A17654:14
An excellent treatise of the immortality of the soul By which is proved, that…An excellent treatise of the immortalytie of the soule By which is proued, that…
An excellent treatise of the immortality of the soul By which is proved, that the souls, after their departure out of the bodies, are awake and do live, contrary to that erroneous opinion of certain ignorant persons, who think them to lye asleep until the day of judgement. Set fourth by M. John Calvin, and englished from the French by T. Stocker.An excellent treatise of the immortalytie of the soule By which is proued, that the soules, after their departure out of the bodies, are avvake and doe lyue, contrary to that erronious opinion of certen ignorant persons, who thinke them to lye asleape vntill the day of iudgement. Set fourth by M. Iohn Caluin, and englished from the French by T. Stocker.
London: printed by John Daye, 1581London: printed by Iohn Daye, 1581
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
❧ The Preface of John Calvin to a very friend of his.
❧ The Preface of Iohn Calvin to a very friend of his.
Although in deed it is very true, that certain godly honest men were a great while sithence earnestly in hand with me, to write somewhat for the confuting, and repressing of the foolish, and confused opinion of some, who at this day go about to maintain the sleep and death of the souls, yet could they not hitherto win me to yield unto their petitions and requests, because it is clean contrary to my nature to thrust my self in, to deal with matters of controversy and debate. And surely, I had at that time great reason to excuse me, partly, because I thought that in short time, this fond opinion would find no companions, and therefore be soon forgotten: or else that a few Cockbrayned and lightheaded fellows would only keep it in hugger mugger: and partly also, because I had no liking to deal against such adversaries, with ⟨image 6⟩whose power, weapons, and Ambushes I was no whit acquainted. For, as yet, I had never hard any speech of them, save only a confused kind of buzzing of a thing, so that if I should have had to do with such as were not yet entered into the open plains, I must needs have played the part of one beating the bush (as we say) on the blind side. Nevertheless, in the end it grew afterward to another manner of matter then I thought it would have done: For, these Janglers were so busy and careful to maintain and increase their faction, as that they had already drawn into their error, I know not how many thousands of people. And in deed to say truly, so far as I can see this mischief waxeth worse & worse. For at the first beginning, there were but a few that made a confused kind of prattle of the sleeping of the souls: and therewith they would never let it be understood what they meant by this sleep. Now, sithence that time have stepped out these butcherly soul-sleepers, who at the first blow cut their ⟨image 6⟩throats, and yet (thanks be to God) do them no hurt at all. Notwithstanding, I verily think, that the error of the first sort is not to be borne withal, and besides, that this second kind of them, is lively to be repressed: For, neither of both sorts, have any foundation, either of reason, or yet of Judgement.