Iesus For the one principle is suffitiente to ouerthrowe their false pernitious opinioÌ„ touchinge this fantastical slepe whyche they do attribute vnto the soules For we se the deductioÌ„ which s Paul hath made to the contrarye where he sayeth that we be already citizyns of heauen beynge set in heauenly places wyth the Lorde Iesus Therefore let vs holde vs fast by that whych Saynte Paule hath sayed that we be dead touchyng the world and that our lyfe is hyd with Christ in God Nowe by thys he signifieth that whiche in an other place he sayeth I lyue no more but Christe lyueth in me Let vs hold I say thys resolution that we hauyng one inseperable coniunction wyth oure Lorde Iesus Christe be partakers of the lyfe whyche is permanent in hym And let vs haue in remeÌ„braunce that he beynge raysed vp dieth no more and that death hath no more power ouer hym not onely touchyng hys person but also touchynge hys membres ¶ It is true that there is thys difference that in hym death is wholly vanquyshed in vs onelye in parte Notwythstandynge so muche is she vanquyshed in vs that she caÌ„ neuer exercyse hyr power And thus while we abyde the accomplyshment of our redeÌ„ption let vs not doubt but that the same beginnynge whyche is in our soules shall continue euer Hitherto haue we proued by sufficieÌ„t testimonies howe the soules beynge seperated from the bodyes do notwythstandynge lyue in God and haue reproued the errour of the Anabaptistes whyche woulde make vs beleue that they do slepe beynge dead wythout anye fealynge Nowe to satisfye the requeste of all men as muche as in vs is there resteth that we do brieflye shewe what we oughte to thynke touchynge the estate and condition where they be And fyrst I protest that I wyl speke therof more soberly then many woulde For I knowe what curiositie there is in manye whyche woulde that a man shoulde describe it vnto them vnto the vttermoste euen vnto the chambers and cabyns where the soules be abydynge the daye of iudgement They whych woulde be fed with suche fables shall be deceyued if they seke theym at me For I had leuer kepe my selfe to the simplicitie of the scripture to shewe that which is expediente to knowe then to wander abrode in the ayre to appeare subtyle Nowe the Lorde forseynge that it was not needful for vs to haue a more ample vnderstandyng of this matter was content to teach vs simplye that when our soules be departed from theyr bodyes they do notwythstandyng lyue in hym abyding the accomplishment of their beatitude and glory in the daye of the iudgment as shall be hereafter shewed Let vs abyde therefore by thys and whatsoeuer declaration we shal make let vs not passe this measure as touchynge thys sentence But to procede more plainely let vs begin at the distinction which is betwene the soules of the fayethfull and the soules of the reproued WheÌ„ the Apostle sayd in the epistle vnto the Hebrues that vnto theÌ„ which had cast of Iesus Christe had wyllingly turned froÌ„ hym after they had knowne the trueth there remayneth nothynge but a lokyng for of terrible Iudgement it is manifest that he speaketh not onely for thys presente lyfe but had a greater respecte vnto the lyfe to come For the wycked do not alwayes in thys worlde conceyue the Iudgement of God to be astonished and to haue horroâ— but when deathe commeth they can not escape but they shal be holden faste wyth thys feare and astonishemente knowynge the vengeaunce whych is ordeyned for them And thys is also testified by Saynte Peter and S Iude where they saye that God hath not spared hys owne Aungels whyche fell from theyr originall but hath caste them into darcke prysons kepyng them shutte vp to preserue them vnto the greate day In declarynge vnto vs the condition of the deuylles they shewe vnto vs lykwyse what is the condition of the wycked For it is one selfe reason Thus we se that the soule of an infidele beynge departed frome the bodye is as a malefactoure whyche hathe alreadye receyued the sentence of condempnation and obydeth the houre that he shoulde be ledde forthe to the gallowes to be put in execution It is true that also durynge thys presente lyfe the wycked are sometyme tormented with manye remorses of theyr conscience and the Iudgemente of God doeth persecute theym but for as muche as they do make theym selues droncke wyth vayne cogitacions as thoughe they myghte flee and escape it they are not altogyther Goddes prysoners but are as vagabondes fleynge the presence of the Iudge After deathe it is not so For God holdeth them as in chaynes in such wyse that they se well what punyshemente is prepared for theÌ„ oute of whyche there is no waye to escape Therefore they be in extreme angwyshe abydynge the execution of theyr iudgment It is not in vs to determine the place wher they be and we nede not to care for it ☞ And on the other syde we maye not Imagyne that the Soules be lyke vnto the bodyes that muste haue a certayne space for a place Lette it suffyce vs to knowe that they be in hell as it is sayed of the wicked riche man that is to saye in tormente and as it were in fyre bycause they fele theim selues caste out frome God and do abyde yet a further reuelation of hys greate wrath ☞ By thys it is easye to conclude what is the estate of the faythfull soules Whylse we be in thys worlde it is true that oure consciences haue ioy and reste in God but bicause they are continuallye agitate wyth dyuersse temptatyons thys reste is vnquyeted wyth many cares ☞ More ouer bycause oure healthe consisteth in hope it is hydde to vs in such wiâ—e that we do not walke in visyon as sayeth Sayncte Paule but after deathe bycause all oure fyghte is ended and that oure enemyes canne assaulte vs no more we are as in a place of greater suretye Moreouer we do no more kepe then as we do nowe that is to say aboue against hope but we do abide the felicity which we do fele se in part It is certaine that after this maner the soule of Lazarus receyued Ioye and consolacion and that in the middell of the miseries of this worlde he was all hys lyfe long comforted in God But the Lorde doeth specifye a certayne ioye whiche the fayethful soule hath after death in seynge her selfe deliuered from all fragilitie â–ª from diffidence from all euell concupiscences and from all daungers of temtacions whyche do dayelye happen vnto vs. Also in hauyng more cleare and certayne knoweledge of her beatitude and immortal glorye So whan we woulde wyth one word expresse the condition of the fayethfull soules after death we maye saye that they be at reste not that they be in perfete beatitude or glorye but bycause they be countented wyth the ioye and consolatioÌ„ whych God geueth to them whilest they do
man shoulde open hys mouthe to speake vnto them Notwythstandynge wee wyll open thys doubte whyche they putte forthe whyche is that a man oughte not wyth an othe to promise any thynge bycause it lyeth not in hym to perfourme it To thys I answere that when a subiecte sweareth vnto hys Prynce to do hys dutye in obeyinge and beinge fayethful vnto him he doeth not thys in confidence of hys owne power or vauntyng hym selfe as dispisynge God and settynge him at nought but rather in calling vpon the healpe of God he answereth that hys wyll shal be suche as it oughte to be Howe be it it is a folyshe imaginatioÌ„ to reproue othes and yet to permitte symple promises For if there be folishe rashnes in the one so is ther also in the other Therefore if it be lawefull for vs to promyse they muste shew a reason why we may not assertayne our promise by an othe when necessitie requireth vs That in suche a case an othe is holy and lawefull we haue many exemples in holye stripture and among all thre whych be very notable It is sayed in the boke of the Cronicles that Asa kyng of Iuda beinge admonished by Azarias sacrificer and Prophet called all the people into Hierusalem and there caused them to sweare to serue God for euer As muche is wrytten of Iosias wheÌ„ the boke of the lawe was fouÌ„d that for to renewe the couenaunte made by Moyses he sware the people makinge them promise to perseuer for euer in the obedience of God The thyrde exemple is of Esdras Nehemias at whose instauÌ„ce the people beyng returned from Babilon dyd sweare for euer after to followe we God and hys word If we do wel consider the thinge the lyke was done at the firste publication of the lawe But bycause I knowe that I haue to do with brayneles obstinate people I would aledge none but suche places where is manifestly made mention of othes Ye se then howe the whole churche of Israell made solemne othes vnto god promising that thing whiche is mooste hard to be kepte that is to cleaue fayethfullye vnto hym Thys is done often tymes That the Acte is good there is no doubte For it hathe wytnes and is also praysed of the holy Gost I wyll not greatly stand in thys to declare howe men may this bynde them selues to God to do that which is not in theim but onely putte you in remeÌ„braunce of that thynge whyche I haue touched in the waye that the fayethfull do alwayes presuppose that God wyll not fayle them of hys grace whyche he hath promised them and vpon that they grounde theyr oth But seyng that it is so that god hath approued thys kynde of othe and that hys churche hath often tymes vsed it by hys ordinaunce I aske of our dulheades by what authority they dare reproue it or rather wythout troublynge my selfe wyth them bicause it is time loste I desyre and exhorte all seruauntes of God to consider what boldenes these poore ignoraunte menne haue to make suche Magistrall determinations and to go aboute to constrayne the worlde to receyue theim as thynges irreuorable and not to be agayne sayde ☞ For my parte I doubte not but that in the matter of an othe as in the other before I haue fullye satisfied all suche as haue eares and vnderstandinge and be in will to consent vnto the trueth knowne The two laste Articles I Haue finished the .vii. Articles coÌ„tayned in the boke which the Patriarkes of the Anabaptiâ—â—es haue made as a finall resolutioÌ„ of those things which they do hold apart froÌ„ other And therfore there doeth now rest nothing els but to coÌ„clude make aueÌ„d of this boke were it not that they haue left two Articles of as greate consequence as any of the other of the whyche it is neadfull to speake for as much as al the Anabaptistes do communely cleaue to theÌ„ Besides this I know that thei whyche composed thys goodlye resolution dyd at that tyme teache them The one is that they do not beleue that Iesus Christe was a verye man but rather do make hym touchinge hys bodye a phantasy The other is that they do thynke that the soules beynge seperated from theyr bodyes do slepe vnto the daye of Iudgement withoute fealynge or knowynge anye thynge or else that the soule of man is noughte els but hys lyfe the whyche defaileth in dienge vnto suche tyme as he be raysed vp againe euerye man may se the consequence whych these two errours do emporte That they haue spoken neuer a worde of these I can not tell whether it be by crafte bicause they be so odious that by goodright they shoulde make theyr whole doctrine excerable For what cause so euer it be seynge I haue taken vpon me to arme all fayethful people agaynste theyr faulse opinions it is not good that I shoulde dissimble these two so pestilente and mischeuouse opinions seynge they are commune to them al. Touchynge that some amonge them haue holden opinion that all goodes shoulde be commune also that a man maye haue manye wyues so that they haue coÌ„pelled some whiche were contente wyth one to take moe and a thousande other absurdites I wyll speake nothynge at al. For they theÌ„ selues beyng coÌ„fused in ther selues haue for the most part by littel and littel wtdraweÌ„ theÌ„ selues But touchynge the twoe Articles wher of I haue spoken there is an other reson for as muche as they al do hold them yet styl ☞ Touchyng the fyrst which is of the bodye or humayne nature of oure Lord Iesus Christe it is to be noted that ther was twoe aunciente heresies like or approchynge vnto thys whyche these do holde For the Maniches phantasied that Iesus Christ brought an heauenlye bodye into the wombe of the Vyrgen his mother The Marcionistes had a vayne dreme some what differente from the other that he had not a verye substaunciall bodye but onelye an apperaunce or lykenes of a bodye whyche we call a phatasiye The purpose of the one and of the other was to denye that Iesus Christ take fleshe of the virgin Therfore we se that the Anabaptistes in thys behalffe do but stur vp the errours whyche the dyuyl had raysed more than fortene hundereth yeres past and were coufouÌ„ded by the worde of God Notwythstandynge as in the begynnynge I haue protested I wyll not that it hys shal be anye preiudice vnto there cause excepte I do conuince them fyrste by the pure worde of God so as if it hadde neuer be spoken of before â— anye manne Thys that I do speake is onelye to geue warnynge that all men maye knowe out of what fountaine procedeth that which the Anabaptists now bryng forth as though it were reueled vnto them latlye from heauen And also to geue warnynge vnto them selues For all the greate doctours whyche were of their seete haue bene so ignoraunte of the histories and of all auncientie that I thinke neuer a one of them can tell
felynge after death of good nor euyll what shoulde thys narracion of the Lorde be but a fable and as a tale of the boke of Mellusine Therefore thys tergiuersation of the Anabaptistes is a blasphemye which dishonoreth the Lord Iesus as thoughe he had told vs a vayne tale to no purpose Besides this it is a folyshe imaginacion repugnaunte to humayne sence as lyttell chyldren maye perceyue ☞ And thys is the promes whyche was made vnto the poore theife whan he axed mercy on the crosse For the Lord Iesus answered hym This daye shalt thou be wyth me in paradice By thys word paradice we nede not to imagen that he woulde specifye a certayne place but onely the Ioye and felicitie which they haue that liue with him This is plaine that Iesus Christe doeth not sende thys poer synner to the daye of resurrection but doeth assigne him the selfe same daye to liue eternallye in his companye The Anabaptistes to trifel out thys place do alledge that whiche is sayed in a nother place that a thousande yeres are as one day before the Lorde Whiche thinge we graunt vnto them but thys muste we consider that when God speaketh vnto men he frameth hys speache accordynge vnto their capiacitye In suche wyse that you shall neuer finde in the scripture that God hath at any time sayed I wyll thys daye do thys meanynge that he wyll do it a thousande yeres after In suche maner whan Ionas shewed the Niniuites that after fortye dayes their Citye shoulde perishe it hadde bene greate folye for them to haue vnderstanded fortye thousand yeres Lykewyse whan the Lorde sayde that he woulde ryse agayne the thyrde daye we knowe he speake after the common maner of menne But I wyll sease from thys matter for as muche as all men do see howe muche the Anabaptistes haue bene begyled in vsynge of suche euasions They haue yet a nother cauilation To daye doeth signifye the tyme of the newe testamente And to proue thys they abuse thys sentâ—nce whyche is in the Epâ—stell to the Ebrues that Iesus Christe whyche was yester daye is to daye and shal be for euer But they se not that if we shoulde so expound the word thys day the word yester day shoulde signifye the tyme of the olde Testament and so shoulde it folowe that the Lord Iesus dyd begyn to be whych were a great absurdite for as much as we knowe that he is our eternall God and also touchynge his humanitie he is called the Lambe sacrificed from the begynnyng of the worlde Moreouer after theyr sayinge we myghte conclude that they whole sinnes Iesus Christ hath forgeuen ought to enter into heaueÌ„ before the daye of the resurrection For the Apostle speaketh of thre tymes of the whyche the one as I thynke sygnifieth the daye of the olde testamente and the other signifieth the tyme whyche shal be from the renewynge of the worlde Therefore it resteth that thys word to daye must signifye the tyme in whych we be whych is betwen the death of Iesus Christe hys last commyng And that they may the better knowe theyr beastlynes If Iesus Christ had promised heauen vnto the these for the day of IudgemeÌ„t he ought to haue sayd in the worlde to come and not thys daye For that is the scriptures maner of speakynge Who thinketh them not ouercome by thys cleare reason Yet is theyr impudency suche that they brynge yet an other replycation whyche is that heauen is promised vnto the thefe in lyke sorte as deathe was pronouÌ„ced to Adam and Eua in what daye so euer they shoulde eate of the fruyte whyche was forbydden theym Nowe is it certayne that they dyed not the same day but longe time after I answere that in the same instaunce that Adam traunsgressed the commaundement of God he dyed as touchynge the soule For as muche as he was alienate whyche was hys verye lyfe and was made subiecte to bodily death And thus thoughe we shoulde receyue theyr glose yet spyte of theyr teathe shall we haue wonne this much of them that in the selfe same daye the thiefe was deliuered from the misery in whych Adam was fallen by hys offence In summâ— we conclude that euen as deathe beganne to raygne in Adam froÌ„ the daye of hys traunsgression euen so the thyefe the same daye in whyche the promise was made vnto him beganne to be restored into the beatitude of heauen We se that S Paule liued in this hope wheÌ„ he sayed that he desyered to be losed to lyue wyth Christe Fyrst he vseth an apte speach in sayinge that the fayethfull man thorowe deathe is deliuered frome the bandes of hys bodye as in an other place he doeth more clearlye expresse it Further he addeth that his desyre is to be with the Lord Christ wheÌ„ hys soule shall be seperated from the bodye And in dede if it be not thys these wordes whiche he speaketh in an other place can not be true that there is neyther lyfe nor deathe whyche can seperate vs from the â—oue whyche God hath vnto vs. For if we perishe by death or that oure soule lese hyr lyfe howe canne the loue of God consist towardes vs but thys is more playnelye deduced in an other place where he sayeth We knowe that if our earthly house of the tabernacle of our bodye were destroyed we haue a buildynge in heauen by God whych is not made with handes Therefore beynge in thys tabernacle we morne as beyng greaued not that we desyre to be vnclothed but clothed agayne that our mortalitie myght be swallowed vp of lyfe Notwythstandynge we be alwayes of good courage knowinge that whylse we be in our bodyes we be as straungers frome God bycause we walke by fayeth and not by syghte ¶ But we haue thys confidence and desyre to be seperat from the body and to be present wyth God bycause there is made mention there of the daye of iudgemente The Anabaptistes do theyr indeuoure to wrape vp al there that they myght drawe all the wordes of the Apostle vnto that daye But they can not do so muche but that the trueth wyll be yet more stroÌ„ger to maintain it selfe against theyr false accusations For the Apostle doth saye expresly that the fayethfull man departynge frome hys bodye goeth to God from whom he was absent in thys worlde After that he addeth that as well absente as present we do our indeuour to please God bycause we muâ—â—e al come before hys iudgement seate That man is very obstinate and more then hardened agaynste all reason whyche wyll not consente vnto these wordes Nowe is it so that the Anabaptistes in place where saynte Paule sayeth that by death we approche to God do make vs beleue that wee retule and be further of then in thys presente lyfe ☞ That so it is it is wrytten that he whiche beleueth in the sonne of God shall not come into coÌ„demnation but is already gone from death vnto lyfe If lyfe euerlastyng be alreadye
so muche as what thys name Marcion is It is good therefore that as well they as other be aduertised that the fyrste author of thys opinion where wyth they do troble the worlde was caste out and accurssed wyth hys opnion not of a fewe but of the whole Christen churche shortly after that is wyth in fortye yerres after the deth of the Apostelles For Eusebyus and Saincte Hierome do wryte that Policarpe disciple and familiar frende of Saincte Iohn the Apostel metynge hym at Rome called hym the eldest sonne of Sathan I wyll not recite the other errours wherwyth he troubled the church For whā thys is wel plucked out men shal wel know I trust that heardly may there be founde anye one more execrable ☞ Fyrst I wyll shewe by manye and very sure testimones of scripture that the Lord Iesus dyd verilye take fleshe and mans nature whan he was reueled vnto vs in thys world by God his father and I wil proue it so playnelye that there shall not be so littell a chylde whyche shall not perceyue that it shall be to greate an impudencie for the Anabaptistes to kycke anye more agaynste it As it shall not be nedefull to gather al the places of scripture whyche myghte serue to thys purpose So to auoyde prolixitie I wyll take those whych seme to be moste couenable We knowe that at the first begynnynge of the worlde the Lorde promised heua that her seede should ouer come the serpente Lette vs se if thys be accomplished in vs or whether it haue euer bene accomplished in anye mortall man but onelye by the meanes of Iesus Christe whiche hath for vs vanquished and ouercome Sathan But because thys promes was yet somewhat obscure it hath bene sence made muche more cleare boeth to Abraham and Iacob whan it was sayde vn them that in there sede all the nacions of the earth shoulde be blessed ☞ Nowe this sede as Sayncte Paulle doeth interprete it and reason sheweth the same is Iesus Christe Therefore the promes cannot otherwyse be verified but that Iesus Christis descended of the stocke of Abraham Lykewyse whan it was saied vnto Dauid I wil set the fruit of thie wombe vpō they seat to raigne euer lastingely And lykewyse whan in the same sence it is confirmed by the prophet Esaias that he shal be as a bud proceding out of the rooett of I saie we know that the same cānot be otherwise vnderstanded thā of the same redemer whych was promised vnto Abrahā Therfore it must neds be that he be of the ligne of Dauyd as touchynge the generacion of the fleshe or els the promes is voyde For thys cause Sayncte Mathew goynge about to recite hys genealogy beginneth the callinge hym the son Dauid the sonne of Abrahā that he myght the more expresly specifye that he was the selfe same that was promysed And in dede it was a manner of speche very commonlye vsed amonge the people of the Iewes so to name him as we may se by the Euangelistes ¶ Vnto al this the Anabaptistes make one soluacion the whiche a lone doeth sufficientlye declare what beastes they be and howe desperate ther impudencie is He is say thei called Dauiddes sonne not because that he toke anye thyng of the virgen marye or that he was made man of hir substaunce but onlye because she bere hym in her bodye as water passeth by a pype Thys myght be sayd if thys worde sede were not expressed How be it touchynge the truth all men of good Iudgemente myghte se that it were but a craftye euacion Notwythstandynge there myghte be a littell more colour or shadowe But seynge this is so often repeted that he is of the sede of Abraham what cauilacion can be made to denye hym to be verye man And in deade whan Esaias promised hys commynge he sayeth not symplye that he shall be the chylde of a vyrgin but he sayeth fyrst that he shal be conceyued This conception imparteth that he shoulde be formed of hir sede as they whyche do knowe the significacion of the word can wel Iudg. ☞ Moreouer Saynte Paule doth expresse thys thynge more playnelye when he sayeth that he was made of the seede of Dauid touchynge the fleshe and was notwithstandynge declared the sonne of God by his power Beholde Iesus Christe on the one parte is called the sonne of God and againe he addeth that as touching his humaine nature he is of the stocke of Dauid Is not that mā very madde whyche doth close his eyes and stoppe hys eares agaynst all thys to persiste mayntayne the contrary that Iesus Christ hathe no parte of the nature of man as touchyng the substaunce of hys body Likewise in an other place the same Apostle speaking of the dignitie and noblenes of the Iewes among other thinges sayeth that they be the successours and progenye of the fathers of whom Christe is assended as touchynge the fleshe I passe ouer manye other places as where he sayeth that God was manifested in fleshe also he that suffered in humilitie of the fleshe Lykewyse where saynte Iohn sayeth that the word was made flesh and besides al thys where he so often tymes doth attribute vnto hym selfe the title of the sonne of man and other lyke places bycause it shoulde be superfluouse after these two notable places which I haue aledged I thynke it therefore sufficiente to brynge forthe these places the which do at the fyrste syghte boeth proue myne intention and also declare howe necessarie it is for vs to beleue that the Lord Iesus hath put on and verilie taken our nature when he was made man The Apostle in the epistle vnto the Hebrues taketh a goodly argumente to amplyfye the loue whyche he beareth vnto vs bycause he toke not the nature of Angels but of vs. If we do receiue the fātasy of these vnhappy mē Thys grace and inestimable goodnes of the Lorde Iesus shall be cleane put oute of oure memorye for wee shall not perceyue that he hath any more honoured vs then he hath the Aungels He sayeth further that by the meanes of the communication whyche he hathe w̄ vs in hys fleshe and hys bloude he calleth him selfe oure brother and is verely oure brother By thys we maye conclude that the greatest benefite whyche we may haue should be taken from vs if Iesus Christ do not communicate with vs in fleshe and bloude For howe shoulde we be the chyldren of God wythout beynge hys brethren Nowe the Apostle sayeth that we obtayne thys bycause he is ioyned vnto vs in one nature by none other meanes He addeth further that it was necessary that he shoulde be like vnto hys brethren that he myght be a faythfull intercessoure and pittyfull Wheroute he deduceth a singuler consolation that we haue an aduocate whiche wyll haue compassion on oure infirmities seynge that he him selfe was tempted beyng in all thynges like vnto vs excepte synne Moreouer for as muche as in the similitude whyche he putteth betwene vs and Iesus