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…

S. Peter likewise manifestly declareth no less, the souls to be and to live after death, when he saith: That Christ preached to the spirits that were in prison, and not only unto the spirits of the faithful, remission unto salvation, but also unto the spirits of the wicked utter destruction. For thus do I interpret this place, which hath so greatly troubled many mens wits: and I hope so to persuade all good and godly men. For when he had spoken of the humility of the cross of of Christ, and he had showed that all the faithful ought to fashion themselves to be like ⟨image 26⟩unto him, that they might not despair, he forthwith speaketh of the resurrection, that they might understand & know the very end of all tribulations. For he saith that Jesus Christ was not overcome of death, but having overcome it, showed himself triumphant. Which thing he declareth by these words, when he saith: that Jesus Christ was in very deed, dead in the flesh, but yet quickened in the spirit. And so also meaneth S. Paul, when he writeth, that he suffered in the humility of the flesh, but was raised up again by the power of the spirit. Now to the end the faithful might understand that the self same power belongeth unto them, he goeth on farther and saith that Jesus Christ hath bestowed this power upon others, and not only on the quick, but also upon the dead: and besides, not only upon his servants, but also upon the faithless, and despisers of his grace. Moreover, let us understand that this is a maimed kind of speech, and wanteth one of his two branches: ⟨p. 14⟩of which sort are many examples in the scriptures: and chiefly when many sentences are gathered together under one conclusion, as here is done. Neither yet let any man think it strange, that the holy Fathers are shut up in prison, who looked for the redemption that should be obtained by the son of God. For because they beheld a far of, the light as it were under a cloud or shadow, as they do which behold some shimmering of the day even in the twi light, and perceive the coming of the day before the dawning: nor as yet had not the blessing of God revealed unto them, wherein they might repose themselves, he calleth their hope a prison or dungeon. The meaning then of the Apostle is this: That Jesus Christ preached in spirit unto the spirits which were in prison:

S. Peter lykewise manifestly declareth no lesse, the soules to be and to lyue after death, when he sayth: That Christ preached to the spirites that were in prison, and not onely vnto the spirites of the faithfull, remission vnto saluation, but also vnto the spirites of the wicked vtter destruction. For thus doe I enterprete this place, which hath so greatly troubled many mens witts: and I hope so to perswade all good and godly men. For when he had spoken of the humilitie of the crosse of of Christ, and he had shewed that all the faythfull ought to fashion themselues to be lyke