The Immortality of the Soul — John Calvin

The Immortality of the Soul · John Calvin

OF THE IMMORTALITIE OF THE SOVLE. ❀ 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 vponupon him to diſpute vponupon any matter, although in very deede, it greatly a…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 vntounto 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 cō trouerſies, ought moſt chiefely and diligently to be obſerued: conſidering, that the care which here I hauehave, is not onelyonly to inſtruct: but I hauehave alſo to deale with ſuch an aduerſary, who out of all doubt (as it is the cō mon diſpoſitiō of moſt men) will in no wiſe, but agaynſt his will, yelde himſelfe vanquiſhed: neyther yet will he graunt himſelfe ouercome, ſo lōg as he may hauehave 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 hauehave 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 hauehave in hand, is of the ſoule of man, which ſome in deed doe graūt 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 onelyonly a power of lyfe, which is ledd by the mouing of the pulſes, or of Lunges & lytes, and becauſe it cānot 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 vnderſtāding: both which, we are very able to proue by euident teſtimonies of the ſcriptures. Let vsus leaue all mans wiſedome, which imagineth very many thinges of the ſoule, and yet vnderſtādeth neyther rightly nor yet truely thereof. Let vsus 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 thē to agree together, of whatſoeuer opiniō a man would be ſatiſfied and reſolued. And as touching the powers of y^e 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 thē, 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 hauehave 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 indifferētly call y^e 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 ſignificatiōs, ſnatch at that which firſt commeth in their braine, and defend it obſtinately. Oftentymes they hauehave read this word, ſoule, for the lyfe: and this opinion they hauehave, that it ought to be alwayes ſo taken, and doe bitterly vpholde it. But if a man obiect this ſaying of Dauid vntounto 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 vntounto thē that place of Samuell: By thy lyfe, 2. Sam. 11.11.and by the lyfe of thy 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 hauehave euer in their mouthes. And yet for all that, they hauehave 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 thē ſelues, and would hauehave 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. 34.6and that Sichem his Soule longed ſore for Dina Iacob his daughter. Acts. 4.32Saint Luke alſo ſayth: And the multitude which beleued were of one hart and of one ſoule. Moreouer, who ſeeth not y^t 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 vntounto 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 vntounto 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 vntounto man, wherein reſteth the liuely motion of the body. As I take theſe places,2. Sam. 2. Heauines and ſorrow hauehave 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. y^e ſcripture vſeth this maner of ſpeaking, that y^e 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 hauehave 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 vsus. For when Saint Paule ſayth:Galat. 5.17 That the ſpirite luſteth cō trary 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 y^e 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 y^e 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 hauehave their whole Spirite, Soule and body, kept blameleſſe in the cōming of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt. For he meaneth to hauehave 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 vntounto 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 vsus, 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 vsus 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 vntounto vsus the face of a man, ought liuely to ſet before vsus 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 vntounto the rule and gouernemēt which is geuen vntounto man ouer the lyuing creatures: becauſe that therein, man is ſomewhat lyke vntounto God, who hath dominion ouer all things. Into the which error Chriſoſtome him ſelfe fell, when as he erred by ouer great vehemency in cōfuting 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 y^e 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 y^t I ſhould not ſpeake greatly amiſſe.This obſeruation vſeth S. Hilary vpō 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 hauehave 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 vntounto earth. But the ſoule of man is not of the earth, but frō the mouth of the Lord, and that by a ſecrett and hidd power. Howbeit I will not, I ſay, ſtād vponupon this, becauſe I would not hauehave them to ſtryue with me about it: but this onelyonly 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 vntounto vsus 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 hauehave made a common and ordinary thing? For as concerning all other thinges, he onelyonly 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 vsus the Lord God, whoſe greatnes and wiſedome no creature is able to cō 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, frō y^e Apoſtle: who commaunding vsus 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 mā, 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 2… and righteouſnes of God. The Aucthor of the booke of Eccleſiaſticus, and the Aucthor of the booke of Wiſdome, hauehave 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 vntounto 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 hauehave preſſed our aduerſaryes with theſe Aucthoryties, had they not charged vsus with them before. Which notwithſtāding we ought to thinke reuerently of, although not as Canonicall, yet at the leaſt, as autentique and holy, and receiued by the cōſents of many. But let vsus there leaue them: and hold this Image of God in man, which can hauehave no abiding place but in the ſoule.

1. Pet. 2.11.25.Howbeit, let vsus 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 vsus 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 thē …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 onelyonly 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 hauehave theſe promiſes, let vsus 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 y^t there is neither reſurrection, Angell, nor ſpirite:Acts. 23.8. but the Pharyſies cōfeſſe 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 hauehave 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 cōtrary. Howbeit y^e very words of S Luke do mete w^c this Cauill. For after he hath ſet downe the confeſſiō 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 opiniō 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 hauehave 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 hauehave already brought in many reaſōs, which are able (as I think) to conuince y^t 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 hauehave ſtrēgth & to vnderſtādt & (as Tertullian ſayth) that the ſence, is the ſoule of the ſoule. Let vsus 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. & hauehave 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 y^t the dody is dead? And truely God hath very louingly dealt with vsus 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 onelyonly, for God onelyonly 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 hauehave no power ouer the ſoule. VntoUnto this they aūſwere (as I heare) that the ſoule truely is ſlaine for the tyme, when as the body is dead, but that it pear…heth not, becauſe that in tyme to come i… 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 Iudgemēt, therefore neither of …oth pe… 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 Tēple, 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 vntounto 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. HaueHave they heere any thing, whereat to iangle, that Ieſus Chriſt commēded his ſoule vntounto his Father, & S. Stephen his, vntounto Ieſus Chriſt, to be preſerued vntill y^e day of y^e reſurrectiō:Iohn. 19.30. but theſe wordes hauehave 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 onelyonly vntounto the ſpirites of the faithfull, remiſſion vntounto ſaluation, but alſo vntounto 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 vntounto him, that they might not deſpayre, he forthwith ſpeaketh of y^e 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 vntounto them, he goeth on farther and ſayth that Ieſus Chriſt hath beſtowed this power vponupon others, and not onelyonly on the quicke, but alſo vponupon the dead: and beſides, not onelyonly vponupon his ſeruauntes, but alſo vponupon the faythles, and deſpiſers of his grace. Moreouer, let vsus 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 vnderunder 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 vnderunder 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 vntounto 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 vntounto the ſpirites which were in pryſon: to witt, that the power of the redemption obteyned by Ieſus Chriſt, appeared, and was manifeſted vntounto the ſoules of the dead. Here wanteth the other braunch which belongeth vntounto the faythfull, who hauehave knowen & taſted of this fruite: and ſetteth out the other braūch of the faythles, who hauehave receiued vntounto themſelues this meſſage vntounto 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 hauehave deuiſed this gloſe of mine owne hedd, and that they are not boūd vntounto any ſuch lawes. Well I will not tye them to my lawes, but I will onelyonly 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 vntounto 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 y^e 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 vntounto God, who gaue it. I know very well that this Argument troubleth them not much, becauſe they ſay that lyfe returneth vntounto 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 vntounto their fountayne of lyfe in a dreame. And there is a ſaying in Eſdrars aunſwerable vntounto 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 vntounto 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 y^e 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 hauehave 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 hauehave 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, hauehave 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 vsus 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 other. Are theſe dreames or fables?

But becauſe they would hauehave ſome way to eſcape, they make a parable of this ſtory, and ſay, y^t whatſoeuer the trueth ſpeaketh of Abraham, the rich glutton, and of Lazarus, is but a fained thing. This is all the reuerence they beare vntounto God and to his word. But I aſke this of them, let thē bring forth but one onelyonly example out of the holy ſcripture, where, in a parable, any man is called by his name. I pray you tell me what is meant by theſe wordes. There was a poore man named Lazarus &c. Either muſt the word of God be a falſe lye, or els this muſt needes be a very true ſtory. The auncient Doctors alſo had great regard to this: For S. Ambroſe ſayth, that it is rather a ſtory then a parable, becauſe there is a name put in. S. Gregory is of the ſame opinion. Tertulyan, Ireneus, Origen, S. Cyprian, and S. Ierome, doe take it for a hiſtory. Emongeſt whom, Tertulyan thinketh that by the Rich man is meant Herode, and by Lazarus, Iohn Baptiſt. And ſee what Ireneus ſayth: The thinge which is recyted vntounto vsus by the Lord of the Rich mā, & of Lazarus, is no fable. And Cyrill aunſwering the Arriās, who out of this place made it their buckler for the refuting of the diuinitie of Chriſt, refelleth not this as a parable, but expoundeth it as an hiſtory. But this is a greater mockery, that for y^e ſtrēgthning of their error, the more they pretende the name of S. Auguſtine, and becauſe they might the better wrangle, ſay, that he yelded to the ſame opinion. I thinke they doe it for this cauſe, for that he hath ſayd in an certein place, that we muſt vnderſtād by Lazarus, Ieſus Chriſt, and by the Rich man the Pharyſies: and yet his meaning is none otherwiſe, but that this ſtory is to be tranſferred into a parable, if the perſon of Lazarus be attributed to Ieſus Chriſt, and the perſō of the Rich man vntounto the Pharyſies. This is alſo the cuſtome and manner of all ſuch men as hauehave once conceiued an opinion of any thing, to ſuffer themſelues afterward, violētly to be caryed away with the ſame. For, whē they ſee they hauehave no ſure ground to ſtay on, there ſhall not be ſo ſmall a tittle of a letter which they will not laye faſt hold on, to wrythe and wreſt it to ſerue their owne turnes. Notwithſtanding, to y^e end they might not ſtill groyne and grunt, S. Auguſtine himſelfe ſayth in another place, that he receiueth it for an Hiſtory. Let thē now go & ſell their coū terfett wares at noone day. And yet ſhall they not be able to flye any whither, but that they ſhall alwayes maſhe themſelues in theſe very ſnares. For, admit we did graunt it them to be a parable (which they ſhall neuer be able to obtaine at our hands) What other thing can they gather hereupon, but that there is ſome ſhewe of trueth in this cō paryſon? Now if theſe great Diuines know not this, let thē goe learne at the firſt principles of the Gramarians, and they ſhall finde that a parable is a ſimilitude taken from the truth. For when we heare that a man had two ſonnes vntounto whome he diuided and lotted out their portions, there muſt needes be a man, ſonnes, an enheritaunce, and a diuiſion of portiōs. Moreouer this is alwayes the nature of a parable, firſt we muſt conceiue of the bare matter as it is propounded, afterward we are ledd to the end of the parable, to witt, to the thing it ſelfe whereunto the parable is applyed. And herein let them follow Chriſoſtome as their Patron. He alwayes thought this to be a parable, and yet he oftē times drewe out of it the truth. As when he proueth out of it, that the ſoules of the dead are in certayne places, he ſheweth how horrible hell fier is, and the deſtruction that commeth of pleaſures. And leaſt I ſhould here loſe much ſpeach, let common reaſon teach them, if they hauehave any, and they ſhall ſoone vnderſtand what the ſtrength and reaſon of a parable is.

And bycauſe we would gladly ſatiſfy all men as much as in vsus lyeth, we will heere ſpeake ſomewhat of the reſt of Soules which are departed from the bodyes in an aſſured fayth of the promiſes of God, and ſurely the holy ſcripture meaneth nothing els by the boſome of Abraham, but this reſt. In the firſt place we call that, reſt, which theſe waſte diuines, call ſleape. Neither would we refuſe this tytle of ſleape, were it not, that by their lying, they hauehave wonderfully corrupted, and almoſt vtterly defaced it. Moreouer, we vnderſtand not by reaſt, ſlouthfulnes, or ſlumber, or any ſuch other lyke dronken thing, as they attribute vntounto y^e ſoules, but tranquility and a good aſſuraunce of conſcience, which although it be alwayes ioyned with fayth, yet is it neuer ſoūd, or altogether perfect, but after death. The Church no doubt, heareth from the mouth of God,Iſaiah. 32.17. the bleſſinges of the faythfull, being yet but as a ſtraunger here on earth, to witt: My people ſhall walke in the beauty of reſt, and dwell in a peaceable habitation, Iſaiah. 26.12.in the tentes of ſurety, and in a plentifull peace. And agayne geuing thankes, ſhe ſingeth bleſſings vntounto the Lord: Geue vntounto vsus O Lord peace: For thou alſo workeſt all our workes in vsus. When the faythfull hauehave receiued the Goſpell they hauehave this peace, when they ſee God to become their louing Father, whom before they thought him to be their Iudge: and in ſtead of children of wrath, they ſee them ſelues to be the children of Grace: that the bowels of God his mercy is poured vponupon them: ſo that they now looke for none other thing at the handes of God, but all goodnes,Iob. 7. and merciemercy. But becauſe that the lyfe of man is a warfare vponupon earth, they which feele the ſtings of ſinne, and the dregges of the fleſhe, muſt hauehave trouble in this world, and be cōforted in God: & in this ſorte they ſhall neuer be without an vnquiet, & troubled minde. But when as they ſhall hauehave put of the fleſhe and the luſtes thereof (who as home enemies doe trouble their peace and reaſt) they ſhall in the end be at quiet and reſt in the Lord For thus ſayth the prophet:Iſaiah. 57.1. The righteous peariſheth, and there is no man that once thinketh of him in his hart: good and godly people are takē away, and no man conſidereth thereof: for the righteous is conueyed away frō the wicked. let peace come vntounto him, and let him reſt in his bed which walketh in his wayes, doth he not call them vntounto peace? But becauſe they were at peace with God,Ezechiel. 1.27.28. whoſe peace was domeſticall, and at defiaunce with the world, he bringeth them vntounto the higheſt degree of peace. And therefore Ezechiell, and S. Iohn, when as they would deſcribe the throne of the glory of God,Apoc. 4.3. they compaſſed it with the Raynebow, which we know to be the ſigne of a league that the Lord made with men.Gene, 9.12 13. Apoc. 14.13. Which thing the ſame S. Iohn hath more manyfeſtly taught in another place ſaying: Bleſſed are the dead which dye in the Lord. Surely the ſpirite ſayth, that they doe reſt from their labors. This is then the boſome of Abraham. For he it is, who with ſo ready a minde embraſed the promiſed bleſſing in his ſeed, ſo that he nothing doubted, but that the word of God was both ſtrong and true. And as if God had now fulfilled in deed y^e thing which he had promiſed, that bleſſed ſeede, he looked for it, with as an aſſured fayth, as if he had handled it with his handes, & had felt it with all the powers of his minde and body.Iohn. 8.36 And ſo our Lord Ieſus Chriſt witneſſeth: that he ſaw the day and was glad of it. Thus we ſee what the peace, reſt, and ſleape of Abraham is, ſo that this honeſt name be not defaced with the foule mouth of theſe ſleapers. For what ſweeter thing can a conſcience hauehave, wherein it may reſt it ſelfe ſafely, then in this peace: which openeth vntounto it the treaſures of the heauenly grace, and maketh it dronken with the maruelous ſweetenes of the Lordes cupp? But what, O you my maiſters the ſlepers, when you heare this word to be dronken, doe you not thinke of your blockiſhnes, of your heauy hedds, and of your groſſe and carnall ſleape? For theſe griefes and diſcomodityes wayte vponupon drounkennes. And you according to your groſſenes doe euen thus vnderſtand it. But they which are inſtructed of God, know that by this maner of ſpeach ſleape is called peace of conſcience, which the Lord geueth vntounto his, in the houſe of peace: after the which maner alſo dronkenneſſe is called plē ty, wherewith the Lord filleth his in the houſe of abundaunce. If Abraham enioyed this peace being yet in the middeſt of the thronges, trauelles, and daungers of his enemies: yea carying with him his owne fleſhe, which is an home enemy, then the which nothing is more hurtfull: how much greater muſt we thinke his peace to be in reſpect, when he ſhall be quite out of daūger of the blowes, and dartes of his enemies. Will any man now maruell, why it is ſayd that the elect of God doe reſt in y^e boſome of Abrahā, who are paſſed out of this lyfe vntounto their God: namely becauſe they are receiued into the ſeate of peace with Abraham the Father of the faythfull,Auguſt. de ciuita. Dei. lib. 19. where they hauehave the full fruition of God, without weryſomenes?

And therefore it is not without cauſe that Auguſtine ſayth in a certaine place: Lyke as, ſayth he, we call lyfe euerlaſting, the end of the bleſſed ones, 1. Cor. 14.ſo alſo may we call it peace. For he that can geue no better nor greater thing then him ſelfe, who is the God of peace, can geue no better then it. Therefore, when we ſhall heareafter ſpeake of the boſome of Abraham, let them not put it ouer to their ſleape: For the trueth of the ſcripture reprehē deth and ouerthroweth their vanytie. This reſt, ſay I,Math 5.8, 9. is the heauenly Ieruſalem, that is, the viſion of peace: wherein the the God of peace geueth himſelfe to be ſeene to his peacemakers, according to the promiſe made by Chriſt. But ſo often as the holy ghoſt ſpeaketh of this peace in the holy ſcriptures, he ſo familiarly vſeth the figure of ſleape and reſt, as that a man can finde nothing oftener. Thy faythfull ſhall reioyce ſayth Dauid, and be glad in their beds: Pſal. 149.5. Iſaiah. 26.19.20.Alſo thy dead ſhall lyue, and thy ſlayne ſhall riſe agayne. Awake, and geue prayſe ye inhabitantes of duſt: for the deaw of the fielde is thy deaw, and thou ſhalt bring the land of the mighty ones to deſtruction. Goe my people, enter into thy tentes, and ſhut the dores vntounto thee, and hyde thy ſelfe for a while, vntill ſuch time as wrath be paſſed ouer.

But the Hebrue tongue vſurpeth this word to the ſignification of all ſurety and truſt. Dauid alſo ſayth: I will lay me downe to ſleape and take my quiet reſt. Oſe. 2.18.The prophet lykewiſe ſayth: In that day will I make a league with the beaſtes of the field, with the foules of the ayre, and with all creping thinges: I will deſtroy vponupon the earth, the bowe, the ſworde, and warre: and they ſhall ſleape without feare. Leuit. 26.6Moyſes alſo ſayth: I will make peace in your borders, and there ſhall no man be afeard. Ioel. 11.18 19.But in the booke of Iobe it is ſayde: Thou mayeſt then be of good comfort, becauſe there is hope, and entrench thy ſelfe, and ſleape quietly: thē mayſt thou lye down, & none ſhall make thee a feard, & many ſhall make ſute vntounto thee.

The ſoules of the lyuing doe ſleape and are in peace, which repoſe themſelues vpō the word of the Lord, and deſier not to paſſe beyond the will of their God: but being ready to goe whither ſoeuer he ſhall call them, they hold them ſelues vnderunder his hand and conduct. which thing is commaunded them,Aba. 2.3. though his trueth tary, yet wayte for it: Iſaiah. 30.15.lykewiſe, In hope and quietnes ſhall your ſtrength be. Now ſince it is ſo that they deſier ſomething which they ſee not, and looke for ſomething which they hauehave not, it appeareth that their peace is imperfect, contrariwiſe, ſeing they are certayne of that which they look for, & deſire in fayth, that which they do deſyre, it is moſt certain that their deſyre is peaceable. This peace which leadeth the faythfull to the place of peace, doth death encreaſe & aduaunce to the vttermoſt, hauing deliuered them from the warr of this world, and as it were cruſſhed it in peeces. And hauing theyr eyes and harts wholy fixed vponupon God, there is nothing better, or more bleſſed, whereon they may caſt theyr eyes, or ſet theyr deſyre. And yet for all this they want ſomething of that which they deſyre to ſee, which is, the moſt excellent and perfect glory of God, wherunto they alwaies deſyre to come. And although theyr deſier be not impaciēt, yet is not their reſt ful and perfect.

For a man may very well ſay him to be at reſt who is at that place where he deſyreth to be, & his deſyre hath neither meaſure nor end, vntill ſuch tyme as he be at the place whither he entended to goe. Now if the eyes of the choſen doe looke vntounto the excellent and perfect glory of God, as vntounto their marke, their deſyre is alwayes a foote & on the way, vntill ſuch time as the glory of God be accompliſhed, which y^e great day of iudgement will fully accompliſh.Pſal. 17.17 Thē ſhall that ſaying be verified: I ſhall be ſatiſfied whenas I ſhalbe awakened with the ſight of thy countenaunce.

And now to the end we may paſſe ouer the reprobate, vntounto whome what may befall, we hauehave not greatly to do withall, I would hauehave them to anſwere me ſimply and playnely, what hope they hauehave of the reſurrection,Colo. 1.18. Apoc. 1.5. 1. Cor. 13.20.21. without it be that Chriſt roſe agayne? For he is the firſt borne of the deade, and the fyrſt fruites of thoſe that riſe agayne. For as he dyed and roſe agayne, ſo alſo muſt we dye and riſe agayne in him. For ſince it hath ſo fallen out that by death he hath ouercome death, wherunto we were ordayned, it is very certayne that he dyed of the ſame death as we dye, and hath ſuffered in the ſame death whiche we doe ſuffer. The trueth of the ſcripture maketh this manifeſt vntounto vsus, whenas it calleth him the firſt borne of the dead, and the firſt fruites of thoſe which ryſe agayne. And it hath ſo taught vsus, that the faythfull might acknowledge him for their guide euen in the middeſt of death, & when they behold their death ſāctified by his death, they need not to feare the curſſe thereof. which is the thing that Saynt Paule meaneth, when he ſayth,Phil. 3.10.11. that he is made like vntounto his death, vntil ſuch time as he might come vntounto the reſurrection of the dead. For this cōformity he proſecuted, whiche he beganne in this world by the croſſe, vntill y^e time that he had by his death fulfilled it.

And now you my maiſters y^e ſleapers, examine your harts awhile, and conſider with your ſelues how Chriſt Ieſus dyed. Do you in your cōſcience think that he ſlept, when as he waked for your ſaluation? He ſpeaketh not thus of himſelfe:Iohn. 5.26 As the Father (ſayth he) hath life in himſelfe, ſo alſo hath he geuen to hys ſonne to hauehave life in himſelfe. And he that hath the power of life in himſelfe, how it is poſſible for him to loſe it? And I truſt they wil not ſay y^t this belongeth to the deity. For if it be geuen to him that hath it not, it is then geuen to his humanity, to hauehave life in it ſelfe, and not to his deity. For ſeing that Ieſus Chriſt is the ſonne of God and man, that which is by nature as God, the ſame is by grace as man: to the end we might al receiue of his fulneſſe, grace for grace, when men do heare that life is in God, what hope may they conceiue thereof, whenas they may alſo very well know, that their ſinnes do ſet a cloude betwixt God and them?

But here is the onelyonly true & great comfort, that the Father hath annointed his Chriſt with the oyle of gladnes aboue all the reſt of his fellowes: That Ieſus Chriſt as man hath receiued of his Father, gyftes in mē, to the end we might finde life in our nature. And for this cauſe, we read that the multitude glorifyed God after that the childe was rayſed vp agayne, forſomuch as he had geuē ſuch power vntounto men. And this knew Cyrill right well, who agreeth with vsus in the explaning of this place. Now, whē we ſay y^t Ieſus Chriſt hath life in himſelfe, in that he is man, we doe not ſay that he is the cauſe of life to himſelfe: but onelyonly this, that the heauenly Father, hath poured all fulnes of life in y^e manhood of his ſonne Ieſus Chriſt, whiche thing might be geuen vsus to vnderſtād by a familiar ſimilitude. The fountayne from which all men do draw water, and from which the ſmall Creekes and Armes doe runne and flow, is ſayd to hauehave water of it ſelfe, & yet commeth not as of it ſelfe, but from the ſpring which dayly feedeth it, and from the flowing ſtreames, and is ſufficient for all men to draw out of: Euē ſo then, Ieſus Chriſt hath life in himſelfe, to wit, the fulnes of life wherewith he lyueth, and quickeneth his: and yet hath he it, not as of himſelfe, as he wytneſſeth in an other place, that he liueth becauſe of hys Father.

And whenas he had life in in himſelfe, as God, yet when he tooke vponupon him the nature of man, he receiued this gift of his Father, that he might alſo hauehave life in that behalfe in hymſelfe. Theſe thinges do moſt certainly aſſure vsus, that Chriſt could not be deſtroyed by death, no not as he was man. And although he was truely and naturally put to death, whereof we muſt all dye, yet held he alwayes this gift of his Father. This was a true death, and a true ſeperation of the Body and Soule, yet the Soule neuer loſt her life, which being commended vntounto his Father, could not chooſe but be ſaued. And this is the meaning of the wordes of S. Peter his ſermon, by which he affirmeth, that it was impoſſible for Ieſus Chriſt to bee holden downe with the panges of death, Acte. 2.24.27.that the ſcripture might be fulfilled ſaying, Pſal. 16.10Thou ſhalt not leaue my ſoule in graue: nor yet ſuffer thine holy one to ſee corruption. In which prophecie, although we graunt that the ſoule is taken for lyfe, Chriſt aſketh, and looketh for two thinges at his Fathers hand: that he would not leaue his lyfe to deſtruction, nor yet ſuffer him to come to corruption, which was fulfilled. For his ſoule was ſuſtayned by an heauenly power, that it ſhould not be deſtroyed: and his body was kept whole and ſound, vntill he roſe agayne. S. Peter hath knit vp all theſe thinges in a worde, when he ſayth, that Chriſt could not be held downe by death, to witt, that he could not be ſubiect to the gouernement of death, neither come vnderunder the power of death, either yet be ouercome of death. When as S. Peter in this ſermon, let the diſputation of the ſoule alone, and followed onelyonly the incorruption of the body: He did it becauſe he would make the Iewes to ſee that they were vanquiſhed, euen by their owne teſtimony, that this propheſie appertayned nothing at all to Dauid, whoſe ſepulcher was emongeſt them, and they very well knew that his body was rotted: neither could they deny the reſurrection of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt.

Ionas. 2.12We hauehave alſo another Argument of the Immortalitye of his ſoule, when as he ordayned Ionas to be a figure of his death, in that he was three daies within the Whales belly. For ſo muſt he likewiſe be three dayes & three nightes in the bowells of the earth. Now Ionas cryed vntounto the Lord out of the belly of the Fiſhe, and was heard. This belly is death: his ſoule thē was ſaued in the middeſt of death, Gene. 22.10.ſo that he might cry vntounto the Lord. Iſaack alſo, who was a figure of the Lord, and being ſaued from death,Hebr. 12.17 19. was deliuered vntounto his father, openeth vntounto vsus, as the Apoſtle witneſſeth, the trueth in a figure, by the manner of the riſing agayne. For after he was layd vpō the Aultar, as an oblation and ſacrifice prepared for the purpoſe, and bound vponupon it, he was ſoone after vnboūd by the commaundemēt of the Lord; and the Ramme that was tyed by the hornes in the buſhe, was layd in Iſaack his place.

What 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 y^e 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 onelyonly comfort vsus, that the ſonne of God our head is not periſhed in the ſhadow of death, but his reſurrection alſo doth aſſure vsus, that he is apointed to be Lord ouer death, Coloſ. 3.3.and hath rayſed vp ſo many of vsus from death, as hauehave 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 thē, he is the ſelfe and ſame which dyeth in them, If the lyfe of Ieſus Chriſt be ours, he then which would hauehave 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 cādy no death. But what needeth vsus 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 vntounto him by fayth, ſhall dwell in him, & he in him.

Let vsus then clearely diſmember the Lord Chriſt, if we will take away their lyues frō them. 1. Cor. 15 22.This is our confeſſion, which we hauehave well fenced with his weapōs, to witt, that we are all truely dead in Adam, but yet we lyue …n Ieſus Chriſt, S. Paule hand…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 dwel…eth in vsus, 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 mā 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 y^e 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 vsus, hath made vsus this promiſe, for thus he ſayth:Iohn. 5.24. He that heareth my wordes hath euerlaſting lyfe, and commeth not to condemnation, but paſſeth frō 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 y^e ſame place,Iohn. 5.5… 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 cōcerning the laſt day. He promiſeth vsus two things: lyfe euerlaſting, and this bleſſed reſurrectiō. Although you heare two thinges, yet onelyonly 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. 11.2he 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 onelyonly to ſhew this, but alſo y^t 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 y^e 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 vponupon theſe ſleapers, as a theefe in y^e night.

And if God be the lyfe of eueryevery 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 ſtrēgth 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 after it is ſeperated from the body, y^t it vſeth not her power and ſtrength. How then, will they aunſwere vntounto the pſalme of Dauid, where he deſcribeth the beginning, middeſt and end of the life of y^e 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 hauehave 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 ſhalbe 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 vntounto the body, thē vntounto the bleſſings which are plentifully beſtowed vponupon vsus after death? who forceth thē to take this word, life, for reſurrectiō ſeing y^t 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 vsus, alwayes prouided that he findeth vsus 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 vsus. 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 vponupon 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 y^t 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 ſhalbe 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 vsus 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 vntounto 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 vnderunder 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 hauehave of ſpirituall taſte. Howbeit the holy Scriptures do teach vsus 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 hauehave caſt of this burthen of the body, that y^e 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 vntounto the will of God, neither feeleth ſhee the tyranny of the fleſh reſiſting her, but repoſeth her ſelfe in this quietnes, thinking vponupon none other thing, but vponupon 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 onelyonly bewray the error of theſe fā taſticall fellowes, but alſo theyr malice agaynſt the workes and power of God, which the ſcriptures teſtifye vntounto vsus 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 vsus 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 you, will alſo perfite the ſame, vntill the comming of the day of Ieſus Chriſt: Now, theſe men doe not onelyonly intermeddle with y^e 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 y^e taſte of bleſſednes, whē 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 frō the earth, ſo farre ſeperate they the heauēly 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 manſiō, 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 onelyonly 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, hauehave you not read that which hath bene written of the reſurrection of the dead? But yet hauehave they not wound themſelues out by thys meane. For when Chriſt had to do with the Saduces, who denyed not onelyonly the reſurrection, but alſo the immortality of the ſoules: he confuteth theſe two errors, with this onelyonly 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 vntounto 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 vntounto him, not meaning that all thinges liue by the preſence of God, but by his power. This thē 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 vntounto 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 cānot 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 vnderunder the Aultar, howe long Lord will it be before thou take vengeance vponupon the inhabitants of the earth, for our bloud? vntounto whom were geuen white garmentes, and was ſayd vntounto 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 vntounto them.

Now (I beſech you) you ſleapie & drounkē ſpirites, how expound you theſe white garments? be they cuſhions, or pillowes forſooth, for thē to ſleape vponupon? 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 y^e white garmentes doe ſignify the beginning of glory, which God of bountifull liberalitie geueth vntounto 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 garmēt to Daniell. The Lord Ieſus appeared in this apparell vponupon the moūt Thebor. The Angell appeared in a white garment vntounto the women at the ſepulcher of Ieſus Chriſt. In this maner appeared y^e Angells vntounto the diſciples looking vp into heauen, after the aſcention of our Lord. In ſuch forme appeared the Angell vntounto Cornelius. And the rich robe that was brought vntounto y^e ſonne, after that he had conſumed all his ſubſtaunce, when he returned vntounto his Father, was a token of gladnes.

Moreouer, if the ſoules of the dead cry out with a loude voyce, thē ſleape they not. Whē 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. 20.6before thou be auenged &c.

Wherefore S. Iohn in his booke maketh mētiō of two reſurrectiōs, 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 hauehave parte in the firſt reſurrection: in them the ſecond death hath no place. And therefore this is a terrible thing vntounto you to you I ſay, which will not acknowledge this firſt reſurrection, which is the onelyonly opē way, to enter into the bleſſed glory.

This alſo is a mightye ſtrong weapon agaynſt them, euen the aunſwere which was made vntounto 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 eueryevery 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 day calleth him to y^e bleſſed pleaſures of his kingdome. The cauill of theſe drowſy heads, wherewith they ſport thēſelues with the word of God, they canuaſſe to & fro. For ſay they, one day is as it were a thouſand yeares in the ſight of God. But they neuer call to minde, that God frameth himſelfe to the capacities of men, when as he ſpeaketh vntounto them. Neither doe they reade, that one day in the ſcripture is put for a thouſande yeares. who would abide ſuch an expoſitor, who hearing that God would doe ſomething to day, would thinke of a thouſand yeares, or moe? For when Ionas denoūced vntounto y^e Niniuits: Yet fortie dayes and Niniuie ſhall be deſtroyed: 2. Pet. 3.8.might they careleſly look for the Iudgement of God, vntill forty thouſande yeares were come and gone.

Neither hath S. Peter ſpoken it in the ſame ſence, that a thouſand yeares are but as a day before God. But when as certein falſe prophets, did count the houres and dayes, becauſe they went about to reproue God of lying, when as he fulfilled not his promiſes at the firſt, according to their Imaginations: he admoniſheth thē y^t God is euerlaſting, w^t whom a thouſand yeares is ſcarſely a momēt. But becauſe they feele thēſelues to be yet entangled, they ſtifly contend and ſay, that this word, to day, ſignifieth in the ſcriptures the tyme of the new Teſtament: as this word, to morrow, ſignifieth the tyme of the olde.

Hebr. 13.8.To this purpoſe wreſt they that which is written in y^e Epiſtle to y^e Hebrewes: Ieſus Chriſt that was yeſterday, and to day, is the ſame alſo for euer. Howbeit, they are greatly deceiued. For if he was onelyonly yeſterday, then he that was not before the beginning of the olde Teſtament, had ſometyme his beginning:Coloſ. 1.15 Where ſhall Ieſus then, that eternall God be, the firſt borne alſo of all creatures, as touching his humanitie,Apo. 13.48 and the Lambe ſlayne from the beginning of the worlde? Beſides, if by this word to day, is meant the tyme that is betwene the day of Iudgement, and the humanitie of Ieſus Chriſt, then hauehave we woone this poynt of them, that the theefe ſhall be in paradiſe before that day, wherein the ſoules, as they teach, ſhall wake out of their ſleape. And ſo by their owne confeſſion, we ſhall wring this from them, that the promiſe made vntounto the theefe is accompliſhed before the day of Iudgement, which they ſay is not to be accompliſhed, vntill after the day of Iudgement.

But if they draw this word vntounto the tyme that followeth after Iudgement, why doth the Author of the Epiſtle to the Hebrewes, add, for euer? And that they might feele with the hand their darkenes, and acknowledge euen by the eyeſight their ignoraunce, if in this promiſe, Ieſus Chriſt looked vntounto the day of Iudgement, it ought not to hauehave bene ſayd to day, but in the world to come. As when Iſaiah went about to ſhew the miſery of the reſurrection, he calleth Ieſus Chriſt, the father of the world to come. Now ſeing the Apoſtle hath ſayd, to morrow, and to day, and for euer: Whereas we ſay, it hath bene, is, and ſhall be (which three tymes declare vntounto vsus eternitie) what other thing els goe they about by their cunning ſubtilties, but euen to corrupt and peruert the ſence of the Apoſtle?Iſaiah. 30.33. wee may learne out of the prophet Iſaiah, that the nature of this firſt word, conteineth an euerlaſting tyme: who ſayth, that hell fier is prepared for the wicked from yeſterday: conſidering that we know by the wordes of Chriſt, that fier is prepared for y^e Deuill & his Angels from the beginning.

They then which are of an vpright and ſound iugement, do here right well ſee, that there is nothing left for them to be deceiued, by ſo open a trueth. Neuertheleſſe, they yet moyle and ſay, that paradiſe was for that day ſo promiſed to the theefe, as death was denounced vntounto our firſt parentes, the ſame day that they taſted of the tree of knowledge, both of good and euil. But let it be that we graū ted thē this, yet for all that we will draw this from them agaynſt their willes, that the theefe was y^t day deliuered out of the miſery, whereunto Adam fell, wherin he tranſgreſſed the commaūdemēt that was geuen him: and ſo euerlaſting lyfe was reſtored to the theefe. Moreouer, when as I ſhall hereafter ſpeake of death, I will ſufficiently declare, as I thinke, after what ſort our firſt parents dyed the ſame day, in which they eſtraunged thēſelues from God.

And now muſt I turne my talke to thoſe, who remembring the promiſes of God, doe reſt in them with a quiet conſcience. And therefore, my brethren, let not this fayth be ſhaken of from you, no not although hell gates ſhould lift thēſelues vp agaynſt you, ſeing you hauehave God for your pledge. who can not deny his trueth. For his ſpeach is not darke, which he deliuereth vntounto his church, being yet but a ſtraunger here below in this world, when he ſayth:Iſaiah. 60.19. Thou ſhalt hauehave no more ſunne to ſhine by day, neither ſhall the brightnes of the Moone ſhine to thee: For the Lord ſhall be thine euerlaſting light, and thy God thy glory.

So that (as they are ordinarily wonted) if they will ſtretch this vntounto the laſt reſurrection, it ſhall be an eaſy matter for vsus to refell their vanitye, by eueryevery word of the chapiter: ſeing that the Lord hath now promiſed his Chriſt, and that the Gentiles ſhall be now adopted, and called vntounto Fayth. Let vsus alwayes call to minde that ſaying which the ſpirite of God hath taught vsus by the mouth of Dauid:Pſal. 92.12 13.14. The luſt ſhall floriſhe as the Date tree, and ſhall be multiplyed as the Cedars in Libanus. For they that are planted in the houſe of the Lord, ſhall floriſhe in the Courte of our God. And in their age ſhall bring forth fruite, and be freſhe and in good caſe. Neither maruell you at this, becauſe it ſeemeth that the powers of nature doe fayle, whē you heare that age ſhall be green budding and fruitefull.

But cōſidering theſe thinges with your ſelfe, ſing vntounto your ſoule after the example of Dauid:Pſal. 103.5 My ſoule bleſſe thou the Lord, who hath filled thy mouth with goodnes: thy youth ſhall be renued, Pſal. 121.8as the youth of an Eagle. Remitt all the reſt vntounto the Lord: Who looketh vntounto our comming in, Ioel. 2.23.and our going out from this tyme forth for euermore. It is he which cauſeth the morning and euening dewes to rayne vponupon his choſen & faithfull: Of whome it is ſayd:Pſal. 68.21. our God is the God of deliueraunce: and the iſſue of death is from the Lord God. Ieſus Chriſt hath vntounto vsus, this goodnes of the Father: when as he hath ſayd: O Father, Iohn. 17.24.thoſe whome thou haſt geuē me, I will that where I am, that they be alſo there: to the end they might ſee the brightnes which thou haſt geuen me,

Let vsus then hold this fayth which is grounded vponupon all the prophecies, vponupon the trueth of the Goſpell, and vponupon Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe: to witt, that the ſpirite is the Image of God, vntounto 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 vntounto 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 vponupon 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 vntounto me, and thy ſoule ſhall lyue. How wiſely is this ſpokē, 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 vntounto God, euen ſo alſo knoweth it very well that they which labor to goe beyond it, doe fall full lowe.

Let vsus now pull of thoſe cloutes and ragges,, wherein they hauehave ſwadled vp theſe drowſy and ſleapy ſoules: and mingle and lickour the Poppy, which they hauehave 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 vntounto 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, & eueryevery 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 frō this preſent lyfe, whereby the body receiueth ſtrength and force. Se what he ſayth: That which is ſowē in corruptiō, 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 Adā was made a lyuing ſoule: and the laſt Adam, a quickening ſpirite.

Now I confeſſe in deede, that the liuing ſoule is not onelyonly attributed vntounto beaſts alone: be cauſe they alſo liue: For their lyfe is another manner of lyfe, thē y^e lyfe of men. The ſoule that liueth in man, maketh him to hauehave ſence, wiſedome, reaſon, and vnderſtanding, and the ſoule that liueth in beaſtes, geueth them onelyonly 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 hauehave nothing but a bodely feeling. For which cauſe, Paule was not aſhamed, with y^e heathen Poet, to call vsus the generation of God.

Wherefore then let them now as they liſt, communicate vntounto 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 vntounto thēſelues a degree. to confound the ſoule of man with the beaſts. neither yet muſt they thruſt that ſaying of S. Paule vponupon vsus, which is rather with vsus, then againſt vsus. 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 vponupon 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 thē, may not y^e 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 mā ſhould lyue, without he were faſhioned into a liuing ſoule? Notwithſtāding, 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 vsus with himſelfe into glory, Tertullian ſo ſayth and S. Auguſt. alſo in his 3. Epiſt. to Fortunatus.it ſhall not be onelyonly a body with a ſoule, or quickened with a ſoule, but a ſpirituall body, & ſuch a one as our minde cānot 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 vnderunder the elements of this world. But when the figure of this world ſhall paſſe away, the participation of y^e 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 amōgeſt his retractatiōs, & 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 vntounto the Lord, it 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 vntounto them all thinges concerning a liuing ſoule (vponupon which title, as I hauehave 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. Whereupō 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 viſiō 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 hauehave 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 cō 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 hauehave 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 vsus, 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 hauehave, to witt, y^t it ſhould turne to nothing.

Neither hauehave the ſcriptures forgotten this, and that they ſhould hauehave found, if they had beſtowed their minde, and applied their wit vntounto them, rather then arogātly, 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 vntounto 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 hauehave 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 mā vnderunder the earth? It is not ſayd that man ſhal returne vntounto 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 vntounto man, as a thing taken from els where, thē 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 geuē 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, hauehave by experience moſt fearefully felt. And to the end we might beginne at Adam, who firſt obtayned this gentle reward, let vsus 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, thē ſpoken. Although in very deed a mā can not think of it, except he eftſoonnes feeleth the ſame. And like as the mightyneſſe and excellēcy 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, vponupon whome it lighteth. For they very wel ſee the anger of God, and becauſe they would auoyde it, they are ready euen to plounge thēſelues 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 hauehave bene ſeared with the hoate yron of conſcience.

And therfore let them which hauehave not had experience thereof, heare what the ſcriptures ſay, whenas it is ſayd,Deut. 4. Our God is a conſuming fier, who whē he ſpeaketh in iudgement, killeth. And ſuch one knew they him to bee, which ſayde,Exod. 20. Let not the Lorde ſpeake vntounto vsus, 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 vntounto her ſelf. For ſince God is the light thereof, ſhe loſeth her life, whenas ſhe loſeth his preſence.

And to y^e end we might ſhewe that by particularityes, whiche hauehave bene ſayd in generall: ſince it is ſo that there is no light without God, which lighteneth our night: it is moſt certayne y^t the ſoule being buried in her darckeneſſes, muſt needes be blinde. And then is ſhe domb, ſeing ſhe cannot confeſſe that vntounto 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 y^e 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 vntounto death? And to the end we ſhoulde not here ſtay in this godly way, let vsus conſider with our ſelues what life it is that Ieſus Chriſt hath brought vsus, and it will put vsus in minde with what kinde of death he hath redeemed vsus.

Ephe. 5.S. Paule teacheth vsus 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 vntounto duſt, but yet vntounto 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 vntounto ſinne whenas luſt is quenched in vsus: Euen ſo dye we vntounto God, whēas we ſubiect our ſelues vntounto our luſt which liueth in vsus.

But to ſpeake all in a word, in liuing we dye, (which thing S. Paul ſpeaketh of y^e widdow which liueth in pleaſures) to wit,2. Tim. 5. we are immortal vntounto 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 vsus, is ſuch one. For he hath accompliſhed by his death, whatſoeuer the prophets hauehave promiſed of his victory agaynſt death. For thus hauehave 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 y^e things already done: for thus it is ſayde: he hath ouercome death: 2. Tim. 1. Rom. 5.But hath enlightened life by the Goſpell.

The Immortality of the Soul, Treatise (1 of 2)

OF THE IMMORTALITIE OF THE SOVLE. ❀ What the ſtate and lyfe of ſoules is after this preſent lyfe.