Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	body_n	part_n	soul_n	20,019	5	5.7069	4	true

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17654	An excellent treatise of the immortalytie of the soule By which is proued, that the soules, after their departure out of the bodies, are avvake and doe lyue, contrary to that erronious opinion of certen ignorant persons, who thinke them to lye asleape vntill the day of iudgement. Set fourth by M. Iohn Caluin, and englished from the French by T. Stocker.; Psychopannychia. English.	Calvin, Jean, 1509-1564.; Stocker, Thomas, fl. 1569-1592.	1581 (1581)	STC 4409; ESTC S118888	80,056	216

thou hast geuen me Let vs then hold this fayth which is grounded vpon all the prophecies vpon the trueth of the Gospell and vpon Iesus Christ himselfe to witt that the spirite is the Image of God vnto whose lykenes it hath strength and vnderstanding and is euerlasting and so long as it is in the body it sheweth the powers and when it is deliuered out of this prison it goeth from thence vnto God the feeling of whome in the meane while it enioyeth whiles it resteth in the hope of the blessed resurrection and this reast is to it a paradise But as for the spirite of the reprobate whiles it looketh for the terrible iudgement vpon it selfe it is tormented with this looking for which the Apostle therefore hath called fearefull And to make any father search is to plunge it selfe ouer head eares in the bottomles depth of the secrets of God considering that it is ynough to learne that which the holy ghost who as a a very good Schoolemaister is contented to teach it who sayth thus harken vnto me and thy soule shall lyue How wisely is this spokeÌ„ in respect of the vayne arrogancy of these men The soules of the iust are in the handes of God and the torment of death shall not touch them They seeme to the eyes of the foolishe to be dead but they are in peace c. This is the end of our wisedome which as it is sober and subiect vnto God euen so also knoweth it very well that they which labor to goe beyond it doe fall full lowe Let vs now pull of those cloutes and ragges wherein they haue swadled vp these drowsy and sleapy soules and mingle and lickour the Poppy which they haue made them to soupe to lull them a sleepe They carry about with them certein places of scripture which as they thinke doe fauoure this sleape and soone after as if this sleapines were clearely proued they thunder them agaynst those which forthwith will not yelde vnto their error First of all they sett downe that God hath placed none other soule in man but such as is common to all other beastes For the scripture attributeth to al equaly a liuing soule as when it is sayd Gene. 1. God created the great whales euery liuing soule also there wet Gene. 7. of all flesh which had any lyfe in it by couples into the Arke of Noah And such other lyke places And although the holy scriptures had neuer made mention hereof yet are we clearely admonished by S. Paule that this liuing soule differeth nothing froÌ„ this present lyfe whereby the body receiueth strength and force Se what he sayth That which is soweÌ„ in corruptioÌ„ 1. Cor. 15.42.43.44.45 shall ryse agayne in incorruption that which is sowen in weakenes shall ryse agayne in strength That which is sowne in a fleshely body shall rise againe a spiritual body for as it is written The first man AdaÌ„ was made a lyuing soule and the last Adam a quickening spirite Now I confesse in deede that the liuing soule is not onely attributed vnto beasts alone be cause they also liue For their lyfe is another manner of lyfe theÌ„ the lyfe of men The soule that liueth in man maketh him to haue sence wisedome reason and vnderstanding and the soule that liueth in beastes geueth them onely mouing and feeling Seing then it is so that there is reason vnderstanding and will in the soule of man which vertues are not tyed to the body it is no maruell if it subsist without a body and pearisheth not lyke the soule of the beastes whose soules haue nothing but a bodely feeling For which cause Paule was not ashamed with the heathen Poet to call vs the generation of God Wherefore then let them now as they list communicate vnto a lyuing soule with man Actes 17.28.29 seing that as touching the body beastes lyfe is all one to men and beastes yet can they not hereupon make vnto theÌ„selues a degree to confound the soule of man with the beasts neither yet must they thrust that saying of S. Paule vpon vs which is rather with vs then against vs. The first man Adam was made a liuing soule and the last Adam a quickening spirite For this aunswere was obiected to them which could not be perswaded of the resurrection For looke vpon the obiection which they made how shall the dead ryse agayne In what body shall they come The holy Apostle to meete with this obiection frameth his Argument thus If we learne by experience that the seede which lyueth groweth and bringeth fruite was first dead why theÌ„ may not the body which was dead ryse agayne as well as the seede And if the bare and dry corne bring forth greater plenty of fruite after it is dead and that by a wonderfull power which God hath put into it Why then may not the body by the selfe same heauenly power be raysed vp agayne in a farre better maner then wherein it dyed And to the end thou mightest not still maruell how is it possible that maÌ„ should lyue without he were fashioned into a liuing soule NotwithstaÌ„ding although this soule moueth and vpholdeth the waite of the body for a tyme yet maketh it not Immortall or inccorruptible And whiles also that it putteth forth her strength yet is she not able as of her selfe to doe it without the helpe of drinke meate and sleape which are tokens of corruption neither maketh it the body to abide in a firme constant condition but that it is enclyned assoone to one thing as to another But when the sonne of God shall take vs with himselfe into glory Tertullian so sayth and S. August also in his 3. Epist to Fortunatus it shall not be onely a body with a soule or quickened with a soule but a spirituall body such a one as our minde caÌ„not conceiue nor our toung expresse We see then that we shall be none other thing in the generall resurrection but yet much otherwise if by your leaue I may so say And these thinges are spoken of the body wherunto the soule administreth life vnder the elements of this world But when the figure of this world shall passe away the participation of the glory of God shall lift it vp aboue nature Hereby we see what the true and naturall sence of the Apostle is And S. Augustine seeing himselfe deceiued euen as these men now are in the exposition of this text acknowledged afterward his fault corrected it amoÌ„gest his retractatioÌ„s a great deale more manifestly in other places Chap. And here I thinke it good to set downe some part of his wordes It is very true sayth he that the soule liueth either in a carnal or spirituall body and yet notwithstanding it liueth not nor is not quickened vntil such time as it hath cast off the corruption But in the spirituall body when it is made a quickening spirite perfectly cleauing vnto the Lord it

soule Wil they they say that there is nothing meant by these words we know then that this word Soule is oftentimes taken for lyfe as in these places Psal 119 Nun. My soule is in my handes Also Wherefore teare I my fleshe with my teeth and carry my Soule in my handes Iob. 13.14 Likewise Math. 6.25 Is not the soule farre more precious then meate Also Thou foole Luke 12.20 this night shall thy Soule be taken from thee and such other like which these Soule murderers haue euer in their mouthes And yet for all that they haue nothing wheron greatly to brag For they must consider that this word Soule is taken there by the figure Metanomia for the lyfe for somuch as the Soule is the cause of the lyfe and that the lyfe is vpholden by the Soule and this figure euen youÌ„g boyes doe learne emongest their rudimentes in the Schoole But who would not maruell to see the foolish arrogancye of these roysters who are fully perswaded of some great matter in theÌ„selues and would haue others make great accompt of them yet they must be taught their figures and formes of speaking We also know by an other lyke reason as it were that the soule is taken for the will and desier because it keepeth the seate of the will desier 1 Sam. 18.1 And in this sence it is sayd That the Soule of Ionathan was fast knit to the Soule of Dauid Gene. 34.6 and that Sichem his Soule longed sore for Dina Iacob his daughter Acts. 4.32 Saint Luke also sayth And the multitude which beleued were of one hart and of one soule Moreouer who seeth not that there is great strength in these Hebrew phrases Psal 115. 104. Luk. 1. My soule blesse thou the Lord my soule doth magnify the Lord say vnto my soule I am thy sauing health For by these is somewhat more expressed theÌ„ if it had bene simply spoken without addition As blesse the Lord I magnify the Lord say vnto me I am thy health Sometymes it is simply taken for a man that hath a Soule Gene. 19. As When it is sayd that threescore and sixtene Soules went downe with Iacob into Egipt Ezech. 18.4 Leuit. 20.6 2.6 Lykewise The soule which hath sinned shall dye Also The Soule which shall goe after Coniurers and Southsayers shall dye the death c. Many tymes it is taken for the breath which geueth breath vnto man wherein resteth the liuely motion of the body As I take these places 2. Sam. 2. Heauines and sorrow haue taken hold on me Acts. 20. although my whole soule remayneth in me Also his Soule is in him And agayne That the soule of the Childe returned into his body Moreouer 1. King 17.22 the scripture vseth this maner of speaking that the soule doth depart whereas we commonly say he yeldeth vp the ghost As when it is sayd of Rachell Gene. 35.18 And at the departing of the soule for Rachell dyed she called the name of the child Benom We know also that this word spirite emongest the Latines is called breath winde which we may likewise see by the word that the Grecians vse We know that it is taken in the prophesie of Isaiah for a vayne and tryfling thing Isaiah 26.18 We haue bene with childe sayth he and suffered payne as if we had brought forth winde And many tymes it is taken for that which the spirite of God regenerateth in vs. For when Saint Paule sayth Galat. 5.17 That the spirite lusteth coÌ„trary to the fleshe he meaneth not that the Soule sighteth agaynst the fleshe or reasoÌ„ against Lust but that the Soule it selfe in somuch as it is gouerned by the spirite of God fighteth agaynst it selfe because as yet she is voyd of the spirite of God and geuen ouer to her owne lustes Moreouer we know that wheÌ„ these two words the Soule and the Spirite are ioyned together that by the Soule is ment the will and by the Spirite the vnderstaÌ„ding Isaiah 26.9 For thus sayth Isaiah My soule hath longed for thee all the night and I will seeke thee early in the morning with my Spirite which is within me 1. Thes 3.13 And thus doth Saint Paule vnderstand it When he beseecheth the Thessalonians to haue their whole Spirite Soule and body kept blamelesse in the coÌ„ming of our Lord Iesus Christ For he meaneth to haue all their thoughts and willes sound and not to geue ouer their members as instrumentes of iniquitye to sinne Heb. 4.12 And that which the Apostle wryteth to the Hebrewes must be taken in the same sence That the word of God is quick and mighty in operation and sharper then any two edged sword which entreth through euen vnto the deuiding asonder of the Soule and spirite of the ioynts and the marow discerneth the thoughtes and intentes of the hart Neuerthelesse some there are which in this last place had rather vnderstand by the spirite this being wherein doe consist reason and will and which we are now disputing of and by the Soule the vitall motion and the senses which the Philosophers call Superiors and Inferiors But seing that both the one and the other doe signify in many places an Immortall essence which causeth the lyfe of man let them not take any occasioÌ„ to striue about the words but let them take the thing as it is by what name soeuer it be called and meant And presently we will shew how true the same is Now we will beginne at the first creation of man wherein we shall right well perceiue what maner of one he was made from the beginning The holy history telleth vs what the determinatioÌ„ and councell of God was before he created man in making him after his owne Image and lykenes These words caÌ„ no way be meant of the body wherein although a wonderfull worke of the Lord God appeareth aboue all the rest of the bodyes which he created yet we se not any Image of God to shine in him Gene. 1.26 For what is he which thus sayth Let vs make man after our owne Image and lykenes It is euen God himselfe who is a spirite who cannot be represented by any bodyly shape For lyke as a bodyly image which representeth vnto vs the face of a man ought liuely to set before vs all his lyneaments and proportions that by the couÌ„terfaiting or engrauing we might conceiue whatsoeuer might be sene in him which the same representeth Euen so this Image of God must through the same lykenes set before our senses a certaine vnderstanding of the knowledge of God And I right well know what a number of them prattle saying that the Image of God is lykened vnto the rule and gouernemeÌ„t which is geuen vnto man ouer the lyuing creatures because that therein man is somewhat lyke vnto God who hath dominion ouer all things Into the which error Chrisostome him selfe fell

heere any thing whereat to iangle that Iesus Christ commeÌ„ded his soule vnto his Father S. Stephen his vnto Iesus Christ to be preserued vntill the day of the resurrectioÌ„ Iohn 19.30 but these wordes haue a nother meaning with them and specially the wordes of S. Stephen S. Iohn also sayeth moreouer of Iesus Christ that wheÌ„ he bowed downe his head he yelded vp the ghost Which wordes must not be referred to the breath 1. Pet. 3 1â— or to the mouing of the Lunges S. Peter lykewise manifestly declareth no lesse the soules to be and to lyue after death when he sayth That Christ preached to the spirites that were in prison and not onely vnto the spirites of the faithfull remission vnto saluation but also vnto the spirites of the wicked vtter destruction For thus doe I enterprete this place which hath so greatly troubled many mens witts and I hope so to perswade all good and godly men For when he had spoken of the humilitie of the crosse of of Christ and he had shewed that all the faythfull ought to fashion themselues to be lyke vnto him that they might not despayre he forthwith speaketh of the resurrectioÌ„ that they might vnderstand know the very end of all tribulations For he sayth that Iesus Christ was not ouercome of death but hauing ouercome it shewed himselfe triumphant Which thing he declareth by these wordes wheÌ„ he sayth that Iesus Christ was in very deed dead in the fleshe but yet quickened in the spirite And so also meaneth S. Paule when he wryteth that he suffred in the humilitye of the fleshe but was raysed vp agayne by the power of the spirite Now to the end the faythfull might vnderstand that the selfe same power belongeth vnto them he goeth on farther and sayth that Iesus Christ hath bestowed this power vpon others and not onely on the quicke but also vpon the dead and besides not onely vpon his seruauntes but also vpon the faythles and despisers of his grace Moreouer let vs vnderstand that this is a maymed kinde of speach and wanteth one of his two braunches of which sort are many examples in the scriptures and chiefely when many sentences are gathered together vnder one conclusion as here is done Neither yet let any man thinke it straunge that the holy Fathers are shut vp in pryson who looked for the redeÌ„ption that should be obtained by the sonne of God For because they beheld a farre of the light as it were vnder a cloude or shadowe as they doe which behold some shimmering of the day euen in the twy light and perceiue the comming of the day before the dawning nor as yet had not the blessing of God reuealed vnto them wherein they might repose themselues he calleth their hope a pryson or dungeon The meaning then of the Apostle is this That Iesus Christ preached in spirit vnto the spirites which were in pryson to witt that the power of the redemption obteyned by Iesus Christ appeared and was manifested vnto the soules of the dead Here wanteth the other braunch which belongeth vnto the faythfull who haue knowen tasted of this fruite and setteth out the other brauÌ„ch of the faythles who haue receiued vnto themselues this message vnto their destruction For they did see that there was but one redemption from the which they were shut out and therefore what thing could they els looke for but vtter desperation I see already how these men murmur grudge that I haue deuised this glose of mine owne hedd and that they are not bouÌ„d vnto any such lawes Well I will not tye them to my lawes but I will onely aske them this questioÌ„ are not the soules which are shut vp in pryson 1. Pet. 4.6 soules It is most manyfest which hath bin set downe by the same Apostle For this cause also was the Gospell preached vnto the dead to the end they might be iudged as other men in the fleshe but yet that they should lyue with God in the spirite We see that the fleshe is deliuered to death and the spirite to be kept in life For seing there is a relation betwene death and lyfe it is euydent that the one dyeth Eccle. 12.7 and the other lyueth We learne this same also of SalomoÌ„ who describing the death of man Eccle. 1.27 maketh a diuision of the soule farre from the body when as he sayth vntill the dust returneth into the earth froÌ„ whence it came and the spirite returneth vnto God who gaue it I know very well that this Argument troubleth them not much because they say that lyfe returneth vnto God who is the fountayne of lyfe and so by that meanes it is no more any thing But the words themselues crye mainely out that there is great wrong offred them so that it shall not be needefull to confute this iolly subtilty which is neither worthy the reading nor yet the hearing This then is their meaning that the soules returne vnto their fountayne of lyfe in a dreame And there is a saying in Esdrars aunswerable vnto this I would not bring in this Author before them but that I know they make it their Buckler Let them now harken what their Esdras sayth 4. Esd 7.32 The earth shall restore those which sleape in her those also which dwell with her in silence and their secret places shall deliuer those soules which are committed vnto theÌ„ By the secret places they meane the prouidence of God and by the soules the thoughtes This is their iolly glose that the booke of this present lyfe might offer vp the thoughtes before the face of God And thus a man may very well see that no other reason maketh them thus to say but that they haue no better to say for themselues as if so be it were a shame for them to be silent Now if it were lawfull for a man to wrest and tosse the Scriptures after this maner it were an easy matter to turne all thinges vpsyde downe Although I haue many other things to bring in agaynst them yet will I bring forth nothing here of mine owne considering that the Author himselfe may defend himselfe from slaunder 4 Esd 43. For it was sayd a litle before haue not the soules of the righteous called for these things in their secret places how long lyue we thus in hope wheÌ„ shall the fruite of the Ayer of our reward come what soules are they which thus call and hope They must digg here another mine if they entend to escape Luke 16.22.23 Let vs now come to the story of the Rich man and of Lazarus The one of which after he had passed many griefes and calamities of this mortall lyfe was in the end caryed into the bosome of Abraham and the other fell into euerlasting tormeÌ„t and payne The one is tormented and the other comforted There is a great bottomlesse deapth betwene the ioyes of the one and the greuous torments of the

after it is seperated from the body that it vseth not her power and strength How then will they aunswere vnto the psalme of Dauid where he describeth the beginning middest and end of the life of the blessed For there he saith They shal goe froÌ„ vertue to vertue and shall see the God of Gods in Sion or according to the Hebrew from aboundaunce to aboundaunce And if they continually beleue vntill the tyme they come to see God and by this beliefe passe to the sight of God how do these men bury theÌ„ in a slomber of drunkenesse and deepe idlenesse The very selfe same thing doth S. Paule also more manifestly witnesse so that if they would euen burst yet shall they neuer be able to resist the spirite of God 2. Cor. 5.6 7. Heare what he sayth Surely we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be destroyed we haue a building with God an euerlasting habitation in heauen which is not made with man his hand And therefore we groane desiring to be cloathed with our heauenly mansion that we might be fouÌ„d cloathed not naked And in very deede we that are in this tabernacle do groane being burthened because we desire not to be vnclad but to be cladde to the end that this mortality might be swallowed vp of life And a little after wherefore we are alwayes of good cheare and in good hope and do know that so long as we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord for we walke by fayth and not after the outward shewe neuerthelesse we are of good comfort and had a great deale rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Here they finde a starting hole and say that the wordes of the Apostle are to be referred to the day of iudgement wherein we shal be cladde and wherein mortallyty shall be swallowed vp of life Wherfore the Apostle say they concludeth thus that we must all appeare before the iudgement seate of the sonne of God But wherefore referre they this cloathing rather vnto the body theÌ„ vnto the blessings which are plentifully bestowed vpon vs after death who forceth theÌ„ to take this word life for resurrectioÌ„ seing that the meaning of the Apostle is easy and playne to witte we desire to be deliuered out of this prison of the body but not to the end to wander vncertaynely without houseroome For there is a farre better house and a more blessed dwelling which the Lord hath made ready for vs alwayes prouided that he findeth vs clad and not naked Ephe. 6.10 For Iesus Christ is our cloathing Psal 45.12.13.14 and that strong armour wherewith S. Paule armeth vs. And it is written that the king shall desire the beautye of his spouse who is mighty in giftes glorious within his closet Moreouer the Lord hath set a marke vpon his whom he will acknowledge both in death and in the resurrection Wherefore looke they not rather to that which he had before spoken and whereunto he hath adioyned this saying Although our outward man sayth he be corrupted yet is the inward man renued from day to day But that the Apostle addeth this conclusion to appeare before the iudgement seat of the sonne of God bindeth theÌ„ more straightly where he had before said that whether we be present or absent we earnestly striue both at home and abroad to doe the thing that might best please him Seing that at home is meant the body what is signified by abroad To the end then that we put nothing to the wordes them selues without any expositor say thus much that we doe our best to please the Lord both within the body and also without the body and besides that we shall feele the presence of the Lord whenas we shal be seperated from this body Then shall we no more walke by fayth but in open sight because that this masse of earth wherewith we be oppressed seperateth vs very farre of from our God But these sleapers babble cleane coÌ„trary and say we shall be a great deale farther of from God by death then whiles we are here in this life For of whom is this written Psal They shall walke O Lord in the light of thy countenaunce Likewise The spirite it selfe witnesseth vnto our spirite Rom. 8.16 that we are the children of God And many other suche like sayinges They take away from them the light of Goddes countenaunce and the testimony of the Spirit So that if this be true then are we blesseder now then when we be dead For although we liue now vnder the Elementes of this world yet notwithstanding our dwelling and abyding place is in heauen according to the saying of Paule Phil. 3.20 But when that Lethergy and forgetfulnes of all thinges shall by death take away the soules they then lose whatsoeuer sweetnes they haue of spirituall taste Howbeit the holy Scriptures do teach vs a great deale better Wise 9 That the body whiche is corruptible maketh the soule worsse and the earthly tabernacle holdeth downe the seÌ„se thinking many thinges Now then if the body be the prisoÌ„ of the soule and the earthly habitation a manacle to bind it sure What shal become of the soule when it is deliuered out of this prison and losed from these bands Is she not then set at liberty and as a man would say at her owne choyse In so much that it may well be sayd that looke how much she decreaseth the body so much encreaseth she her self Will they nill they this is out of all doubt that wheÌ„ we haue cast of this burthen of the body that the fight which is betwixt the spirit the flesh betwixt the flesh and the spirite is at an end And besides the mortifiyng of the flesh is the quickning of the spirite Therefore whenas the soule hath voyded these excrementes she is then in deede spirituall and yeldeth her obedience vnto the will of God neither feeleth shee the tyranny of the flesh resisting her but reposeth her selfe in this quietnes thinking vpon none other thing but vpon God And thus forsooth may a man well say that she sleapeth when as she is able to rayse vp her self without being pressed down with any wayght and that she slombreth whenas she is able to vnderstand many thinges both by feeling and thinking without any let This doth not onely bewray the error of these faÌ„tasticall fellowes but also theyr malice agaynst the workes and power of God which the scriptures testifye vnto vs that he worketh in his holy and faythfull ones We acknowledge god to be as it were borne in his chosen and still to grow vp froÌ„ day to day Pro. 4.18 which thing Salomon teacheth vs when he sayth The way of the righteous shineth as the light and shineth more and more vntill the perfect day Phil. 2. And S. Paule also affirmeth the same saying he that hath begonne a good worke in

is so quickened as that it causeth the spirituall body to consume al corruption and not to feare any separation To be short albeit I graunt vnto them all thinges concerning a liuing soule vpon which title as I haue before sayd I stand not yet that seat of the Image of God remayneth whole and sound be it that they terme it by the name of soule or spirit or by some other title Neither is it a harder matter to refell that saying which they bring out of the 37. Chapiter of Ezechiell where the Prophet describing the order of the resurrection calleth the spirite from the foure windes that it might blowe life into the dry boanes WhereupoÌ„ they verily think it a very good consequent that the soule of man is none other thing but a mouing power without substaunce which power vanisheth away in death but is receiued agayne in the generall resurrection As if it were not likewise lawfull for me to inferre after the same manner to witt that the spirite of God is a winde or vanishing motion seing that Ezechiell in the first visioÌ„ nameth winde or breath in stead of the eternall spirite of God But it shall be an easye matter for any man without he be too too blockish to resolue this doubt which these Gallauntes can neither marke nor perceiue as learned and sharpewitted as they are For in both these places hath bene set downe the very same thing which the prophets very often haue set down who figure out spirituall thinges that are beyond mans reach and reason by corporall and visible signes And therefore Ezechiell entended liuely to set before our eyes as by a vision liuely pictured aswell the spirit of God as also the spirites of men and because the same was contrary to the spirituall nature he hath borrowed a similitude from corporall thinges which was as it were an Image or paterne thereof The second obiection whiche they make is this for although say they the soule was endued with immortallity yet notwithstanding because it sinned it hath through that sinne lost her immortality And this punishment was ordayned for sinne and denounced to our first Parents Gen. 2. where it is sayd You shall dye the death And S. Paule sayth Rom. 6. That death is the reward of sinne The prophet also cryeth out and sayth Eze. 18. That the Soule which sinneth shall dye And these and such other like places these drowsy sleapers alleadge for that purpose But in the first place I aske them was not the Deuill also payd with the same reward for sinne And yet for all that he is not so dead but that he waketh coÌ„tinually compassing here and there seeking whom he may deuour still busiyng himselfe emongest the children of vnbelief Moreouer I aske them whether this death shall haue an end or not If there be no end thereof as in deede they must needes so confesse these then howsoeuer they are dead shall feele notwithstanding euerlasting hell fire and the worme whiche neuer dyeth These thinges therefore playnely shew vs that although the soule be dead yet it is immortall whiche wee graunt them and say that it feeleth both good and euil and that this death is an other manner of thing then that whiche they would haue to witt that it should turne to nothing Neither haue the scriptures forgotten this and that they should haue found if they had bestowed their minde and applied their wit vnto them rather then arogaÌ„tly and after a proud maner to stand to that whiche their drunken sleapy brayn hath told them For when God pronounceth this sentence agaynst a sinneful man and sayth thou art dust and into dust shalt returne to wit sayth he any other thing but that that which is taken framed out of the earth shall returne vnto the earth And what becommeth then I beseech you of the soule Goeth it into the graue to become rotten stincking But we will handle these thinges hereafter a little more playnely Why doe they then goe thus about the bushe we haue already heard that that which is of the earth must goe agayne to the earth Nowe is there any reason that we should plunge the soule of maÌ„ vnder the earth It is not sayd that man shal returne vnto the earth But the thing which is dust shall return into dust And the thing that was made of the slime of the earth is thys dust It is that forsooth that shall returne into dust and not the soule which God gaue vnto man as a thing taken from els where theÌ„ from the earth After this sort we read in the booke of Iob Iob. 10.9.12 Remember O Lord that thou hast made me as the clay and wilt thou turne me into dust agayne He speaketh there of the Body and a litle after he speaketh of the soule and sayth thou hast geueÌ„ me life and grace and thy visytation hath preserued my spirit And therfore this life shall not turne into dust For the death of the soule is farre otherwise to wit Gods dreadfull iudgement the burden whereof the poore soule is no way able to beare but must be vtterly confounded and destroyed as by the scriptures we are taught as they whom God hath liuely touched haue by experience most fearefully felt And to the end we might beginne at Adam who first obtayned this gentle reward let vs somewhat consider what hart he had or to speake more properly what was in him at all whenas he heard this terrible voyce Adam where art thou This is a thing easelier thought of theÌ„ spoken Although in very deed a maÌ„ can not think of it except he eftsoonnes feeleth the same And like as the mightynesse and excelleÌ„cy of the Maiesty of God can not in wordes be expressed so also can not the terriblenes of his wrath be declared how greuous it is to those vpon whome it lighteth For they very wel see the anger of God and because they would auoyde it they are ready euen to plounge theÌ„selues ouer head and eares in a thousand bottomlesse depthes and yet are no way able to escape it And who is he that will not graunt this to be a death in deede Agayne I say that a few wordes will serue them who haue bene seared with the hoate yron of conscience And therfore let them which haue not had experience thereof heare what the scriptures say whenas it is sayd Deut. 4. Our God is a consuming fier who wheÌ„ he speaketh in iudgement killeth And such one knew they him to bee which sayde Exod. 20. Let not the Lorde speake vnto vs for feare we dye Wilt thou then knowe what the death of the soule is It is euen this whenas it is without God and that he forsaketh it leaueth it vnto her self For since God is the light thereof she loseth her life whenas she loseth his presence And to the end we might shewe that by particularityes whiche haue bene sayd in generall since it

admonished or at the least yet in the end become wise And let vs wholy depend vpon the mouth of God and still looke vnto his word neither let vs add or entermeddle any thing of our owne to or with his wisedome to the end our Leauen marre not the whole lumpe and make the salt that is in vs vnsauery But let vs shew our selues to be such obedient subiects to our God as he would haue vs be to witt humble simple and playne not cleauing to our owne wisdome very zealous to learn yet let vs know nothing or be willing to learne any thing saue onely that which he shall teach vs And besides let vs flee whatsoeuer is straunge and not conteined in his law as a deadly poyson I will meete also with those kinde of men who would faine finde fault with my meaning and say that I rayse vp terrible styrres and controuersies about a matter of nothing decyding these quarrels with cruell dissentions For I am sure there are great store of these people who will not stick thus to deale with me And therefore I aunswere them thus That seing the word of God is of set purpose obstinately assayled that the least iotte thereof is by no meanes to be abidden to be dryuen to the wall and this is not a matter of nothing or of so light regard to see the light of God thus furiously put out through Satans obscuritie and darkenes Moreouer this cause is of farre greater waight then many take it to be But by the way he that cannot away to see the errors and foolishe opinions of others is not therefor as they enterpret it by and by to be sayd that he opinatiuely disagreeth euen to the effusion of bloud For I reproue nothing els but the foolish curiositie of such as striue about these questions which are nothing els in very deede but a tormenting and vexing of the minde Neuertheles after they had reuiued this dounghill opinion it was meete their rashnes should be reproued to the end they should not preuaile agaynst the trueth Now I knew not whether I was able to doe it or no yet my will was very good whatsoeuer goodnes is in it I haue also with good will deliuered it Wherefore if there are any others that can better deale in it Let them in Gods name bestow their trauell to the common benefite of their poore Brethren Basile 1536. OF THE IMMORTALITIE OF THE SOVLE â€ What the state and lyfe of soules is after this present lyfe AS I will bestow no great paine and coste finely and curiously to handle this disputation Euen so lykewise wil I take such a good order as that the readers may simply and playnely vnderstand what my entent and purpose is And surely whatsoeuer he do that will take vpon him to dispute vpon any matter although in very deede it greatly aâ—â—â—â€¦eth that the thing which is to be dealt withall be very substantially vnderstode of him that shall write thereof and so many festly and easely deliuered vnto the Render to the end that the first man passe not his boundes and made farre from the matter or that the other straye and erre not in the selfe same fielde of the disputation without keeping any sure and certayne course yet notwithstanding this in all coÌ„trouersies ought most chiefely and diligently to be obserued considering that the care which here I haue is not onely to instruct but I haue also to deale with such an aduersary who out of all doubt as it is the coÌ„mon dispositioÌ„ of most men will in no wise but agaynst his will yelde himselfe vanquished neyther yet will he graunt himselfe ouercome so loÌ„g as he may haue any thing wherwith wranglingly quarrellingly and shiftingly pleasantly to make sport and feede his owne humor And therfore the best way to shut him cleane vp that he be not able to escape is this to haue the principall poynt of the controuersie so clearely manifested and opened as that he may be brought hand to hand to the Combate as it were euen at the first chop The controuersy then which now we haue in hand is of the soule of man which some in deed doe grauÌ„t to be somewhat But yet they thinke that after a man is dead that the soule sleapeth vntill the day of Iudgement at which tyme it shall awake out of sleape without either memory vnderstanding and feeling whatsoeuer Others there are which graunt nothing lesse then that it is a substaunce but say that it is onely a power of lyfe which is ledd by the mouing of the pulses or of Lunges lytes and because it caÌ„not be without a body therefore they faine that it dyeth and pearisheth together with the body vntill such tyme as the whole man be raysed vp agayne Howbeit we say and maintayne the soule to be a substaunce and that it liueth in very deede after the body is dead hauing sence and vnderstaÌ„ding both which we are very able to proue by euident testimonies of the scriptures Let vs leaue all mans wisedome which imagineth very many thinges of the soule and yet vnderstaÌ„deth neyther rightly nor yet truely thereof Let vs also leaue the Philosophers who as they are wonted almost to disagree in all thinges hauing neither measure nor end in their controuersies so lykewise stryue they one agaynst another herein in somuch that we shall hardly finde two of theÌ„ to agree together of whatsoeuer opinioÌ„ a man would be satisfied and resolued And as touching the powers of the soule Plato in very many places hath notably treated but aboue all the rest Aristotle hath most cunnigly disputed thereon Howbeit if a man would know of theÌ„ and of the whole companye of those wise men what the soule is and whence it hath her beginning he shall but lose his labor albeit in very deede they haue a more pure and sound opinion hereof then these Roysters which boast them selues to be the disciples of Iesus Christ But before we goe any further they must cutt of all occasion of stryuing about these wordes which we indiffereÌ„tly call the spirite the soule and whereupon at this tyme standeth our question at which they may if they will snatch and catch for we do oftentymes speake of them distinctly as of sondry thinges And it is an vsuall thing in the scripture to take these wordes diuersly wherein many are deceiued For they regarding not the diuersitie of the significatioÌ„s snatch at that which first commeth in their braine and defend it obstinately Oftentymes they haue read this word soule for the lyfe and this opinion they haue that it ought to be alwayes so taken and doe bitterly vpholde it But if a man obiect this saying of Dauid vnto them Psal 49.19 Their soule shall be blessed in lyfe Will they interpret it That lyfe is blessed in lyfe Also if a man alleadge vnto theÌ„ that place of Samuell By thy lyfe 2. Sam. 11.11 and by the lyfe of thy

when as he erred by ouer great vehemency in coÌ„futing the opinion of the Anthropomorphites But the Scripture can in no wise abide to be thus dallyed withall Wherefore because that no man might ordayne any such Image to be in the fleshe of man Moyses sayth that the body was first made of the slime of the earth and yet for all that in such sort as that it no wayes represented the Image of God For it is after sayd that lyfe was breathed into the body which was fashioned of the dust of the earth because that euen then the Image of God beganne to shine first in man when as he was fully furnished in all partes But it may be obiected and sayd what doe you thinke that this breath of lyfe is the Image of God No surely although I might very well say so aswell as a great many of others and it may be that I should not speake greatly amisse This obseruation vseth S. Hilary vpoÌ„ the 63. psalme and S. Augustine in his boke of the spirite and the letter cap. 39 Basi Hex conges 8. For what hurt were it if I sayd that there is a difference set downe in the word of God whereby this breath of lyfe might be distinguished from the soules of beastes for from whence haue the soules of the rest of the liuing creatures their beginning Let the earth sayth God bring forth a liuing soule c. And lykewise let that which is of the earth returne agayne vnto earth But the soule of man is not of the earth but froÌ„ the mouth of the Lord and that by a secrett and hidd power Howbeit I will not I say staÌ„d vpon this because I would not haue them to stryue with me about it but this onely would I obtayne at their handes that the Image of God is without the fleshe For els it were no great commendation to man to be made after the Image of God which notwithstanding is so greatly commended and so often repeated vnto vs by the holy scriptures For what needed it I besech you to bring in God deliberating with himselfe and as it were sitting in counsell if he had gone about to haue made a common and ordinary thing For as concerning all other thinges he onely sayd let them be by and by they were made but when he came to this Image as if he had meant to shewe a singuler profe of his workemanshipp he called to counsayle his wisedome and power and was fully resolued in himselfe before he once set hand to the same Hath Moyses then so curiously to no purpose affected this maner of speach which being borrowed from the common vse of men according to their slender capacityes who are as it were very young children to set before vs the Lord God whose greatnes and wisedome no creature is able to coÌ„prehend But hath he not rather in so speaking most gloriously commended the Image of God which shyneth in man And he is not satisfied with once speaking thereof but repeateth it oftentymes Now let the philosophers or els these tryfelers bring with them what doltish mockeries soeuer they will we are sure of this that nothing may beare the Image of God but that which is a spirite For in very deede God is a spirite We must not proceede here by coniectures and ghesses to enquier wherein this Image resembleth his soueraigne creator Colos 3.10 seing we may very easely learne that froÌ„ the Apostle who commaunding vs to put on the new man which is renued in knowledge according to his Image that hath created him manifestly declareth what the same Image is Ephe. 4.14 or wherein it consisteth And he sayth also in another place put you on the new maÌ„ who is created according to the Image of God in righteousnes and holynes of trueth All which thinges when as we will speake in one word we say that man according to the spirite was made pertaker of the goodnes wisedome Ecclesiasticus 17.1 Wisd 2 2â— and righteousnes of God The Aucthor of the booke of Ecclesiasticus and the Aucthor of the booke of Wisdome haue also followed the same course The first deuiding man into two partes to witt the body made of the earth and the Soule which he lykeneth vnto the Image of God briefely comprehendeth that which Moyses hath made a long discourse of God sayth he made man according to his owne Image The second meaning to shew by declaration whereunto the Image of God was lyke sayth that man was made incorruptible as being created after the Image and lykenes of God I would neuer haue pressed our aduersaryes with these Aucthoryties had they not charged vs with them before Which notwithstaÌ„ding we ought to thinke reuerently of although not as Canonicall yet at the least as autentique and holy and receiued by the coÌ„sents of many But let vs there leaue them and hold this Image of God in man which can haue no abiding place but in the soule 1. Pet. 2.11.25 Howbeit let vs now heare what the scripture more manyfestly sayth of the Soule When S. Peter speaketh of the saluation of soules and sayth that the lustes of the fleshe doe fight agaynst the soule and commaundeth vs to cleanse our soules calling Iesus Christ the Byshopp of our soules what should he meane by it if there were not soules to be saued which should be assailed with wicked and vngodly desiers and should be clensed and gouerned by Christ their Byshopp Iob. 4.19 And we reade also in Iob. How much more theÌ„â—n them which dwell in houses of claye and whose foundation is nothing but dust which thing if we consider more narrowly must needes be vnderstoode to be spoken of the soule which dwelleth in this earthly body For he calleth not man an earthly vessell but sayth that he dwelleth in an earthly vessell as one that meant to say that the best part of man which is the soule was contayned within this earthly mansion 2. Pet. 1.13.14 Thus also sayth S. Peter I suppose this to be meete and iust that so long as I am in this tabernacle I styrre you vp by putting you in remembraunce knowing that shortly I must put of this my tabernacle Surely if we be not too too blockish we may vnderstand by this maner of speach that the tabernacle is one thing and that which is taken out of the tabernacle to be another thing The Aucthor of the Epistle to the Hebrewes setteth downe the lyke manifest distinction betwene the fleshe and the spirite Heb. 12.9 when as he nameth those our fleshly Fathers of whome we were begotten and calleth God the onely father of spirites And a little after calling God the father of the heauenly Ierusalem Heb. 12.23 he maketh the Angells and soules of the righteous the Citizens Neither doe I see how we can otherwise take this saying of S. Paul 2. Cor. 7.1 Since we haue these promises let vs clense our selues from all

filthynes of the fleshe and of the spirite For it very well appeareth that he maketh no difference there betwene the fleshe and the spirite as he is wont to doe els where when as he attributeth filthynes to the spirite by which title he meaneth in other places meere purity I wil yet bring in another place although I see that they which meane to wrest will forthwith fall to their gloses 1. Cor. 2.11 For when it is sayd what man knoweth the thinges that are in man but the spirite of man which is in him Agayne no man knoweth the thinges of God but the spirite of God It may well be sayd that man knoweth the thinges which are in himselfe but he meaneth in one word that part wherein the power of the thought and vnderstanding consisteth And also Rom. 8.16 when he sayeth that the spirite of God beareth witnes to our spirite that we are the children of God vseth he not the very same proper kinde of speach But what I coulde conuince them euen in a word For we know how many tymes Christ him selfe by his owne voyce condemneth the error of the Saduces Math. 22.23 a part of which error was that there was no spirite as S. Luke wryteth in the Actes The wordes are these The Saduces say that there is neither resurrection Angell nor spirite Acts. 23.8 but the Pharysies coÌ„fesse all these thinges I feare me that they will goe about to cauill and say that these thinges are to be vnderstood of the holy ghost or els of the Angels Which obiection is easely aunswered For he hath placed the Angells aparte by themselues and it is certayne that the Pharysies had skarcely any knowledge of the holy ghost And they which vnderstand the Greeke tonge know this best For S. Luke sayd spirite without putting to any Article which thing without doubt he would haue added if he had spoken of the holy ghost Now if this stop not their mouthes I know not by what meanes they may be drawne or ledd without it so fall out and say that the opinion of the Saducies is not condemned in that they deny a spirite nor the opinion of the Pharysies allowed which say the coÌ„trary Howbeit the very words of S Luke do mete which this Cauill For after he hath set downe the confessioÌ„ of S Paul that he was a Pharisy he addeth this opinion of the Pharisies We must then say either that S. Paul vsed a subtill and wicked dissimulation which ought not to be receiued in the confession of fayth or els that he was of the same opinioÌ„ with the Pharysies touching the spirite Now if we must beleue histories this was as certaine and sure emongest the Apostles Ecclesiast History 10. 4. c. 13. as the resurrection of the dead or any other Article of our faith I will not be ashamed to bring in here the words of Polycarpe a man who both in his words and doings in very deede looked for Martyrdome In the same c. 19. being also a disciple of the Apostles and so sincerely taught others that which he learned of them as that he would neuer suffer any Leauen to be mingled emongest it This holy man then amongest many excellent wordes which he spake in the middest of the fier sayd that the same day he should be present in spirite before the face of God In those dayes also Melito Byshop of Sardis a man of lyke sinceritye In the same c. 24. wrote a booke of the Body and of the Soule which if we had had at this day I needed not now to haue taken payne in this matter This opinion was so notably receiued in this blessed tyme In the same of the resurrection of the flesh that Tertullian put it euen emongest the common and chiefest conceites of the minde which nature commonly taketh hold of And although we haue already brought in many reasoÌ„s which are able as I think to conuince that which they straue about to witt that the Soule or spirite of man is a substance distinguished from the body yet that which we will add forthwith shall make the same a great deale more certayne For I come to that which I did set downe in the second place to witt that the soule lyueth after that the body is dead hauing both sence and vnderstanding Now whosoeuer thinketh that I doe heere affirme any other thing then the Immortalytie of the soule is greatly deceiued For they which confesse that the soule liueth and therewithall take from her all her senses doe imagine a soule which hath no parte at all of a soule or els deuise a soule of their owne heds considering that her nature without which she can no way stand is to moue her selfe to feele In the same of the flesh of Christ to haue streÌ„gth to vnderstaÌ„dt as Tertullian sayth that the sence is the soule of the soule Let vs therefore learne this Immortalytie of the soule out of the holy scriptures When our Sauior Christ exhorteth his disciples not to feare them which kill the body Math. 10.18 Luke 12.5 haue no power ouer the soule but to feare him who after he hath slayne the body is able also to send the soule into hell fier doth he not meane that the soule lyueth after that the dody is dead And truely God hath very louingly dealt with vs herein that he hath not suffred our soules to be at the disposition of those which would so soone kill them or at the least though they cannot yet doe their best The Tyrantes torment cut in peeces burne and hang but it is the body onely for God onely hath power ouer the soule to cast it into hell fier So then eyther the soule abideth after death or els this must needes be an vntrueth That Tyrantes haue no power ouer the soule Vnto this they auÌ„swere as I heare that the soule truely is slaine for the tyme when as the body is dead but that it pearâ—â—heth not because that in tyme to come iâ— shall ryse againe Now if they thinke to goe away with this they must and graunt that the body pearisheth not for somuch as it shall rise agayne And because that they are both reserued vntill the day of IudgemeÌ„t therefore neither of â—oth peâ—risheth And yet our Sauiour Christ confesseth that the body is slayne and testifieth that the soule abideth whole and sound Iohn 2.19 This maner of speach he vseth of his owne death when he sayth destroy ye this TeÌ„ple and in three dayes I will rayse it vp agayne But this he spake of the Temple of his body by which reason he tooke the soule out of their power which also as S. Luke wryteth and as Dauid foretold Luke 13.46 Psal 30.6 when he drewe neare vnto his death he commended into the handes of his Father S. Stephen lykewise after the same maner saith Actes 7.59 Lord Iesus Christ receiue my spirite Haue they

is now meant by this that Isaack was not put to death but because that the sonne of God hath made the soule which is proper to man Immortall And the Ramme which is a beast without reason and that was layd in his roome is the body And in that Isaack was bound the same representeth the soule which maketh an open shewe of one dying in the death of Iesus Christ and sheweth it also dayly in the common death of men wherein all thinges in the opinion of men doe pearishe and yet for all that the soule of Christ was losed out of bonds and so shall ours also be losed before they come to pearishe Come off now some of you my maisters the sleapers which are voyd of all shame and bragge that the death of the our Lord Iesus Christ was but a dreame or els let him take part with that deuilishe heretique Appollinaris Surely this good Lord Iesus waketh so long as he so willingly bestoweth himselfe about your saluation But you sleape your sleape and being o-ouerwhelmed with the cloude of blindenes can not heare those which keepe watch Moreouer this doth not onely comfort vs that the sonne of God our head is not perished in the shadow of death but his resurrection also doth assure vs that he is apointed to be Lord ouer death Colos 3.3 and hath raysed vp so many of vs from death as haue any part or portion in him Gala. 2.20 in somuch that S. Paul hath not sticked to say that our lyfe is hid with Christ in God And in another place he sayth I lyue yet not I now but Christ in me What can be sayd more of them except they cry with open mouth that Christ sleapeth in these soules that sleape For if Christ hath liued in theÌ„ he is the selfe and same which dyeth in them If the lyfe of Iesus Christ be ours he then which would haue our lyfe to end by death violently plucketh the sonne of God from the glorious right hand of his father putteth him to a second death But if it be possible for him to dye then vndoubtedly must we dye But if his lyfe hath no end surely our soules which are ingraffed into him caÌ„dy no death But what needeth vs to take all this payne Are his wordes straunge when he sayth Iohn 14.19 because that I lyue you also shall lyue If we lyue because he lyueth then if we dye Iohn 6.56 he shall no longer lyue Is his promise straunge when he sayth that he which shall be knit vnto him by fayth shall dwell in him he in him Let vs then clearely dismember the Lord Christ if we will take away their lyues froÌ„ them 1. Cor. 15 22. This is our confession which we haue well fenced with his weapoÌ„s to witt that we are all truely dead in Adam but yet we lyue â—n Iesus Christ S. Paule handâ—eth these thinges with an honorable style in the Epistle to the Romaines to witt Rom. 8.10 that if the spirite of Iesus Christ dwelâ—eth in vs that the body is surely dead by reason of sinne but the spirite liueth because it is iustified Rom. 7.23.24 He calleth the body a Lumpe of sinne which from the natiuitie of the fleshe remaineth in man And the spirite that part of maÌ„ which is spiritually regenerate Wherefore as a litle before he lamented his misery by reason of the dregs of sinne which remained in him he desiereth not simply to be taken out of this world and to be nothing so that he might escape this great misery but also desiereth to be deliuered from the body of death to witt that the Masse of sinne might be abolished in him to this end that the spirite being cleansed might be at peace with God openly declaring hereby that the best parte of him was kept captiue through the bondes of his body and that it should be deliuered out of it by death I would to God we were able to vnderstand with a true fayth what the kingdome of God is Which is emongest the faythfull euen whiles they liue here in this world and to taste thereof in good earnest for it should be very easy withall to vnderstand lyfe euerlasting already begonne He which can not deceiue vs hath made vs this promise for thus he sayth Iohn 5.24 He that heareth my wordes hath euerlasting lyfe and commeth not to condemnation but passeth froÌ„ death to lyfe If a way be made to euerlasting lyfe why hinder they it by death And in another place Iohn 6.49 46. This is the will of my Father that whosoeuer beleueth in the sonne shall not pearish but hath euerlasting lyfe and I will raise him vp againe at the last day He sayth furthermore in the same place Iohn 5 5â— 57. Whosoeuer eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloud hath euerlasting lyfe and I will rayse him vp agayne in the last day Not as your Fathers eate Manna and dyed but he that eateth this bread shall lyue for euer Brag not heere of your goodly gloses coÌ„cerning the last day He promiseth vs two things lyfe euerlasting and this blessed resurrectioÌ„ Although you heare two thinges yet onely embrace you but one of them There is also another saying of Iesus Christ which is yet more agaynst you when he sayth I am the resurrection and the lyfe Iohn 11.2 he that beleueth in me yea although he were dead yet shall he lyue And whosoeuer lyueth and beleueth in me shall neuer taste of death For the sonne of God meant not onely to shew this but also that it might neuer come to passe that they should dye He sayth in another place he that keepeth my word shall neuer see death This is an inuincible Argument agaynst them that whosoeuer keepeth the word of God shall neuer see death And this alone might be sufficient for Christians throughly to arme their fayth agaynst the peruersenes of these sleapers We beleue this and we looke for it But as for these men this is it that they must looke for euen to sleape a sound sleape vntill such time as they be wakened by the sound of the trumpet which shall sodainly come vpon these sleapers as a theefe in the night And if God be the lyfe of euery faythfull soule as the soule is the lyfe of the body what is the meaning that the soule all the while it is in the body causeth it to moue and is neuer so idle nor her streÌ„gth so weakened but that she doth her duety some maner of way and shall God leaue his busines vndone as if he were wery of working If there be so great power in the soule as to support moue and dryue on this masse of earth how great in respect shall the power of God be in the soule which by nature is liuely and very apt and ready to styrre and moue it And yet there are some which dare say that the soule vanisheth away and others that

you will also perfite the same vntill the comming of the day of Iesus Christ Now these men doe not onely intermeddle with the worke of God for a tyme but also dash it cleane out And they whiche before went from faith to fayth from vertue to vertue and enioyed the taste of blessednes wheÌ„ as they bestowed themselues in the remembring of God these do robbe them of fayth vertue and of all remembraunce of God and place them in their beddes as sleapheddes and altogether drenched in drowsines For how enterpret they this their going on Doe they thinke the soules go forward in perfection whenas they grow fat with sleepe that they might be offered fayre and fat before the face of God whenas he shall sit in iudgement Surely if they had but one grayne of wisedome they would not thus grossely Iumble of the soule But looke how farre the heauen is distant froÌ„ the earth so farre seperate they the heaueÌ„ly soule from the earthly body Phil. 23. When S. Paule then desireth to be losed from the body to be with Christ do they thinke it to be likely that he meant to sleape and for none other cause desired to be with Christ But this was namely his desire because he was fully assured that he had another mansioÌ„ a house not made with mans hande whenas the earthly house and Tabernacle of his habitation should be destroyed Is not this to a very good purpose Is not this then to bee with Christ Mat. 22.32 Mar. 12.27 whenas we geue ouer our own life Do they not tremble at the voyce of the Lord who calling himselfe the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob aunswereth forthwith that he is the God of the liuing and not of the dead And therefore he is none of their god neither yet are they his people But they say that these thinges shall then onely come in very deede to passe whenas the dead shall at the last day be raysed agayne to life considering that these are the wordes haue you not read that which hath bene written of the resurrection of the dead But yet haue they not wound themselues out by thys meane For when Christ had to do with the Saduces who denyed not onely the resurrection but also the immortality of the soules he confuteth these two errors with this onely saying For if God be the God of the liuing and not of the dead and Abraham Isaac and Iacob were out of the worlde when God spake vnto Moyses saying that he was their God it must needes follow that they liued another life For they must needes be ouer whom God maketh himself God Luke 20. Whereupon S. Luke addeth For al things liue vnto him not meaning that all thinges liue by the presence of God but by his power This theÌ„ remaineth That Abraham Isaac and Iacob do liue Rom. 14.8 Hereunto agreeth that saying of S. Paule whether we liue or dye we dye vnto the Lord we are the Lordes whether we liue or dye For therfore died Christ and rose agayne that he might be Lord ouer the quicke and the dead Can we set vpp any thing more fyrmelye whereon to settle and establishe our fayth then to heare that the sonne of God is Lord ouer the dead For he caÌ„not be Lord but ouer some that are seying that there must be some subiectes where there is a gouernement We see also the soules of the Martirs whiche are in heauen yelde a testimony herof before God and his Angels Apoc. 6.10 who cry with a loud voyce vnder the Aultar howe long Lord will it be before thou take vengeance vpon the inhabitants of the earth for our bloud vnto whom were geuen white garmentes and was sayd vnto them that they should rest yet a little while longer vntill suche time as their fellowe seruauntes and their brethren which should be slaine as they were were accomplished The soules of the dead do crye and white garmentes are geuen vnto them Now I besech you you sleapie drounkeÌ„ spirites how expound you these white garments be they cushions or pillowes forsooth for theÌ„ to sleape vpon You here see right well that white garments are vnfitt to sleape in Then must you needes graunt that the soules which are so apparrelled doe wake If then this be true it is out of all doubt that the white garmentes doe signify the beginning of glory which God of bountifull liberalitie geueth vnto Martyrs vntill the comming of the great day of Iudgement Daniel 7.9 Math. 17.2 Math. 18.3 Mar. 16.5 Actes 1.10 Actes 10.30 Luke 15.22 For this is no new nor straunge thing in the scriptures that a white garment signifieth glory pleasure and ioy For the Lord appeared in a white garmeÌ„t to Daniell The Lord Iesus appeared in this apparell vpon the mouÌ„t Thebor The Angell appeared in a white garment vnto the women at the sepulcher of Iesus Christ In this maner appeared the Angells vnto the disciples looking vp into heauen after the ascention of our Lord. In such forme appeared the Angell vnto Cornelius And the rich robe that was brought vnto the sonne after that he had consumed all his substaunce when he returned vnto his Father was a token of gladnes Moreouer if the soules of the dead cry out with a loude voyce theÌ„ sleape they not WheÌ„ beginne they then to be saped with this sleape Neither will this obiection serue them that the bloud of Abell cryed for reuenge I confesse in deede that this is a common manner of speach to witt that the deede it selfe speaketh that the shedding of bloud cryeth for reuenge And it is without all doubt that in this place the affection of the Martyrs is represented by the cry because their desier herein is expressed without any figure and their request also is herein set forth when as they say How long O Lord will it be Apo. 20.6 before thou be auenged c. Wherefore S. Iohn in his booke maketh meÌ„tioÌ„ of two resurrectioÌ„s as also of two deaths The first is of the soule before Iudgement The second by which the body shall be raysed vp agayne to glory For thus he sayth Blessed are they which haue parte in the first resurrection in them the second death hath no place And therefore this is a terrible thing vnto you to you I say which will not acknowledge this first resurrection which is the onely opeÌ„ way to enter into the blessed glory This also is a mightye strong weapon agaynst them euen the aunswere which was made vnto the theefe calling for mercy For thus he prayed Remember me O Lord when thou commest into thy kingdome Luke 23.42.43 And this aunswere he had This day shalt thou be with me in paradise He which is euery where promiseth to be good to the theefe and promiseth him heauen For he hath delight and pleasure sufficient who taketh pleasure in the Lord. Neither putteth he him of to many yeares but euen the very same

body soule For this generall death wherof as by the common necessitie of nature we all dye is a naturall way for the elect to come to the souereigne degree of Immortalitie Augustine in his 43. Chap. of the difference betwene the lyfe of maÌ„ the lyfe of brute beastes rather then to any euill or punishment And as S. Augustine sayth It is nothing els but a finishing of the fleshe which consumeth not the thinges that are fast ioyned and knit together but maketh a partition of them when as it bringeth both the one and the other to their first originall The third thing which they alleadge Acts. 7. is that which they so often speake of those which are dead Iohn 11.11 2. Thes 4.3 Kings 11 21.43 to witt That they sleape As it is sayd of S. Stephen That he sleapt in the Lord. Lykewise Lazarus our friend sleapeth Also sorrow not for them that sleape And this saying is so often repeated in the bookes of the kinges as that a man shall scarcely finde any phrase of the scripture more familyar and common But chiefely aboue all Iob. 14.7.11 they vrge and make a great reckoning of the saying in the booke of Iob where it is sayd There is hope of a tree if it be cut downe that it will yet sproute and the braunches thereof spring but when a man is dead what is become of him As the waters passe froÌ„ the sea and as the flood decayeth and dryeth vp euen so a man after he be a sleape ryseth not agayne neither shall he wake out of his sleape vntill such tyme as the heauen be not Now if we beleue that the soules sleape because that death is called a sleape In the first place the soule of Iesus Christ was possessed with the very same sleape Psal 3.5 For Dauid so speaketh of him selfe I layd me down and sleapt and rose vp agayne for the Lord susteyned me His enemies also vsed this wicked speach towardes him Psal 41.8 Shall he that sleapeth rise any more agayne Wherefore if it bee not lawfull to thinke so basely and vily of the soule of christ as heretofore hath largely bene handeled we ought not to stand in doubt that the scripture had onely regard vnto the outward shape of the bodye neither yet hath deryued and fetcht this sleape from the consideration of men For these two manner of speaches he sleapt with his fathers and he was layd or buried with his Fathers we take indifferently And yet by the way the soule is not layde or buryed by the soules of the Fathers But the body is caryed to be layd in the graue of the Fathers Samuell lykewise in the story of the Kinges attributeth this sleape vnto the Faythlesse kinges as may be seene in the two last bookes of the kings as also in the bookes of the Cronicles And therefore when thou hearest it sayd that a wicked man sleapeth thinke thou not once of the sleape of the soule which can not haue a worse hangman to torment and vexe it then an ill and guilty conscience what becommeth then of this dreamer or sleaper who is thus vexed and distressed Isyiah 57. ver 20.21 For the wicked are lyke vnto the raging sea which can not calme it selfe when it lusteth whose flowing surges cast vp filth and stinking badgage There is no peace sayth the Lord vnto the wicked Neuerthelesse Dauid meaning to set forth the sharpe pricking sting of the coÌ„science Psal 13. ver 3. sayth O Lord my God lighten mine eyes that I sleape not in death Thus we see that the bottomles depth of hell holdeth wretched man besieged and the streÌ„gth of sinne tormeÌ„teth him and yet he sleapeth yea he doth more then sleape because he abideth all these thinges And therefore these simple and ignoraunt fondlinges must be set agayne to their A. B. C. seing they haue not as yet learned that part is sometymys taken for the whole and sometimes the whole for parte which figure is so oftentimes vsed in the scriptures Neither would I haue any man beleue me except I strst bring forth certaine places which playnely shew that so often as this saying sleaping is taken for death Iob. 7.21 it is spoken by a figure called Synecdoche For when Iob sayth Behold I sleape now in the dust and if thou seekest me in the morning I shall haue no more being Is it to be thought that his soul should be ouercome with sleape Now therefore the soule is not to be turned into dust Iob. 21. v. 2.6 nei is it to sleape in the dust As also it is sayd in another place They shall sleape both in the dust and the wormes shall couer theÌ„ Psal 88. ver 5. And when Dauid sayth Lyke the slayne lying in the graue Art thou of the opinion that Iob and Dauid by these sayings haue put out the soules to be eaten of wormes Isaiah 14. ver 7.8 The prophet likewise teacheth vs eueÌ„ the very selfe same thing who meaning to describe the destruction of Nebuchadnezer saith after this maner Isaiah 14. Verses 18.19 The whole world is at rest and is quiet The firre trees also reioyced of thee and the Cedars of Lybanon saying Since thou sleapst none hath rysen vp to come agaynst vs. And anon after it is sayd All the kings of the nations euen they all sleape in glory euery one in his owne house but thou art cast out of thy graue All which thinges are spoken of a dead body so that to sleape is to be layd down as they are which sleape Horace in his â—des who are layd vpon the earth The very pagane Poets were able to geue instructions of this manner of speaking And therefore haue in the olde tyme called the place which was appoynted to burye the dead a Churchyard which signifieth asmuch as a dorture or a place of sleape and rest Not meaning thereby that the soules were there layd to reast them selues but the dead bodies I trust now by this tyme that the smokes of these our Gallants are already well vanished wherein they haue wrapped the sleapy soules since it hath ben proued that in the whole volume of the scripture there cannot be found that this word Sleape so often as it is set downe for death is attributed vnto the soules and spirites And besides we haue els where more at large handled the reast of the soules For their fourth obiection they take great hold of the saying of Salamon as if thereby they had some great matter to thunder out agaynst vs Where it is sayd in the booke of Ecclesiastes or of the Preacher Ecclesi 3. ver 18. I considered in mine hart vpon the state of the children of men that God had purged them yet to see to they are in themselues lyke vnto beastes For the condition of the children of men and the condition of beastes are euen as one condition vnto them For as the

one dyeth so dyeth the other For they haue all one breath and there is no excellency of man aboue the beast For all is vanity All goe vnto one place and all was of the dust all shall returne to the dust Who knoweth whether the spirite of a man ascendeth vpward and the spirite of the beast descendeth downeward and to the earth What and if Salamon aunswered them here in a word Vanity of Vanities saith the preacher and all is but vanitie For what meaneth he hereby but to shew that the minde of man is vayne and vncertayne of all things Man seeth that he dyeth as the beastes doe that lyfe and death is with him as with the beastes and therefore he thus concludeth that his state and condition is lyke vnto the state conditioÌ„ of beastes And lyke as beastes haue nothing remayning after death no more doth man reserue any thing vnto him selfe after he is dead And thus we see what the spirite the reason and vnderstaÌ„ding of man is For the carnall man perceiueth not the thinges of the spirite For they are to him foolishnes and can neither vnderstand nor know them For a man beholdeth with his carnall eyes looketh at present death and ascendeth no higher but considereth this after maner that the earth bringeth forth all things and shall lykewise returne to the earth and in the meane while neuer looketh to the soule And for this cause he addeth this saying who knoweth whether the spirite of man asceÌ„deth vpward So that when we come to the soule mans reason is dryuen to such a straight in it selfe as that it wil not vnderstaÌ„d any thing that is sure or manifest be it that it staÌ„deth meditateth or reasoneth Seing then it is so that Salamon sheweth the vanitye of mans minde because that in respect of the spirite it is changeable and wauering he no way fauoreth their error but strongly and soundely vpholdeth our fayth For the wisedome of God layeth wide opeÌ„ telleth vs of that which surpasseth the capacitie and measure of mans vnderstanding to witt Gene. 9. That the spirite or minde of the children of men looketh vpward I will also propound another lyke thing out of the selfe same Author to the end I might somewhat bend plucke downe their stiffe neckes For thus it is sayd Ecclesi 9. ver 1.2.3.4.5 There is no man that knoweth by any outward thing the loue or hatred of God towardes men but all thinges are in an vncertayntie because that all thinges fall out a lyke vnto all The selfe and same estate is aswell to the Iuste as to the wicked to the good as to the euill to the pure as to the polluted and to him that sacrificeth as to him that sacrificeth not And therefore if all thinges be in an vncertaintie for that which is to come shall then a faythfull man vnto whome all thinges worke for the best enterpret that affliction is a signe of the hatred of God no not so For thus it is sayd vnto the faythfull you shall be oppressed in the world but in me you shall haue consolation And they trusting vpon this saying doe not onely reast themselues in a constant minde vpon whatsoeuer shall come vnto them but doe also glory in their troubles confessing with Iob That although he would slay vs yet will we put our trust in him How then are the things that are to come vncertayne Forsooth so farre forth as man can iudge they are so And yet for all that euery man that liueth is nothing els but vanity For he goeth on further and sayth this is an euill thing amongest all the rest that is done vnder the sunne that there is one condition vnto all and also the hartes of the sonnes of men are full of wickednes and madnes is in theyr life and after that they goe to the deade There is no man which liueth euer and hopeth therof For a liuing dogg is better then a dead Lyon For the liuing know that they shall dye but the dead know nothing at all neither haue they any more a reward For the remembraunce of them is cleane forgotten And speaketh he not all these thinges by reasoÌ„ of the beastlynes of those which looke onely downe at theyr feete hauing no hope of the blessed life nor yet of the resurrection For although this were in deed true that we are nothing after we be dead yet notwithstanding there is a resurrection vpon hope whereof if they did cast theyr eyes they would neither be seasoned with the coÌ„tempt of God nor yet filled with wickednes to the end I might ouerslippe all the rest And therefore let vs conclude with Salamon that mans reason is not able to comprehend all these thinges So that if we would haue any certaynty thereof Let vs runne vnto the lawe and testimony wherein is contayned the truth and wayes of the Lord. For see what is sayd in that place Eccle 12.7 vntill such time as the dust returneth to the earth whereof it was and the spirite returneth vnto God who gaue it And therefore whosoeuer hath heard the word of the Lord needeth not to doubt that the spirit of the children of men ascendeth vpward I do here simply take to ascend vpward is to consist and be immortall as to descend downeward is to tumble fall downe and perish As for their first argument they vomit it out with open mouth and strayne forth theyr wide wesauntes to the end to awake the sleapers out of theyr deepe and sound sleape For in it they think standeth the greatest part of theyr victorye And at what tyme they meane to deceiue and bleare their young schollers eies this is it that they chiefly lay holde on whereby to corrupt theyr fayth and sounde vnderstanding For say they there is but one iudgement by which euery one shall receiue his reward The good ones glory and the wicked ones hell fier And before this day come there is neither blessednesse nor yet misery apoynted For the scripture euery where beareth thereof witnes for thus it is said Mat. 24.31 And he shall send his Angels with the great sound of a Trompet and they shall gather together his elect from the fower wyndes and from the one end of the heauens vnto the other It is likewise sayd Math. 13. The sonne of man shall send forth his Angels which shall gather all offences out of his kingdome and they whiche haue wrought iniquity shall bee cast into the fiery furnace where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth And then shall the iust men shine as the sunne in the kingdom of their Father Math. 25.34.41.46 Also it is sayd Then shall the king say to them that are on hys right hand come ye blessed of my Father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world And shall say vnto them on the left hand Depart from me ye curssed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the

thing that a man may say or beleue of the faythfull chosen whose kingdome and glory is to be in the glorious kingdome of God as to raygne as it were with God and to be glorified with him and finally to be partakers of the diuine glory And although this kingdome is not yet come yet notwithstanding it may bee seene in some measure For they which haue in some measure the kingdome of God within them beginne to be in the kingdome of God and to raigne with him Math. 16. agaynst whom hell gates cannot preuayle For they are made righteous in god as it is said of them Isaiah 43. All the seed of Israell shall bee made righteous vnto the Lord and be also blessed So that to say truely This kingdome is the building vp of the Church or the aduauncing of the faythfull which thing S. Paule describeth vnto vs Ephe. 4.13 who by all degrees of ages might grow vp vnto a perfect man Now these Gallantes see here the beginning of this kingdome and the encreases thereof and so soone as they see these thinges with theyr eyes they geue no longer place vnto fayth neither can they beleue that which is set before their fleshly eyes But S. Paule telleth them another matter for thus he saith Col. 3.3.4 Ye are all dead and your life is hid with Christ in God For when Christ who is your life shall appeare ye also shall appear with him in glory He sayth that our life is hidd in God with Iesus who is our head Now he deferreth our glory vnto the day of the glory of Iesus Christ the head of all the faythfull shall bring with him his members as the head of them S. Iohn also sayth the very selfe same thing Dearely beloued 1. Iohn 3.2 wee are nowe the sonnes of God but yet it doth not appeare what we shall be and we knowe that when he shall appeare we shall be like him For we shall see him as he is Now he sayth not by the way that we shal be made nothing for a certayne tyme but because we are the children of God who looketh for inheritaunce of our Father he therefore sustayneth and vpholdeth our hope vnto that day wherin the maiesty and glory of God shall be made manifest in vs all and we for our part shall gloryfy our selues in him Now they will here agayne maruell wheÌ„as they heare the children of God who may not returne againe vnto their sound and perfect vnderstaÌ„ding and feele this generation to bee immortall which commeth from God whereby we are made partakers of the diuine Immortalitye But let vs goe on with that which we haue begonne Let them crye out as much as they will say that the blessed ones of God are not called vnto the kingdome before the great daye of iudgement and that saluatioÌ„ is not promised vnto the children of God before that tyme. Yet this I say that Iesus christ is our head whose kingdome glory haue not yet appeared But if the members shoulde goe before the head it were a crooked kinde of order And therefore we shall nowe follow our Captayne and King whenas he shall come into the glory of his Father and sit in the seat of his Maiesty And yet notwithstanding that whiche is in vs from God Math. 16. 25. to wit our spirite liueth because that Iesus Christe who is our life is liuing For it were an absurd thing to say that our life were liuing yet were vtterly perished And this life is in God and with God and is also blessed because it is in God All these thinges doe very well accord agree with the trueth For why is it sayd of them who are dead in the Lord that they are not yet deliuered or that they do not as yet enherite the kyngdome of God It is because they lyue in hope of that whych yet they haue not and haue not as yet attayned vnto the end of their felicyty Wherefore then are they not yet blessed It is because they right well knowing that God is merfifull vnto them and seing a farre of the reward to come doe reast themselues in the sure hope of the resurrection And surely so long as we dwell in this earthly prison we hope for the thing which we see not and agaynst all hope beleeue in hope and that is the thing which Saint Paul speaketh of Abraham But Rom. 4. when as the eyes of our vnderstanding who being now buryed in this fleshe haue their sight troubled shall be no more bleared Heb. 10. ver 27. we shall then see the thinges we looke for and take pleasure in this hope For we are not a feard to speake thus after the maner of the Apostle who sayth to the coÌ„trary That there remaineth none other thing for the reprobate but a fearefull looking for of iudgemeÌ„t and violent fier which shall deuoure them Seing then that the thing which the reprobate looke for is terrible it is most sure that the thing which the chosen and faythfull looke for is ioyfull and therefore of very right ought to be called most blessed And because my meaning is to instruct our aduersaries rather then to constrayne them let them geue vs the hearing when as we shall draw the trueth out of a figure of the olde Testament and that not without good warrant For as S. Paul in the passing of the children through the reâ—â—â—a 1. Cor. 10.1 handleth by an Allegory the ouerthrow of Pharaon and their deliueraunce through the water euen so also let them geue vs leaue to say that our PharaoÌ„ is drowned in Baptisme our olde man crucified and our members mortified that we are buryed with Iesus Christ are deliuered out of the captiuitie of the Deuill and out of the tyraÌ„nous gouernmeÌ„t of death albeit notwithstanding we walke onely in the wildernes which is a dry and barren ground Psal 142. Except the Lord â—ayâ—â—â— Manna from heauen to vs and maketh the water come out of the Koâ—ke For our soule is lyke dry ground without water which gapeth with drynes before the Lord and is pressed with want of all goodnes vntill such time as he rayneth and droppeth the graces of his holy spirite thereon And soone after they were brought into the land of promise vnder the conduct of Iosua the sonne of Nawe a land flowing with milke and hony That is to say The grace of God deliuereth vs froÌ„ the body of death by our Lord Iesus Christ Howbeit this was not done wtout sweate shedding of bloud For then the fleshe chiefly stryueth and layeth open her power and force agaynst the spirite After we haue made our abode vpon the earth we are then satisfied with plenty For we haue white garments geuen vnto vs and we recouer our reast Howbe â—t IerusaleÌ„ the chiefe Citie of the kingdome is not yet built and set vp Neither doth Salamon the king of peace fully gouerne

Gods and ye are all the children of the most high Psal 82.6.7 But yet ye shall all dye as men c. Now harken to their expositioÌ„ in deed say they the faythfull are Gods and the children of God But yet notwithstanding they dye and fall euen as the reprobate doe so that the state condition of them both is all alyke vntill such tyme as the Lambes shall be seperated from the Goates Hereunto we aunswere them with the saying of Iesus Christ That they which are called Godds are they vnto whome the word of God is deliuered to publishe to witt the ministers of God And also all Iudges that carry the sword of God in their hands from whose Maiestie they haue receiued the same Iohn 10.34.35 And although the interpretation of Iesus Christ fayled vs Exod. 22. and the vse of scripture would not serue our turns yet the place it selfe is cleare enough of it selfe wherein vniust Iudges and such as beare with the wicked are reproued These men I say are called Goddes because they represent the person of God hauing preheminence and aucthoritie ouer the rest Howbeit they are warned that they shal haue a Iudge vnto whome they must render and yeald an accompt of their office Now Psal 146.4 let vs heare the second place which they alledge his spirite departeth and returneth into his earth and euen theÌ„ all their thoughts shal pearish In this place they take the spirite for winde and that the man shall from thence returne into the earth to witt that he shall be nothing els but earth and all his thoughts pearish that they should remaine if maÌ„ had a soul Howbeit we are not so full of cunning for we call euery thing by his name we call a spirite a spirite which when it goeth out of a man man returneth into his earth out of which he was taken as we haue at large declared It remaineth now for vs to see what this saying meaneth and all his thoughtes pearish we are hereby admonished not to put our trust which ought to be Immortall in men For it should be vncertayne and very vnstable considering that the lyfe of man passeth so soone away For the manifestation of the meaning hereof the Prophet hath sayd that their thoughts pearish That is to say whatsoeuer they imagine or take in hand so long as they lyue is brought to nought and turneth to nothing As in a nother place is sayd Psal 112.10 The wicked shall see it and be angry he shall gnash with his teeth and consume away the desier of the wicked shal pearish And in stead of pearishe it is sayd in another place shall be brought to nought Psal 33.10 The Lord shall bring to nought the deuises of the people Lykewise Take aduise it shall come to nought Which thing the virgine Mary meaneth by the drift in her song Isaiah 8. saying He hath scattered the proud in the Imagination of their hartes And soone after they bring in this third place Psal 74.39 He remembred that they were but fleshe yea a winde that passeth and commeth not agayne And they make adoe and say that this word spirite is set downe for winde as it is ofteÌ„ tymes so takeÌ„ wherein they vnderstand not that they doe not onely abolishe the Immortalitie of the soule but doe also cut in sunder the hope of the resurrection For if there be a resurrection it is very certayne that the spirite returneth and if it returne not then is there no resurrection Wherefore it were best for them to desier that this folly might not be imputed vnto them then opinatiuely follow it because such a wicked and wayward demaund might be graunted theÌ„ And this we onely say to the end that all men might see what an open way we haue to escape if we thought of nothing els but of the refuting of their Argumentes For we will of purpose coÌ„fesse that that this word winde agreeth very wel in this place For we consent that meÌ„ are lyke vnto the vauering and incoÌ„staÌ„t winde which bloweth now in this corner an other while in that But if they thinke to drawe this to serue their turnes they erre not knowing the scriptures whose manner is to shew by the circumstaunce of words sometimes the fraylenes and weakenes of the state of man and otherwhiles the shortnes of this lyfe For when Iobe speaketh of man he sayth That he shooteth forth blossommeth as a flower and is cut downe he vanisheth also as a shadow and continueth not and what other meaning hath he by this discription but that man is frayle and transitory lyke vnto a withering flower And Isaiah also is appointed to cry out and saye Isaiah 40 6 7. That all fleshe is grasse and all the grasse thereof is as the flowers of the fielde The grasse withereth and the flower fadeth But the word of the Lord endureth for euer Go to now Let these men gather in a word that the soule of Man withereth and fadeth and let them be more sharpe sighted to see how blockish a preacher this is 1. Pet. 1.23 who proueth by this that all the faythfull are immortall because they are gotten agayne by an incorruptible seede to wit by the worde of God which is sure and lasteth for euer Now the scripture calleth all those which put their trust in this lyfe a withering flower a winde that passeth who haue made vnto theÌ„ selues an euerlasting abode here in this world thinking to reigne without end not looking to that end by which their condition shall be chaunged and goe into some place els where Of which people also the Prophet speaketh who haue sayd Isaiah 28.15 We haue made a couenaunt with death and with hell are we at an agreement Whereby he laugheth to skorne their vaine hope for he attributeth not that vnto lyfe which vnto them is the beginning of an euill lyfe And affirmeth that they haue an end and doe dye so that it had bene better for them that they had neuer bene then ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ be after that maÌ„ner The lyke saying also is in another psalme Psal 103.13 for it is sayd That as a louing Father hath coÌ„passion in his children so hath the Lord compassion on all those that feare him For he knoweth wherof we men are made and he himselfe remembreth that we are but dust The dayes of man are as grasse as a flower of the fielde so florisheth he For the winde goeth ouer it and it is gone and the place thereof shall know it no more Now if they will by these wordes affirme that the spirite pearisheth and becommeth nothing I tell them agayne let them beware they lay not open a place for the Epicures if any of them shall arise to corrupt the beliefe which both they and we haue of the resurrection For there is too too great a number of such scoffers For by the selfe same reason they will

frame this Argument That the spirite returneth no more into the body seing it is sayd that it shall not know the place thereof any more But they will say That they make hereon a false collection because the places of the resurrection are very manifest agaynst this manner of reasoning Yea and they themselues make an ill collection whose ArgumeÌ„t is commoÌ„ with the rest And that saying in the booke called Ecclesiasticus is almost lyke for there it is sayd The number of a mans dayes for the more part is an hundreth yeares and no man hath certaine knowledge of his death As droppes of rayne are vnto the sea and as a grauell stone is in comparison of the sand so are a thousand yeares to the day euerlasting Therefore is the Lord louing and patient with men powreth out his mercy vpon them And therefore they must needs confesse that the Proyhet had another meaning then that which they dreame of That God of his goodnes hath compassion of those whome he hath allowed to be his and that onely through his mercy and that if he pull back his hand neuer so little from them they returne into dust from whence they were taken And a little after he maketh a short discription of the lyfe of man comparing it vnto a flower which springing to day is no better then grasse the next morning So that if it were to be sayd that the spirite of man pearisheth and commeth to nought yet were not their error any whit strengthned thereby For when we say that the spirite of man is immortall we doe not affirme that it is able to stand and abide agaynst the hand of God or to continue fast and sure without his power Now God lyketh not nor is not pleased that we should thus blaspheme But we say that the spirite is vpholden by the hand and blessing of God And so defendeth Ireneus also the Immortalitie of the soule with vs Ireneus in his 3. boke agaynst Marcian and yet would he haue vs vnderstand That by nature we are mortall and that God alone is Immortall And he speaketh it after this fort To the end we might not be puffed vp with vayne glory as if we had lyfe as it were of our selues neither yet proudly lift vp our selues agaynst God But that we might learne by experience That it proceedeth from his almightines and not from our nature that we haue a firme and euerlasting perseueraunce And thus ye see what the controuersie is which we haue agaynst Dauid whome they make so mighty an Aduersary agaynst vs. Now he sayth that if the Lord take his mercy away from man that then he commeth to nought and pearisheth And we for our part doe teach that he is firme and sure and vpholden by the louing kindnes and power of God and the reason is this That God is alone Immortall 1. Tim. 3. and whatsoeuer hath lyfe it commeth from him The fourth place is this My soule is filled with euills Psal 88.3 and my lyfe draweth neare to the graue I am counted emong them that goe downe to the pit and am as a man without strength free emong the dead lyke the slayne lying in the graue whom thou remembrest no more and they are cut of from thy hand What say they If they haue bene cut of by the power of God and fallen away from his prouidence and from out of his remembraunce doe they not then cease to be As if I could not returne them this Argument into their owne lappes and bosomes What and if they be cut of by the power of God and that there is more remembraunce of them how is it possible for them to be againe and besides what shall become of the resurrectioÌ„ On the other side how shall we reconcile these two places The soules of the righteous are in the hand of God Wised 3.1 or to the end we may set before them other sure Oracles of God The righteous shall be had in euerlasting remeÌ„braunce Psal 112.6 By this we see that they are not fallen away from the hand of God neither hath he forgotteÌ„ them But let vs rather by this manner of speach conceiue the griefe sorrowfull feeling of an affected troubled man that maketh his coÌ„playnt vnto God declaring that it weÌ„t very narrowly that he had not bene left in destruction with the wicked of whome it is sayd that the Lord hath no knowledge and hath forgotten them because there names are not written in the booke of lyfe and pluckt away his hand from them because he guideth not nor gouerneth not them by his spirite The first place is taken out of the same psalme Psal 88.10.11.12 where it is sayd Wilt thou shew a miracle to the dead or shall the dead rise and prayse thee shall thy louing kindenes be declared in the graue or thy righteousnes in the land of forgetfulnes It is lykewise sayd in another place Psal 115.17.18 The dead prayse thee not O Lord neither any that goe down into the place of sileÌ„ce But we which liue will prayse the Lord from henceforth and for euer It is also sayd Psal 30.9 What profite is in my bloud when I goe downe into the pit shall the dust geue thankes vnto thee or shall it declare thy trueth They bring in also the song of Ezechias which is of the same effect Isaiah 38.18.29 where it is sayd The graue cannot confesse thee death cannot prayse thee they that goe downe into the pit can not prayse thy trueth But the liuing the liuing he shall confesse thee as I doe this day and the Father to the childreÌ„ shall declare thy trueth And that saying also which is written in Ecclesiasticus Thankefulnes pearisheth from the dead Ecclesi 17.28 as though he were not But the liuing and he that is sound of hart prayseth the Lord. Here we make aunswere that in all these places which are recited that the dead who are departed out of this world according to the common law of nature are not in this place simply spoken of It is not simply sayd that God is no longer praysed when we are once dead but it is partely meant that none sing prayses vnto God sauing such as haue felt his mercy and goodnes It is also partely meant That his name is not gloryfied after we are dead For then he sheweth not his benefites vnto men as he sheweth them whiles they are vpon the earth And now let vs consider of these thinges one after another and handle them in order that we may thereby shew the meaning of euery one of them And heere in the first place we are to learne this to witt that though it be so that by death is very often and as it were alwayes meant the seperation of this lyfe and by this word hell the graue yet shall we many tymes finde in the scripture that these wordes are taken for the wrath and

out of the graues and going before the king of Babilon where he also maketh mention of their talke saying Behold thou art brought lowe euen as we are c. For I haue as good a coulor by that place to reason that the dead haue wit and vnderstanding as they haue to gather by the wordes of Iobe that the dead haue vtterly lost their whole vnderstanding But I leaue vnto them those tryfling and toyish inuentions Now it will be no hard matter to make playne the place which they alledge without we would deuise mazes of our owne mindes For Iob being pressed with maruelous affliction and almost fainting vnder that burden had none other regard but vnto his present miseries and did not onely thinke them to be the greatest that mought be but thought also that there could not well be any moe such He no whit feared death but desiered it because it bringeth with it a common condition vnto all maketh an end of the rule of kinges of the oppression of seruauntes and lastly it is the end of all thinges wherevnto euery man resigneth the estate which he had in this world For by this meane he trusteth to see the end of his misery And yet by the way he looked not what manner of lyfe it was that they there leadd neither yet what he should doe or yet suffer But onely desiered most earnestly the chaunge of the present state as they commonly are wonted to doe that are tormented with the vehement feeling of sorrow For if when we feele the great and extreame heates of Sommer we iudge winter to be temperate and milde and contrarywise when we are nipped and pinched with sharpe and cold weather we altogether wishe for Sommer what shall he doe in respect who feeleth the mighty hand of God agaynst him And therefore let vs not maruell although this be not enough to perswade our gallaÌ„ts For they gather together fragments and curtalled sentences for their defence and neuer consider of the somme and effect of the whole matter But I trust they who with a single eye haue perused the whole story will allow my reason The second is this Iob. 7.7.8.9 Remember that my lyfe is but a winde and that mine eye shall not returne to see pleasure The eye that hath seene me shall see me no more Thine eyes are vpon me and I shall be no longer As the cloude vanisheth and goeth away ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ he that goeth downe to the graue shall come vp no more By these words Iob bewayleth his misery before the presence of God and enlargeth it as one who had no hope before his eyes to see the issue of his griefe For his griefes were before him which persued him euen to his graue And therfore it came in his minde that after his miserable lyfe he could looke for none other but for as miserable a death For whosoeuer feeleth the hand of God agaynst him can not otherwise thinke So that in amplyfying his griefe it moueth compassion and maketh him selfe miserable before God Now I see not what other thing is to be demaunded in this place besides this except it be that there is no resurrection to be looked for Which thing at this tyme I minde not to discusse Iob. 16.17 The thyrd is this The graue shall be my house Also All my thinges shall goe downe into the bottome of the pitt All this is true For there remaineth none other thing for him whome God fauoureth not as Iob then thought of himselfe but the graue the deepe pit and death And therefore after he had long discoursed of all his miseries he sayth that the end of them is coÌ„fusion And this is the end and issue of all those whome God scourgeth with his hand For in his wrath is death and in his louing kindenes and mercy Ecclesiast 37.24 is lyfe The booke of Ecclesiasticus hath very wel declared this whenas it is sayd The lyfe of man standeth in the number of dayes but the dayes of Israell are innumerable But because this Aucthor is of no sound aucthoritie we will heare leaue him and heare the prophet teaching this very notably saying Psal 102.23.24.25.26.27.28 He abated my strength in the way and shortned my dayes And I sayd O my God take me not away in the middest of my dayes thy yeares enduer from generation to generation Thou hast a foretyme layd the foundations of the earth and the heauens are the worke of thy handes They shall pearishe but thou shalt enduer euen they all shall waxe olde lyke a garment as a vesture shalt thou chaunge them Hitherto hath he declared how frayle and brittle our state is although in deede nothing vnder heauen is stedfast and suer seing they all corrupt and come to naught And anon after it followeth But thou art the same and thy yeares shall not fayle The children of thy seruauntes shall continue and their seede shall stand fast in thy sight Herein we may very well see how he ioyneth the saluation of the faythfull with the eternitie of God And therefore so often as they set before vs Iob as afflicted by the hand of God and almost fallen into despayre they speake nothing of hell and death and I tell them that when God is angry we can looke for none other issue and that it commeth of his free mercy when we are taken out of deathes chapps Iob. 34.14.15 The fourth is this If he set his hart vpon man and gather vnto him selfe his spirite and his breath all fleshe shall pearish together and man shall returne into dust If they take these words for iudgement as if it were sayd that by the wrath of God maÌ„ is cast downe ouerthrowne confounded and vtterly brought to naught I will graunt them more then they demaund Or els if they meane that the spirite to wit the soule returneth to God after death and that the breath to wit the mouing power or liuely motion departeth from man I will not gaynesay it But if their controuersie be that the soule pearisheth I am tooth and nayle agaynst theÌ„ Although in the Hebrew it is somewhat otherwise But being contented that I haue put by their wranglings I will heare leaue They cast also other dartes but they are blunt and hurt not therefore are not to be greatly feared For they alledge certayn places which serue to no purpose out of such bookes whose Aucthoritie is vncertaine As out of the fourth booke of Esdras and out of the second booke of the Macabies And yet for all this we will none otherwise auÌ„swere but as we haue heretofore spoken of the resurrection Although that in all these things they openly shew their impudeÌ„cy and shamelesnes seing they are so bould as to take Esdras for them selues who maketh altogether on our side Neither are they ashamed to bring fourth the bookes of the Machabies for the defence of their cause Where Ieremy after his death prayed the Lord for the

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