The Institution of Christian Religion

Beside that, he did not only testify that he was to them their God,§9 but he also promised that he would be so alway: to the end that their hope not contented with present benefits, should be extended to eternity. ⟨image 150⟩And many sayings do show, that the speaking in the future time meant so much, as where the faithful not only in present evils, but also for the time to come, do comfort themselves with this, that God will never fail them. Now as concerning the second part of the promise, he yet more plainly assured them of the blessing of God to be prolonged unto them beyond the bounds of this life, in saying: I will be the God of your seed after you.¹ For if he minded to declare his good will toward them being dead, in doing good to their posterity, much more would his favour not fail toward themselves. For God is not like unto men, which do therefore carry their love to their friends children, because their power is interrupted by death, so that they can not employ their friendly doings upon them to whom they did bear good will. But God, whose bountifulness is not hindered by death, taketh not away from the very dead the fruit of his mercy, which for their sakes he poureth out into a thousand generations. Therefore the Lords will was by a notable proof to set forth unto them the greatness and flowing plenty of his goodness which they should feel after death,² when he described it to be such as should slow over into all their posterity. And the truth of this promise the Lord did then seal, and as it were brought forth the fulfilling of it, when he named himself the God of Abraham,³ Isaac and Jacob, long after their death. For, what? had it not ben a fond naming, if they had utterly perished? For then had it ben all one, as if he had said, I am the God of them that are not.⁴ Wherefore the Evangelists rehearse, that with this one argument the Sadducees were so driven to a strait, that they could not deny that Moses did testify the resurrection of the dead, for that they had learned by Moses, that all the Saints were in his hand. Whereupon it was easy to gather, that they are not destroyed by death, whom he that is the judge of life and death had received into his safeguard, custody, and protection.