The Immortality of the Soul, To the reader
❀ Iohn Caluin to all faythfull Readers greeting.
AS I peruſed this diſputation, I perceiued vponupon the very point of the handling of the controuerſie, certen bitter, and ſharpe kinde of wordes, which poſſibly, may grieue and offend ſome delicate and fine eares. But becauſe I know that many good and godly men hauehave ſuffred ſome part of this ſleape of the ſoules, to enter, and poſseſſe their harts, either by too too much lightnes of beliefe, or els for want of knowledge of the ſcriptures, which was in deede the cauſe, why they were not vponupon the ſoddaine, throughly armed to withſtand the ſame, I would not hauehave them offended, nor yet take ſo much occaſion as they mought, to be diſpleaſed with me, becauſe they fall not obſtinately, and malitiouſly herein. And therefore I minde here, purpoſely to geue warning vntounto all ſuch, to the end they ſhould not conſtrue any thing that I hauehave ſayd, to be ſpoken as it were, to put them in any heate. But let them vnderſtand thus much, That ſo often as I boldly, and freely, ſpeake, that I direct my ſpeach to that wicked and obſtinate generation of Anabaptiſtes, from whoſe ſpringhead, as I hauehave already ſayd, this poyſonfull water run…eth: and therefore doe I not ſo roughly deale with them as they deſerue. For, I am determined ſo to behaue my ſelfe towardes them, as that if they ſhall heareafter ſpurne agaynst me, they ſpall finde me a constant defender of the trueth, and although I be not all the greateſt clearke, yet dare I …houldly, by the grace of almighty God promiſe this, that I will be found inuincible. Neither hauehave I but in modeſt ſort, vttered my choller agaynſt them, for to ſay truely, I ſtill ceaſe from outragious and ſpightfull wordes: and hauehave almoſt in eueryevery place ſo tempered my ſtile, or vaine of wryting, as that it is rather an apt order of teaching, then a forcible drawing: & yet is it for all that, ſuch, as may draw thoſe which …il not wilfully be caryed away. For in deed my intent is to bring them back agayne into the right way, rather then to moue and prouoke them to anger. Wherefore, I exhort and beſeech all the Readers hereof, in the name of God the Father, and of his ſonne Ieſus Chriſt our Lord, to bring with them to the reading of this Treatiſe, a perfect and ſound iudgement, and alſo a right and pure hart, as a ſeate ready prepared for the manifest receiuing of the trueth.
I know well enough what fauour the thing may hauehave, for the pleaſing of ſome mens eares: Howbeit, we are thus to thinke, that there is but one onelyonly voyce of lyfe, and that in deede, proceedeth from the mouth of the Lord. Wherfore, our eares out of all doubt, ought to harken vntounto that voyce, ſo often as there ariſeth any queſtion of the doctrine of ſaluation, and not to liſten to any other whatſoeuer. Now, the word of God is no new, or ſtraunge thing: but ſuch as hath bin from the beginning, is now, and ſhall be for euer.
And therefore they are very groſſely deceiued, who finde fault with the newnes of the word of God, being now, after long oppreſsion, or buriall, through peruerſe vſage, and negligence brought to light, and on their ſide, in my opinion, they offend as greatly, who lyke Reedes, ſuffer themſelues to be caryed away with eueryevery winde, yea and more then that, to be ſhaken and bowed with the least blaſt that may be. Is this to learne Ieſus Chriſt, when as we will geue eare vntounto all kindes of doctrine, how true ſoeuer they be, without the warrant of God his word? For, if we receiue the doctrine, as from a mortall man, ſhall not leaſings alſo as eaſely preuaile and take place with vsus? And what bringeth man with himſelfe, but onelyonly vanitie? Now, this is not to follow the example of thoſe, who after they hauehave once receiued the word of God, deepely ſound and ſearch the ſcriptures, to know whether it be ſo or no. This is then a good example if we would fellow it: But we receiue the word, I know not how negligently and coldly, or rather contemptuouſly, ſo that if we hauehave learned but three wordes of it, we forthwith ſwell with an opiniō of wiſedome, and yet neuer burſt: thinking our ſelues by and by to be Princes, and great rich men.
And vponupon this imagination, we ſhall finde a mighty number cry mainely out, and keepe a great coyle, agaynſt the ignoraunce of all ages: and yet themſelues as ignoraunt as they, agaynſt whome they ſo proudely cry out. But what ſhall a man ſay, or doe to this geare? They would be taken forſooth for Chriſtians, and ſo in deede are called, becauſe they hauehave had a lick at the wikes of the lips of ſome of the principal poynts, or Articles, of cōmō places. And forſomuch as they thinke it a great ſhame to be ignoraūt in any thing, they will ſhameleſly aunſwere to eueryevery matter, as if they were all oracles which come out of their mouthes. Wherefore, from thence doe ſpring ſo many ſchiſmes, errors, and opinions, ſuch a number of offences, and hardnes of our beliefe: ſo, that by this occaſion, the Infidels proſtitute them, and blaſpheme the name, and word of God. And in the end (which is the very ground worke of all miſchiefe) whenas they obſtinately continue the maintenaunce of any thing, which hath lightly paſſed their mouthes, they fourthwith runne to defēd their error by the holy ſcriptures. O good & mercyfull God, when they are once growen to this poynt, what is it that they will not turne vpſide downe? what is it that they will not depraue, or corrupt to make it yeld, yea forcibly wring and wreſt it, to their mindes and purpoſes? And therefore the Poet ſayd very well, that fury cauſeth contention and debate. Is this, I beſeech you, the way to learne, to turne ouer the leaues of the ſcriptures, to ſerue our fond appetits, and be ſubiect to our mindes? Was there euer a fooliſher thing then this? was there euer greater folly? O moſt pernicious peſtilence: O dronklieu darnell, the moſt certayne and ſure enemy to mankinde, which meaneth to ouergrowe and choake the good and true ſeede. But yet let vsus be abaſhed to ſee that ſo many ſectes ſhould come from thoſe which firſt profeſſed the Goſpell, & receiued the word out of the dark Truely this threat greatly troubleth me, where it is ſayd The kingdome of God ſhall be taken from you, and geuen to another nation, that ſhall bring fourth the fruites thereof. And here I meane to end my complaynt: becauſe my booke would be ouer great, if I ſhould make ſuch a declamation, as appertayneth to the froward dealing of theſe dayes. Wherfore, my brethren, let vsus, after ſo many examples be admoniſhed, or at the leaſt, yet in the end, become wiſe. And let vsus wholy depend vponupon the mouth of God, and ſtill looke vntounto his word: neither let vsus add, or entermeddle any thing of our owne, to or with his wiſedome, to the end our Leauen marre not the whole lumpe, and make the ſalt that is in vsus, vnſauery But let vsus ſhew our ſelues to be ſuch obedient ſubiects to our God, as he would hauehave vsus be: to witt, humble, ſimple, and playne, not cleauing to our owne wiſdome & very zealous to learn: yet let vsus know nothing, or be willing to learne any thing, ſaue onelyonly that which he ſhall teach vsus, And beſides, let vsus flee whatſoeuer is ſtraunge, and not conteined in his law, as a deadly poyſon. I will meete alſo with thoſe kinde of men, who would faine finde fault with my meaning, and ſay, that I rayſe vp terrible ſtyrres, and controuerſies, about a matter of nothing, decyding theſe quarrels with cruell diſsentions. For I am ſure there are great ſtore of theſe people, who will not ſtick thus to deale with me. And therefore I aunſwere them thus: That ſeing the word of God, is of ſet purpoſe, obstinately aſſayled: that the leaſt iotte thereof is by no meanes to be abidden, to be dryuen to the wall: and this is not a matter of nothing, or of ſo light regard, to ſee the light of God thus furiouſly put out, through Satans obſcuritie and darkenes. Moreouer, this cauſe is of farre greater waight, then many take it to be. But by the way, he that cannot away to ſee the errors and fooliſhe opinions of others, is not therefor as they enterpret it, by and by to be ſayd, that he opinatiuely diſagreeth, euen to the effuſion of bloud. For, I reproue nothing els, but the fooliſh curioſitie of ſuch as ſtriue about theſe queſtions, which are nothing els, in very deede, but a tormenting and vexing of the minde. Neuertheles after they had reuiued this dounghill opinion, it was meete their raſhnes ſhould be reproued, to the end they ſhould not preuaile agaynſt the trueth. Now, I knew not whether I was able to doe it or no, yet my will was very good: & whatſoeuer goodnes is in it, I hauehave alſo with good will deliuered it: Wherefore, if there are any others that can better deale in it, Let them in Gods name beſtow their trauell to the common benefite of their poore Brethren. Baſile. 1536.