of the Iewes whych they had in their carnall parentage yet dooth he not denye but that the stocke of Abraham is specially sanctified bycause and throughe the vertue of the couenaunt whyche GOD had made wyth hym It is verie trewe that whan the chyldren of the faythfull shall come vnto the age of discretion they maye alienate them selues from GOD and adinchillate the vertue of Baptisme Yet maye we not therefore saye that our Lorde hath not chosen theym and seperated theym from other for to present vnto them hys saluation Otherwise it shoulde be in vayne that saint Paule sayeth That a chylde hauynge father or mother fayethfull is sanctified whyche should be vncleane if he were begotten and discended of infidels Seynge nowe that the holye goste authore and fountayne of all sanctification doth testifie that the childâ—en of christen meÌ„ are holy may we exclude them from so great a benefite Now if in them be the verity of baptisme howe can we depryue them of the sygne whyche is lesse inferiour But they reply that the custome and practyse of the Apostles is contrarie For it is sayed that Paule and Silas preached the worde of the Lorde vnto the gealer or keper of the pryson and to hys housholde before that they baptysed them I haue already geuen solution vnto this wheÌ„ I shewed howe that to a man whyche is a straunger frome the church the doctrine ought to precede the sacrament but after that God hath receiued hym into the communion of hys fayethfull the promise of lyfe is made vnto hym as wel for hys chyldren as for hym selfe But they thynke in the .xix. of the Actes to fynde in theyr fauoure a more expresse scripture where it is sayd that S. Paule hauing founde certayne disciples whyche had not yet receyued the holye Gooste dyd Baptise them anewe Nowe is it very certayne that saint Luke in that place speaketh of the visible graces of the holye Gooste For other wyse that whych he sayth could not stand togither that is that these of whome he spake whyche were Iewes dyd answere that they knewe not whether the holy Goste were geuen Nowe they could not be ignoraunt that God doeth sanctifie hys seruauntes by hys spirite seynge that ther is so often made meÌ„tion therof in the prophetes But they knew not whether these graces wherof S. Paule spake were geuen vnto the christian church Nowe seynge they be called disciples they are not so ignoraunte that they shoulde not at all knowe God and Iesus Christe as it were a simple christian of the commune people but they lacked thys thynge that they had not receyued the visible graces whyche God then shedde forth vpon his seruauntes These same were conferred vnto theym by the imposition of saynte Paules handes For it is no newe thynge that the name of baptisme shoulde be taken in suche significacion as we haue an example where it is sayed that the Apostles called to remeÌ„brauÌ„ce the wordes of our Sauioure that Iohn dyd baptyse in water but that he would baptyse wyth the spirit It is also an accustomed vse of the scripture to expound one word or sentence by an other It is sayed then that saint Paul did baptise theÌ„ in the name of Christ and then to expound what is ment therby it is added that he put his hands on them â–ª and that the holy Goste discended on them It is theÌ„ but one only thing expressed tws waies accordynge vnto the vse of the scripture as wâ—â—â—â—e sayed Notwythstandinge let vs graunt them their askynge to se what they wyll or can inferre vpon it Truelye they can saye none other thynge but that saynct Paule baptised these disciples because of their ignoraunce Nowe if baptime ought to be reiterat for this cause whye war not the Apostles rebaptised which three yeres after their baptyme had so many errours and folyshe opinions as to thyncke that the kyngedome of Iesus Christe was earthlye and vnderstode nothynge touchyng his death and passion and manye other such lyke Truely suche rudnes woulde well haue required a seconde baptyme if an ignorante maÌ„ ought to be rebaptysed And as touchyng vs we had nede alwayes to haue a lake or riuer at our backes if it should be nedeful for vs to be rebaptised as often as oure lord doth pourge vs of any errour that was in vs. On the other syde it is sayed that Sainct Paule dyd baptise those men of whome we nowe speake before he layed hys handes on them Whiche were a verye shreude order if that thynge be true whiche these
makynge of man be entreth into consultation sayinge Let vs make mā to our Image and lykenes Nowe where shall we fynde thys Image of God excepte there be a spirituall essence in man in whyche it is imprynted For the bodye is not that thynge wherein the Image of God is residente It is true that Moyses by and by addeth that manne was made a lyuynge soule whyche thing he doeth saye also of Beastes But to declare a speciall excellencye he saith That God hath inspired the vertue of lyfe in the bodye whyche he made of the earth Therefore thoughe the soule of man haue certayne qualities cōmune wyth those of beastes yet for as much as she beareth the Image lykenes of God she is of condition differente from the other And for as much also as she hath hyr beginnyng apart she is of an other preheminence and thys is it that Solomon meaneth where he sayeth that in deathe the bodye returneth vnto the earth whence it was taken and the soule returneth to God whych gaue it And therfore it is sayd in the boke of Sapience That man is immortall in that he is created to the Image of God It is no autētyke boke of the scripture but yet is there no inconuenience that wee vse the testimonye thereof as we maye do of an aunciente doctoure how be it thys onely reason oughte to suffice vs that the same image of God whiche was set in man can not be but in a spirit immortall if we marke well what it doeth containe after saint Paules exposition that is that we do resemble God in ryghtuousenes and true holines Thys muche is sayed touchynge the creation ☞ Nowe are there manye places in holye scripture whyche are muche more euidente as where Sainte Peter sayeth that the rewarde of oure fayth is the saluation of our soules Also where he sayeth that the fayethfull do purifie theyr soules Agayne that the desyres of the fleshe do fyghte agaynste the soule Also where he calleth Christe the Byshop of oure soules For these sentences can not consiste excepte there be soules whyche be saued and whych be assaulted by euil cōcupiscences whyche be purified from their spottes and gouerned by Iesus Christ their byshop Accordynge to thys it is sayed in the hystorye of Iob that men do dwel in earthē housses whych maner of speakyng S. Peter vseth where he sayeth that he wyll admonyshe the fayethfull as longe as he shall dwell in hys earthlye tabernacle If it were not that the pryncipall parte of manne dyd dwell in the bodye as in a tabernacle thys shoulde be spoken wythout reason The Apostle also in his Epistle to the Hebrues declareth as muche or more expreslye the same thynge where he sayeth that oure fathers whych begat vs in thys worlde are fathers of oure fleshe but God onelye is father of our spirites I praye you how shal we vnderstande these wordes if the soule be not an essensiall thynge and a lyttle after speakynge of the citezyns of heauen he sayeth that they be the Aungels and spirites of Iuste men Woulde we haue a more cleare proste then this Also I se not howe we shal expounde the exhortation whyche S. Paule maketh vnto vs that we shold purge vs frō all fylthynes of the fleshe and the spirite except we take this word spirit for an essential soule For as the bodye is a subiecte whych receyueth pollutiō so muste it needes be that the soule on hyr behalfe be a creature which may be polluted sanctified ☞ There is a lyke reason in that where he sayth in an other place that the spirite of god beareth wytnes to our spirites that we be the chyldren of God Howbeit if we dyd hold that principle whiche oughte to be certain amongest vs christen mē we should not nede to enter into disputatiō of this matter that is to say whether the soule be an essensiall substaunce or no seynge that thys was the errour of the Saduces whyche expreslye is reproued in the scripture For in the .xxiii. of the Actes it is saied that saint Paule goynge about to excuse hym selfe doeth protest that he was persecuted bicause he did not approue the sect of the Saduces And Saynte Luke declaryng what this secte was sayeth that the Saduces do not beleue the resurrection nor that there be any Aungels or anye spirites or soules What wyl we haue more then thys S Paule confesseth that he is a Pharisee in hys Articles Now is it playne that the Phariseis do confesse as sayeth Saynte Luke that the soules be verye essensiall creatures ☞ Therefore lette the Anabaptistes take the quarell of the Saduces theyr predecessours and defende it agaynst saynte Paule And when they haue wonne theyr cause agaynste hym then shall we se what we canne saye vnto them In the meane whyle we folowynge the whole doctryne of God wyll holde for certayne that manne is composed and conlifteth of two partes that is to say of bodye and soule It is now tyme to come vnto the .ii. point that is what is the estate of the soules after the separatiō frō their bodies The Anabaptistes do thinke that they be a slepe like dead We saye they haue lyfe and felynge and that it so is we haue the testimony of Iesus Christe where he exhorteth his disciples not to feare them whyche do kyll the bodye and haue no power to kyll the soule but to feare hym whyche after he hathe kylled the bodye can caste the soule into hell fyre if the soule were nothynge or that shee were as kylled when she is separate frome the bodye then were it not true that tyrauntes and persecutours haue no power ouer hyr Thus hath God shewed greate mercy vnto vs in that he hathe not made oure soules subiecte vnto these hangmen whyche wolde do worsse and more cruellye then all the persecutours of the worlde whyche is woulde murther oure soules wyth oure bodies But let vs heare theyr propre cauelation It is true saye they that the Soule dyeth for the tyme but she doeth not vtterly perish for as muche as shee shall ryse agayne ☞ I aske them what doeth the body For if the soule doeth not dye alonely bycause of the hope whyche she hathe bycause of the resurrection the same reason may be made for the bodye that he doeth not peryshe nother Nowe the Lorde Iesus doeth notably decerne betwene the one and the other sayinge that the body is staine and not the soule In thys maner spake Iesus Christe when he sayed vnto the Iewes destroye thys temple and I wyll reedifye it in thre dayes Saynte Iohn added that he spake of the temple of hys body thus he reserued the soule a parte signifiynge that he coulde not be distroyed and in dede when he dyed he commended hir vnto God hys father And saynte Stephan after hys ensample Lorde Iesus sayed he receyue my spirite Thys oughte we therefore to thynke that God is protectour of our soules to preserue them from
the tyraÌ„ny of men that when we shoulde dye euerye one of vs shoulde commende hys soule vnto hym Lykewyse when saynte Peter sayeth that the Lorde Iesus came in hys spirite to the spirites that were in pryson he doeth clearly testifye by hys wordes that the Soules haue sence and vnderstandynge ofter death For otherwyse they shoulde not perceyue the preachynge of Christe whyche as he sayeth dyd preache vnto them I confesse that thys place hath bene taken for a darke place and that it hath bene diuersly expounded but yet wâ—ll I aledge nothing for my purpose whiche is not certayne The Apostle therfore hauynge before spoken howe Christe was humilied and hauynge also shewed howe that all fayethfull men muste be made lyke vnto â–ª hym for consolation he addeth that Iesus Christ was not ouercome by death but that he ouercame death After this to certifie vs that thys vertue of hys resurrection doeth pertayne vnto vs he sayeth that not onelye the lyuynge haue felte it but also the deade and not onely the fayethful but also the vnbeleuyng and rebels It is true that wheÌ„ the matter requireth that we muste distinguyshe we se that he speaketh but of the secoÌ„d kind but that hindereth not but that he speaketh fyâ—ste of all in generall Touchyng that he putteth as wel the soules of the good as of the euyll in pryson that doeth he to signifye the vehemente desyre whyche the fayethfull had for the commyng of Iesus Christ which hild them as it were in anguyshe ¶ Therfore the sence is thys the vertue of Christes redemption hathe appeared vnto the soules of theym that be deade as well to the beleuynge as vnto the vnbeleuyng But when he muste speake in speciall he leaueth the fyrste ☞ Notwythstandynge to the ende that we do not dispute touchynge the sence wheÌ„ there is no nead concernyng the present matter onely I aske thys question of these good people whether the spirites of whom the Apostle doeth speake be lyuynge soules or no Moreouer he addeth an other sentence whiche to yet more cleare that is that the gospel was preached vnto the dead that they shold be condempned in the fleshe as touchynge to men but shoulde lyue to God in the spirite We se that he doeth subiect the bodye onely vnto death reseruyng the soule alyue ☞ The lyke was shewed before by Salomon where in discouerynge mannes death he sayeth He doeth seperate the fault far froÌ„ the bodye vntyll the earth do returne to hyâ— earth wheÌ„ce it was taken and that the soule go to God whyche gaue hyr If they glose and saye that thys worde spirite doeth signifye but lyfe there is not so lyttle a chylde whyche serth not that that is a corruptinge of the texte If there were none other testimonye but thys sentence of Moyses where he sayeth that God is the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob aboute three hundred yeares after theyr death it shoulde be sufficiente to suche as woulde not be contentious But if there be any opiniatoure whiche wyl agayne say it then wyll the exposition whyche oure Sauiour Iesus Christe maketh vpon these wordes take awaye all doubtes That is that hys father is not the God of the deade but of the lyuyng ¶ I knowe theyr answere is that the dead be called lyuynge bycause of the hope of the resurrection But that is nothynge For seynge that the Patriarckes were deade at that tyme when Moyses spake it foloweth that they lyued in a better lyfe And therefore Saynte Luke addeth that they do all lyue vnto God signifiynge that the Lorde doeth mayntayne hys in lyfe by hys grace and vertue Vnto which agreeth this saying of the Apostle If so be that we liue let vs liue to the lord if we dye let vs dye to the Lorde And whether we lyue or dye we be the Lordes and Iesus Christe is dead and risen agayne that he myghte haue rulle ouer the lyuynge and the deade For thys is sure that Iesus Christ tolde haue no dominioÌ„ ouer vs if we were not therefore if hys empeyre be extendyd vnto the deade it moste nedes be that the fayethfull after death haue an essentiall beinge ☞ And in dede the vision whiche Sainct Iohn rehereseth in the Apocalipse cannot other wyse be true Whiche is that he sawe the soules of the Martiers vnder the heauenlye â—â—iter criyng wyth a loude voyce Lorde howe longe doest thou differ to auenge oure bloude And that God commaunded to geue them white garmentes and commaunded them to haue pacience for a littell whyle vntyll the number of theyr fellowes were fulfylled There is no doubte but that these white garmentes do signifie begynnyng of glorye whiche God doeth geue vnto the martiers whyle thy tarrye for the daye of iudgement For that is no newe thynge in the scripture as whan Daniell sayde that he sawe the Lorde clothed in a longe white robe And Iesus Christe was so in hys transfiguration in the mount of Tabor The Aungel also whiche apered to the women by the sepulcher was clothed in a white robe So were the aungelles whiche appered to the disciples after the ascencion of the Lorde Iesus as much is sayed of the Aungel whiche apered vnto the Cornelius the Cneturien Final lye in the parable of the prodigall sonne it is sayde that whan he was retourned hys father commaunded to brynge hym hys best robe in sygne of Ioye and fastynge We se therefore howe much thys doeth repugne agaynste the erroure of the Anabaptistes whyche in the place of whyte robes woulde geue pyllowes to the soules to make them slepe Moreouer in that it is sayed that the soules crye axynge vengaunce of God it is declared that they slepe not For thys crye cannot be expounded as the crye of Abelles bloud bycause the desire whych the holy soules haue is ther expressed Thys is sufficientelye comfirmed vnto vs by the historye of Lazarus where it is sayed that hys soule was borne by the aungelles of God in to the bosome of Abraham And the soule of the riche man wente in to hell They thynke that they haue a fayre solucion and wel coloured whan they do answere that it is a parable that is to saye an exemple and not a storye But I axe them where they haue sene it in holye scripture that in a simple parable or similitude the proper name of a manne hath bene expressed as it is here And euen thus haue all the doctours of the churche vnderstande that a place as reson woulde But be it that I do graunte vnto them that it is â—â—parable yet must it nedes be that it be taken of the veryte Oure Lorde sayth that the soule of Lazarus was borne by hys aungelles in to the bosome of Abraham and that ther it receyued Ioye coÌ„solacion ☞ On the othersyde he sayeth that the soule of the rich infidle did suffer maruelous tormentes in hell He sayeth that there is a greate distaunce betwene the one and the other If the soulles haue no
it may bee perceiued in what they accord wherein they dissent The secōd sect is a mase of such folish beastly opinions as the lyke cānot be found in so much that it is wonder howe creatures which beare the figure of a mā cā be so clean wtout sēce reasō as to suffer thē selues so to be disceyued fal in to phantasies more than brutish This sect cal them selues libertines And counterfet so much the spirituall that they set no more by the word of God thē they do by fables except it be whā it pleaseth them and when as they may depraue it and by force make it to serue for theyr deuyllyshe opiniōs And besydes thys they haue a charminge or croking as it were Cranes so that a mā can not tell what it is that they would saye and no more do they wot what it is them selues but that by thys crafte they couet the fylthynes of their doctrine For their prīciples ar to cōfoūd al differēces betwene good yl to mingle god so with the deuil that it shold not be discerned betwen the one and the other and so to make mē not onely wyth oute all feelynge in theyr consciences before God but also wythoute shame before the worlde Nowe se you wherefore they dryue them selues into such caues of obscure and doubtfull wordes to the ende that their villany should not be perceyued lest we shoulde haue them in horror and excecration As in dede oure nature repugneth agaynste suche monsterouse thynges as they brynge forthe So nowe to wryte in a sūme against the errours of the Anabaptistes the shorteste and most expediente way is to kepe this diuisiō and to gather a parte in one treatyse the errours of them whyche be not altogyther so mad and desperate and in an other treatise to discouer the venemouse malyce of those wycked whiche vnder the colour of spiritualitie woulde make menne lyke vnto bruite beastes Nowe is it verye true that those whyche be of the fyrste sorte do not so agre togither in opinions that a man can easelye gather theyr errours togyther for to reproue them by any certayne order But bycause the pryncipall doctours and as it were the Patriarkes of the whole Sinagoge after they had well ranged aboute haue made a fynall conclusion wherein they comprehende the some of al that whych they do holde against vs and the Papistes in seuen Articles vnto whyche al Anabaptistes communely cleaue in so muche that they haue founde the meanes to cause thys fayre resolution to be imprynted and haue togyther agreed to sowe theyr poyson by it all abrode and so to infecte the pore people I wyl be contented for thys tyme and I thinke also that it shal suffyce to declare the falseheade contayned in the most parte of these seuen Articles to the intente that they do not complayne and saye that I laye that to the charge of theym all whych is done but of some particulars so vniustly defame the whole secte Thys once done if I maye haue at any time leasure I wil write some other litle treatise agaīst the other seconde sorte of whyche I spake before that is the Libertines But as I haue sayde it shall be sufficiente for thys tyme to declare vnto all louers of the trueth that that thynge whyche these poore people with one common accorde holde for a foundatiō inuincible of theyr fayth is a deadly abusiō of the which we must beware as we would be of the pestelence I speke to al thē which desire to be obediēt vnto the truth For ther be some of this vngratiouse secte and chyefelye those whyche do counterfayte the doctoures the whyche beynge occupied wyth pryde and presumption se nothynge of those thynges whyche is sayde vnto them or rather thorowe obstinate and deliberate malyce shutte theyr eyes bycause they wyll not se the lyghte when it is so euidently offred to thē In so much that it is as vnprofitable a laboure as to beate the water when you woulde haue it styl to procede by reasōs with thē to bring them to the ryght waye saue that thys profite wyl come therof that they whyche be good shal know the desperate impudency and so wythdraw them selues ffye from them as frō poyson Nowe bycause there is no fayrer coloure to seduce the christians whych haue a zele to folowe God then to pretend his holy word therefore the Anabaptistes agaynste whome we nowe wryte haue alwayes that preface in theyr mouthe And truly when it is sayed that it is God whych speaketh al creatures ought to be moued for the reuerence of hys name in humilitie to here what is sayed When we perceiue that is the word of God in dede which is sette before vs there is no more question to replye or once to open oure mouthes to dispute agaynste it We do not saye as the papistes do that we must forsake the scriptures of God and staye oure selues in the authoritie of men For we hold that euasion for an execrable blasphemy But we wyll that whyche appeareth to come frome God leaneth to his word be receiued to vs wyth al humilitie wtout any controuersitie or difficultie And more ouer we thinke that none other doctrine shuld be receiued for certain true but such as cometh out of the foūtaine of al trueth Therfore be they Anabaptistes or other whiche say vnto vs that that thing whiche they bringe vnto vs they haue receyued of God and taken it of his mouth that is to saye that they haue it oute of the blessed scripture lette vs geue this glorye to God modesteouslye to vnderstande and herken whether it so be or not But as it is our duty to herken vnto these thinges which are said vnto such time as we do know what it is so ought we to haue thys prudence to decerne betwene the trueth and lyinge and to iudge whether it be so or otherwise whyche is alledged oute of the word of God For it is commaunded vs to proue the spirits and to know whether they be of God or no. And trulye we se how necessarie this is for vs seyng the deuil him selfe was armed with the word of god and made a weapon thereof to assaulte our Lord Iesus And we haue experience that daylye he vseth thys practise by hys instrumentes to deprau◠the truthe to leade pore soules vnto perdition Towchinge these pore phantasticals which so myghtely vaunte them selues to haue the worde of God for theym the dede sheweth howe it is It is longe sence we haue continually traueiled that thys holy word might be set vp to bryng thys to passe we sustaine a fight against al the world They what declaratiō haue thei made or wherin haue they holpē this But rather cōtrariwise thei haue hyndered and disturbed vs. In suche wyse that it can not be said wherin they haue profited withoute it be that they haue gathered vp that worde as faste as it was
an order in it ☞ Here it maye be replied that Sayncte Paulle in the same Epistle doeth sharpelye reproue the Corinthians because that in their congregacion vyces were not punished by excommunicacion and further doeth forbyd to haue conuersacion wyth whoremongers dronkardes disceyuers Idolaters and suche lyke To thys I answere that it is afore faulte worthye reproffe in the churche that ther is no correction for sinnes And I saye further that the lorde doeth punyshe the whole people for thys onely fault And therfore let no churche whych lacketh thys discipline of excommunication flatter it selfe as thoughe it were a smalle or lyghte faute not to vse it whan nede is but rather let euerye man endeuoure as muche as in hym is to redresse and brynge it to hys estate Lykewyse let euerye priuate man helpe al that he maye that it maye be done But it cannot be that euerye perticuler manne shoulde haue iuste cause to altenate hym selfe from the church as oftentymes as thynges do not go after hys desyer For thys muste be obserued that thys policie is not in the power of one mēber but oughte to exercise it selfe by the consente of the wholle bodye Therefore Sayncte Paulle speketh not specialtye to eche one to impute vnto hym thys faute but doeth impute it to the hole bodye The some of thys is that touchynge the communion of the churche we oughte to do our indeuoure that all membres rotten or infected wyth contagious maladie that is to say all those which lyue a slaunderous lyfe should bekut of But let vs consider what is in vs whē we haue done that which was our dudie office if we cā not obtayne that thynge whiche we desire to brynge to passe let vs than commit the reste to God and praye that it maye please hym to put to hys hande as it is hys worcke In the meane whyle thoughe by good ryghte we haue cause to be sorye that we cannot se the churche of God in hys perfecte order yet let vs beare that imperfection whiche is not in vs to correcte Touchyng that saynct Paul forbyddeth to eate and drincke wyth suche as lyue a slaunderouse life that meaneth he of priuate conuersacion and not of the publyke communion But here wyll some man answere if it be not lawefull for a christen man to companye wyth a wycked man to eate and drincke wyth hym for bodilye refection howe muche lesse is it permitted him to eate the Lordes breade in hys companye To thys I answere that it is in oure power and libertye to vse companye and haue familiaritie priuatly with the wycked We muste therefore euerye man in hys owne selfe abstayne from suche companye But to receyue the supper of the lorde is not a thyng that is in oure disposition And therefore the reson is dyuers Let vs therefore note thys that if the church do tollerate and suffer an vnworthye man he that knoweth hym to be suche a one doeth well to abstayne from hys company priuatly he ought to do it as muche as he may so that he make no schisme or separatiō in the church touchyng the publyke comuniō ☞ Touchynge the matter of excōmunicacion their is as much sayde as the matter doth require saue that I woulde aduertis by the waye all louers of the veritye of one poynte whiche is in the article aboue sayd of the Anabaptistes that by that they maye se what credite is to be geuen them in the rest That is where they say that a man which hath by frailtie without deliberat malice offendyd after he hath bene twice secretelye warned ought to be openly chastised or excommunicate I forgeue thē one errour in this saynge which is our lord would not that the church should precede vnto excōmunication whā a sinner hath contēned to secret admonitions but wyl that he be warned opēly thre times before he be caste out They are also once more disceyued in that they consider not that the lorde in that place speketh not but of secrete synnes For touching those whiche are notorious and slaunderous amonge the people ther is another waye and facion to procede wyth them than to make declaration in secret Lo here be two faultes which do wel declare what godlye doctours thes Anabapstes be and what spirite they haue to reforme seynge they cannot speake there wordes but to confounde all But yet I pardon them al thys that I may come to that poynte whyche is of greater waight For in saiyng that he which sinneth by ignoraunce and not by hys owne wyll ought to be caste out they do declare as they do openlye teache and mayntayne that if a man do synne wyllyngely he shall neuer obtayne forgeuenes of hys synne bycause that all voluntarye synnes after theyr phantasye are synne agaynste the holye Gooste and irremissible I saye that thys opinion is an execrable blasphemy agaynst the grace of God and a false doctrine verye pernitiouse to dryue all poore soules to dispayre As I haue sene the experience in some which were for a tyme seduced to thys wycked secte It is true that we ought earnestlye to thinke in oure selues declare the same to other that it is no small thynge wyllyngely to offende God and to commit any acte agaynste oure conscience to prouoke his wrath against vs. Therfore who so euer shall vse these termes that if it so happen that after we haue knowen God we do synne agaynste our conscience that it is but a small faulte easy to be pardoned and that God is not so greatly greaued therwyth that we nede to torment oure selues therfore we must auoyde suche a man as we woulde the Deuyll whyche by suche flatteries woulde induce vs to the contempt of God but let vs rather thynke thys that it is no small faulte to go agaynste the holye wyll of God by rebellion and contumacye by aduised purpose violatynge hys Iustyce and so to do is outragiouslye to violate the grace whyche he hath shewed vnto vs. Yea and it is muche to be feared that he whyche so mocketh wyth God be not geuen ouer into a reprobate mynde to be hardened in malyce so that he shall neuer be conuerted And here let vs brynge forth the threates which in holy scripture are made agaynste such ingratitude But when all thys is sayed and done yet maye we not dryue theym into dispayre whyche by chaunce haue thus fallen For where shal we then be become Amonge ten hardelye shall we fynde one that after he knewe God hath not synned wyllyngly Is not this to bring the holy church in to ruine to brynge all men into dispayre They wyll saye that thys bryngeth consciences a slepe to drawe them to do euyll But I saye rather he is a slepe whyche bryngeth hym selfe in beleife that he neuer offendeth but by ignoraunce and that he maketh hym selfe so pure and innocente that he neuer hath euyll wyll or euyll purpose Let vs cōsider I pray you how many waies the deuyl doth tempte
beyng come from heauen ¶ There is no doubte but that thys place oughte to be vnderstande as the other of the qualitie of Iesus Christe and not of the substaunce I meane of that vertue supernaturall and diuine which he hath frō heauen as the sonne of God and not of the earth as a mortall manne And in dede as we haue said the strēgth of the argument whyche saynte Paule maketh ther to confyrme vs in the hope of the resurrection were nothynge if Iesus Christe had an other substaunce of bodye then we They aledge further that it was conceyued of the holy Goste But this vertue of the holy Goste is not to exclude the substaunce of hys mother It is true that there was no cōiunction of man and woman to beget hym after the naturall course of other men But that is no impedimente to the merueylouse operation of the holy Goste by which he was formed of the substaunce of hys mother that he myght be the very sede of Abraham and fruite of the wombe of Dauid as the same holy Gooste had longe tyme before named hym I knowe theyr answere to this is that this inconuenience shold folow that foras much as the whole sede of manne is a cursed and corrupted so shoulde the Lorde Iesus discend of corruption But I answer that this miraculos conception taketh awaye that difficultie Fo◠the workynge of the holy Gost was to that ende to sanctifie hym frome the begynnynge and in sanctifiynge to preserue hym from all spottes of mās fylthynes For thys cause S Paule sayed that he toke the similitude of synfull fleshe to cōdemne sinne in the fleshe For in takynge oure fleshe he toke not the synne for as muche as the vertue of the holye Goste dyd seperate from the condition o the other They haue also a folyshe and fantasticall consideration that they thinke that it sholde be a dishonorynge to Iesus Christe to make hym so lowe that he shoulde be of lyke nature to vs and therefore they thynke that it appertayneth better to hys dignitie to attribute vnto hym an heauenly bodye I answere that it is greate folye to esteme that the glory af Christe is any thynge lessened or that it doeth anye thinge derogate to hys dignitie to saye that he humilied yea made hym selfe of no reputation for our redemption and saluation There is muche more sayed of hym in the xxii psalme that he is a worme and no man the opprobrye and abiection of the people Lykewyse that whyche Esayas sayeth is muche more that he was estemed as one of no valure rekened as a lipper coūted amōg the numbre of euyll doers But can a manne saye more then Saynte Paule hathe sayed That is that he was accursed and made an execration for vs if thys diminyshe hys honoure then muste we be ashamed to confesse that he was crucified for vs. For thys word crucifiyng is a more ignominios word then at thys day is the gallowes ☞ Therefore lette vs not deceyue our selues wyth these folyshe imaginations thynkynge to honoure Iesus Christe after oure fantasy or else to be in feare that we shal dishonoure hym in knowledgyng that he was made lyttle for our sakes as touchynge hys humayne natures Euen as wythout all begynnynge he was God of one selfe glory with hys father euē so doth he cōtinue styl wythout anye diminution In that he hath taken vpon hym oure fleshe and in the same was humbled he hath geuen a notable testimony of hys infinite goodnes and of hys incomprehensible loue whych he hath vnto vs So farre is it of that thys shoulde anye thynge derogate to his highnes that it is the principal matter that we haue to magnify praise hym for For a conclusion if we wyll trulye confesse the Lorde Iesus to be our sauiour let vs confesse accordynge to the exhortation of saynte Iohn that he is come in the fleshe to vnit vs to God his father by meanes of the obedience whyche he gaue vnto hym in our humanitie as in oure persons He that maketh not thys confession is Antichriste and we ought to abhorre hym ¶ The second Article IT is tyme that I do come vnto the secōd Article of the which I promised to treat That is that the Anabaptistes communely all do hold opinion that the soules beyng departed from the bodye do no more lyue vntyll the day of the resurrectiō Howbe it they do somewhat differ amonge them selues For some of theym do thinke that the soule is not a substaūce or a creature hauīge an essensiall beynge but that it is onely the vertue that mā hath to breathe to moue and to do other actions of lyfe whylse he is yet a lyue The other do confesse that the soule is an essensiall creature and yet neuertheles do Imagyn that the soules of theym that be deade do slepe wythout any sence or vnderderstandynge vntyl the daye of iudgemente Therefore if we shall thorowlye confute the Anabaptistes we muste fyrste shewe that the soules haue an essensial being of theyr own Secondelye that after deathe they do felt and knowe theyr condition and estate but before we go any further in thys matter we muste note that thys worde Soule is diuerslye taken in the scripture Fyrste for the lyfe as where it is fayed in Iob I beare my soule in my handes Also in saynt Mathewe is not the soule more then the meate and in infinite other places Sometyme it is taken for the wyll or the desyre as where it is sayed in Samuel that the soule of Ionathas was knytte to the soule of Dauid And in the Actes wher it is sayd the multitude of beleuers had one hert one soule Somtime it is takē for the whole man as wher it is sayd that there descended into Egypt wyth Iacob three score and fyf tene soules Also wher the Prophet pronoūceth that the soule which synneth shal dye Also for breathinge or blowynge as in Samuell where Saull sayeth I am ouercome wyth angwyshe thoughe all my Soule be yet in me Lykewyse when Eliseus sayed that the soule of the chyld dyd returne into hys bowels Fynallye when it is ioyned wyth thys worde spirite it signifieth an affection as when Esaias sayed my soule desyereth the in the night and I watch vnto the in my spirite Also saynte Paule prayeth God to kepe the Thessalonians vndefyled in bodye and in spirite and in soule Lykewyse thys word spirit is diuersly takē of whych I nede not now make long declaration but onely thys that we know that it is often tymes taken for the soule as it shall euidently appeare in those places whiche hereafter shall be alledged Thys beynge noted let vs se whether the soule of man haue an essensuall beyng of hir owne whiche is geuen to hyr of God And let vs beginne at the creation of man which wyll helpe muche to thys marter Touching Beastes and other lyuynge creatures God doeth commaunde them to be made symplye When he commeth to the
be gonne in vs what absurditye is it to saye that in death there is interruption If we be already entred into the kyngdome of God for what cause shoulde we be made go oute agayne by death or at the leste made go backewarde as the sea Crabbes The kyngedome of God is in you sayeth the Lorde Iesus what meaneth thys but that we haue already the rote of lyfe whyche can not be extynguyshed And that is it whiche in an other place he sayeth Thys is the wyll of my father that whosoeuer doeth beleue in the sonne shall not peryshe but hathe euerlastynge lyfe and I wyll rayse hym vp the laste daye ☞ Also who so euer eateth my fleshe and drynketh my bloude hathe euerlastynge lyfe and I wyll rayse hym vp at the laste daye Note thys that he doth promise vnto vs .ii. thynges euerlastynge lyfe and resurrection The Anabaptistes do take the one of these membres leaue the other as if they mighte be deuided He speaketh yet more playnely in an other place sayinge I am the resurrection lyfe he that beleueth in me though he were dead he shall lyue and who so euer lyueth and beleueth in me he shall neuer dye Also who so euer kepeth my word shal neuer se deth I prai you is it possible to speke more playnly thē thys And shuld a christē man desyre more stronger testimonies to settle hys conscience wyth Peraduenture some man wyll obiecte that thys is not true but onelye of faythfull men I graunte that and for my parte it sufficeth me to instructe the chyldrē of God what shall be theyr condition after death Howe be it hereafter wyl I speake of the reprobate But here we se what Iesus Christe doth promise vnto vs if we be his That in the middell of death our spirituall lyfe shall not be interrupted But that more is saint Paul declareth that it is euen then that it begynneth to be in hys moste strength As our outwarde man sayeth he is corrupted so is the inwarde man renued from daye to daye By these wordes he declareth that as thys present lyfe doeth declyne and become corruptible so the lyfe of the soule increaceth and is fortified more and more Therfore it is contrary to this sentence to esteme that the soule is quēched whē the corporal lyfe taketh end I wyll yet deduce this argumente further We must daylye encrease and profite in the Lorde auauncynge oure soules alwayes to approche vnto hym as if we stepped thys daye one pace and to morowe an other Or as if we dyd ascende by steppes Nowe is it sayed for thys presente tyme that we do walke in the bryghtnesse of hys face Also that hys spirite doeth beare vs recorde that we be hys chyldren If it so be that in death we do lese thys bryghtnes and confidence whyche the holy Gost geueth vnto vs howe shall we then aduaunce oure selues Lykewyse Saynte Paule sayeth that thought we haue oure conuersation in thys worlde yet is our habitation in heauen Let vs se if death maye dryue vs out of the kyngedome of God wherein we had oure abydyng before thorowe hope It is true that thys mortall bodye is to vs as a pryson to thruste downe oure soule so lowe as captiue to earthly thynges ☞ Therefore is it mete that when she is gone forth of suche a seruitude into libertye that she be more disposed to contēplate God more familiarly And when she is lyghtened of suche a burthen that she be more chereful to lifte hyr selfe vp vnto God It is therfore to greate a beastelynes to laye theym downe softe as do the Anabaptistes to make them slepe vnto the day of the resurrection Howbeit theyr erroure is yet better conuinced by that the scripture doeth declare touchynge our regeneration For when it pleaseth God to call vs into the participation of hys grace he sayth that he maketh vs newe creatures How is that In that by the vertue of hys worde and of hys spirite he mortifyeth the corruption of oure nature makynge vs to be borne agayne to liue in hys kyngdome Let vs nowe heart what is the operation of the one and the other in vs. Saynt Paule goynge aboute to conforte vs sayeth that though the bodye he deade bycause of synne yet the spirite of the Lorde Iesus dwellinge in vs is lyfe bicause of reghtuousnes I knowe that thys lyfe is neuer perfitte whylse we are in thys world but seyng that the spirit of God is a sparke of lyfe whyche is geuen vnto vs to quicken vs more and more tyll we come vnto perfection it foloweth that oure lyfe can neuer be quenched ☞ As touchynge the worde Saynte Peter speaketh yet more clearlye sayinge that it is a sede of immortalitye yea an incorruptible sede whyche God hathe put into vs to exempte vs from that condition wherein we be by nature whyche is as Esaias sayeth that all fleshe is haye and all the glory of mā is as the floure of the grasse bycause that when the spirite of God doth blowe on mā he is by and by wythered and dryed and falleth wholy downe Nowe after that the Prophete had thus spoken of vs he added by and by the contrarye that the worde of God abideth for euer Saynte Peter doeth aledge thys place and sheweth that thys eternitie of the worde of God is shewed in vs bycause that by the same we are borne agayne hauinge it in our soules for an incorruptible seede the whyche neuer rolleth nor withereth What is it that maye be replyed agaynste thys whyche shall not be thynges apparant and already resolued for we beinge regenerate by the grace of God are broughte into hys kyngedome to lyue in cleauynge to hym wythout ende To resolue thys matter there is nothinge more mete not more certayne then to consider what coniunctiō vnitie we haue with our Sauioure Iesus Fyrste we knowe that in Baptisme we be entexed into hys bodye to be verily hys membres and to fele in vs such an effect of hys vertue as the braunches of a tre do of theyr rote For we are so vnited vnto hym that we are made one self substaūce And we nede not aledge any other probatiō then that whyche he hathe spoken wyth hys owne mouth As I lyue sayeth he so shall you lyue Now we knowe that the lyfe of Iesus Christe is not temporall nor yet by interposition of tyme. Therefore if we lyue as he liueth it foloweth that it muste be wythout ende For it was necessarye that he shoulde dye wyth vs. And thys is it that he spake before He that eateth my flesh drinketh my bloud he dwelleth in me I in hym If Iesus Christ dwel in vs it foloweth that forthwith lyfe dwelleth in vs accordyng to the which he spake before as the father hathe lyfe in hym selfe so hath he geuē vnto his son to haue life in him selfe It is easy to se that the Anabaptistes neuer tasted howe wee be ioyned to oure Lorde
it must nedes folowe that they are vnhappy Seynge that all the blessednes of the chyldren of God proceadeth and hangeth of thys that in the daye of the resurrection they shall be lyke vnto God and inioye theyr heritage It is no maruaile if saynte Paule do saye that they shoulde be more vnhappy theÌ„ the reste of the worlde if there shall be no resurrection ☞ And in dede in one maner sence he putteth these two thynges that there is no resurrection and that our hope should be onely in thys worlde I doubte not but that euery man seeth playnelye that thys sentence of saynte Paule is nothynge agaynste vs. For he sayeth that if we be deceyued in our hope whyche we haue of the resurrection that we be vnhappye And we saye that the soules of the fayethfull are ryght happye thorowe the same hope wythout whiche we confesse that they can haue no Ioye nor blessednesse In thys there is no contradiction ☞ They obiecte yet more againste vs that which is wrytten in the epistle to the Hebrues of the Auncient fathers how that thei departed in fayeth wythoute receyuynge the promises but saluted theym a farre of and confessed them selues to be straungers vpon the earthe ☞ Nowe in saying thus they do signifye that they soughte theyr heritage and naturall countrye in that they had no mynde of that contrei froÌ„ whens they came they might haue returned but they desired a better that is to saye from heauen Thys texte is wyckedly depraued by them thorowe false gloses in that they do refer thys to the presente tyme where the Apostell speketh of the tyme whan the Patriarches were conuersaunte in thys worlde Howe be it touchynge the purpose of oure matter I am ryghte well contente to alowe their glose They make their argumente thus if Abraham and the other fathers do desire the heauenly heritage than they haue it not yet I replye to the contrary that if they haue a desire than do they lyue and haue relynge of good and euyll Where is their slepyng than Thus we se that they be contrary to them selues lyke litell chyldren Touchynge the reste I wyll well the Apostle sayeth afterwarde that all the auncient fathers haue not yet receyued that whych in thys worlde they loked for bycause God hath ordeyned that they w thout vs shoulde not be made perfect And this is it that we saye that all the consolation whych the fayethfull soules haue is reduced to thys glorious immortalitye in which we shall all at one tyme be gathered together whan Iesus Christe shal apere in iudgemeÌ„t These places which here after I wyll recite shal declare howe these phantasticalles do kepe together al the cauillations that they canne and that impudentlye to haue some apparence to colour their errour If the soules say they beynge seperate from their bodies do lyue wih God than dyd saynct Peter greate iniury to Chaâ—ita in raisyng her vp seynge it was a wythdrawynge of hir from the companye of God and from the blessâ—d lyfe whan he broughte her agayne in to thys sea of miseries I Answere that this argumente maketh as muche agayne them as agaynste vs. For if she slepte wythout felynge anye euyll we maye saye that it was not for her prophet to come from such a rest to enter into the fyghtes of thys presente lyfe I myghte require of them the solution of this argumâ—nt But I knowe that it were vaynt to tarye for anye good solution of theÌ„ Touchynge vs oure answere is easye that whyche Sayncte Paule spake of hym selfe is common to all fayethfull men That is that it is profitable for vs to dye that it is for oure aduantage to be wyth Christe And yet notwythstandynge he sayeth that God whan he healed Hepaphroditus of his sycknes and deliuered hym from death had pitie on hym allthoughe he were of the number of the fayethfull The Anabaptistes do saye that thys is a crueltye if the soules do liue after death ☞ We saye that it is a mercifull deade whaÌ„ it pleaseth God to be magnifâ—ed in vs in thys corporall lyfe makynge vs instrumeÌ„tes of his glorye Moreouer it is not sayed that Thabitha was raysed vp for her owne commoditye but at the requeste of the poore whiche wepte for the losses that they hadde by her death Therefore let vs byde faste by thys that the Lorde doeth alwayes vnto vs a singuler grace whan he maketh vs to lyue and dye to hym ☞ Let vs come to the testimonies whyche they aledge of Dauid althoughe I be asshamed to reherce them bycause they do abuse them so chyldyshelye But yet muste I reherse them bycause they go about to disceyue the simple with them They do aledge thys sentence I haue sayed you are goddes and sonnes of the moste hyghest yet shal you dye lyke men They do expouÌ„d thus that the faythful are there called goddes but yet do they dye lyke the reprobate and that there condition is lyke vntyl the daye of iudgemente But we haue the exposicion of Christe that in that place is mencion made of princes and ministeres of Iustice whiche haue the tytle of goddes bycause that in there estate they are as hys lyuetenauntes And thoughe oure sauioure Iesus Christe had spoken nothynge thereof yet the phrase of scripture doeth declare it plainelye And the texte it selfe is so playne â–ª that it beareth hys glose wyth it For there are reproued all suche as exercise tiranny and iniquiti and it is sayed to them that they muste dye and be depriued of that dignitye whyche they haue and muste geue an accompte to God as well as the leste of all They aledge also thys texte put not youre truste in men the spirite of man goethe and returnethe into hys earthe and in that daye shall perishe al their cogitations They take thys worde spirite for wynde as thoughe ther were none other soule in man Than do they make their argumeÌ„ce Thus if mannes cogitations do perishe it muste folowe that the soul doeth slepe or else that it is nothing I answere that the spirite of man doeth signifye an other thynge than breth as I haue ryghts well proued before But were it so that thys worde in thys place were taken in suche a significacion as it is taken in some other places yet shoulde it not therefore folowe that man hath none other soule but breth Touchynge that it is sayde that the cogitacions do perishe that doeth importe none other thyng but that the enterprises of men are dissipate by death and vanishe as smoke as it is sayde in a nother place that the desires of synners shall perishe to signifie that they shall not come to ther effecte Therefore Dauid sayth not that men shal thyncke nothynge after ther death but he meaneth that all ther delyberacions shall come to nothing They aledge an other place all moste lyke thys he hath remembered that they are but flesh a spirit that goeth and retorneth not agayne Nowe I graunte
that in this place this worde spirite doeth signifie wynde or breath But I do denye that this place doth make any thyng to the confirmatiō of their errour For by thys maner of speache the prophete woulde expresse the fragilitye of oure estate and condition and the shortenes of mannes lyfe It is sayed in the hystorye of Iob that man is as a flour sprynging out of the earth whyche in continente wythereth and as a shadowe passeth awaye ☞ Esaias commaundeth all preachers to crye that all fleshe is but grasse If the Anabaptistes do oute of thys conclude that the soule wythereth away they do se more clearlye then dyd Saynte Peter whyche proueth that the soules of the fayethfull are immortall bycause the Prophete immediatlye addeth that the word of God abideth for euer There is a lyke reason in thys whyche is spokē in an other Psalme As a father hath pitye of hys chyldren euen so hath the Lorde had pitye of hys seruauntes For he knoweeth whereof we are made He doeth remembre that wee be duste that oure dayes be as grasse wherof the floures doth quykcly wyther awaye That the spirite passeth in vs and tarieth not and knoweth no more hys place In all these sentences let vs note that man is admonished of hys frayltye chyeflye when God wythdraweth hys hande and hys vertue from hym that he should knowe that he is nothynge and lesse then nothyng if that God do not kepe and preserue him bi hys grace And in dede when we saye that the soules are immortal We intende not by that sayinge to derogate anye thynge frome Goddes title the whyche as Saynt Paule sayeth is onelye immortall But we rather thynke it a blasphemy so to attribute immortalitie vnto the soule as if she by hyr propre vertue dyd subsyst But in the meane whyle we muste consider what propertye and nature God hathe geuen to the soules and that is by hys hande to subsiste for to be in beatitude immortall or in malediction ☞ But they thynke that they haue a verye stronge weapen of thys whych is spoken in an other Psalme wilte thou do a miracle in raysynge vp the deade that they may praysethe Shall any man in the graue shew forth thy mercye or thy ryghtuousnes in the Land of forgetfulnes Agayne the dead prayse not the oh Lord neyther yet all they that do discende into the graue But we that lyue shal prayse God Agayne what profit shal there be in my bloud when I shall descend into corruption Shal the duste prayse the or shall it shewe forthe thy veritye Also that whyche Ezechyas saieth in hys songe The graue shal not praysethe and the death shall not geue glorye to the They whyche discende downe shall not loke for thy verity The lyuynge the lyuynge shal confesse The father shall declare vnto hys sonne thy veritye For solution hereof there are two thynges to be noted the one is that by deathe we maye not symple vnderstande the commune death by whyche we muste all passe but a death whyche is a punishemente expressed and signe of the wrathe of God whych doeth emporte a reiection of men for destroye them vtterlye The seconde where it is sayed that the dead shall not prayse the it is mente of that prayse of God whych is done among those men whych haue felte his grace As touchynge the fyrste it is true that this worde hell doeth often times signify a graue as we haue also translated it But they whiche are exercised in the scripture are not ignoraunte but that whyche I haue sayed is signified by these wordes deathe and graue And that chyefly in the Psalmes Therefore those whom God hath reiecte and whom he chasteth in hys wrath not onelye touchynge theyr bodyes but muche more touching their soules are called deade and the angwyshe whyche they fele is called a graue as when it is sayed Let the deathe come vpon theym and let theym descende a lyue into the graue Againe Lorde God if thou cease to helpe me I shall be lyke vnto them that go downe into the graue Agayne Lorde thou hast drawne my soule out of the graue and hast deliuered me from them whyche are layed in the graue Againe let synners be caste into the graue and all people whyche forget God Agayne if God had not holpen me my soule hadde dwelled in the graue Againe oure bones were scatered nere to the graue Agayne he hath placed me in an obscure place like the deade As contrarye wyse it is sayed they lyue to whom God sheweth hys mercye The Lord sayth Dauid in an other place hath ordeyned benediction and euerlastynge lyfe amonge hys people Agayne deliueryng theyr soules from death and nourishyng thē in tyme of famine Agayne God shall plucke the frome thy tabernacle and thy rote frome the Lande of the lyuynge Agayne I shall please the Lord in the Lande of the lyuynge But ther is one text among the rest whych doeth so well expresse boeth meaninges that it shall suffice vs for altogyther Shall man paye a pryce for hys Soule that he may lyue euer Shall he not se death seynge that wise men do dye Foles and wyse menne saye I shall dye togyther they shall be layed in graue lyke shepe and death shall deuour thē but the ryghtuouse shall haue rule ouer them in the mornynge theyr strength shall peryshe in the Sepulchre and theyr glorye shal vade and the Lorde shall drawe my soule from the power of the graue The some of thys Phalme is that al such as putte truste in theyr rychesse or strengthe shall all dye as well the poore as the ryche as well the fole as the wyse but he that trusteth in God shall be delyuered frome the graue These thyngs wel marked we haue a solution for all the places whyche the Anabaptistes do alledge ☞ It is is therefore declared howe the Sayntes beyng astonished for the apprehention of deathe do desyre God to wythdrawe theym Howe commeth it that they haue suche an horrous Let vs beholde al the ensamples of the fayethfull we Reade not that they dyd make any greate complayntes or lamentations when the tyme was come that they should dye but dyd submit them selues to the good wyll of God in patiēce I saye also Dauid and Ezechyas Wherefore then haue they vsed suche complaintes in the places aboue aledged But onely bycause in death they dyd conceyue the wrath and seueryte of God the whyche dyd astonyshe theym and not wythout a cause Nowe there is no doubte but that the man whyche fealeth the rygour of God and is persecuted by hys vengeaunce canne not prayse him for as muche as we can not geue hym herty thankes except we fele his goodnes Secondelye where it is sayed in these places that the dead do not prayse God that is not mente that they do not prayse hym in in theyr mynde but is ment that they cannot tel hys praises vnto other Which thyng the wordes whiche are there put