A short instruction for to arm all good Christian people against the pestiferous errors…A short instruction for to arme all good Christian people agaynst the pestiferous errours…

The Apostle also, in his Epistle to the Hebrews, declareth, as much, or more expressly the same thing, where he sayeth, that our fathers which begat us in this world, are fathers of our flesh: but God only is father of our spirits. I pray you, how shall we understand these words, if the soul be not an essential thing? and a little after, speaking of the citizens of heaven, he sayeth, that they be the Angels, and spirits of Just men. Would we have a more clear proste then this? Also I see not how we shall expound the exhortation which. S. Paul maketh unto us, that we should purge us, from all filthiness of the flesh and the spirit, except we take this word spirit for an essential soul. For as the body is a subject, which receiveth pollution, so must it needs be, that the soul on her behalf, be a creature which may be polluted, & sanctified.

The Apostle also, in his Epistle to the Hebrues, declareth, as muche, or more expreslye the same thynge, where he sayeth, that oure fathers whych begat vs in thys worlde, are fathers of oure fleshe: but God onelye is father of our spirites. I praye you, how shal we vnderstande these wordes, if the soule be not an essensiall thynge? and a lyttle after, speakynge of the citezyns of heauen, he sayeth, that they be the Aungels, and spirites of Iuste men. Woulde we haue a more cleare proste then this? Also I se not howe we shal expounde the exhortation whyche. S. Paule maketh vnto vs, that we shold purge vs, frō all fylthynes of the fleshe and the spirite, except we take this word spirit for an essential soule. For as the bodye is a subiecte, whych receyueth pollutiō, so muste it needes be, that the soule on hyr behalfe, be a creature which may be polluted, & sanctified.

☞ There is a like reason, in that where ⟨image 58⟩he saith in an other place, that the spirit of god beareth witness to our spirits, that we be the children of God. Howbeit, if we did hold that principle, which ought to be certain, amongest us christen men, we should not need to enter into disputation of this matter: that is to say, whether the soul be an essential substance, or no: seeing that this was the error of the Sadducees, which expressly is reproved in the scripture. For in the .xxiii. of the Acts it is said, that saint Paul, going about to excuse him self, doeth protest that he was persecuted because he did not approve the sect of the Sadducees. And Saint Luke declaring what this sect was, sayeth that the Sadducees do not believe the resurrection, nor that there be any Angels, or any spirits, or souls. What will we have more then this? S Paul confesseth, that he is a Pharisee in his Articles. Now is it plain that the Pharisees do confess, as sayeth Saint Luke, that the souls be very essential creatures.