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A05099 The second part of the French academie VVherein, as it were by a naturall historie of the bodie and soule of man, the creation, matter, composition, forme, nature, profite and vse of all the partes of the frame of man are handled, with the naturall causes of all affections, vertues and vices, and chiefly the nature, powers, workes and immortalitie of the soule. By Peter de la Primaudaye Esquier, Lord of the same place and of Barre. And translated out of the second edition, which was reuiewed and augmented by the author.; Academie françoise. Part 2. English La Primaudaye, Pierre de, b. ca. 1545.; Bowes, Thomas, fl. 1586. 1594 (1594) STC 15238; ESTC S108297 614,127 592

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the graue hee sheweth after very euidently what he vnderstandeth by his soule when he saieth Thou hast reuiued me from them that goe downe into the pit Hee taketh this worde Soule in the same sense when he saieth that God deliuered his soule from death and from the midst of lions and when he prayeth him to deliuer his soule from the sword his desolate soule from the power of the dogge For it is easie to iudge by these wordes that he taketh not the soule in these places for the essence of the soule and proper substance thereof because the soule can not be smitten with the sword nor deuoured of lions nor carried away by dogges Therefore seeing the soule is so often put in the Scripture for corporall life which endeth with the body and which the soule giueth vnto it by meanes of those instruments which it hath in the body the name of Spirite is many times vsed therein to signifie more specially this essence and spirituall substance which wee call the soule and which may be separated both from the body and blood as that which liueth after the death of the body Therefore Dauid did so vse the word Spirite when he recommended his soule to God by the same wordes which Iesus Christ vsed vpon the crosse Afterward Saint Steuen tooke it in the same sense when he saide Lorde Iesus receiue my spirite For this is that spirite of which Salomon saieth that it returneth to God that gaue it after that the body is returned to the earth and to dust of which it consisteth And yet this difference is not alwayes obserued in the Scriptures For as wee haue already heard both the heart and soule and spirite are oftentimes generally and indifferently put for all the partes and powers of the soule and not onely for those of men but also of beastes as when the Wise man attributeth spirit vnto them hauing regard to this corporall life For when Salomon speaketh so it is in consideration of this life that consisteth in breath which is also called Spirit in the holy Scriptures which vse one the same word to signifie both wind and breathing and whatsoeuer we call spirit taking it both for the soule of man for the Angelicall natures and for the Diuine nature Therefore Iob speaking of this present life sayth So long as my breath is in me and the spirit of God in my nosethrilles my lippes surely shall speake no wickednesse and my tongue shall vtter no deceit But when Saint Paul saieth The same spirite beareth witnesse with our spirite that wee are the children of God hee taketh the worde Spirite in an other sence then Iob did in the place nowe alleadged For in the first place hee taketh the name of Spirite for the Spirite of GOD and in the second place for the Spirite of man which signifieth the humane soule It is true that in this place hee taketh it for the soule and for the spirit such as it is in regenerate men but when hee saieth elsewhere that the spirite of man knoweth the things of man hee taketh the spirite simply for a humane Spirite and for the vnderstanding part thereof Likewise the name of soule is put not onely for this naturall life and for the will and affections but also for the selfe same thing that is comprehended by this worde Spirite when one woulde signifie thereby the greatest excellencie of the soule As when Dauid sayeth Our soule waiteth for the Lord for hee is our helpe and our shield Surely our heart shall reioyce in him because wee trusted in his holie name And againe My soule reioyceth in the Lorde and is glad in his saluation And when Saint Peter sayeth Abstaine from fleshly lustes which fight against the soule and haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles hee taketh the name of Soule for the spirituall man who hath his minde and all his affections well ruled according to the will of GOD. As then wee haue heard in what sort the soule may die in regarde of this corporall life according to the phrase of the Scriptures and of the Hebrewes so by this which Saint Peter saieth that fleshly lustes fight against the soule wee may learne after what manner the soule may be said to die and to be slaine For nothing can bring death vnto it but sinne Wherefore it is not said without good reason in the Booke of Wisedome that the mouth that telleth lies slayeth the soule Albeit then the soule is immortall in that it can neuer be without life no more then the Angelles who are spirites like to it neuerthelesse it is after a sort mortall so farre forth as being farre off separated from God through sinne it liueth no more that blessed life wherewith it shoulde liue if it were vnited and ioyned vnto him by true faith and sincere obedience For it shoulde enioy the selfe same life which the heauenly Angelles with the soules and spirites of the blessed doe enioy As contrariwise the soules of the wicked liue with the same life that the Diuelles doe which is called dead because it is a more accursed life then death it selfe and therefore called the second and eternall death Nowe wee may thinke our selues sufficiently taught touching the diuerse significations in which the name of Soule is taken It seemeth to mee that wee haue spoken enough of the Anatomy of the bodie and soule of which the most of our discourses hitherto were made which may suffice for the contentation of euery one that will keepe himselfe within the bounds and limits set downe vnto vs by the wisedome of GOD in his word But to finish this whole matter concerning the soule which we haue chiefly considered in her parts powers and effects we are further yet to be instructed in the creation generation nature and immortalitie thereof And because they are marueilous difficult matters and such as are not without great contrarieties of opinions euen amongest the learned I am of opinion that these things are to be discoursed of according to that manner of teaching of the ancient Academickes which wee followed in our first meeting namely vpon the theame propounded vnto vs to ballance the arguments on the one part with the reasons of the other side that so we may diligently search out the trueth Notwithstanding it shal be lawfull for vs to deliuer our opinion so long as wee ground it vpon the infallible testimonie of the worde of God leauing to euery one his libertie to iudge which is best and to embrace and follow the same For our entrance therefore into so goodly a matter thou shalt beginne ASER to morrowe to declare vnto vs what thou shalt thinke good concerning this proposition namely whether the soule is begotten with the body and of the seede thereof or whether it be created apart and of another substance and what is requisit for vs to know therein The end of the
compounded and so consequently according to the temperancie or intemperancie that is in vs the affections of the soule also will be more moderate or immoderate and the perturbations which they shall bring with them will be greater or lesse and more easie or vneasie to be prouoked or appeased Whereby wee might knowe what great agreement God hath made betweene the body and the soule For not withstanding their natures differ much one from an other yet seein they must be linked together it is necessary they shoulde haue some agreement betweene them to the end they may be conioyned and vnited in one It is true that by the reasons of humane Philosophie we know well howe the coniunction of corporall things and of their qualities what contrarietie soeuer it is betweene them may be effected and wrought But as wee cannot see or knowe our soule or any spirituall nature as wee knowe our bodies and bodily natures so can wee not iudg so easily of the meanes whereby the body agreeth with the soule and corporall natures with spirituall but onely as experience and the effectes giue vs some sight thereof For wee see by experience from whence the good or ill disposition of the body and health and sickenesse proceede namely from the good or ill temperature of the qualities thereof Wee see also that according to the nourishment which the body taketh that sobrietie or gluttoni● it vseth in eating and drinking and according to the abstinence or the effectes it bringeth foorth in all things it is either better or worse affected and disposed We see likewise the changes and alterations that befall it according to the ages and exercises it hath Wherefore although we had nothing else to looke vnto but to maintaine and preserue our health yet ought we to desire to be sober moderate and very temperate in all things seeing moderation beareth so great sway in all the partes of mans life But it ought to be more pretious in our eies when wee see that the temperance or intemperance that may be in our bodies extendeth it selfe vnto the estate of our soule and that it can do much eyther in the helping and maintaining or in the hurting and troubling thereof For wee knowe already by experience that which is of a cholericke nature is more subiect to those diseases that are bredde of a cholericke humour then a flegmatike person that is of a contrary temperature and that a flegmatike bodie is most subiect to diseases proceeding of flegme The like may bee saide of all the other qualities and complexions If then euery one encline more to such diseases as may proceede from those naturall qualities which abound most in his body it is an easie matter to iudge what is like to fall vpon him if they exceede whereby they are encreased much more And if that humour which naturally exceedeth most in a man and of which his temperature and complexion hath his name cause him to incline most to those diseases that may be bred thereof a man may iudge into what disposition of body he may fall through excesse of other qualities which are more repugnant to his nature and complexion if there be no such counterpoize and equalitie that one contrary may serue as a remedy against another But hauing considered of these things we must goe forward and prosecute our speech of the affections of the soule which are as it were health and sicknes therein according as they shal be eyther well or ill moderated and see what conueniencie there is betweene corporall and spirituall phisicke Finish therefore this dayes woorke ACHITOB with some discourse vpon this poynt which may serue to instruct vs in the matter of the affections of the soule of which to morowe we are to intreate particularly and in order Of the Health and diseases of the soule of the agreement betweene corporall and spirituall Phisicke how necessary the knowledge of the nature of the body and of the soule is for eueryone Chap 40. ACHITOB. It is alwayes in his power who hath giuen vs beeing namely God the spring and fountaine of all essences to preserue and keepe vs therein and to take it also from vs when it pleaseth him But forasmuch as he delighteth not in destroying the woorkes which himselfe hath wrought hee hath giuen vnto his creatures certaine meanes to preserue themselues in that nature wherin he created them And that they might haue those meanes neere at hand he hath placed them euen in their owne nature For they haue by nature an inclination that moueth and vrgeth them to keepe and defend themselues asmuch as they can possible from euery thing that may corrupt their nature that is contrary vnto it or that wil bring to an end that beeing which they haue receiued of God But that which herein is most to be lamented in man is his ouer great care and curiositie in searching out remedies meete for the maintenance and preseruation of his bodie the least griefe and ill disposition whereof seemeth vnto him to be very burthensome but as for thinking eyther vpon those means wherby God hath appoynted him to attaine to an eternall and blessed life or vpon the diseases of the soule which in steed of life will bring death vnto it and are farre more dangerous stubberne and vneasie to be cured then those of the body he dreameth litle thereof his care is very small he esteemes them not great and therefore is very slouthfull in seeking remedie for them We are to know then that the affections of the soule are as it were health and sicknesse therein according as they are either temperate or intemperate For as there is no euill disposition or sicknesse in the bodie but contrariwise good health if there bee not some excesse in the qualities of which it is compounded which may destroy that equalitie that is requisite for the keeping of it sounde so is it with the faculties powers qualities and affections of the soule which according to her nature hath her health and her diseases Wherefore when the harmonie conueniencie and temperature of her powers and affections is such as her nature requireth then is shee well disposed and in health as contrariwise thee is ill affected and diseased when in place of temperance and mediocritie there is intemperance and excesse Nowe according to that which wee hearde in the former speech of the conueniencie betweene the temperature and complexion of the bodie and the affections of the soule wee see that a man of a cholericke nature is a great deale more easily stirred vp to anger then an other that is of a flegmatike or melancholy nature For seeing the cholericke humour is by nature hote and burning like to fire that man in whome this humour raigneth is sooner inflamed with anger and wrath then an other that is of a contrary nature For fire will more speedily kindle in a matter that commeth neerer to it owne nature and of which it
enter into the combat with vs. It belongeth therfore to thee ACHITOB to beginne the skirmish How men can haue no certaine resolution of th'immortalitie of the soule but by the Word of God of the peruersenesse of Epicures and Atheists in this matter Of the chiefe causes that hinder men from beleeuing the immortalitie of the soule and of their blockishnes and euill iudgement therein How wee must seeke for the Image of God after which man was created in his soule Chap. 88. ACHITOB. We are now fallen into a time which discouereth vnto vs not onely false religions but euen an Atheisme that is farre worse For they that are altogether without Religion are farther dist●●t from true pietie then they that follow a false religion and yet at this day there are as many or moe that declare themselues to be Atheists and Epicures as there bee of such as are taken for good Christians And if in outward shew they pretend some exercise of Religion it is but to couer themselues with the vaile thereof to the ende they might not bee esteemed and accompted for such as they are in trueth But in their heart and with their companions they doe but make a mocke of the holy Scriptures and of al those testimonies that we haue in them of another life besides this of Heauen of hell of the blessed immortalitie and eternall death of the soule Now it is an easie matter to conuince such felowes of error and lies But this is a thing worthy to be bewayled in all the affaires opinions and counsailes of men that when any question ariseth of the trueth and of that which is Good no proofes or testimonies how rich or of howe great authoritie soeuer they bee seeme sufficient to vs and worthy to bee beleeued And yet if the question be of any euil falsehood and lyes no testimony how slender and bad soeuer it be but satisfieth vs very well For by reason that we are euil and ignorant ful of blindnesse and darkenesse by nature we are alwayes the readier to follow that which is like our selues namely wickednes and falsehood lies and error as we see it by experience in Atheists and Epicures and in all infidels and scorners of God and of his Word For there are many skilfull in Artes and humane learning and in naturall Philosophie who reprehend and condemne Epicurus Lucretius Pliny and other such like Philosophers Epicures and Atheists in that which they haue taught and written of naturall things belonging to this life and call them ignorant men and voyd of experience But in that which they haue spoken against the prouidence of God the immortalitie of soules and all Religion abolishing them wholie by their false doctrines and by Philosophie they imbrace and praise them for the skilfullest and most excellent Philosophers that euer were as hauing deliuered men from the greatest torments that could seaze vpon them and brought vnto them the greatest good that could befall them by taking from them all feare of God of hell and of all punishment after this life and all opinion and hope of Paradice and of a better life after this In a worde they extoll them as if they onely had found the beane in the cake as wee vse to say and as if they onely deserued to be the Kings of beanes among their fellowes Forasmuch then as we are entred into this matter of the immortalitie of the soule and seeing at this day so many Atheists herein followe the opinions of these Epicurian Philosophers before named I say not onely more then they doe all the best Philosophers but also then the authoritie of the holy Scriptures and the testimonie of God in them we cannot gather too many arguments whereby at leastwise to cause them to ponder the matter more diligently if they will not be confounded wholy by naturall reasons seeing they make so small reckoning of that celestial and heauenly doctrine It is true that it will bee a very hard and difficult matter to perswade such in this point as giue no more credite to this testimonie of the word of God then they doe to all humaine and naturall reasons that can bee alleadged vnto them For although the arguments of those Philosophers that maintaine the immortalitie of the soule are strong and waightie yet they can neuer wholy and fully assure men of their immortalitie except this testimonie of God take all doubting from them But that argument of all others is most forcible which hee hath giuen vnto vs in the resurrection of Iesus Christ whereby his soule was vnited againe vnto his body and so wrought those heauenly workes which followed his resurrection and ascention into heauen and namely by the gift of the holy Ghost which hee sent vnto his Apostles and by the effects thereof which according to the promise of Iesus Christ appeared so great and manifest throughout the whole world and that in so short a time that no prudence wisdome skill eloquence authoritie power or force of man was able to hinder that vertue or the course of the Gospel But because Epicures and Atheists accompt these things for fables and are of so peruerse and monstrous a nature that they had rather sight against nature it selfe and cleane to the worst opinions most vnworthy the nature of man then to follow the reasons of the best Philosophers grounded vpon a more sure foundation let vs at leastwise put them to some further trouble by vrging them to be fully resolued in that opinion which is contrary to the immortality of the soule For certainly I doubt not but they wil be alwaies without resolution And in deed frō whēce should they fetch this resolution of theirs seeing they haue no certaine ground of their false opinion and seeing there are so many and so forcible reasons to the contrary But wee must note that the principall cause that keepeth men from beleeuing the immortalitie of the soule is partly their ignorance partly their malice and peruersenesse For some there are so blockish that they measure all things according to the knowledge and reach of their bodilie senses so that they set downe with themselues to beleeue nothing but that which they are able to knowe and perceiue by them Others there are who besides this are so wicked and peruerse that they would not onely haue their soules not to bee immortall but wish also that there were no God to the ende they might haue no Iudge For by reason they are so wholly addicted to the worlde and to their carnall pleasures they would haue no other God or other life after this but wish that all life might end with their delights and the soule with the body that so they might haue no accompt to make to any Iudge Therefore they are of that number whereof mention is made in the Booke of Wisedome who make these discourses saying Our life is short and tedious and in the death of a man there is no
ought to depart and the place where they are to be receiued according to the estate of euery one euen vntill they returne into their bodies at the resurrection If they be soules of the reprobate they are deteined in Hel in eternall fire where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth if they be the soules of Gods elect they shine as the sunne in the kingdome of heauen in a life accompanied with perpetual ioy and happinesse But wee must vrge them better that require testimonie for the immortalitie of soules by their returne into this world or of some that haue come from another world For it is an easie matter for vs to bring them as credible witnesses as any can bee to tell them most certaine newes if they will beleeue them according as they deserue it And for the first haue wee not Iesus Christ who first came downe from heauen and became man to bring vs newes and to declare the same vnto vs in his owne person not onely before his death but also after his resurrection Besides how many other witnesses haue we that haue testified most certainly of the same who saw with their eyes and touched with their hands euen to the number of moe then fiue hundred according as Saint Paul testifieth Moreouer they that were raised as wel by him as by Elias and Elizeus and by the Apostles and disciples may they not serue vs also for good withnesse to assure vs not onely that soules are immortall but also that their bodies shall rise againe and that God is of sufficient vertue power to doe it as he hath promised I omit here the testimonie which the Angels haue giuen both of the resurrection and ascension of Iesus Christ besides that of the holy spirite which is the chiefest of all with signes and giftes wherewith he came accompanied and those woorkes and effectes that followed them Wherefore seeing wee haue for this point the worde of God that is most certaine cleere which teacheth vs what we ought to beleeue and hold let vs rest our selues in the testimonie thereof and not desire to make further inquiry For it is he that said to Moses I am the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Iacob Whereupon Iesus Christ concludeth that Abraham Isaac and Iacob doe liue yet after their death seeing God is the God of the liuing and not of the dead that is to say of them that are yet in being and not of them that are nothing at all For otherwise if all men should so perish by death that nothing of them should remaine in life at leastwise in regard of the soule then should he be the God of nothing And although it seemeth that Iesus Christ alleaged this place against the Sadduces not onely to proue against them by the doctrine of Moses the immortality of soules but also the resurrection of bodies we may well gather that if it be fitte to proue that bodies arise it is much more strong to assure vs of the immortality of soules For when the Lord spake these words Abraham Isaac and Iacob were not aliue in regarde of their bodies but onely of their soules And yet Iesus Christ alleaged it to confirme also therby the resurrection of the dead although at the first sight it may seem not to be very fit firm to proue that so much as the immortality of soules But if it be narrowly looked into his argumēt shal be found to be very well deduced grounded vpon inuincible reason For Iesus Christ had respect to the promise which God made to those holy Patriarkes of whom he spake which was not made only to their soule but to the whole man together compounded of body soule Wherfore al they to whō it was made to whom it appertaineth should not haue the whole effect of it nor the ful fruition of that which it cōtaineth if they were not whole inheriters therof both in body soule For if it were otherwise the promise should be accomplished but in one part of man not in the whole man Wherupon it followeth that seeing the promise is not of a tēporal benefit but of an eternal therefore the whole man that must enioy the same must of necessitie liue an euerlasting life beeing of the same nature that the benefit is of which he must inherit Wherefore seeing the course of mans life is brokē off by death in regard of the body the body must necessarily rise again to liue again with his soule in a better longer life to the end that the whole man may possesse that inheritance which is promised him of God or els the promise made by God to his seruants is altogether vain or the testimony which the holy scripture beareth is wholly false so also the scripture that propoundeth the same vnto vs. But none may once think either of these two last points without great horror of blasphemy contained in thē So that the first point concludeth very strongly according to that groūd which it hath most certaine in the word of God Whereunto may be added further that seeing the soule of man is created not to liue alwaies without a body as the Angels do nor yet to wander from body to body but to be knit and ioyned to that body which is assigned to it of God it must needs be that being part therof as of her lodging she should once againe returne thither Besides seeing the body hath serued the soule either in obeying God or in disobeying of his wil the nature of Gods iusticerequireth that it should be rewarded also with the soule according to the qualitie of those workes whereof it hath bin an instrument Therefore according to that which we haue discoursed of this matter the resurrection of the body doth so depend of th'immortality of soules that it foloweth necessarily vpō this so that if we haue assurance of the one we ought to haue it of the other seeing both of them are certainely grounded vpō the iustice of God which cānot be iust vnlesse he iudge men both in body soule according to his word according as euery one liueth But seeing the matter of th'immortality of soules that of the resurrection of bodies are sundry questions and that wee are to handle but one of them we must returne to our first point of the soule touching th'immortality thereof which is easily beleeued of al that approue of the doctrine of holy Scriptures that giue credit to the word of God For they are throughly resolued therof Yea we may know by the writings of al antiquity that the common opinion of all people nations of what religion soeuer they haue bin hath bin this that mens soules were immortal Wherfore in regard of this point we are to fight only against Epicures Atheists And because they wil not beleeue the word of God but deride it as tales made vpō pleasure I am of opinion that now we
the world shall reioyce ye shall sorrow but your sorrow shal be turned into ioy And then he compareth their sorrowe and their ioy to that which a woman with childe hath which is pained so long as shee is in trauaile but when shee seeth it borne shee receiueth ioy and soone forgetteth her anguish Whereby the worde of God teacheth vs that the griefe of good men shall be turned into double ioy that their sorrow shal be short and their felicitie of long continuance For there is one ioy euen in being deliuered from euill although it be not so great as when any Good happeneth vnto vs. But the ioy is doubled when besides this deliuerance there commeth vnto vs some ioy which we had not which is procured vnto vs by meanes of that paine and euill which we suffered Therefore our Sauiour saieth further to this effect Yee are nowe in sorrow but I will see you againe and your hearts shall reioyce and your ioy shall no man take from you If this ioy can not be taken away it is eternall so that death it selfe can not abolish it Whereupon it followeth that it remaineth yet after death and that there is an other life after this in which wee shall haue fulnesse of ioy Therefore wee may well call it our owne seeing it alwayes continueth with vs. For if it were not so Iesus Christ who is the trueth it selfe shoulde not bee true But as hee cannot lie so wee may assure our selues of his promise For seeing it is grounded on him and vpon his grace resurrection and immortall life we may bee as certainely perswaded of it as wee are assured of his resurrection and of his eternall ioy and life wherein hee liueth and raigneth for euermore Wherefore all those to whome it is promised and that are assured of the fruition thereof by faith in him haue iust occasion to liue in great ioy So that Saint Paul not without good cause saieth Reioyce alwayes in the Lorde and againe I say reioyce But of the ioy of carnall men wee must say as Salomon writeth That it is better to go to the house of mourning then to the house of feasting And that there is away that seemeth right to a man but the issue thereof is the way of death yea in laughter the heart shall be greeued and the ende of ioy is sorrowe The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning but the heart of fooles is in the house of mirth For they thinke of nothing but of iollitie whereas wise men meditate on the miseries of this worlde Therefore wee may know howe greatly Epicures and such as giue themselues to pleasures and dissolutenesse beguile themselues For they thinke there is no ioy nor pleasure but in their life and that there is no life more sadde or melancholy then that of the children and seruants of God But it is cleane contrary For they that feare and honour GOD haue more ioy in their heart in the middest of their greatest sorrowes by reason of that sense and feeling ingrauen in them of heauenly and eternall ioy which thy certainely expect and beginne already to taste here then all worldlings and carnall men can haue in the greatest triumphs of al their pleasures Now as there are two kinds of ioy in the hear of men so are there also of sorrows For we do not only feele ioy for some Good or sorrow for some euill which we now taste of but also for that which we attend and looke for Concerning this latter kind of ioy it is properly called Hope which is an affection and motion of the heart whereby it wisheth some Good to come and prepareth to open it selfe and to receiue it Therefore wee saide before that Hope was comprehended vnder desire vnto which it giueth forme and being For Hope is a desire ioyned with confidence that the Good which wee wish for will come to passe Therefore the motions of Ioy and Hope are very like seeing Hope is alwayes mingled with Ioy neither is there any difference but in the time because the one is of a present Good and the other of that which is looked for In the meane time Hope hath no euidence or science but is grounded onely vpon coniecture of opinion or likelihoode and probabilitie or possibilitie And yet there is nothing so light or so small or strange vnto which the heart will not easily ioyne it selfe and take holde of it when it seeketh for helpes and proppes to ground and stay it selfe vpon Neuertheles there is great difference betweene hauing already and hoping for a thing namely in respect of men and of hope which hath no other grounds then those of which I nowe made mention But when the expectation is grounded vpon God his promises it is as sure of that which it expecteth as if it did already possesse it which is very comfortable to a man in respect of that which hapneth to them who can haue no certaine hope or expectation of Good For although there bee hope yet if it be not grounded vpon God it can bring no certaine ioy or of any long continuance Besides when such a one shall faile of his hope his griefe wil be doubled Wherefore they that build not their hope vpon the word of God can haue no true and certaine hope but they feed thēselues only with their fantasies as they that dreame they find great riches which vanish away whē they awake Such is the hope of the wicked of al worldly and carnall men Neuerthelesse the perswasion of hope which holdeth vs vp with the expectation of better things is very pleasant and necessary for the life of man in the midst of so many miseries of so many sharpe almost intolerable paines and trauailes which accompany them So that it bringeth great comfort to men and is in steade of sawce vnto them without which they woulde find al things to be not only without taste but also of a very bitter and vnpleasant taste Therefore hath the prouidence of God prouided a remedy for this namely that hope shuld breed of very light causes should leane stay it self easily vpon them as if it self were very light or very hooked and gluish being ready to take hold of and to retaine whatsoeuer it meeteth withall or can lay hands vpon to ground and leane thereon Nowe if men finde so great comfort in hope such as it is and being laide vpon so weake a foundation it is easy to iudge what ioy the faithful receiue by that most certaine hope of eternall life and of al the good things that God hath promised them in regard whereof S. Paul saith There is one body one spirit euen as ye are called in one hope of your vocation It is not then without cause that he saith in another place We reioyce in tribulations knowing that tribulation bringeth forth patience and patience experience and experience hope and
holes vnable to hold in and keepe anie secret matter they are fierce in assailing but inconstant in sustaining the assault in some sort resembling the nature of dogges which barke and bite if they can and afterward flie away And if there bee excesse of the melancholike humour the natures of such are sadde still hard to please suspicious conceited obstinate some more and some lesse And if the cholericke and melancholike humours be corrupt and mingled together their natures become monstrous prowd full of enuy fraud subtilties venemous and poisonfull hatefull and diabolicall And when the malignant spirits know mens natures thus disposed no doubt but they take occasion thereby to intermingle themselues if God permit them and purpose to vse them for the punishing of men I say they will ioyne themselues vnto them and make them their instruments as God on the other side vseth those natures that are most moderate and best tempered making them instruments of his glorie Now we may call to mind what we learned before almost to the same ende touching the meanes whereby euill spirites might trouble the imagination fantasie and mindes of men We may say as much of the humours of the body whose motions and nature they knowe very well Whereby they can so much the more easily abuse them in their damnable worke and will as wee may iudge by the example of him that was possessed and lunatike of whom the Euangelists make mention and whome they call by those two names And by that which they wrote of him it seemeth that he was subiect to the falling sickenesse that returneth oftentimes according to the course of the moone which naturally hath great affinitie with the humors and great power ouer them And therefore it is very likely that the euill spirit which tormented this poore lunatike watched the occasions of his disease to afflict him the more and to cause him to fall either in the fire or in the water as he did indeede thereby to worke his death if he had could Which example sheweth vnto vs what is the malice of the deuil what pleasure hee taketh in hurting of men what meanes and what occasions he seeketh for and maketh choice of and what accesse vnto vs we may offer him through our corrupt nature through our vices and sinnes and through our inclinations and manners that are naturally euill and peruerse if God letteth him loose the bridle by his iust iudgement seeing he spareth not the little children as it appeareth in that which is written of him of whom we spake euen now For this cause we ought to take good heede that we giue not our common enemie those occasions that he seeketh to haue from vs to the ende that hee abuse vs not nor any thing that is ours and which God hath bestowed vpon vs. This is the reason why the consideration of our temperature complexion and naturall inclination is very necessary for vs because the knowledge hereof affoordeth vnto vs many good instructions that may stand vs in great steade throughout our whole life as well for the preseruation of the health of our bodies as for the rule and gouernement of our affections and manners as also in regarde of the familiaritie and acquaintance which wee haue one with an other For through the contemplation hereof wee may knowe not onely the causes of health and sickenesse of the life and death of the body but also of that of the soule For as the good humours corrupt in our bodies according as wee haue heard and breede in them sundry diseases which finally leade them vnto death euen so by means of sinne all those good and naturall affections which ought to bee the seedes of vertues in vs are corrupted and turne into vices that are the diseases of the soule and bring vnto it the second and eternall death as contrariwise vertues are the health and life thereof But as GOD hath prouided corporall medicines for the bodie so hee hath prepared spirituall Physicke for the soule against all the diseases thereof Therefore when wee consider with our selues vnto what vices wee are inclined by nature wee must labour to correct and bridle them and to quench such inclinations as much as wee can through sobrietie vigilancie and continuall practise to the contrary least wee nourish and encrease them when as wee ought to diminish and wholy to abolish them For the common prouerbe is not without reason that Education passeth Nature or that it is another nature Wee see by experience what Education and Instruction are able to doe both to goodnesse and vice according as they are either good or euill For as there is no nature so good which can not bee corrupted and peruerted through euill education and teaching so there is none so vicious and euill which can not at the least in some measure through the helpe and grace of GOD bee corrected and amended by good education instruction and discipline And because conuersation and familiaritie are of great efficacie in this point wee are diligently to consider with what persons and natures wee acquaint our selues and bee carefull to eschew such natures as are vicious prowd fierce enuious hatefull malicious suspicious disloyall and traiterous as well in regarde of the corruption of manners wherewith wee may bee infected by them as also in respect of other harmes that may befall vs by reason they are vnsociable natures or at the least very difficult to conuerse withall being indeede such as towardes whome no man can beare any true loue or firme friendship But when wee haue vsed all the diligence wee can possible about these things the chiefest point wherein the whole consisteth is this that wee haue recourse to Iesus Christ the eternall sonne of GOD to the end that by his holy Spirit hee woulde correct represse and quench in vs all the vicious affections and disordered motions that wee haue contrary to his holy will according to that promise which is made vnto vs wherein it is saide that if fathers knowe howe to giue good gifts to their children and such things as are necessarie for them much more will our heauenly Father giue his holie Spirite to them that aske it of him And this is the true meanes wee ought to keepe for the correcting of these vices and defectes that are in our naturall inclinations Now wee haue spoken sufficiently of those things which concerne the naturall powers of the soule in respect of the nourishment and growth of the body and of those instruments which it hath in the same for the performaunce of her actions It remaineth nowe that wee consider what effectes it hath in Generation First then ASER thou shalt handle the restauration and reparation of all natures by that vertue and power of Generation that is in them and namely in man to the end wee may after proceede with those other points that concerne this matter Of the restauration and reparation of all
and immortall qualities And so doeth the Apostle expound it saying in the same place The bodie is sowen in corruption and riseth in incorruption it is sowen in dishonour it riseth in glorie it is sowen in weakenesse and is raised in power It is sowen a naturall bodie and is raised a spirituall bodie there is a naturall bodie and there is a spirituall bodie As it is also written The first man Adam was made a liuing soule and the last Adam was made a quickening spirite Whereupon wee haue to note that Saint Paul speaketh still of the selfe same bodie which remaineth alwayes one in substance But forasmuch as it altereth in qualities and kinde of life therefore as hee calleth it spirituall in regarde of the Spirite of Christ and of his spirituall and heauenly vertues by which hee changeth the first qualities of it as the Apostle teacheth vs by such as are opposed against them so it is also called an animall or naturall body of the soule which giueth vnto it onely that naturall life that it hath in this worlde and not that spirituall and immortall life which it shall haue after this For the soule which nowe can giue none but this mortall life by reason of sinne shall then haue another vertue when sinne shall bee wholly abolished to giue vnto the body an immortall and blessed life by meanes of that spirituall and diuine vertue of Iesus Christ whereby it shall bee quickened that it may quicken the body with the same life But because this worde Animal deriued from Anima that signifieth the soule is not very common in our English tongue wee finde in the vsuall translation of these places of Saint Paul alleadged by vs these wordes naturall and sensuall insteade of animal which the Greeke worde properly signifieth Therefore in expounding the sence of these kindes of speech vsed by the Apostle wee must vnderstand that hee doeth not call animal or sensuall and naturall the body of man onely or man by reason of his body onely but the whole man compounded of body and soule For hee is altogether animal that is naturall and sensuall both in body and soule without Christ Iesus but being in him so long as hee liueth in this worlde hee is both animal that is to say naturall and sensuall and also spirituall First hee is animal both because hee is not yet perfectly regenerated as also because hee is not yet immortall and glorified as hee shall bee after his resurrection On the other side hee beginneth euen nowe to bee spirituall because hee hath a beginning of regeneration wrought in him which being once made perfect hee shall bee regenerated much more absolutely and made wholly conformable to Iesus Christ both for immortallitie and eternall happinesse For then hee shall be no more animal naturall sensuall and spirituall altogether but onely spirituall according as I haue already declared Wherefore let vs knowe that euery one shall retaine still the selfe same body and soule which hee hath in this life but by reason of that change of euill qualities which being in both shall bee made in the other life Saint Paul calleth it spirituall and not for any conuersion that shall bee of the bodie into the spirite For as a man is called animal in regarde of the soule that is giuen him because the soule is the chiefest thing in him so hee is called spirituall in respect of the other life and of the excellencie that shall be added to the soule and by the soule to the body through the heauenly and spirituall vertue and power of Iesus Christ Nowe then seeing the soule is taken in the holie Scriptures for the naturall life which is not without affections wee may see it sometimes also put for them Therefore when the worde of God woulde expresse a great affection of loue it sayeth of the sonne of Sichem that his soule claue vnto Dinah and after it is added that hee loued her and spake to the heart of the maide that is to say kindely and as her heart coulde wish In like manner it is written of Iacob that his soule was bound to the soule of Beniamin his sonne to signifie that hee loued him tenderly as his owne soule and life And of Ionathan it is saide that his soule was knit with the soule of Dauid which phrase is afterward expounded by the Scripture where it is saide that Ionathan loued Dauid as his owne soule Wee are also commaunded to loue GOD with all our soule as also with all our heart and minde Therefore Iesus Christ sayeth that whosoeuer seeketh and saueth his soule shall lose it but hee that hateth and loseth it for his sake shall finde it and saue it vnto eternall life In which wordes the soule is not onely taken for the life but also for all the commodities thereof and for the desires of the flesh such as are glorie honours riches pleasures delights ease and all kinde of prosperitie for the obtaining of which things many turne aside from the way of saluation and take the path that leadeth to destruction Also we reade many places in the Scriptures in which the soule is taken not only for the whole person liuing but also for the person dead yea for the dead body and sometimes for the spirite separated from the body But wee must well consider in what sence there is mention made of the death of the soule Balaam wisheth that his soule might die the death of the iust but hee speaketh after the manner of the Hebrews who vse many times to say My soule and thy soule for my selfe and thy selfe or for my person and thy person according to that before mentioned that the name of soule and of flesh are often taken for the whole man and for that which wee call Person For this cause whereas Moses sayde that GOD sware by himselfe Ieremie and Amos say that hee sware by his soule in the same sence and signification Likewise the name of Soule is not onely taken for a liuing person but also for him that is dead as when it is written in the Law Let none of you be defiled by the dead among his people it is in the Hebrew ouer the soule of his people that is ouer the dead body of any of the people by touching it after it is dead And when Iob saieth that the soule of a man draweth to the graue and his life to the buryers and that God deliuereth his soule from going into the pit he taketh not the name of soule for that spirituall essence that giueth life vnto man but for the life it selfe or for the man and body it selfe which is laide in the graue after death So that his meaning is no other then to say that God deliuereth man from death whereby otherwise he should be brought into the pit And when Dauid saith Lord thou hast brought vp my soule out of
of all Atheists and Epicures who haue receiued their name of him For hee appointed therein that the day of his natiuitie shoulde be yeerely celebrated and that at certaine times assigned by him a banket should bee made for those of his sect in remembrance of his name Whereby wee see that this dogge himselfe who made no difference betweene the death of men and of beastes and who denied vtterly the immortalitie of the soule of man coulde not for all that plucke out of his owne soule the desire of immortalitie but doeth what lay in him to make himselfe immortall after his death by the perpetuitie of his name and memorie We may take the like argument from that which men vsually appoynt at their death touching their funerals sepulchres and tombes For why is it that they will haue sumptuous funeralles and stately and magnificent tombes Why haue manie caused Churches and chappels to bee erected themselues to bee engrauen and their escutchions to be hung vp where they haue laide themselues It is certaine that if they desired not to make their name as immortall as they coulde and their memorie eternall among men their death would not bee so ambitious neither would they leaue behinde them such markes of their ambition and of their desire of immortalitie And as great men affoorde this testimonie of their desire so the common people are not without some one or other for their part For a poore Artificer as a Tayler or Shoemaker or some such like if hee bee able hee will appoynt to haue a stone layde vpon his graue in which his name shall bee ingrauen and his marke or some such like thing to this ende that the Suruiuors and they that come after him should knowe that hee once liued and was in the worlde and that hee woulde still liue at leastwise in name and memorie And this is further confirmed by them who albeeit they cannot continue their name and memorie by any good deedes and valiant actes yet they striue to make themselues immortall by wicked and execrable dooings As among others wee haue the example of Herostratus who set on fire the Temple of that great Diana of Ephesus for no other cause but onelie that hee might bee spoken of and that the memorie of him might remaine and continue for euer amongest men as in deede it hath done notwithstanding the contrarie endeuour of the Ephesians who by a publicke Edict ordayned that his name shoulde neuer be written in any place But it may bee obiected vnto mee that this argument deriued from the desire of men to continue their name to proue the immortalitie of soules thereby is not very fit nor of great force because this desire is rather found in men that are most foolish vaine carnal and wicked then in the wiser sort of men and such as are more graue spirituall and vertuous For who couet more this immortalitie of name and memorie then they that are most vainglorious and ambitious vnto whose ambition death it selfe can bring no end but it reuiueth and liueth still therein We see also that they who least of all beleeue the immortalitie of soules and scoffe most at it are greatliest affected with this ambition and labor most to become immortall after that maner because they expect no other immortalitie All this I confesse is true yet mine argument continueth still firme For first we haue alwayes this testimonie from them that they know and acknowledge a certaine immortalitie and perpetuitie and desire to enioy the same as much as they may thinking to continue the same euen after their death which knowledge and desire is not to be found in brute beasts And whereas the vainest and worst men are more moued with this foolish desire then the wisest most vertuous men are the reason thereof is good and euident For the wisest men and such as are endewed with most vertue make least accompt of this temporary and fading immortalitie which is but as it were a winde that goeth from mouth to mouth or is but in paper parchment wood stone brasse or in some such corruptible matter because they expect a better perpetuitie that is more certaine more glorious and of longer continuance of which they are certainely perswaded Which perswasion can not be vaine in them seeing it is grounded vpon the testimony of Gods Spirit which saith that the iust shal be had in euerlasting remembrāce not onely before men but also before God and Angelles But the other sort of men busie themselues about an immortalitie which deserueth not to be accompted so much as a shadowe and image of true immortalitie because the desire thereof is infected and corrupted with that darkenesse of errour and of ignorance which sinne hath brought vpon the minde of man with those peruerse affections that proceede from the same and with their euil educcation and instruction who are not taught in the word of God By means whereof this natural desire of true immortalitie degenerateth into a foolish desire greedy of fame name amōg men euen as whē good seed falleth into bad groūd but stil it proceeds from a good beginning fountaine if it were not corrupted As we see also that it falleth out with the greater part of men in that natural desire they haue of skil knowledge which albeit it be in them by nature yet they turne it into a vaine and foolish curiositie that endeuoureth to knowe that which is not onely not profitable but very hurtfull and dangerous for them in stead of seeking to know that which is more profitable and necessary But besides that which wee haue already spoken our affections also tell vs plainely what the nature is as well of our spirite as of our senses both internall and externall and what difference there is betweene them For if the Spirite entreth into a cogitation of it owne death the internall senses with fancie and imagination are not greatly moued or troubled therewith but passe it ouer well enough as if they had no feeling thereof supposing that this corporall life will last a long time but the spirit is so confounded and troubled that it feareth and flieth nothing more then it And surely I doubt not but that they who being pressed and oppressed with great euilles desire death through a blind fury of their mind and wish to be wholly extinguished woulde change their purpose and abhorre that kinde of death and thinke it to be a greater mischiefe then all those which they suffer if they might haue leasure and means for some small time to come out of their dispaire and to returne to their right minde that so they might haue some rest from the troubles of their spirite and thinke seriously vpon the death thereof And as all the senses are presently troubled and as it were carried out of themselues through the cogitation of corporall death so the spirite contrariwise if it be found quiet and well setled abideth