The Immortality of the Soul, Preface
❧ The Preface of Iohn Calvin to a very friend of his.
ALthough in deede it is very true, that certen godly honeſt men were a great while ſithence earneſtly in hand with me, to write ſomewhat for the confuting, and repreſſing of the fooliſhe, and confuſed opinion of ſome, who at this day goe about to mainteine the ſleape and death of the ſoules, yet could they not hitherto winne me to yelde vntounto their petitions and requeſtes, becauſe it is cleane contrary to my nature to thruſt my ſelfe in, to deale with matters of controuerſie and debate. And ſurely, I had at that tyme great reaſon to excuſe me, partely, becauſe I thought that in ſhort time, this fond opinion would finde no companions, and therefore be ſoone forgotten: or els that a few Cockbrayned and lightheadded fellowes would onelyonly keepe it in hugger mugger: and partely alſo, becauſe I had no lyking to deale agaynſt ſuch aduerſaries, with whoſe power, weapons, and Ambuſhes I was no whit acquainted. For, as yet, I had neuer hard any ſpeach of them, ſaue onelyonly a confuſed kinde of buzzing of a thing, ſo that if I ſhould hauehave had to doe with ſuch as were not yet entred into the open playnes, I muſt needes hauehave played the part of one beating the buſh (as we ſay) on the blinde ſide. Neuertheles, in the end it grewe afterward to another manner of matter then I thought it would hauehave done: For, theſe Ianglers were ſo buſy and carefull to maintayne and encreaſe their faction, as that they had already drawne into their error, I know not how many thowſands of people. And in deed to ſay truly, ſo far as I cā ſe this miſchiefe waxeth worſe & worſe. For at the firſt beginning, there were but a few that made a confuſed kinde of prattle of the ſleaping of the ſoules: and therewith they would neuer let it be vnderſtoode what they meant by this ſleape. Now, ſithence that tyme hauehave ſtept out theſe boucherly ſoule-ſleaers, who at the firſt blow cut their throates, and yet (thankes be to God) doe them no hurt at all. Notwithſtanding, I verely thinke, that the error of the firſt ſort is not to be borne withall, and beſides, that this ſecond kinde of them, is liuely to be repreſſed: For, neither of both ſortes, hauehave any foundatiō, either of reaſon, or yet of Iudgement. Howbeit, it is no eaſy matter to perſwade others thus, except, Mauger their beards (as we commonly ſay) I openly refute theſe babling Gallauntes, and ſo diſcouer their leaſings, which can no way be perceiued but by their wrytings. Now, as I heare ſay, they heare and there let flye (I know not in what ſhort ſceduls and pamfletts) their leaſings and dolteries, vntounto which I could neuer as yet once come to the ſight of thē. OnelyOnly I hauehave receiued frō a friēd of mine certen aduertiſements, which he by aduenture met withall, and ſet them downe in wryting as they came to his hands, or as he could here and there get them. And although one of my excuſes, is as it were halfe taken from me by reaſon of theſe aduertiſementes, yet, remaineth the other halfe ſtill to my ſelfe. But, forſomuch as they drawe vntounto their error great ſtore of people by reaſon of their troubleſome ſpeaches, and mighty prattle, wherewith they ſo greatly deale, as if they had cauſed printed bookes to hauehave bene ſpread all the world ouer, I know not how I can be guiltles of treaſon agaynſt the trueth of God, if in ſo great a neceſſitie I holde my peace, and diſſemble the matter. And truely, becauſe I hope my trauell wil be very profitable euen to the moſt ſimple and ignoraunt, who may ſet themſelues occupied about this matter and Argument, I will not be a feard to render vntounto all honeſt and godly men a reaſon of my fayth: And yet it may be, that it is not ſo well furniſhed with all kindes of defence, able at full to geue the attempt, to the enemy: neither yet ſo ſtrongly bulwarked, as to keepe them from approching thereto, neuertheles I hope, not altogether vnarmed and defenceles. Howbeit, if the importunitie of theſe dreame ſowers, would hauehave geuen me ſome more leaſure, I would with all myne hart, hauehave entred into this combate, which can no way bring with it, ſo great gayne, as payne: conſidering eſpecially, becauſe I thinke that the exhortation of the Apoſtle, might if it were at any tyme needefull, be ſufficient in this behalfe, to witt, that we ſhould be of diſcreete Iudgement. And although theſe men will not ſuffer vsus to vſe the diſcretion which we gladly deſier, yet will I hauehave as great regard as I can, modeſtly to diſpute of the matter. Neuertheleſſe, I would (if it had ſo pleaſed the Lord our God) that ſome other meane might hauehave bene found, for the ſoddayne cutting of, of this miſchiefe which too too much encreaſeth, leaſt it eate in farther and farther, lyke a Cancker. Although this be not the firſt tyme onelyonly of the beginning thereof. For we reade, that the Arabians, were the firſt Aucthors of this error: who ſayd: that the ſoule dyed together with the body, and that they ſhould both of them riſe agayne at the Iudgement day. And within a while after, Iohn, Byſhop of Rome defended the ſame, which the Sorboniſtes of Paris made him recant. Now, when this error had long tyme after that, bene repreſſed, the Anabaptiſtes beganne lately to reuiue the ſame, and blow abroad certein ſparkes thereof: which, ſparkling farre and wide, in the end, fell out into hoat fiery flames: which, I beſeech the Lord God to quench, euen at the firſt day with this gladſome raine which he eſpecially reſerueth for his Church. Now then, by the aſſiſtaunce of God his holy ſpirite, I entend to diſpute hereof without bitternes of minde, without tying my ſelfe to any man particularly, and alſo without deſier to ſcoffe and ſlaunder, ſo that no man ſhall be able in trueth to complayne, that I hauehave hurt him, or yet by any meanes poſſible, once offended him. Though we may in deede, at this day ſee ſome men, very hoatly geuen to reprehend, ſting and finde fault, whome if a man ſhould touch but with the typp of the finger, would by and by cry out and ſay, that we breake the vnitie and quietnes of the Church, and vtterly violate charitie and Brotherly louelove. But to theſe men, this is mine aunſwere in the firſt place: That we acknowledge no vnitie but ſuch as is founded in and vponupon Chriſt, neither yet allow we of any other charitie, then of that, whereof he is the bond. So that, the principall poynt and beginning to preſerue charitie, is this, that our fayth remaine holy and ſound emongeſt vsus. And ouer and beſides this, I ſay, that this diſputation may very well be decyded with out any breach of charitie, if they bring with them ſuch eares, as I determine to bring a tongue.
And as for you, right worthy Syr, there are many cauſes to induce me to dedicate this my labor vntounto you: But the chiefeſt is this, Becauſe emongeſt theſe troubles of vaine opinions, by which a cōpany of fantaſticall braynes diſturbe the quiet of the Church, I ſe you moſt wiſely and ſoberly abide ſtedfaſt and ſound.
Orleans. 1534.