is so that there is no light without God which lighteneth our night it is most certayne that the soule being buried in her darckenesses must needes be blinde And then is she domb seing she cannot confesse that vnto saluation which she beleued to righteousnesse Deafe also she is because she heareth not this liuely voyce Lame likewise she is and that which is worsse she is not able to stand vpright when as shee hath not to whome shee may say thou hast held me by the right hand and guided me according to thy will and finallye she doth nothing wherein is life For heare what the Prophet sayth Baruc. 3.14 whenas he will shew that the spring and fountayne of lyfe wholy resteth in God Learne where is wisedome where is strength where is vnderstanding that thou mayst also knowe from whence commeth long continuaunce life and where the light of the eyes and peace is What wouldest thou els more desire to come vnto death And to the end we shoulde not here stay in this godly way let vs consider with our selues what life it is that Iesus Christ hath brought vs and it will put vs in minde with what kinde of death he hath redeemed vs. Ephe. 5. S. Paule teacheth vs both the one and the other For thus he sayth Awake thou which sleapest and arise frō death Christ will enlighten thee He speaketh in this place vnto dust but yet vnto such as being wrapped vp in their sinnes cary with them both hell and death And in an other place he sayth Colo. 2. And you when you were deade through sinne he hath quickened you together with Christ forgeuing you all your sinnes And like as according to the saying of S. Paule Rom. we dye vnto sinne whenas lust is quenched in vs Euen so dye we vnto God whēas we subiect our selues vnto our lust which liueth in vs. But to speake all in a word in liuing we dye which thing S. Paul speaketh of the widdow which liueth in pleasures to wit 2. Tim. 5. we are immortal vnto death For although the soule keepeth her vnderstanding yet is a gilty conscience as it were a verye blockish and vnfeeling vnderstanding Nowe therefore whatsoeuer this death of the soule was yet for all that it is farre of that the death which Christ dyed for vs is such one For he hath accomplished by his death whatsoeuer the prophets haue promised of his victory agaynst death For thus haue the prophets sayd Isaiah 25. he will destroy death for euer It is likewise sayd I wil be thy death O death hel Oseah 13. I will be thy sting Also Hebr. 2. Death shal go before his face The Apostles likewise declare the things already done for thus it is sayde he hath ouercome death 2. Tim. 1. Rom. 5. But hath enlightened life by the Gospell For if by the offēce of one death raigned through one much more shall they which receiue the aboundance of grace and of the gifte of righteousnesse raigne in life through one that is Iesus Christ Let them now abide and withstand these lightenigs if they can For since they say that death came by Adam which we also confesse but not in such sort as they imagine but as we haue before said whereinto the soule fell we on the contrary part say that lyfe came by Christ which they are neuer able to denye so that the poynt of the whole controuersy cōsisteth betwene the comparison of Adam and of Iesus Christ And therefore they must first of all reconcile this with that saying of S. Paule that whatsoeuer was onely lost by Adam hath bene also restored by Iesus Christ But looke howe farre the power of grace hath surpassed sinne euen so of a more farre passing greater power hath Ie-Christ bene in making restitution thē Adam was in the losse For he playnely teacheth that the gift is farre greater then the sinne although not vpon many men yet most plentifully vpon those vpon whom it aboundeth And nowe let them aunswere if they will that it aboundeth not because it hath geuen life more aboundantly but because it hath blotted out many sinnes seing the onely sinne of Adam is it which hath brought vs to destruction And this is the thing which I demaund Moreouer seing he teacheth in another place that sinne is the sting of death what death is it that can sting vs since his sting is rebated yea altogether consumed And so he handleth none other thing in many Chapiters of the Epistle to the Rom. But playnely declareth that sinne is wholy abolished because it hath no longer dominiō ouer the faithfull Rom. 8.1 Wherefore if the lawe hath power ouer sinne what other thing then do our sleapers who kill those that liue in Iesus Christ but draw them into the cursse of the law which is cleane dead And therefore the Apostle boldly sayth that there is no condemnation with them that are in Iesus Christ who walke not after the flesh but after the spirite Surely they pronounce a fearefull sentence agaynst those whom S. Paule freely acquiteth of condemnation whenas they say ye shall dye the death What is then become of grace whenas death raigneth as yet amongest Gods chosen Nowe according to the saying of S. Paule sinne raigneth in deed to death but grace Rom. 6.7 vnto euerlasting life and therefore if grace surmounteth sinne there remaineth no place for death Wherefore as by Adam death entred raigned euen so doth life also now raigne by Iesus Christ Now then we know that Iesus Christ being raysed agayne from the dead dyeth no more neither hath death any more power ouer him For in that he dyed vnto sinne he dyed onely once for all But in that he lyueth he lyueth vnto God And hereby we may see that they themselues refute their error with their owne weapons For when as they say that death is the punishment of sinne they forthwith graunt that if man had not sinned he had bene Immortall For that which began to be was not sometymes and that cōmeth through punishmēt and not by nature Contrarywise S. Paul that sinne is swallowed vp of Grace so that it hath nothing to doe with the children of God And so we haue gotten this poynt of thē that Gods chosen are now such as Adam was before he sinned And as he was created incorruptible Euen so are they now who are by Iesus Christ framed a newe into a better nature And that saying of the Apostle is not agaynst this 1. Cor. 15.54 That the written word shall be accomplished death is swallowed vp into victory For if they say it is so that the word shall be made then can it not be denyed but that to be made must also be taken to be accomplished For whatsoeuer is now begonne in the soule shall be accomplished in the body or rather whatsoeuer is onely begone in the soule shal be accōplished together both in
soule Wil they they say that there is nothing meant by these words we know then that this word Soule is oftentimes taken for lyfe as in these places Psal 119 Nun. My soule is in my handes Also Wherefore teare I my fleshe with my teeth and carry my Soule in my handes Iob. 13.14 Likewise Math. 6.25 Is not the soule farre more precious then meate Also Thou foole Luke 12.20 this night shall thy Soule be taken from thee and such other like which these Soule murderers haue euer in their mouthes And yet for all that they haue nothing wheron greatly to brag For they must consider that this word Soule is taken there by the figure Metanomia for the lyfe for somuch as the Soule is the cause of the lyfe and that the lyfe is vpholden by the Soule and this figure euen yoūg boyes doe learne emongest their rudimentes in the Schoole But who would not maruell to see the foolish arrogancye of these roysters who are fully perswaded of some great matter in thēselues and would haue others make great accompt of them yet they must be taught their figures and formes of speaking We also know by an other lyke reason as it were that the soule is taken for the will and desier because it keepeth the seate of the will desier 1 Sam. 18.1 And in this sence it is sayd That the Soule of Ionathan was fast knit to the Soule of Dauid Gene. 34.6 and that Sichem his Soule longed sore for Dina Iacob his daughter Acts. 4.32 Saint Luke also sayth And the multitude which beleued were of one hart and of one soule Moreouer who seeth not that there is great strength in these Hebrew phrases Psal 115. 104. Luk. 1. My soule blesse thou the Lord my soule doth magnify the Lord say vnto my soule I am thy sauing health For by these is somewhat more expressed thē if it had bene simply spoken without addition As blesse the Lord I magnify the Lord say vnto me I am thy health Sometymes it is simply taken for a man that hath a Soule Gene. 19. As When it is sayd that threescore and sixtene Soules went downe with Iacob into Egipt Ezech. 18.4 Leuit. 20.6 2.6 Lykewise The soule which hath sinned shall dye Also The Soule which shall goe after Coniurers and Southsayers shall dye the death c. Many tymes it is taken for the breath which geueth breath vnto man wherein resteth the liuely motion of the body As I take these places 2. Sam. 2. Heauines and sorrow haue taken hold on me Acts. 20. although my whole soule remayneth in me Also his Soule is in him And agayne That the soule of the Childe returned into his body Moreouer 1. King 17.22 the scripture vseth this maner of speaking that the soule doth depart whereas we commonly say he yeldeth vp the ghost As when it is sayd of Rachell Gene. 35.18 And at the departing of the soule for Rachell dyed she called the name of the child Benom We know also that this word spirite emongest the Latines is called breath winde which we may likewise see by the word that the Grecians vse We know that it is taken in the prophesie of Isaiah for a vayne and tryfling thing Isaiah 26.18 We haue bene with childe sayth he and suffered payne as if we had brought forth winde And many tymes it is taken for that which the spirite of God regenerateth in vs. For when Saint Paule sayth Galat. 5.17 That the spirite lusteth cōtrary to the fleshe he meaneth not that the Soule sighteth agaynst the fleshe or reasō against Lust but that the Soule it selfe in somuch as it is gouerned by the spirite of God fighteth agaynst it selfe because as yet she is voyd of the spirite of God and geuen ouer to her owne lustes Moreouer we know that whē these two words the Soule and the Spirite are ioyned together that by the Soule is ment the will and by the Spirite the vnderstāding Isaiah 26.9 For thus sayth Isaiah My soule hath longed for thee all the night and I will seeke thee early in the morning with my Spirite which is within me 1. Thes 3.13 And thus doth Saint Paule vnderstand it When he beseecheth the Thessalonians to haue their whole Spirite Soule and body kept blamelesse in the cōming of our Lord Iesus Christ For he meaneth to haue all their thoughts and willes sound and not to geue ouer their members as instrumentes of iniquitye to sinne Heb. 4.12 And that which the Apostle wryteth to the Hebrewes must be taken in the same sence That the word of God is quick and mighty in operation and sharper then any two edged sword which entreth through euen vnto the deuiding asonder of the Soule and spirite of the ioynts and the marow discerneth the thoughtes and intentes of the hart Neuerthelesse some there are which in this last place had rather vnderstand by the spirite this being wherein doe consist reason and will and which we are now disputing of and by the Soule the vitall motion and the senses which the Philosophers call Superiors and Inferiors But seing that both the one and the other doe signify in many places an Immortall essence which causeth the lyfe of man let them not take any occasiō to striue about the words but let them take the thing as it is by what name soeuer it be called and meant And presently we will shew how true the same is Now we will beginne at the first creation of man wherein we shall right well perceiue what maner of one he was made from the beginning The holy history telleth vs what the determinatiō and councell of God was before he created man in making him after his owne Image and lykenes These words cā no way be meant of the body wherein although a wonderfull worke of the Lord God appeareth aboue all the rest of the bodyes which he created yet we se not any Image of God to shine in him Gene. 1.26 For what is he which thus sayth Let vs make man after our owne Image and lykenes It is euen God himselfe who is a spirite who cannot be represented by any bodyly shape For lyke as a bodyly image which representeth vnto vs the face of a man ought liuely to set before vs all his lyneaments and proportions that by the coūterfaiting or engrauing we might conceiue whatsoeuer might be sene in him which the same representeth Euen so this Image of God must through the same lykenes set before our senses a certaine vnderstanding of the knowledge of God And I right well know what a number of them prattle saying that the Image of God is lykened vnto the rule and gouernemēt which is geuen vnto man ouer the lyuing creatures because that therein man is somewhat lyke vnto God who hath dominion ouer all things Into the which error Chrisostome him selfe fell
is now meant by this that Isaack was not put to death but because that the sonne of God hath made the soule which is proper to man Immortall And the Ramme which is a beast without reason and that was layd in his roome is the body And in that Isaack was bound the same representeth the soule which maketh an open shewe of one dying in the death of Iesus Christ and sheweth it also dayly in the common death of men wherein all thinges in the opinion of men doe pearishe and yet for all that the soule of Christ was losed out of bonds and so shall ours also be losed before they come to pearishe Come off now some of you my maisters the sleapers which are voyd of all shame and bragge that the death of the our Lord Iesus Christ was but a dreame or els let him take part with that deuilishe heretique Appollinaris Surely this good Lord Iesus waketh so long as he so willingly bestoweth himselfe about your saluation But you sleape your sleape and being o-ouerwhelmed with the cloude of blindenes can not heare those which keepe watch Moreouer this doth not onely comfort vs that the sonne of God our head is not perished in the shadow of death but his resurrection also doth assure vs that he is apointed to be Lord ouer death Colos 3.3 and hath raysed vp so many of vs from death as haue any part or portion in him Gala. 2.20 in somuch that S. Paul hath not sticked to say that our lyfe is hid with Christ in God And in another place he sayth I lyue yet not I now but Christ in me What can be sayd more of them except they cry with open mouth that Christ sleapeth in these soules that sleape For if Christ hath liued in theÌ„ he is the selfe and same which dyeth in them If the lyfe of Iesus Christ be ours he then which would haue our lyfe to end by death violently plucketh the sonne of God from the glorious right hand of his father putteth him to a second death But if it be possible for him to dye then vndoubtedly must we dye But if his lyfe hath no end surely our soules which are ingraffed into him caÌ„dy no death But what needeth vs to take all this payne Are his wordes straunge when he sayth Iohn 14.19 because that I lyue you also shall lyue If we lyue because he lyueth then if we dye Iohn 6.56 he shall no longer lyue Is his promise straunge when he sayth that he which shall be knit vnto him by fayth shall dwell in him he in him Let vs then clearely dismember the Lord Christ if we will take away their lyues froÌ„ them 1. Cor. 15 22. This is our confession which we haue well fenced with his weapoÌ„s to witt that we are all truely dead in Adam but yet we lyue â—n Iesus Christ S. Paule handâ—eth these thinges with an honorable style in the Epistle to the Romaines to witt Rom. 8.10 that if the spirite of Iesus Christ dwelâ—eth in vs that the body is surely dead by reason of sinne but the spirite liueth because it is iustified Rom. 7.23.24 He calleth the body a Lumpe of sinne which from the natiuitie of the fleshe remaineth in man And the spirite that part of maÌ„ which is spiritually regenerate Wherefore as a litle before he lamented his misery by reason of the dregs of sinne which remained in him he desiereth not simply to be taken out of this world and to be nothing so that he might escape this great misery but also desiereth to be deliuered from the body of death to witt that the Masse of sinne might be abolished in him to this end that the spirite being cleansed might be at peace with God openly declaring hereby that the best parte of him was kept captiue through the bondes of his body and that it should be deliuered out of it by death I would to God we were able to vnderstand with a true fayth what the kingdome of God is Which is emongest the faythfull euen whiles they liue here in this world and to taste thereof in good earnest for it should be very easy withall to vnderstand lyfe euerlasting already begonne He which can not deceiue vs hath made vs this promise for thus he sayth Iohn 5.24 He that heareth my wordes hath euerlasting lyfe and commeth not to condemnation but passeth froÌ„ death to lyfe If a way be made to euerlasting lyfe why hinder they it by death And in another place Iohn 6.49 46. This is the will of my Father that whosoeuer beleueth in the sonne shall not pearish but hath euerlasting lyfe and I will raise him vp againe at the last day He sayth furthermore in the same place Iohn 5 5â— 57. Whosoeuer eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloud hath euerlasting lyfe and I will rayse him vp agayne in the last day Not as your Fathers eate Manna and dyed but he that eateth this bread shall lyue for euer Brag not heere of your goodly gloses coÌ„cerning the last day He promiseth vs two things lyfe euerlasting and this blessed resurrectioÌ„ Although you heare two thinges yet onely embrace you but one of them There is also another saying of Iesus Christ which is yet more agaynst you when he sayth I am the resurrection and the lyfe Iohn 11.2 he that beleueth in me yea although he were dead yet shall he lyue And whosoeuer lyueth and beleueth in me shall neuer taste of death For the sonne of God meant not onely to shew this but also that it might neuer come to passe that they should dye He sayth in another place he that keepeth my word shall neuer see death This is an inuincible Argument agaynst them that whosoeuer keepeth the word of God shall neuer see death And this alone might be sufficient for Christians throughly to arme their fayth agaynst the peruersenes of these sleapers We beleue this and we looke for it But as for these men this is it that they must looke for euen to sleape a sound sleape vntill such time as they be wakened by the sound of the trumpet which shall sodainly come vpon these sleapers as a theefe in the night And if God be the lyfe of euery faythfull soule as the soule is the lyfe of the body what is the meaning that the soule all the while it is in the body causeth it to moue and is neuer so idle nor her streÌ„gth so weakened but that she doth her duety some maner of way and shall God leaue his busines vndone as if he were wery of working If there be so great power in the soule as to support moue and dryue on this masse of earth how great in respect shall the power of God be in the soule which by nature is liuely and very apt and ready to styrre and moue it And yet there are some which dare say that the soule vanisheth away and others that
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
heere any thing whereat to iangle that Iesus Christ commēded his soule vnto his Father S. Stephen his vnto Iesus Christ to be preserued vntill the day of the resurrectiō 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 whē he bowed downe his head he yelded vp the ghost Which wordes must not be referred to the breath 1. Pet. 3 1◠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 resurrectiō 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 whē 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 redēption 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 braūch 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 boūd vnto any such lawes Well I will not tye them to my lawes but I will onely aske them this questiō 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 Salomō 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 frō 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 thē 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 whē 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 tormēt 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 frō 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 thē 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 foūd 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 thē vnto the blessings which are plentifully bestowed vpon vs after death who forceth thē to take this word life for resurrectiō 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 thē 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 cōtrary 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 sēse thinking many thinges Now then if the body be the prisō 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 whē 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 fātasticall 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 frō 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
Deuill and his Aungels And these shall goe into euerlasting payne and the righteous into life eternall The like saying is also in Daniell Danie 2.1 And at that time the people shal be saued euery one that shall be found written in the Booke And therefore they say If all these thinges are written of the day of iudgement how can it be that the elect should be called to the inheritaunce of the heauenly kingdome if they already possesse it How shall it be sayd vnto them come hither whenas they are already there how shal the people be saued whēas they are presently saued Wherefore the faythfull which nowe walke faythfully looke for none other day of their saluation according to that saying of S. Paule knowing that he who hath raysed vp Iesus frō the dead 2. Cor. 4.14 shall rayse vs vp also with Iesus Christ And in an other place it is sayd looking for the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ who will make you strong euen vnto the end in the day of his comming c. And admitte we graunted thē all this yet thē by the way why do they of their owne brayn put to the thing that is not to wit sleape For they cannot shew vs one sillable of sleape amongest all the places which they alleadge And although they be awake yet it may be that they are with out glory Wherfore seing it is not onely a rash but also a madde mans part boldely to conclude vpon thinges which man his reason is not able to comprehend of which sort are these straunge obstinate opynatiuers dare they defend sleape which they haue not receiued from the mouth of the Lord. And therfore this may suffise discreete and sound iudgement to the end they might know this sleape to be a shameles forgery or fayned inuention as in very deede it is because it cānot be proued by the manifest word of God Howbeit let vs handle these places as briefly as we can to the end the simpler sort might not be troubled therwith whēas they heare it sayd that the saluation of the soules is prolōged and put of vnto the generall day of iudgement First of all we must vnderstand this to be a most resolute and sure thing that our blessednes is still on the way going vnto this great day which shal end our iourney In like case the glory of the elect and the end of theyr last hope doth tend and hath an eye vnto the same day because their blessednes and glory shall then be accomplished For it is agreed hereupon emōgest all men that there is none other perfect blessednes or glory but the onely perfect coniunctiō with God And vnto this end we all bend runne and shew our selues forward and all the scriptures and promises of God send vs thereto For that which God once sayd vnto Abraham by mouth belongeth also vnto vs where he sayth Gene. 12. I am thy verye great reward Seing then this reward is appointed for all those that haue part with Abraham to witte the enioying of God and the blessed possessing of him besides which reward it is not lawfull to wish any other for whē there is any question of our hope wee must cast our eyes vpon it And thus farre if I be not deceiued doe our aduersaries agree with vs. Moreouer I likewise trust that they will agree with vs in this that this kingdome wherunto the chosen and faythfull are called which in other places is called saluatiō reward and glory is none other thing but this most blessed coniunction and vnion with God to wit for that they are fully in God and that God maketh them perfect that on theyr behalfe they cleaue vnto God enioy him fully wholly and to speake it in one worde God and they are one For after this sort whēas they are in the fountayne of all fulnes they come euen vnto the last end of all righteousnes wisedome and glory vpon which blessinges the kingdome of God veryly consisteth For S. Paule sheweth it to be the last point of the kingdome of God 1. Cor. 15.28 whenas he sayth To the end that God might be all in all thinges And therefore seing god in this day shall in very deed be all in all thinges and bring hys chosen and faythfull to a iuste perfectiō it is not without cause that this great day is called the day of our saluatiō before which tyme our saluation is not perfectly accomplished For they whome God filleth are filled with all riches which no toung cā vtter no eare hath heard nor eyes haue seene nor yet vnderstanding hath conceiued Wherfore seing these two thinges are out of all question our sleapers vaynely take in hand to proue that the holy seruauntes of God who are departed this life are not as yet entred into the kingdome of God because it shall be sayd vnto them come ye blessed of my Father inherite c. Now this is easely aunswered to be no good consequence to say that there is now no kingdome because as yet it is not perfect But contrarywise wee say that the kingdome which is already begonne shall then be made perfect Neither would I haue any man beleue me herein if I doe not first of all manifestly shew by sure argumentes of the scripture that this is true 1. Cor. 15. For this day is called the kingdome of God because that at that time hee shall in deed put vnder him all contrary powers subdue Sathan with the breath of his mouth and destroy him through the brightnes of his coming 2. Thes 2. But he himselfe shall fully and wholye dwell and raigne in his chosen For God cannot hereafter otherwise raigne in himselfe thē he hath raigned from the beginning whose Maiestie can no way be either encreased or yet diminished But shall raigne in such sort as that he shall be opēly shewed vnto all the world When then we pray to haue his kingdome come doe we thinke that he hath now no kingdome And besides what say they then to this saying the kingdome of God is within you Wherefore God raigneth at this present in his elect whome he guideth and gouerneth by his holy spirite He reigneth also ouer the Deuill sinne and death when he commaundeth the light to shine in darkenes by which error and lying are confounded and when as he wil not suffer the powers of darkenes to hurt thē who haue the signe of the Lambe in their forehead He reigneth also I say euen at that present when as we pray and say let thy kingdome come And surely he lykewise raigneth when as he worketh power in his faythfull and whē he geueth a law to Satan appoynting him what to doe But then shall his kingdome come when as it shall be accōplished And then shall it be accomplished whenas he shall fully shew the glory of his Maiestie vnto the faythfull saluation and vnto the reprobate shame and confusion Howbeit is there any other
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 expositiō 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 thē 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 mā 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 oftē tymes so takē 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 thē 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 cōfesse that that this word winde agreeth very wel in this place For we consent that mē are lyke vnto the vauering and incōstāt 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 thē 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 〈◊〉 be after that māner The lyke saying also is in another psalme Psal 103.13 for it is sayd That as a louing Father hath cōpassion 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