An exposition of the Symbol or Creed of the Apostles according to the tenor…An exposition of the Symbole or Creed of the Apostles according to the tenour…

Again, in that Christ lays down his own soul, and withal the souls of all the faithful into the hands of ⟨p. 251⟩the father, we further learn three things. The first, that the soul of man doth not vanish away as the souls of beasts and other creatures: there is great difference between them: for when the beast dieth, his soul dieth also: but the soul of man is immortal. The consideration whereof must move every man above all things in this world to be careful for his soul: if it were to vanish away at the day of death, as the soul of beasts do, the neglect thereof were no great matter: but seeing it must live for ever, either in eternal joy, or else in endless pains and torments, it stands us upon, every man for himself, so to provide for his soul in this life, that at the day of death when it shall depart from his body, it may live in eternal joy and happiness. The second, that there is an especial and particular providence of God, because the particular soul of Christ is committed into the hands of his father, and so answerably the souls of every one of the faithful are. The third, that every one which believes him self to be a member of Christ, must be willing to die when God shall call him thereunto. For when we die in Christ, the body is but laid asleep, and the soul is received into the hands of a most loving God and merciful Father, as the soul of Christ was. Lastly, whereas Christ surrendering his soul into his fathers hands, calls it a spirit, we note, that the soul of man is a spirit, that is, a spiritual, invisible, simple essence without composition created, as the angels of God are. The question whether the soul of a child come from the soul of the parents as the body doth come from their bodies, may easily be resolved. For the soul of man being a spirit, can not beget another spirit, as the Angels being spiritual do not beget Angels: for one spirit begetteth not another. Nay which is more▪ one simple element begetteth not another, as the water begetteth not water, nor air begetteth air: and therefore much less can one soul beget an other. Again, if the soul of the child come from the soul of the parents, then there is a propagation of the whole soul of the parent or of some part thereof.

Againe, in that Christ laies downe his owne soule, and withall the soules of all the faithfull into the handes of ⟨p. 251⟩