The Christian disputations, by Master Peter Viret. Divided into three parts, dialogue wiseThe Christian disputations, by Master Peter Viret. Deuided into three partes, dialogue wise

Theophilus. We must not be abashed, although those that sleep do dream. But we ought rather to be ¹abashed, to see those that be awake to dream, and to believe and give credit unto the dreams of the sleepers. For if it were so, the works of God, against their nature, should rather diminish then increase and th• faithful ought more to fear the corporall de […] then th• ⟨p. 250⟩unfaithful: For by the death, the unfaithful should be at rest, and the faithful should be deprived from that portion of the eternal felicity, the which they have already tasted off in this world, the which they ought to have mor amply, after that they be delivered from the prison of this mortal body. I believe most assuredly, that if Saint Paul had thought that he must have slept so long […] in body and soul, after his decease, without having more ••• ple fruition of the heavenly goodness and joys, then he had in this world, that he would never have said. What to choose I wot not: I am constrained of two ²things, I desire to be loosed, and to be with Christ which thing is best of all. Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. For in stead to receive more greater goodness as he desired, he was impaired and made worse: and that portion of the heavenly goodness that he had already tasted off, living in this body, was better for him, then to be altogether spoiled of it, and to sleep, being insensible as a stone, two or three thousand years.

Theophilus. Wee must not bee abashed, althoughe those that sleepe doe dreame. But we ought rather to bee ¹abashed, to see those that be awake to dreame, and to beleeue and giue credite vnto the dreames of the sleepers. For if it were so, the woorkes of God, agaynst their nature, should rather diminish then increase and th• faythfull ought more to feare the corporall de 〈…〉 then th