THE DEFENCE OF the Article: Christ descended into Hell. With Arguments objected against the truth of the same doctrine: of one Alexander Humes. All which reasons are confuted, and the same doctrine clearly defended. By Adam Hill, D. of Divinity. Magna est veritas & praevalet. AT LONDON Printed for William Ponsonbie. 1592. To the right reverend Father in God, john by the grace of God Archbishop of Caunterburye, Adam Hill Minister of the word of God, Wisheth grace, peace, and life everlasting. divers causes (most reverend Father) have moved me to present this treatise unto your grace. The one because your grace hath been charged to defend an error, maintaining this doctrine that Christ in Soul descended into hell. The other, for that there is like to be as great strife about the true understanding of this Article in England, as there was in Germany about the true meaning of (This is my body.) For the better prevention whereof, I thought it my part though the unwoorthiest of all the Ministers of the Church of England, to set down in this short discourse, a plain demonstration of the truth, and a refutation of the contrary out of God's Book and godly Interpreters. The last reason that hath moved me to evulgate these my labours is this: I see divers Ministers whom for their learning and life, I do honour, very often to preach against the true interprutation of this branch of our Creed, whereby the Papist rejoiceth, the Atheist is hardened: and the common sort of people dividing themselves as they affection. The preachers do upon this occasion strive more bitterly one against another, then either of both do against our common adversary: and by this means turning our swords into our own bowels, we are a pray to our enemies, and a scorn to the world. If therefore this controvercie be not shortly by the providence of almighty God, and your grace his ministry, decided: there will grow among us envy, strife, sedition, and all manner of evil works. Sith then as there is but one God, so there is but one truth. My humble suit unto your grace is, that if the doctrine contained in this book be Apostolical: It may be authorized to proceed, and they that preach the contrary in this respect may have their mouths stopped: for if one build and another destroy, how can our building prosper? if one gather and another scatter, what profit will there be in our gathering? sith it is more easy to destroy and scatter, then to build or gather: Agathon said, Every Governor must learn these 3. lessons, the one that they rule men, the other that they must rule by the laws, the 3. that they shall not rule forever. In that under her most excellent Majesty you rule men, you must use continual care and vigilancy. In that you must rule by laws, you may not for fear of superior or multitude? for love of friends, for hatred of enemy, nor for desire of reward, leave the laws of your Country unexecuted. In that you shall not rule for ever, you are put in mind that you shall appear one day before the God of order, being the judge of the quick and of the dead, who will severely punish you for the disorders which are in the Church of England unpunished, except you endeavour as much as you can to reform them. Some preach what they please, some do what they fancy, some live as they list: and the most are impatient of uniformyty, for some wear surpleases, and they are called, Time servers: some gowns, and they are like Citizens: some cloaks, and they are like travailers: some Coats and they are like fugitives. Nazianzene saith in his oration of moderation to be used in divine matters. Confusion hath engendered thunders in the air, tremble in the earth, shipwreck in the Sea, wars and strifes in Cities and houses, sickness in bodies and sins in the soul. So that by this learned man's judgement, the air, the sea, the earth, every house, City, body and soul, is overthrown by confusion. For the purest things as the air is, it infecteth: the calmest things as the sea is, it troubleth: the strongest things as Cities are, it weakeneth: the richest things as the house is, it impoverisheth: the vnitedst things as the body is, it serveth: the holiest things as the soul is, it profaneth. God the giver of all good gifts, give to our Church a beautiful order, that he may dwell among us, lest our purity be turned to uncleanness: our steadfastness to tottering: our peace to war: our strength to weakness: our riches to poverty: our union to civil descension: and our religion to Atheism. For the head of this monster Confusion is the devil, the heart is envy, the ears are evil report, the eyes are trouble and vexation, the hands are uproar and sedition, the feet are woe and destruction. From the which God deliver my sweet country, for his sons sake Christ jesus. To whom with the holy ghost be all honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. Your grace's most bounden Orator. Adam Hill. Christ descended into Hell. THat Christ descended into hell, it is an article of our faith, and is to be believed as the rest of the articles are: for it is proved by many and manifest Scriptures, as it shall hereafter appear. The first Scripture that proveth that christ went down into hell is the 16. Psal. 9 10. & 11. Psal. 16. 9 10. 11. verses, Wherefore my heart is glad & my tongue rejoiceth, and my flesh also shall rest in hope; for why thou shalt not leave my soul in hell, neither suffer thy holy one to see corruption: thou shalt show me the path of life, in thy presence is the fullness of joy, and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore. They that deny this place to prove the descending of Christ into hell, say that the word Nephesh or soul, doth signify the person of Christ, and Sheol the grave. But the place itself doth confute them, for as in the 11. verse he showeth the resurrection of Christ and his ascension, so the 10. containeth his burial and descending into hell, from whence he did arise. Some there be that deny that Nephesh the Hebrew word dothsignifie the soul separated from the body, but they are reproved in the 1. of King, 17 1. King. 17. 21. 22. ver. 21. 22. where Elias thus prayeth for his Hostess child: O Lord my God I pray thee let this child's soul come unto him again, than the Lord heard the voice of Elias, and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived: where Npehesh signifieth thesoule separated from the body. Carlisle seeing this place to overthrow that which he goeth about busily toprove, saith that this child was not dead but in a swoon: but the Son of Sirach saith otherwise, Sir. 48. 4. 5. O Elias how honourable art thou by thy wondrous deeds, who may make his boast to be like unto thee? which hast raised up the dead from death and by the word of the most high out of the Heb. 11. 35 grave. and Paul saith Heb. 11. 35. Their women received their dead raised to life. Both these say the child was dead therefore it is untrue that Carlisle affirmeth in his book fol. 144. that the child was not dead, and as the wise man saith it was a wondrous deed, but it is no wonder to quicken one that is in a swoon, & as Nephesh in this place doth signify Pro. 23. 14. the soul, so doth it in many other places. Pro. 23. 14. Thou shalt smite him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell. Farther that Nephesh signifieth the Soul it is manifest by this, for the interpreters called Septuaginta have translated it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There were in times past many Heretics, that did deny that Christ had a soul, of whom Appollinaris Athanas. de adventu Christi. was one, against whom Athanasius thus writeth in his book of the wholesome coming of Christ, neither his body was left in the grave, neither his soul was left in hell; for this the Prophet writeth, Thou shalt not leave my soul in hell, nor suffer thy holy one to see corruption. And a little after, for if the Godhead had been separated from the body, and death had showed his force on him, how could the body deprived of the immortal God show forth incorruption, or how could the word finish his going down to hell, or arise from hell? Epiphanius writing against the Epipha●con contra Damaer: haer: 77. Fulgent. ad Thrasym lib. 3. Cap. 6 Heretics called Damaeritae, useth the same proof haer 77. Fulgentius ad Thrasymundum, in his 6. Chapter thus writeth concerning this matter, whose flesh neither the divinity forsook in death, neither did it leave the soul in hell, as the Prophet saith, thou shalt not leave my soul in Hell. And in his 8. Chapter alleging the 2. of the Acts, & 16. Psalm he addeth these words, there blessed Peter being lightened indeed by the holy Ghost, and made according to the word of the Lord the light of the world, did show by the manifest light of preaching how we should understand this place, lest any man in Christ should so understand the true flesh, that he should deny the true soul. In this therefore the divinity of Christ did show his impossibility, because he is present always and in all places, and after an unspeakable manner, and was as concerning his soul in hell without sorrows, and as concerning his body lay in the Sepulchre without corruption: for he neither was absent from his flesh, when he did not suffer his soul to be grieved in Hell: neither did he leave his soul in hell, when he kept his flesh in the grave without corruption. But most plain of all others Ciril de vera fide, ad Theodosium Imper. cap. 13. To descend into hell is a miraculous thing. is Ciril, who in his book of the true faith to Theodosius the Emperor thus writeth, it is not lawful to say that the flesh coupled to the Godhead could be subject to the corruption at any time, and that divine soul to be holden within the gates of hell: for he was not left in hell as S. Peter saith. For we may not say that that nature which cannot be subdued by death, that is the deity of the only begotten Son should return from those dens under earth, neither should this thing have any miracle, unless the Son of God by the efficacy and nature of the divinity had tarried in hell fulfilling all things marvelously and above the reach of reason, and working in all things (for God is above measure, place, circumscription and magnitude) he himself is comprehended of none. This also is wonderful that his body rose again being corruptible by nature, and his soul being united to the Godhead by the virtue and power of the Godhead did appear to the souls that were there. In these places Ciril, Fulgentius, and Athanasius do prove that Christ had a true body and a true soul, and to prove that he was a true man in respect both of body and soul, they allege this text of the 16 Psalms out of S. Peter. If then Nephosh doth not signify the soul, the reasons of those learned Fathers were of no validity. And for this cause in the interlineall gloss you shall read this interpretation, animam quam haheo ut verus homo. My soul which I have as a true man. And thus M. Hutchinson in his most learned work of the Image of God, useth this Scripture against the Arrians, to prove that Christ had a true soul. As than Athanasius, Epiphanius, Fulgentius, and Hutchinson with all the rest of the ancient fathers do understand Nephesh here to be the Soul, even so do I with them, seeing no reason why I should believe otherwise. Peter Martyr in the 1. Cor. 15. Petrus martyr in 1. Cor 15. teacheth us a doubtful place of Scripture must be interpreted: First saith he, it must be conferred with the like places of Scripture: Secondly we must see what the Fathers especially of the Greek Church, which day and night did exercise this book of God in their hands and conferred it with all the books they could, do write of it. So have I done in handling this place: First I have proved by the word of God that Nephesh signifieth the soul separate from the body: Secondly by the Greek Fathers, who translated it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 10. 24. which signifieth the soul. Mat. 10. 28. Fear ye not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the Soul: but fear him that hath power to cast both body and soul into hell, As Nephesh signifieth the soul, so Sheol doth in the 16. Psalm signify Hell: this phrase of Scripture Psal. 86. 13. is in other Psalms as in the 86. 13. For thy mercy is great towards me, and thou hast delivered my Soul Psal. 9 17. from the nethermost hell, and in the 9 Psalm verse. 17. The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the people that forget God. So in Deut. 32. 22. job. 21. 13. Psal. 30. 4. 54. 16, 138. 8. Esa. 5. 14. Ose. 13. 14. Habac. 2. 5. Mat. 11. 23. In these and many other places of Scripture it can not be denied but Sheol signifieth hell, and so doth it in this place, as by God's grace I will prove. First Sheol coming of Nephesh which is to ask, signifieth such a place as ne ver is satisfied, but always asketh, and this is most properly hell, which albeit it hath received infinite souls, yetas it is in the 5. of Esay, His mouth is always open and gapeth for more. Secondly it is translated by the Septuaginta 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which word signifieth in the Scriptures hell always and never the grave, as yond may see Mat. 11. 23. Luke. 16. 23. Apoc. 1. 18. 6. 8. 20. 13. 14. And therefore to translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a grave, which signifieth a place where nothing can be seen, is a forced and false translation, for sith the holy Ghost doth use it always for hell, I marvel how any man dareth to translate it grave. Theophilact translateth it Theophilact. in act. ●. thus, Non derelinques animam meam apud orcum, Thou shalt not leave my soul in hell, using the word orcus, which can not be aptly applied to the grave. Draconites thus, Non tu derelinques animam meam apud tartarum, Thou, Draconit in ps. 16. shalt not leave my Soul in hell, using the word tartarus which is a proper word for hell, and not for the grave. Pomeranus, Westmerus, Lucas Lossius on the 16. Psalm, and Vrbanus Rhegius in his catechism, all which were singular learned Ministers in the Churches of Germany, are of this judgement also, and therefore it is untrue that all the reformed Churches do deny the presential descending of Christ into hell, as appeareth by these testimonies, and shall more largely and evidently appear by that which followeth. Aepinus superintendant of Hambrough, being called generally Aepinus in psal. 16. for his incomparable knowledge in holy write the Father of divinity, writing on the 16. Psalm, thus reproveth them that translate Sheol to be the grave: that the wicked jews the enemies of Christ and his religion, might overthrow the article of our faith concerning the resurrection of Christ and his descending into hell, and that they might take away the comfort which the church hath by Christ's resurrection and his descending into hell, the Rabbins do turn for soul, life: and for hell, the grave. Here we learn who first devised this translation, that is the Rabbins the special enemies of Christ and christian religion: why did they it? to take away the comfort which cometh to us by Christ's descending into hell. Felinus a learned man in the tongues writing Felinus in Psal. 16. on the 16. Psalm useth these words, our faith hath that Christ went into hell indeed, and that he died and was buried, but neither his soul was left in hell, neither his body was so detained in the grave, that it could corrupt. To confirm this truth when this place of this present Psalm is brought, as Peter and Paul brought it to prove the resurrection, the jews mock us and say that here David prayeth that he might be kept of the Lord, whom he had set before him to be worshipped and in whom only he hoped, that he might not go down into the sepulchre, By this learned man's judgement also it appeareth, that the jews translate Sheol to be a grave for the overthrow of Christ's resurrection. But because the jews do mock us for this translation of Sheol into hell, we ought not to leave it, but rather to cleave more steadfastly unto it. And for this cause the aforenamed Aepinus thus writeth on the 16. Psalm: some Divines there are loving overmuch jewish fables, do embrace this translation (of Sheol into a grave) and by their own foolishness confirm the dreams of the jews & increase their error, and do make the article of descending into hell suspected to the unskilful and weaker sort of people. This then is the opinion of this reverend man, that whosoever useth this translation, as he discourageth the ignorant and weak from believing, so he increaseth the old error of the hardened Iew. Further as the same Author noteth, it is more safe to translate hell for Sheol then grave. First because a soul can not be laid in a grave but a body: secondly because Peter and Paul have so translated it, whose authority we ought to reckon to be holy and inviolable, and therefore we ought not easily to shrink away from it: thirdly because two great errors do follow it, the one that the soul may be buried, the other that we maintain the interpretation of the Rabbins. the enemies of the truth. Those learned men worthy of eternal memory, which compiled the Centuries, prove that Peter and Paul did so translate Sheol Cent. 1. li. 2. cap. 4. De doctrina, de inferno seu loco damnatorum, inferni 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellationem Petrus & alij Apostoli usurpant, allegantes dictum psalmi, non derelinques animam meam in inferno: & postea non derelicta est in inferno: Peter and other the Apostles do translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hell, alleging the 16. Psalm Thou shalt not leave my soul in hell, and afterwards he was not left in hell. Becon in the Sick man's salve Fol. 250. useth these speeches, Christ after the death of the body went down in his soul to hell, as it clearly appeareth by the Scriptures Fulgent ad Thrasy: li. 3. cap. 8. quoting the 16. Psalm and other places. Fulgentius in his 8. Chapter to Thrasimund thus witnesseth farther, it remained for the full effecting of our redemption, that man assumpted to God should descend thither, whither man being separate from God by the desert of sin had fallen, that is to hell, where the soul of the sinner was wont to be punished, and to the grave where the flesh of the sinner was wont to be corrupted: and that so notwithstanding, as neither his flesh could corrupt in the grave, neither his Soul could be tormented in the sorrows of hell: for his soul being free from sin was not to be subjecteth to punishment, and his flesh being without sin, corruption ought not to destroy it. Mark the reason of this learned Father: for because man sinning had deserved to be divided, because he was willing by the gilt of transgression to be divided from God (which can not be denied) therefore it came to pass that the death of the sinner did produce sinful flesh to be corrupted in the grave, and did mancipate the soul to be tormented in hell: but that the sinner might be freed by a free gift, it came to pass that the son of God did suffer unjustly of sinners the death of the body, which man being a sinner had suffered justly of the just God, and that his flesh should go down so far as flesh wrapped in sin should come, and that the Soul of the Saviour should descend into hell where the soul of the sinner was to be tormented. Thus the holy Martyrs in times past thought of this matter, and if they had lived in these days to see so great multitudes which profess the faith, to deny it after a sort; no doubt they would have written more earnestly against them. But sith their works be extant, I hope they that deny this manner of descending, will answer their reasons, which in my judgement were framed and penned by the holy Ghost. Wherefore sith Athanasius, Epiphanius, Ciril, Aepinus, Pomeranus, Vrbanus Rhegius, Lucas Lossius, Beecon, Hutchinson and many others, some Greek, some Latin, some old, some new writers, but especially Peter and Paul themselves the pillars of the Church, have thus translated Sheol to be hell, my resolution in this point is with Aepinus, let him that will hold this opinion (that Sheol signifieth the grave) I like not of it, it is grounded upon weak, doubtful, uncertain & wrested proofs and conjectures: they that subscribe unto it do without just and necessary proofs, rashly disagree from the translation of our Psalter, from the plain words of the Apostles creed, and from the consent of the old Church, which always believed that the body of Christ did three days rest in the grave, and his soul did descend into hell. And this consent in this point of doctrine to be in the old and pure Church doth M. Caluin on the 16. Psalm himself confess, his words Cal. in 16. Psalm. be these: I confess (saith Caluin) that the old Interpreters both Greek and Latin have drawn those words to another meaning: that the soul of Christ was brought from hell, but it is better to tarry in the natural simplicity of the words, that we be not mocked of the jews. For as much then as Caluin can not deny that all the old Interpreters both Greek and Latin have consented in this point of doctrine, I marvel that M, Caluin would draw it to a jewish interpretation. In the 10 of the Acts, ver. 43. Luke maketh Act. 10. 43. this a strong argument to prove Christ to be the Saviour of the world, Because all the Prophets did witness it. in like manner because all the Prophets and Interpreters in the pure Church have concluded this doctrine to be true, I doubt not but this knot of unity in verity was made by the God of peace and spirit of truth. Farther as Sheol signifieth the soul, and Sheol hell, so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or sanctum signifieth the body, as it may be proved out of the 1. of Luke. ver. 35. And Luk. 1. 35. that holy thing which shall be borne of thee, shall be called the Son of God And thus doth S. Augustine on August. in 16. Psalm the 16. Psalm truly understand it; his enterpretation is this, neither shalt thou suffer my soul to be possessed in hell, neither shalt thou suffer my holy body, whereby others are Christ's body is called holy one for 2. causes sanctified, to see corruption. And the body of Christ is called holy for two causes, the one because sin was never committed in it: the other because by it all others are sanctified. And this is made plain also by the word corruption, which can not have relation but only to the body, for as a learned man saith, death is the separation of the body from the soul, but corruption is a resolution of the members & other parts into the earth. So job useth this word in his 17. Chapter job. 17. 14. ver. 14. I have said unto corruption, thou art my Father. Luther in Gen. ca 21. Luther in the 2. Chapter of Genesis thus writeth: For this is singular in Christ thou shalt not leave my soul in hell, neither shalt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption: for neither hell could hold his soul sleeping or resting, neither the grave his body, that it might corrupt as Martha said of Lazarus, Lord he stinketh, for he hath been buried August. in epist. 57 ad Dardan. four days. The like hath S. Augustine in his 57 Epistle ad Dardanum: that was spoken of his soul which came from hell so quickly, this of his body which could not corrupt by reason of his speedy resurrection. Not unlike hath Erasm. in 2 Act. Erasmus on the 2. of the Acts, thus his body albeit it was laid in grave and was without life did not corrupt but God which can not lie, brought his soul from hell, and restored it August. in 85. Psalm. to the body. Wherefore thus I end with S. Augustine writing on the 85. Psalm: wherefore this is his voice in the Psalm not by any man's conjecture but by the exposition of the Apostle, thou shalt not leave my soul in hell neither shalt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption. In this discourse by the word of God and the ancient Fathers, I have proved Absurdities following the deniing of the descendiug of Christ into hell. Nephesh to signify the soul separate from the body, Sheol to signify hell, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or sanctum to signify the body, and why it is so used. Therefore they that deny this place to prove the descending of Christ into hell, must needs fall into these absurdeties. First that life or person must be in a grave, or else a dead man's carcase must be accounted life or a person; both which are absurd in divinity and philosophy. Secondly that the soul of man is in a grave and so buried, which proveth the Soul to be mortal. Thirdly that the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is translated a grave which properly signifieth hell, and so occasion is given to the Atheists to think there is no hell: For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is compounded of the particle α & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, because nothing in hell can be seen: and for this cause in the Evangelists Christ calieth hell utter darkness. Fourthly we strengthen the error of the jews by following their interpretation, which was devised to take away the comfort of this article. Fiftly it maketh void all the arguments of the Fathers against Arrius Appollinaris, and all other Heretics, which denied Christ to have a true soul. lastly it is an introduction to the error of the Saducees, which deny that there is any Angel, spirit, or any soul. For if there be any, then as Ciril noteth, it was necessary that as he was Ciril. de vera fide ad Theodosin Imperatorem. ca 12. in body and soul with them that then were living; so was it as necessary that his soul should be present among the souls, to show that he was a true man. The falsehood of the argument of the adversaries of this doctrine, is called fallatia compositionis, that is, when those things are joined together, which ought to be sundered. For they that deny this place of the 16. Psalm to prove the descending of Christ into hell, do affirm animam & sanctum, soul and holy one, hell and corruption to be one, whereas they are divers, as in part I have proved already, and shall (by God's grace) prove more plainly out of the 2. chapter of the Acts, where Peter interpreteth this place in such wise, that credit must needs be given unto it of all God's children. Peter's Sermon is thus, Acts. 2. 29. 30. 31. Men and Brethren I may boldly Act. 2. 29. 30. 31. speak unto you of the Patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre remaineth till this day. Therefore seeing he was a Prophet and knew that God had sworn by an oath, that of the fruit of his loins he would raise up Christ concerning the flesh set him upon his throne: he knowing of this before, spoke of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh should see corruption: which August. in Epist 75. add Dardan. words S. Augustine in his 57 epistle ad Dardanum thus expoundeth: of the flesh of Christ that it was put into the Sepulchre the Gospel is manifest, but that his soul went down into hell, the doctrine of the Apostle proveth it: For blessed Peter doth prove this out of the Psalm where he showeth it was foretold of him, for why thou shalt not August in epist. 99 ad Enodi. leave my Soul in Hell, neither shalt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption. And in his 99 Epistle ad Enodium, he hath these words: quae ne quisquam aliter sapere auderet, in actibus Apostolorum Petrus exponit. Of which words that any man should not be so bold to think otherwise, Peter himself expoundeth them: that is Nephesh, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 1. soul, and Sheol 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is hell, and holy one, flesh. Rabbi Lebaurish. Which interpretation who so doth pervert, no doubt he perverteth the meaning of the holy Ghost. Rabbi Lebaurish thus openeth this text: after that Peter declared that this could not be spoken of David himself, for that his grave remained among them, and his body suffereth corruption; he addeth, for as much as David was a prophet, and did know that God swore unto him, that Christ should come of the fruit of his loins touching the flesh; he spoke evidently of the resurrection of Christ, because his soul should not be left in hell, nor his flesh see corruption: you see how S. Peter applieth this sentence of the Prophet to set forth Christ his resurrection, and in stead of this word sanctum eius, his holy one, S. Peter hath carnem eius, his flesh, ver. 31. is not resurrection contrary to death? and what thing is death but the separation of the body and the soul? and what other thing than can resurrection be, but a renewing and knitting together again of the body and the soul. S. Peter applying this sentence to the resurrection of Christ, doth as it were point out with his finger to the places from whence these two parts severed must be brought again, namely the soul from hell, for hell could not hold it, and the body from the grave that it should not corrupt. Here it is opened that death is a separation of the body and the soul, and that the resurrection is a knitting of both parts together: and because Christ was a true man, and had in him both a very body and a true soul. S. Peter showeth that these two parts were not only divided, but also where they were during the time of their separation, and that miraculously neither the flesh did corrupt in the grave, as all other men's do; nor the soul was left in hell, as the sinners souls were. For albeit he was accounted amongst sinners, yet he was none. Therefore wonderfully he came from the grave & from hell: for as every article of our faith is an unsearchable mystery, so is this. It is miraculous that the world was made of nothing, that Christ was conceived by the holy Ghost, that he was borne of a virgin, that he should suffer and die for the sins of the whole world, and that at his death the sun should be abashed, the earth tremble, the flints cleave asimder, and the valle of the Temple rend: so in his resurrection the rolling away of the stone, the appearing of the Angel, the arising of many of the dead, and especially the rising of Christ himself so mightily, naturally, speedily, and happily, was most wonderful: so his ascending into Heaven in a cloud was in like manner to be marveled at, and likewise his coming into judgement shall be most wonderful: in like sort his burial and going down to hell are wonderful Ciril. de vera fide ad Theod. things as Cirill noteth before, whose words are these neither should this thing have had any miracle, unless the son of God by the efficacy and nature of the divinity had tarried in hell, fulfilling all things marvelously & above the reach of reason, in his treatise of the right faith to Theodosius▪ S. Augustine in his book of the essence of the divinity thus saith, August de essentia divinitatis. he came from heaven into the virgins womb, from the virgin's womb, as he was borne, he was laid in a manger, after he had fulfilled all things, for the which being sent by his father he came, he was fastened unto the wood of the cross; but being taken down from the cross, according to the flesh he was buried, but according to the Soul he descended into hell; and the third day by the power of his divinity he raised his flesh out of the sepulchre, and the 40. day after his resurrection he ascended into heaven the Apostles beholding him. For my part therefore I admit the counsel of Ambrose, who willeth us in matters of faith to believe the poor Fishermen Peter and his fellows, rather than the subtle Sophisters, because than Peter affirmeth in the 2. chapter of the Acts, that neither his soul was left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption; it is therefore manifest that these two parts flesh and soul are not one, as I said before. These 3. things then would I crave of the adversaries of this doctrine: the one where they find in the word of God the conjunction nec to be a conjunction that coupleth and interpreteth: secondly where they find in the word of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a grave: thirdly that those things which are separated by nec the conjunction, are one. Lylly in his Latin grammar handling the use of conjunctions, hath thus taught: some are conjunctions copulative, as et, ac, que, atque, quoque, etiam, item, itidem, cum, & tum, & tum doubled: hither pertain they which are contrary to these, nec, neque, new, neue, now if nec do not couple: but as Lylly saith is clear contrary, than it must needs come to pass, that in the 2. of the Acts, and 16. Psalm, soul and holy one are divers things, and that here is a plain demonstration not only of the separation of both parts of the humanity, but also of the knitting together of the same. In the 13. of the Acts ver. 27. It is Act. 13. 17. written that they Knew him not, albeit the words of the prophet were read every day. So now albeit we often read these words, yet we do not understand them, and the reason is given after in the 14. verse: Behold you despisers and wonder & vanish away, for I work a work in your days, a work that ye shall not believe, though a man would declare it. So albeit the Apostles prove manifestly the resurrection of the soul and body of Christ, yet will not they believe that read the Scriptures very often; but deny the descending of Christ's soul, and so likewise his resurrection: and by this means make of none effect those Scriptures, which prove there must be a two fold resurrection in us, as there was in Christ, a resurrection of the soul and of the Col. 3. 1. body. In the 3. of the Colossians, ver. 1. S. Paul useth these words: If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of the Father. Even (as saith the Apostle) Christ his soul did arise aswell as his body, so must you have the resurrection of your soul, aswell as the resurrection of your body. And thereupon divers learned men interpreting this parcel of Scripture, have noted that there is a two fold resurrection in us, of soul & of body, and that our bodies shall never arise to glory, unless our souls do first arise from sin to grace. Hugo Cardinalis in col. 3. And therefore this is a general distinction in learned writers, when they open this text of Scripture, that there is a double resurrection, of our souls, and bodies: the resurrection of our souls is by the humble coming of Christ: of our bodies by his glorious coming. And this is made manifest also in divers other such like places of Scripture. In the 6. chapter of the Romans ver. 5. S. Paul thus writeth, For Rom. 6. 5. if we be grafted with him to the similitude of his death, even so shall we be to the similitude of his resurrection. Where the Apostle thus exhorteth us, that even as the death of Christ teacheth us to separate ourselves both in body and soul from sin; so the resurrection of Christ doth teach us to arise from sin both in soul and body. By these places of Scripture it is to be considered, that as Christ did arise both in soul and body, so must we: and therefore as Christ's resurrection is not a full resurrection, unless both parts did arise (for otherwise he did but arise in body as we do) so these exhortations grounded upon that doctrine are to no purpose, unless Christ's soul did arise from hell, aswell as his body from the grave: and last of all there is no more miracle in the burial of Christ, then in any other godly man's: which as I proved before aught to be in all the personal actions that Christ wrought for our salvation. Thus much of the primitive place in the 16. Psalm, as also of the derivative place in the 2. of the Acts, whereby I hope I have sufficiently proved that Christ's soul descended into hell. But yet for a farther proof I thought it not unfit to add these that follow: Phil. 2. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9 13. 1● namely in the 2. Chapter to the Phillippians, the 5. 6. 7. 8. 9 10. 11. verses, Let the same mind be in you which was in Christ jesus, who being in the form of God, thought it no robbery to be equal with God, but he made himself of no reputation, and took on him the form of a servant, and was made like unto men, and was found in shape as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto the death, even unto the death of the cross: wherefore God hath also highly exalted him, and given him a name above every name, that at the name of jesus every knee should bow, both of things in heaven, things in earth, and things under the earth. In which place this I conceive, that Christ's death was manifested in heaven, in earth, and in hell: and that the very damned spirits did confess to the glory of God the Father, that jesus Christ was Lord both of heaven and the Angels, of earth and of them that dwell therein, and of hell and the devils. But some will say, how is it possible that Ob. the spirits which are damned should confess Christ. To this Sol. I answer, there is the confession of our faith and of our sins, which is proper only to the elect: there is an other confession which is called the confession of experience, which is in the wicked and the damned. In the 5. of Mark the legions Mark. 5-7. of devils thus cry in the 7. ver. What have I to do with thee jesus the son of the most high God? Where we see the devil is constrained to confess Jesus Christ, and yet doth rysist him. And in the 8. of Matthew the 29. verse, the devils Mat. 8. 29. cry, jesus thou Son of God what have we to do with thee? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? By which scriptures we learn that the devils by experience of the majesty and authority of the Son of God do confess him to have all power, and as over these, so over all hellish spirits: & therefore did manifest his death by showing the presence of his soul in hell. So Father Damascene Damas. interpreteth this place of Scripture, the soul of Christ deified, descended into hell; so that as to them which are in earth, there arose the Son of righteousness: so likewise to them which were under earth in darkness and in the shadow of death a light did appear: and as in earth he preached peace, remission to the captives, sight to the blind, and was the cause of salvation to them that did believe, and did upbraid and reprove the unbelievers of infidelity: so did he upbraid them that are in hell, that every knee may be bowed unto Rob. Samu el Martyr. him both in heaven, earth, and in hell. Robert Samuel Martyr is of this judgement, who giving an account of his faith in the 2. volume of the monuments of Martyrs, Fol. 1206. hath left this testimony: the same Christ went down to the hells, and truly rose again the third day and ascended into the heavens that he might there still reign, and have dominion over all creatures: this than is one end of christs going down into hell, that the infernal spirits might be subjecteth to him, and Col. 2. 14. 15. that they might confess him to be the Son of God to their endless shame, and everlasting glory of God the father. The like proof to this is in the Epistle to the Collossians 2 chapter, 14. and 15. verses, He hath taken away the hand writing of ordinances which was against us, which was contrary to us, he even took it out of the way, and fastened it to the cross, and hath spoiled the principalities and the powers, and he hath made a show of them openly, and hath triumphed over them in his own person. I translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in himself, so doth Hierome, Erasmus, Stephanus, Pellicanus, Pagninus, junius & Tremellius, and M. Fox with many other learned men so translate it: yet I see it otherwise translated in some Bible's now a days, which grieveth me, for it is a false translation, as every learned man knoweth. For in the Greek it is the Masculine gen Muscul. der, and they translate it in Latin in the feminine gender, whom Musculus a very good & learned man thus reproveth: there be some saith he refer it to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and turn it in Illa, these are persuaded it is an incommodity, if it be said that Christ did triumph over the principalities and powers; But if all these things be attributed to God the Father, that he did them with Christ and in Christ, according to the order of all things going before, we may truly read here, triumphing over them in his own person. And for this cause many learned men do prove the descending of Christ into hell by this Euseb. de re sur. Christi. place. Eusebius writing of the resurrection of our Saviour, thus saith: we must know that in the self same hour wherein our Saviour bowing his head gave up the ghost, his body being left in the grave, his soul with the dignity went down to spoil hell. Mollerus a learned Minister of Germany, Mollet. in psal. 16. in his commentaries on the 16. Psalms, hath the like Christ would show his victory over the devils in a certain sort, and would strike perpetual terrors into them, and take away from us the fear of his tyranny. To this agreeth Musc. in psal. 68 Musculus on the 68 Psalm: This God which was in Christ reconciling the world to himself in Christ, First desdescended into the lower parts of the earth, than he led captivity captive, and not only we are delivered from the captivity of Satan, sin and damnation: but also Christ triumphing over them as tyrants, hath ascended above all heavens to fulfil all things. Very aptly likewise doth Hemingius Heming. expound this place: as by his death he conflicted with his enemy on the cross, so by his glorious descending into hell, resurrection and ascension he triumphed, as it is Ephes. 4. leaving his cross lift up as a monument of his victory. This then is an other end of Christ's descending into hell, to triumph over the devil, to strike perpetual terrors into them, and to deliver us from the fear of their tyranny. I end therefore Fulg. ad Thrasim. li. 3. cap. 8. with this worthy saying of Fulgentius to Thrasymunde in his 8. chapter, the true humanity of the son of God, neither was wholly in the sepulchre, neither wholly in hell; but in the Sepulchre he lay dead according to his true flesh, but in his soul he descended into hell. In his soul he returned from hell to the flesh which lay in the sepulchre, but in respect of his divinity, he neither is holden in place nor limited by bond: he was wholly in the grave with his flesh, wholly in hell with his soul; and by this means was fully every where Christ, because God was not separated from the humanity which he had assumpted, which was both in soul in hell, that from hell his soul might return a conqueress: and was with his flesh that by reason of his speedy resurrection it might not be corrupted. Therefore the son of God took all man with all his infirmities without sin for us, and the same Christ was given wholly for us: in respect of his flesh he was dead, but in respect of his soul he descended into Hell, It is not unknown therefore that Eusebius, Fulgentius, Mollerus, Musculus, Hemingius, with many others before by me named, being accounted lights of the world in their time, have confirmed this article of our faith, by this Scripture: which thing when we do likewise, we are reckoned to be deceivers. But God who knoweth our hearts and intent, knoweth that both by prayer and study we travel to know the truth in this controversy, and we are assured by his holy and eternal word we stand therein. another place we have in Scripture to confirm our position, in the Epistle to the Ephes. 4. verse. 9 10. Now in that he Eph. 4. 9 10 ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lowest parts of the earth? he that descended is even the same that ascended far above all heavens, that he might fulfil all things. For the better understanding of this place, you must note that in the Hebrew tongue there are 7. names of Hell, Scheol, Auaddon, Borachia Schachath, Borachia Scheon, 'tis Haijáuen, Thalmáueth, Erets Tachtiioth, Erets Tachtiioth then signifying the lowest parts of the earth, sith it is an appellation for hell, this place must needs prove manifestly the descending of Christ into hell. For as ascend and descend are contrary, so are heaven and the lowest parts of the earth. I will therefore proceed (by God's grace) in the expounding of this place, as I have done in the rest. First I will prove by conference of Scriptures, that the lowest parts Psal. 53. 9 of the earth signifieth hell. In the 63. Psalm and 9 verse, the Prophet thus writeth: Therefore they that seek my soul to destroy it, shall go into the lowest parts of Ezek, 31. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. the earth. And in Ezekiel 31. verse 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. the Prophet prophesying the destruction of the Assyrians saith, They shall go down into hell, which he calleth in the chapter 3. times Ercts tachtiioth, that is the lower parts of the earth. The like manner of speech is in the prayer of Manasses ver. Orat Manas. ver. 12. 12. O Lord condemn me not by reserving evil for me, neither condemn me into the lower parts of the earth. Ambro, in epist. ad Ephe. cap. 4. And so is this place understood by Ambrose writing on the same place, in his exposition of the 4. chapter of the Ephesians: this man therefore coming down from heaven into the earth, was borne a man: afterward he died and descended into hell, from whence rising the third day, he ascended into heaven before all mortal men above all heavens, that he might show death to be vanquished to every creature. So August. in lib. 5. de trinitate. cap. 19 Chrisost. in cap. 4. ad Ephe. Athanasi. ibidem. doth Augustine interpret this place in his 15. book of the Trinity and 19 chapter; and Chrisostom on the 4. chapter of the Ephesians. And Athanasius expounding this parcel of Scripture, thus explaineth the Apostles meaning: into what place did he descend? into hell truly, which he calleth, according to the common opinion of men, the lowest parts of the earte. For as Chrisostome saith, he went to the parts of the earth, beyond which was nothing lower: and from thence he ascended into the heavens, then the which nothing is higher. And in hell as he bond the devil with the bands of his justice and power, that he should not hereafter hurt any of his members: so from heaven he giveth his Saints gifts, that they may resist the devil, and tread him under their feet. Those men of worthy memory which come Cent. jam. li 2. ca 4. Hiero in ca 4. ad Ephe. posed the centuries do avouch the in fimae partes terrae, that is, the lowest parts of the earth do signify hell, and prove it out of this text, Ephes. 4. And for this cause Hierome in this place thus hath concluded, and so do I with Hierome: that hell is under the earth no man doubteth, for he that descended in soul into hell, ascended with body and soul into heaven. For as much then as the learned and godly Rabbins, the Fathers both Greek and Latin, have consented that these words do signify hell, and the circumstances of the text do prove the same: it must needs be confessed of all godly men, that this place doth prove this article of our faith strongly, and no refutation hereof can be made by any devise of man. For as ascend and descend are contrary, so hell and heaven are contrary, and Christ did begin his triumph in hell, make show of it in earth, and now having all power in heaven, earth and hell, is set down on the right hand of God not only as a valiant conqueror that hath made his enemies his footstool, but also as a terrible judge that hath condemned the devils, and as a glorious King that ruleth all creatures for ever. If any man will not believe S. Hierome that hell is beneath, let him consider these 2. Scriptures, the 86. Psal. ver. 13. and Pro. 15. ver. 24. For great is thy Psal. ●6. 13. Pro. i●. 24. mercy towards me, and thou hast delivered my soul from the nethermost hell. The Hebrew phrase is Scheol Tachtiioth. The other place is; The way of life is on high to the prudent, to avoid from hell beneath. Now let us examine the place of S. Peter, who in his first Epistle and 3. chapter, the 18. 19 and 20. verses saith, 1. Pet. 3. 18. 19 20. It is better (if the will of God be so) that ye suffer for well doing, then for ill doing: for as much as Christ hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God, and was killed as pertaining to the flesh, but was quickened in the spirit: in which spirit he also went and preached to the spirits that were in prison: which sometime had been disobedient, when the long suffering of God was once looked for in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein a few, that is to say, 8. souls were saved by the water. For the better understanding of this place. because the word spirit is diversly taken in the word of God, I will first set down the diverse acceptation of the word spirit, and afterward by many uncontrollable reasons out of the text, I will by God's assistance confirm my assertion, that Christ in soul descended into hell. They that know not the signification of the word spirit, are often deceived, for sometimes 1. Cor. 5. 3. it signifieth the will and authority of a man, as in the 1. Cor. 5 ver. 3. I truly as absent in body, but present in spirit, etc. 1. joh. 4. 5. Sometimes it is taken for doctors & Prophets, 1. joh. 4. 5. Prove the spirits whether they are of God or no? Sometimes Luk 24. 37. for a Ghost, Luke 24. 37. And they supposed that they had seen a Spirit. Sometime for wind or breath, joh. 3. 8. as joh. 3. 8. the wind bloweth where it will. Sometime for a voice or word, 1. Cor. 84. 15. I will pray with the spirit, 1 Cor. 14. 1● I will pray with the understanding. Sometime for the 2 Cor. 3. 17 life of the Law, 2. Cor. 3. 17. Now the Lord is the life. Sometimes it is taken for a kind of deceit, whereby any 2 Thes. 2. ●. pretendeth to have a spirit of revelation. 2. Thes. 2. 2. Be ye not troubled neither by spirit, neither by word, nor Miche. 2. 11 Psal. 104. 29 Pro. 25. 2●. by letter. So is it taken in Micheas 2. 11. Sometimes it is taken for the animal life, Psalm. 104. 29. If thou take away their spirit they die. Sometime for wrath. Pro. 25. and last verse. A man that refraineth not his anger, is like a City which is broken down and without walls, Sometimes for the gifts of the spirit, first for joy in the holy ghost. Ephe. 5. 18. But be ye filled with the spirit. Secondly for spiritual understanding. 1. Thes. 5. 23. I pray God that 1 Thes. 5. 23 your whole spirit soul and body may be kept blameless unto the coming of our Lord jesus Christ. So it is used Ephe. 2. 22. Thirdly it is used for seruencye of zeal, sedulity Ephe. 2. 22. 1 Tim. 4. 12 and constancy. 1. Timo. 4. 12. But be thou an ensample in word, in conversation, in love, in spirit. Fourthly it is taken for the true doctrine of the Gospel which worketh effectually in our hearts by the spirit. 2. Cor. 3. 6. which 2. Cor. 36. hath made us fit Ministers of the new testament, not of the letter, but of the spirit. Where the letter signifieth the utter preaching which toucheth not the heart. Fiftly for a spiritual life. Gal. 6. 8. He that soweth in the spirit, shall in Gal. 6. 8. the spirit reap eternal life. Sixtly it is taken for prophecy. 1. Thes. 5. 19 quench not the spirit. Which he interpreteth 1. The. 5. 19 in the verse following, despise not prophesying. It signifieth sometime a thing of nothing. Esa. 26. 18. We have Esa: 26. 18. conceived, we have borne in pain, as though we should have brought forth wind. Sometime for every creature that hath breath, Psal. 150. and last verse. Let every thing Psal. 150. 6. that hath breath praise the Lord. Sometime it signifieth Ephe. 4. 4. the divine or immortal essence of the soul, Eph. 4. 4. There is Act. 7 59 Ioh 4. 24. one spirit: & Acts 7. ver. 59 Stephen saith, Lord jesus receive my soul. Sometime it signifieth God, joh. 4. 24. God is a spirit. And so the word spirit is common to the whole 3. persons. Sometimè it signifieth the holy Ghost, the 3. person in Trinity, whereunto is always put the Greek article. Matth. 4. 5. Mark 1. 12. Luke 4. 1. 1. Tim. 4. 1. Act. 8. 29. Mat. 4. 5. Mar. 1. 12. Luc. 4. 1. 1. Tim. 4. 1. Act. 8. 29. Because then the word hath so many significations, we must prove by the circumstances of the text, what is here his proper meaning. They that say that by this place is meant Christ's preaching in the spirit in the time of Noah, are many ways clearly confuted. First because that mortificatus and vivificatus two contrary particles of one tense are attributed to Christ, so that Christ being dead was alive, and that at one time, and in respect of his humanity. secondly he showeth how he was dead, and how he was alive, by putting to mortificatus carne, he was killed in the flesh, and vivificatus spiritu, he was quickened in the spirit or in the soul: for to say Aug. epist. 99 the Godhead was quickened is a gross error. For as Augustine saith in his 99 Epistle, it is very evident that the Lord killed as concerning the flesh went into hell. Thirdly in his soul while he was yet dead in the body, he went down into hell, the Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word must needs be understood of the soul of Christ, because it is a motion from us to another place, and not of the Godhead, and therefore is used again in the 22. verse, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he went into heaven: and thus proveth he the death of Christ, in the 18. verse, the descending of Christ into hell in the 19 verse, his resurrection in the 21. verse, and his ascending into heaven in the last verse. Fourthly, the Scripture doth straightly join together the passion of Christ with this perfection and preaching, so that Christ went immediately after his passion to preach to the spirits. Neither doth he divide them, as though now he did suffer & preach long before: for the resurrection and ascension here spoken of succeeded this passion, so did this journey and going into Hell. Fiftly the Scripture doth plainly attribute the preaching of Noah properly to the holy Ghost, & not to the second person, Gen. 6. 3. as it appeareth Gen. 6. 3. My spirit shall not always strive with man. As all the scripture doth ascribe the doctrine and ministry of preaching to the 3. person, and that the 3. person receiveth it of Christ, & doth speak by the mouth of holy Doctors, inspireth the scripture, and reproveth the world or comforteth. Sixtly if the word spirit must be understood of God here, of whom Christ is quickened as some would have it, it must needs also be understood of the first person that he preached in hell, for the scripture attributeth the resurrection of Christ to the Father. Last of all that we heap not to many things in an evident matter, the participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which were disobedient, doth signify and plainly show this inobedience to be long before this preaching: so also the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in times past and all the annotation of time following, determining & circumscribing the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is, which were disobedient, doth altogether separate the time of their incredulity from the time of this journey and preaching. For if the meaning of the enemies of this doctrine were true, Peter would have joined this annotation of time which the journey and preaching of Christ: and would have said being quickened in spirit, in the which in times past, when the patience of God was looked for, in the days of Noah when the ark was a preparing, he went and preached to the spirits now holden in prison. But Peter joineth the time of disobedience not with the journey or preaching of Christ, but with the first incredulity and preaching of Noah: and on the other side knitteth together the prison with this journey and preaching: which if he would have disjoined he would have said to the spirits which are now in prison, but he simply said, he went and preached to the spirits in prison, that is, which them were in prison, when he went and preached unto them. This also may be added, that it is to no purpose to make mention of a prison, or to name them the unbelieving spirits or souls of the old world; for Noah preached not to spirits or souls only. but to whole and believing men, & the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cannot be taken for men endued with bodies, for Christ proving his resurrection useth these words, Luke 24. 39 Behold my hands and Luk. 24. 39 my feet, for it is I myself, handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have. It was no need also to show where these unbelievers are, or be holden, for this both maketh nothing to the matter, and also would be understood he holding his peace: unless it was the purpose of the Apostle to show that the soul of Christ went down to this prison, that is to hell: and so showeth first that death parted them, as in the 2. of the Acts. Secondly that the body Act. 2. was in the grave, and the soul was in hell. Thirdly that it was not in hell idle, but did manifest his death to them which believed it to be but a fable, to reprove their incredulity, and to captive them that we should not fear them. fourthly he did rise again triumphing over them in his own person. Lastly he did ascend into heaven, and there sitteth Lord of heaven and of the Angels, of earth and of the inhabitants, of hell, and of the very devils. For the devils are of him imprisoned and chained, that they can do no more than he permitteth them. Farther where as some do affirm, that there could be no preaching in hell, because there is no conversion: to this I answer, that this preaching was not vocal but real, neither was there in this preaching edification, exhortation, or consolation; but as it is said before of Damascene, a redargution or upbraiding of those unbelieving souls in this or the like manner: behold ye unfaithful and broods of the serpent, how in season and out of season my eight preacher of free righteousues and other the patriarchs have often preached unto you, that there should come a blessed seed of the woman according to the promise made unto Adam, that both should justify the believers, deliver and save them from the corporal and spiritual deluge, and also that he should destroy the serpent with the unbelieving seed for ever: but to you being incredulous that promise was a fable. But now behold (O ye wretches) me to be exhibited of the true God, and by my passion, the head of Satan and his unbelieving seed is broken, and the world is overcome; and on the other side you shall be forced to know by lively experience, that the faithful are saved. And to conclude, you now do behold me the conqueronr of Satan and his members against your will, and to your great sorrow in soul, and shall see me hereafter in the last judgement both in body and soul. And this manner of speech is used in the Scripture, that a verbal preaching is Heb. 11. 4. put for the real operation of a thing: so Heb. 11. 4. By faith Abel offered unto God a better sacrifice than Cain, by the which he obtained witness that he was righteous. God testifying of his gifts; by which faith he being Gen. 4. 4. dead yet speaketh. So Gen. 4. 4. God saith unto Cain, the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me out of the earth. Abel's blood is said to cry, while truly by his example of true faith and of the doctrine of salvation, and of martyrdom, yet daily not verbally but really and effecttually by speaking he teacheth. Last of all, the word prison signifieth hell, as we may see in the names of hell, Cent. 1. li, 2. Cent. 1. li. 2 ca 4. ca 4. Now let us see the judgement of the ancient and learned Fathers on this point, and especially of the Greek Athanasius ad Epictet. Episcop. corinth. Fathers. Athanasius words to Epictetus' Bishop of Corinth, are cited by Epiphanius in the heresy of the Dimerites, haer. 77. The body of Christ was laid in the grave, when he went to preach to the spirits that were in Prison, as Peter saith, & Athanasius in his book of the incarnation Athanas. de incarnate. verbi. of the world hath thus written. In the death of Christ, his body being carried into the grave, his soul went into hell, the places being far asunder: and a little after he saith, for death could not prevail on his humane soul to tie him there, neither corruption by tyranny invading his body could show his force on him to putrefaction, as things not well seen unto. For to think so of him were a wicked thing; and even as Adam had a double punishment inflicted on him for his disobedience, the one was on his body, earth thou art and to earth thou shalt return again: and so by this decree the body of the Lord departed to the earth: the other on his soul, thou shalt die the death: hereof it cometh to pass that man is divided into two parts, and is condemned to depart to two places: and therefore it was necessary that by the self same judge which had made this decree, that he by himself being under the colour of a condemned man, showing himself uncondemned and sincere from sins, should free from that sentence all believers. The like he hath in his tract against Appollinarius of the wholesome coming of Christ, and in his Sermon against all heresies. You see good Reader, how Athanasius a very ancient Father in the Greek Church, showing the cause of Christ's descending into hell, proveth out of Gen. that as our body was punished by death for sin, so was our soul: and for this cause both parts in Christ must descend, that our soul may be delivered from hell, and our body rise to glory: For Fulgent ad Thrasim▪ li. 3. ca 7. as Fulgentius writeth in his 3. book and 7. chapter to King Thrasimunde, he did know that God the suscepter of whole man, was wholly with his flesh in the grave, wholly with his soul in hell, wholly in the world, wholly in heaven, wholly in the unity of the nature in the Father of whom he came; and wholly by the omnipotency of his divinity in all the creatures which he made. The Apostle keeping this unity of person doth thus confirm the Church of Corinth in the faith of the truth. For first of all I have delivered you that which I have received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. He saith not that the body of Christ was dead, but Christ that he might keep the unity of the person of God and man; and that he might show the substantial propriety of the deity and humanity. In another place he saith, for although he was crucified of infirmie, yet he liveth by the power of God. Here we are taught that the whole humanity was assumpted into the Godhead, and that death albeit it did sunder the body and the soul, yet it it did not sunder the Godhead from either part; and for this cause the Godhead being with the flesh in the grave, it conld not corrupt; and the same Godhead united to the soul, the soul could not he left in hell: but even as his body was in grave to show him to be true man, and it rose again without corruption to show him very God: so his soul was in hell to show himself a true man, & it came from hell to show Ciril. de vera fidead Theodosium himself a true God, and a most glorious conqueror of all his enemies both in earth and in hell. The like hath Ciril in his treatise of the right faith to Theodosius, the soul of Christ being coupled to his Godhead descended into hell, & using the power of God did appear to the souls that were there. And writing on john in his 12. book and 36. chapter; and when the time was come that he should preach to the souls that were in hell (for he came to be Lord of the living and of the dead) he died for us: and this proper passion of our nature he willingly took on him as concerning this flesh, albeit as God he is life naturally, that hell being spoiled he might be the first fruits of them that sleep, and being made the first Occumenius. begotten of the dead, as the Scripture calleth him, he might give to our nature a return to life. And of this judgement is Oecumenius interpreting the Scripture, Christ died for the unjust, not only for them which were after him, but also for them that were before him, and therefore went down into hell. As the death of Christ was available unto them that died before him, so the descension of Christ into hell was profitable to them that lived before Christ, as well as to those that lived after him. Vigilius also in his 2. book and 3. chapter, Viglius. li. 2 ca 3. thus saith, the flesh of Christ was not in Paradise nor in hell, but lay in the grave without life, the soul for that 3. days was in hell and not in the grave, and yet we say well that out Lord jesus Christ lay in the sepulchre but in his only flesh: and that our Lord jesus Christ was not left in hell, but in his only soul: and albeit Christ is in all these and every one of these, yet it is but one Christ, whereof one part of his humanity was so in the grave, and another in hell, that he notwithstanding is one & wholly every where albeit he hath severally divided himself by places, and therefore we say the Lord lay in the grave but in only flesh, and the Lord went down to hell but in only soul. Alesius one Alesius in evang. joh. of the first reform Ministers of Scotland, in his learned treatise upon the Gospel of S, john, thus writeth concerning this controversy; but this encourageth me that I have a manifest place and text in Peter, that Christ preached in hell to them which in the days of Noah were unbelievers, that is, condemned in the nethermost hell: then he allegeth the place of Ephe. 4. before by me alleged, and thereupon thus concludeth, I expound therefore this article simply: and again, I marvel what men mean, that they deny that Christ descended into hell. Alesius did wonder that any man would deny this article, because it hath so many confirmations, and in every confirmation, in such order as they are set in the creed, are proved the death, descending into hell, resurrection, and ascension of Christ together. For in the 16 Psalm he beginneth with the death of Christ in the 10. verse, but in the last verse he speaketh of his resurrection and of his exaltation at the right hand of The consent of scripture▪ which prove the descending▪ into hell. Act. 2. Ephe. 4. God. So in the Act. 2. chap. First he speaketh of the death of Christ in the 29. verse. Secondly of his burial in that same verse; of his descending into hell in the 13. verse, of his resurrection in the 32. verse, and of his ascending and exaltation to glory and his giving of the holy Ghost in the 33. verse, so in the 4. chapter of the Ephe▪ there is not only mention made of Christ descending into the lowest parts of the earth, but also it is said in the 10. verse, that he ascended far above all heavens. And also in the 3. chap. of the Philippians, not Phillip. 2. only the Apostle declareth the humility of Christ's death, but also setteth down his presence in hell, and that every knee did bow unto him, and every tongue did confess him to be the Lord: and thus he showeth, first who was highly exalted? he that hath made himself of no reputation: from whence he was exalted, from those that were under earth: where he was exalted, that is, far above all heavens: and lastly, who exalted him? that is, God his Father. So in this place Peter proveth in the 18. verse the death of Christ, in the 19 verse the descending of Christ into hell, in the 20. verse the end of his descending, that is, to reprove them of their disobedience to the preaching of Noah: in the 21. ver. he speaketh of the resurrection of Christ, in the 22. verse he endeth the ascending up into heaven unto the right hand of God, that all Angels powers and might, might be subject unto him. In all these Scriptures the order of our creed being kept, and all these things plainly proved, very great cause of marvel is given to Alesius and many learned men, why this article should be denied which is confirmed by the scriptures, that the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Christ are confirmed: and therefore those that deny these Scriptures to prove the descending of Christ into hell, may aswell deny the resurrection of Christ, for the resurrection being the joining of both parts of the manhood of Christ together, cannot clearly be proved unless it be showed from whence both parts severed came, which is proved before to be thus, the soul of Christ from hell, and the body from the grave. Ob. Further where it is here argued by some, why should Peter here dispute of the spirits or souls detained in hell, considering he exhorteth to suffer afflictions: I answer that he Sol. might show to the faithful which then were persecuted very often to death, that the souls do not perish with the bodies, as the soul of Christ did not perish, when he descended into hell: but as the soul of Christ did triumph over the devil, so shall the godly triumph over them that persecute them. But some will say, how did Christ triumph over the devil Ob. by descending into hell, sith it was the extremest degree of his humility. To this I reply, that every article of our 1. Tim. 19 Sol. faith is a mystery, 1. Tim. 1. 9 Having the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience; And therefore in all the actions of Christ's humility he showed himself always to be a glorious God, he was borne of a poor Virgin in a small town, in an Inn, yea and in a Stable, he was wrappeth in clouts and laid in a cratch; yet the Shepherds of the field, the noble men of the East, the star in the firmament, and the Angels from heaven did witness in a marvelous sort, that he was the son of God. The birds as our Saviour saith, have nests, the fox's holes, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head: he was called a glutton, a drunkard, a Samaritane, a friend of Publicans & sinners, a man possessed with a devil: his Disciples also were very poor: but yet he gave sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, speech to the dumb, cleansed the Leapars, raised the dead, commanded the winds, the sea, yea and the very devils, In like manner, when he was humbled to the death of the cross, albeit he was in the state of dereliction and cried my God my God why hast thou forsaken me: yet at that time the Sun was abashed, the earth trembled, the vail of the Temple was rend, the stones clave asunder, the dead arose yea, and upon the cross he forgiveth the thief on the right hand: and even as in his nativity, in his life and death, he showed himself to be both God and man, so in his descending into hell he proveth the same, and in this lowest degree of his humility as he proveth himself a true man, for that his soul was among the souls in hell, so by triumphing over them he showeth himself to be a true God. And for this cause it standeth well with the mystery of our faith, that his going down to hell is both the lowest degree of his humility, to show him to be a true man, and also the beginning of his endless triumph, to prove him a glorious God, in all places and at all times, & over all persons for ever. Some curius Ob. body will say, what needed he to manifest his death to those Sol. in hell? it was needful in respect of them that were in hell, in respect of us that live now, and in respect of them that have preached in times past, and in respect of Christ himself. In respect of them which were in hell, because that those which would not hear the vocal preaching of Noah, should see Christ really present in soul, and so confess that the destruction of their bodies in the deluge, and the damnation of their souls in hell was just. In respect of us which live now, because that when we find by God's word that he manifested his death in earth and hell, we should not remain incredulous but believe in Christ, lest hearing of the wondrous works of the Son of God, which he hath wrought for us. and for our salvation both in earth and hell, and despising the same, we feel by experience with the damned old world, that Christ was in hell for our deliverance from hell: and denying with the reprobate jews this comfortable article of our faith, we be cast into those insufferable torments of extreme damnation, from which to deliver us Christ in a marvelous manner descended into hell. It was néednfull in respect of them which preached in times past, for sith David and other prophets have foretold of this going down of our Saviour, and that his soul should not be left in hell, it was I say most requisite that the Scripture should be fulfilled. It was needful also in respect of Christ himself, for he came to subdue our enemies, therefore as David trampled on the face of Goliath, so was it meet that Christ in soul should triumph over the devil, that he might have all power not only in Ose. 15: 14. 1. Cor. 15. 55. heaven over Angels, or in earth over all the inhabitants thereof, but also in hell over the devils. And for this cause as he hath said, O death where is thy sting, O hell where is thy victory? so shall all his members say: and shall for this their wonderful and glorious deliverance from death, bell and the devil, sing, rejoice, and give thanks for ever. Moreover, whereas divers Scriptures are alleged by Carlisle, Vrsinus and others, that Christ descended not into hell; I will answer them by God's grace, and prove that it was not the meaning of the holy Ghost to have them alleged to that purpose. The first Scripture is that which is written in joh. 19 ver. 30. It is finished, therefore Christ needed not to go down into hell: this is a false kind of reasoning, á dicto secundum quid, ad simpliciter: for if all had been finished then christ needed not to have died, nor to have shed his blood: for he was alive when he spoke these words. Therefore these words, It is finished, are to be referred to all the prophecies that preceded the death of Christ: that is, that all the prophecies of the jews and Gentiles which should conspire together against him, either of judas that should betray him, or of the Soldiers that should apprehend him, or of the false witnesses which should belie him. or of the place where he should die, or of the time when, or of the manner how, and of the judge under whom he should suffer, or of the transgressors with whom he should be crucified: all scriptures concerning all these things were fulfilled. And therefore in the 28. verse are these words. After that jesus did know that all things were fulfilled, and that the Scripture might be fulfilled, he saith I thirst. It is finished also, signifieth the work of our redemption was finished, and so Paul expoundeth it: by one sacrifice once offered he hath made perfect for ever those that are sanctified. Therefore there needeth no other sacrifice of the old law, nor no other merit of any creature in heaven or in earth, therefore the Papists do dishonour God, which do say they daily offer a sacrifice propitiatory: and do join to the merits of Christ the merits of all the Saints, Mary, Peter, Paul, and many other: and in the end of the canon of their Mass, use these words, Quorum meritis praecibusque concedas, ut in omnibus protectionis tuae muniamur auxilio, By whose merits and prayers we pray thee grant, that we may in all things be defended by the aid of thy protection. Farther it Luk. 4. 18. Act. 10. 38. is finished as concerning the labour and sorrow he took in the world; for he was sent to preach the Gospel Luk. ●. 18. And therefore he went about doing good unto al. Act. 10. 38. And when he saw Jerusalem which had killed all the Prophets and would kill him also, he wept and sorrowed: all this labour and sorrow was finished. It is finished, also is referred to the time that Christ was appointed to be amongst men: It is finished, also is referred to the pains of the body and the soul, which he suffered on the cross, which both were finished. And last of all, it is finished, is referred to his obedience, for he obeyed as Bernard noteth gladly without spurning, simply without dissimulation, cheerfully without grudging, speedily without tarrying, manfully without estimation of himself, humbly without presuming, and persenerantly in life and death without ceasing. All these interpretations I have read and do allow off: by which it is manifest, that whatsoever was to be done at the death of Christ was finished. The high Priests had taken their counsel, judas had betrayed him, the only sacrifice was offered: all labour was ended, he was entering into rest, all sorrow was turned into joy, the time of his humility was at an end, he should shortly be exalted, the pains and sorrows of body and soul were ended, therefore both of them must triumph over death and hell: he fulfilled every jot and title of the Law, and hath yielded a pure, perfect and perpetual obedience unto God his Father both in life and in death, therefore every knee both in heaven, earth and hell, must bow and obey to him. S. Paul saith, Hèb. 9 22. Without shedding Heb▪ 9 22. of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. If all had been finished when Christ said it is finished, then there needed no 1. joh. 1. 7. shedding of blood, which as john saith, 1. joh. 1. 7. purgeth us from all our sins Therefore this is my resolution with Ferus on this Psalm, there remained many things to be Ferus in psal. fulfilled as yet: namely his death, the opening of his side, his burial, the destruction of hell, which also were foretold in the Scriptures: but because they were now in the work of consummation, therefore he saith it is finished. And a little after, there remained also the resurrection, ascension of Christ, and sending of the holy Ghost, but these things pertain to his victory, not to his sight, and they are rewards for his fight, not labours. Moreover as ye read in the birth of Christ, Mat. 1. 22. All this was done that the Scripture Mat. 1. 22. might be fulfilled: So likewise something was to be fulfilled in his ascension, Ephe. 4. 10. He that descended is Ephe. 4. 10. even the same that ascended far above all heavens, to fulfil all things. So some things are to be fulfilled in the general judgement, for Paul saith, 1. Cor. 15. 5. 4. then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, O death where is thy sting, O hell where is thy victory? And therefore Ferus well saith in the same place, that our salvation is finished spe non re, in hope not in deed. For Christ did saý all things were finished, in such sort as the Lamb, is said to be slain from the beginning of the world, not because he was then manifestly slain, but because the kill of Christ was cast forward even unto Adam the first man, and was spread backward even unto the consummation of the world: and thus our salvation is finished not fully in deed but in hope. This is to be proved by a plain scripture, and so I will end; joh. 17. 4. Christ saith, I have glorified thee on earth, I joh. 17. 4. have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. As in this Scripture the word I have finished, signifieth the work to be in finishing, so doth it in 19 of john. There is alleged also a place of out of the 2. of the Hebrews & 39 verse: For as much then as the Children were partakers Heb. 3. 39 of flesh and blood, he also himself took part with them, that he might destroy through death him that had the power of death, that is the devil. Out of this place they thus argue: Christ by his death destroyed the devil, therefore his descending into hell was needless, In this argument is fallacia aidicto secundum quid ad simpliciter: for it is not meant that the devil is already destroyed, but that he might be destroyed. For this we read Apoc. 12. 12. Woe to the Apoc. 12. 12. inhabitants of the earth, and of the Sea, for the devil is come down to you, which hath great wrath, knowing that he hath but a short time. And in the Epistle of Jude Ind, 6, the 6. verse, The Angels which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains unto darkness unto the judgement of the great day. Therefore S. Paul prayeth, that we may tread down Satan under our feet. Rom. 16. 20. And in Rom. 16. 20 an other place he saith, that he is a spirit which now worketh Ephe. 2. 2. 2 Tim. 2. 26 in the children of disobedience. Ephe. 22. in the 2. of Tim. 2. 26. he saith, The wicked are taken in the 2. Cor. 2▪ 4. snare of the devil, and holden at his will. In the 2. Cor. 2. 4. he affirmeth, That the God of this world hath blinded the eyes of the infidels▪ that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ which is the image of God should 1. Pet. 5. 6. not shine unto them. In the. 1. Pet. 5, 6. The devil is a roaring Lion, going about seeking whom he may devour. Apoc. 12. ●▪ 10. In the Revelation 12. 9 10. verse, the devil is called a dragon, an old Serpent, Satan, that is a tempter and an accuser. All which phrases show, that albeit the devil hath nothing to do in Christ, yet he snareth, blindeth and devoureth the wicked: he accuseth, slandereth & tempteth Orig. the godly. Origen saith in the person of almighty God, if my servant job had not been holy and a worthy man and one that pleased me well, thou wouldst never have envy him: thou hast not envy Esau, nor Ishmael, thou wilt not envy Saul or Achitophel, or Doeg, or any of them which have fulfilled thy perverse will: but thou hast from the beginning of the world envy all my servants and Saints, as Abel, joseph, and now job himself, and all other calling on me sincerely. It is manifest therefore that the devil reigneth in the wicked, and assaulteth always the godly. Therefore the utter destruction of our evemies shall be in the general judgement, now they are destroyed in hope, then in deed, now they are destroyed in fieri, them in facto esse. This is proved 1 Cor. 15. 1● Petrus Mar. ibidem. by S. Paul 1. Cor. 15. 26. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. Upon which place Peter Martyr showeth who are our enemies, 1. the devil, 2. sin, 3. all the miseries of this life, 4. death: death is vanquished but not wholly taken away, and again death is unarmed but not extinguished. For albeit they are not felt, yet they are as a Serpent without poison, and as a be without a sting: this he manifesteth by a pretty similitude. As poison first infecteth the▪ veins, 2, the blood, 3. the members, and last of all the heart: so the Devil and all our enemies are by little and little daily subdued, but in the day of judgement shall be utterly conquered and cast down for ever, so that every Saint shall sing: O death where is thy sting, O hell where is thy victory? the Scriptures as Musculus noteth, Muscuius. writing on this place, sometime speaketh in the preterperfect tense, sometime in the present tense, sometime in the future tense: therefore Christ both hath abolished, doth abolish, and will abolish death: he hath abolished death by dying for our sins, not that it should be no more, but that it should no more destroy the faithful: he doth abolish it while he doth translate his Saints from death to life; and he will abolish death for ever in the end of the world. For than shall that saying be fulfilled, Apoc. 21. 4. There shall be no more death. As by all that hath been spoken it is manifest; that Apoc. 21. 4. the death of Christ doth not take away the judgement wherein all our enemies shall be for ever and utterly overthrow; so it doth not take away his descending into hell, whereby he struck a terror into the devil and all the hellish Spirits. Therefore as Bude saith, then shall there be no contention of death, which now is, and maketh us to sigh for our defect, for the mutability of things, for the frailty of man's flesh: temptations strive with us daily, pleasures strive with us daily, and although we consent not yet are we troubled by resisting pleasures: the enemy dieth not but in the resurrection of the dead. By all these reasons it is manifest, the Devil is chained but not cast out utterly, that the gilt of sin is taken away, but the matter remaineth: that as we have many sorrows in this life, so we have greater comforts, that death albeit he is unarmed, yet his neck is not broken, and so the destroying of death doth no more take away the descending into hell, than it doth the resurrection▪ ascenfion, and coming of Christ unto judgement: All which must needs be in our Saviour, to the utter and everlasting overthrow of our enemies. another Scripture which they allege is the saying of Christ to the thief on the cross, Luk. 22. 43. To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. hereupon Luc. 22. 43. they frame this argument, to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise, therefore the soul of Christ and of the thief went both that day to heaven. They that so conclude are deceived in two things, the one is, in that they imagine this word me, to signify the soul of Christ, which signifieth the Godhead: the other in that they take this word to day, to signify the space of 12. or 24. hours, which indeed signifieth for ever: both these shall be strengthened by God's grace with proofs. First the circumstances of the place do prove these things most evidently. For what doth the thief ask? deliverance from the guilt of sin, from the curse of the law, from the wrath of God, from the terrors of death from the torments of hell▪ and the tyranny of of the devil. He asketh not only forgiveness of his sins, but that he may be a new creature, that the righteousness of God may be given him, that he may have the adoption and liberty of God's children, and so after his death glory, honour, peace and immortality, that is, familiarity with God; he asketh to be an heir with God, and a joint heir with Christ for ever. In one word he asketh a kingdom pure Mar. 2. 7. in righteousness, perfect in peace, perpetual in joy. Who can forgive sins but God only? Mar. 2. 7. Who can give this kingdom but God? and therefore these words with me signify the Godhead and not the soul of Christ, as some 〈◊〉 have it. And so all the Fathers that ever I read understood Hierome in Luc. 22. 43. it, and the new writers also. Hierome on these words writeth thus, Christ brought the thief from the cross into Paradise, lest any man should think conversion to be too late at any time, he made the punishment of homicide, martyr doom, the truth being accounted among the wicked: he left th'one on the left hand, and took the other on the right hand, as he will do in the day of judgement. Where I note that Christ did on the cross, as he will do in the day of judgement: that is, separate the bad from the good, and cast the wicked into hell: which is the office of the Godhead, Psalm. 7. 11. God judgeth the righteous, and him that contemneth God Psal. 7. 11. every day. And in the 2. Tim. 4. 8. From hence forth is 2. Tim. 4. 8. laid up for me the crown of righteousness which the lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day, & not to me only. but to all them also that love his appearing. Augustine hath the like saying also upon this place, the cross Aug. in Luc 22. 24. if you mark it was the judgement seat, the judge was set on the middle, the one thief which believed was delivered, the other which blasphemed was condemned. To save and condemn is the office of God, and therefore must needs be understood of the Godhead. So saith Ambrose in his Sermon Ambro. of the holy thief, he saw him hanging on the cross, and prayeth to him as though he were sitting in heaven, he seeth him condemned and yet he prayeth to him as to a king. So Ferus on the 27. of Mat. Thou shalt be with me which Ferus in Mat. 27. am every where, which am all in all. To be with me therefore is not spoken of the soul of Christ but of the Godhead. Damascene saith, to speak more expressly he was in the Damasc: Sepulchre according to his body, and in hell according to his soul; but as God he was both in Paradise with the thief, and in the throne with the Father and the holy Ghost. And as with me signifieth the Godhead, so to day signifieth for ever. For (as Aristotle noteth in his metaphysics) in aeternis non est tempus. In eternal things there is no time: for time is the measure of those things which are subject to motion: now in hell all shall suffer, in earth all must labour, so in heaven all must rest. Apoc. 12. 13. Blessed are the dead Apoc. 12. 13. which die in the Lord, even so saith. the Spirit: for they rest from their labours and their works follow them. For where no mutation is, there is no time, and for this cause Apoc. 10. 6. it is said, And he swore by him that liveth Apoc. 10. 6. for evermore, which created the heavens, & the things that therein are, and the earth and the things that therein are, and the Sea, and the things which therein are, that time should be no more. Therefore to day signifieth not a natural or artificial day (for if there be days in heaven, there be weeks, months, years, and all manner of changes, which is absurd) but to day signifieth for ever, as I will prove by many Scriptures. First in the 2. Psal. 7. verse, Psal. 2. 7. Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee. even so Act. 13. 32. 33. verses, And we declare unto you, that Act. 13. 32. 33. touching the promise made unto the Fathers, God hath fulfilled it in us their children, in that he raised up jesus even as it is written in the 2. Psalm, thou art my son this day have I begotten thee. Here the Apostle proving Christ to be everlasting allegeth these words, thou art my son this day have I begotten thee. And in the epistle to the Heb. 1. 5. proving Christ to be higher than the Angels, Heb. 15. and from everlasting, he saith. For to which of the Angels said he, thou art my son, this day begat I thee? And most plainly Heb. 5. 6. Proving that Christ lived for Heb. 5. 6. ever, but the Priests of the Levitical order died, he proveth the eternity of Christ thus: So likewise Christ took not to himself this honour to be made a high priest, but he that said unto him thou art my son this day begat I thee, gave it him. He also in another place speaketh, Thou art an high Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Here the Apostle proving Christ to be an everlasting Priest, and to give eternal redemption, useth this word to day, which signifieth for ever, as it is manifest in the 6. ver, By these reasons therefore it is proved, that with me, signifieth with the Godhead, 1. By the petition of the thief, for he asked the kingdom of heaven: 2. By that which was forgiven him, his sins: 3. By that which was given him, that was glory: 4. By the place where it was given him, that was paradise. 5. By the time for how long it was given him that is for ever: lastly by the person that giveth it, that is Christ, who being everlasting as I proved before, forgiveth infinite sins, giveth grace always in his everlasting kingdom and in all eternity for ever. And of this judgement is S. Augustine, who answering the like objection Aug. of the adversaries of this doctrine in his time, this hath left in writing: there is an other meaning also much more free from all ambiguities, if it be taken to be spoken not in respect that he is man, but in respect that he is God, to day thou shalt be with me in paradise: for the man Christ was in respect of his flesh in the grave that day, in respect of his soul in hell: and the same Christ was God every where and at all times. The last place that is alleged by the gainsayers of this doctrine, is the last speech which Christ used Luk. 23. 46. upon the cross. Luc. 23. 46. Into thy hands O Father I commend my spirit. Out of which place they thus conclude, that the soul of Christ was committed to his Father in heaven, therefore it went not to hell: which is a false consequence. For they imagine here that the hands of God signifieth heaven, which cannot be proved out of this place. For this scripture being a derivative place out of the 31 Psalm and 5. verse, teacheth us this: that as the soul of David being the figure of Christ, did not immediately after this prayer go to heaven, but was guided by the hand and government of the Lord in all manner of perils: so it doth not follow that the soul of Christ being committed into the hands of the father (for these words are spoken in respect of the manhood of Christ) should pass immediately into heaven: but should so be guided by the Godhead, that it should pass through death and hell mightily without resistance, naturally with out assistance, speedily without tarrying, and happily without any returning: But for the better understanding of this place, you must note how many ways this word, (the hand of the Lord) is taken in the holy book of God: that when we see the divers acceptation of the word, we may take that sense which most fitteth this Scripture. First the hand of God signifieth the Son of God, Psal. 144. 7. Send thy hand Psal. 144. 7. Psal. 136. 6. from above: 2. For his power, Psal. 136. 6. In a mighty hand & out stretched arm: 3. The bountifulness of God, Psal. 145. 16. Thou openest thy hand, and fillest with Psal. 145. 16 thy blessing every living creature: 4. It signifieth consolation. Ezek. 3. 22. The hand of the Lord was with me Ezek. 3. 22. Psa. 118. 16 comforting me: Sometime it signifieth grace. Psal. 118. 16. The right hand of the Lord hath done valiantly. Sometime it signifieth the gift of prophecy, Ezek. 8. 1. Ezek. 8. 1. The hand of the Lord fell there upon me. Sometimes it signifieth mercy. Psal. 37. 24, Though he fall he shall not Psal. 37. 24. be cast off, for the Lord putteth under his hand. Sometime it signifieth the protection of the lord Psal, 31. 15. my Psal. 31. 15. times are in thy hand. Sometime it sigifieth the aid of the Nehe. 2. 8. Psal. 74. 12. Lord, Nehe. 2. 8. And the king gave me according to the good hand of my God upon me. And in the 74. Psal. ver. 11. Why withdrawest thou thy hand? Sometime it signifieth job. 19 21. the punishment of the lord job. 19 21. Have pity on me, have pity on me, ay my friends, for the hand of God hath touched me. It signifieth also the creation, Psal. Psa. 102. 25 102. 25. The heavens are the works of thy hands. Last Psal. 95. 4. of all it signifieth his government, Psal. 95. 4. In his hands are all the corners of the earth. Christ therefore commending his soul into the hands of the Father, teacheth us when we are dying or in any affliction which is grievous, we must commit our souls to the power, consolation, mercy, protection, aid, and government of the Lord. For this being a derivative place, is taken out of the 31. Psal. and 5. ver. Therefore as the soul of David did not immediately after go to heaven, so did not the soul of Christ. For if he went up immediately, than Christ did ascend before he did descend, which is contrary to the Scriptures in many places. In the Ephe. 4. Ephe. 4. 9 9 Now in that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lowest parts of the earth? But if the soul of Christ went into heaven before he was buried, or descended into hell, as the gainsayers of the doctrine stoutly affirm, than he ascended before he descended, which is contrary to this Scripture: therefore good Reader mark these circumstances, 1. Who must descend: that is Christ. 2. Whether? into the lowest parts of the earth, which I have proved before to be hell: for as ascend and descend are contrary, so is heaven and hell. 3. When must he descend? first before he ascend. And thus as many learned men before Eras. in 4. ad Ephe. named have understood this place, so doth Erasmus writing on the fourth Chapter of the Ephe. certainly this is the thing that the Palsmists by the inspiration of the holy ghost spoke of so long ago; for Christ having already conquered the hell, is ascended alive again into the high kingdom of his Father. And a little after he addeth, after most low humbling followeth most high advancing; from the most high heavens, than the which nothing is higher, he dejected himself even into the hell, the which nothing is lower. When Mare Magdalene came to Christ, joh. 20. 17. Christ saith joh. 20. 17. to her, Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father, but to go to my brethren, and say unto them, jascend unto my Father and to your Father, and to my God and your God. Here the truth itself saith, he had not yet ascended into heaven: whosoever therefore affirmeth the contrary, affirmeth an untruth. They will answer Christ was not ascended in respect of his body: but I reply, if Christ's soul being the principal part of the humanity had been in heaven, as they imagine, than this speech is untrue: mark my reason, for in death when both parts are sundered, a man is said to be where his soul is, and not where his body is: for the man taketh his name of the principal part. In this fort Christ saith, Mat. 8. 11. Many shall come from the East and West, and shall sit with Abraham, Mat. 8. 11. Isaac, and jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. Here you see because the souls of those patriarchs are in heaven, they themselves are said to be in heaven. Even so if Christ's soul were in heaven, Christ was in heaven, and then this saying can not be verified, I have not yet ascended to my Father, for Christ ascended visibly, and for this cause willeth Mary to go tell his brethren, whom he calleth to this action as witnesses. For as the time of his ascending is noted to be forty days after his resurrection, and the place to be Bethaniel and that on a mountain, that it might the more easily be seen, and the manner of his going to be marvelous for he was carried up in a cloud: so his faithful Disciples and glorious Angels were witnesses of his triumphant ascension into heaven. Out of these Scriptures this I conclude, as Christ was borne but once. died but once, was buried but once: so he did but once descend into hell, once arise from the dead, and once ascended into heaven, and but once shall come into judgement. But if the soul of Christ went presently into heaven, them not only this absurdity followeth that he ascended before he descended, but also that there are two ascendings of Christ into heaven: the one invisible of his soul, the other visible of his body. Ignatius who died in the year of our Lord 112. (For he was cast to beasts to be devoured) this Father living in the time of Policarpus, who was Scholar to john Evangelist, in his Epistle to the Ignat. epist. ad eccles. Trallis. Athanas. in Symbolo. Church of Trallis thus writeth; Christ descended into hell alone, but he ascended with a multitude. Athanasius in his creed saith, who suffered for our salvation and descended into hell: and interpreting the 2. Cor. 6. he saith Satan was envious against our Saviour, for he killed him not knowing it would be against himself: for Christ after his cross, going down into hell hath vanquished death, and because he knew no sin he could not be holden of death: so saith Ambrose Ambro. in Gal. 3. in his exposition on the 3: Chap. of the Galathians, for when they thought that he should be slain that he might not teach, they profited nothing, for his doctrine increased, and he evacuated death in his passion, for descending into hell he delivered mankind: for that cause he suffered himself to be murdered, knowing that he was for us against the Devil. And the same Father writing on the 1. Tim. 2. chap. thus confirmeth this doctrine: because man now reconciled to God was subject to infernal death, that he could not ascend to God to whom he was reconciled, our Saviour to bring his will to effect, suffered himself to die against law, that descending into hell, he might condemn death for the impiety it wrought on him: taking away from death those which he hide hold, that from henceforth whatsoever had the sign thereof, should not be detained therewith; of which thing he showed a testimony, when he arose. Therefore to end these words, into (thy hands I commend my spirit) do not show us the state of Christ's soul, but showeth us how we must pray in all our tribulations, and in the hour of death. For the soul of Christ no doubt was in hell: but this consider, that spirit here signifieth the soul, which in S. Peter they will in no wise confess. Farther where it is objected Ob. that Cyprian saith, it is left out of the creed of the Roman and oriental Church; I answer, that is not Cyprians Sol. work, for in that treatise is mention made of the Arians, who began their error under Constantine the great, in the year 320. But Cyprian was put to death under Valerian in the year of our Lord God 249. Therefore Cyprian being dead almost an hundred years before that heresy sprung up, could not write of Arrians: for Cyprian is of my opinion, as it shall appear by this that followeth. For in his sermon Cypria. de ascensu Chr. of the ascending of Christ into heaven, he uttereth his judgement thus: Christ did once descend into hell, and goeth down into hell no more, they shall not see God no more on the cross, nor those that are damned in hell. And in other places he proveth the descension of Christ into hell by the 16. Psalm, and by the text of the 1. Pet. 3. Chapter before by me alleged, which here I omit for brevities sake. It is farther This is Carleils argument. objected that this article is left out of the Nicene créed, true it is: so Athanasius créed lacketh the burial. Hieroms ad Damas. lacketh it also, Tertullian leaveth out in his creed the catholic Church, the resurrection of the flesh, and life everlasting. Cirill maketh mention only of the trynity, and leaveth out all the rest of the articles, therefore this is the answer: ab authoritate humana negatiué non valet argumentum. It is no good reasoning from the authority of man negatively. Seeing then that this article is proved by many and manifest Scriptures, and by the general consent of the pure and primitive Church, to believe it is safety, to deny it perversely is infidelity. Last of all because it hath been confidently avouched, that all the reformed Churches beyond the Seas allow not this doctrine, I will therefore here reprove that allegation as most false and untrue, First as before I have proved that Aepnius, Luther, and the authors of the Centuries confirm this doctrine, so here I will Pomera. in Psal. 16. add to them Pomeranus, who travailed much in the reformation of the Churches of Germany, who thus in his exposition of the 16. Psalm hath left to eternal memory: Christ not only died, but he would also for a little season, that is until the third day, descend into the darkness of hell, where is the image of death, and as job saith everlasting horror without any order, and a little after, for this cause did Christ die and go down into hell, that thou shouldest not go thither: so that as they shall return from death, so he would redeem them from hell, that he might abolish all thy death, by his death, and that thou mayest rest in the hope of the glorious resurrection, as all the Fathers in the seed of Abraham that is Christ. In which faith whosoever died, are said to be received into the bosom of Abraham. For in the faith of Abraham and of the blessing which should come by Christ, they did rest, and they do rest to arise with us. All others did die in desperation and do die daily being holden in horrible death, until the everlasting fire shall come upon them by the last sentence. Aretius' a professor of divinity in Areti. in probemat part. 2. Berna, approveth this doctrine in his Problems the 2. part: and setteth down it was necessary that Christ should descend into hell for 3. causes: 1. For the reprobates sake, that it might be known to them that he was come already, whom they had heard should come so often, but they had despised it greatly: to these therefore it was necessary that Christ should be known by virtue of spirit. 2. It was meet also he should be manifested unto Satan, that he might know the same Christ whom he had tempted in the desert, and whom by the fraud of the jews he had put to death, the same was the Messiah and the seed of the woman promised. This I say was expedient to be made known to the very devils in the bottom of hell. 3. It was expedient in respect of the elect, that Satan might know that he should have no power over the bodies of the Saints whom he will raise Hiperi. li. 3. de method. divinitat. to life everlasting hereafter. Hyperius a man endued with most excellent gifts of learning, in his 3. book of his method of divinity, writing de Ecclesia, thus saith: as Christ when he was dead and buried and descended into hell, than he did chiefly conquer death and hell: so the Church doth most increase and multiply, when it seemeth to be destroyed & extinguished. Pet. Mar in artic. 〈◊〉 Peter Martyr who travailed in this our realm in the most famous university of Oxford, in planting the Gospelll, in his exposition on the articles of the faith, thus hath left his judgement: the soul of Christ after it departed from the body remained not idle, but descended into hell. For Denmark we have Hemingius: for Scotland, Alesius: for Berna, Aretius: for Mapurge, Hipperius: for Argentorat, Peter Martyr: for Hambrough, Aepnius: and for other parts of Germany, Luther, Siluerer, Pomeranus, Lucas Lossius, Vrbanus Rhegius, Musculus, and the authors of the Centuries, whose works be worthy both of eternal memory and credit. And for our Realm of England, we have the Catechism of M. Nowell, a man whom those that know not his face, do love and honour for his great travails he hath bestowed in the Church of God, but Nowell in catechiss. especially for the setting forth of that Catechism for the unity of doctrine, which is the band of perfection. In which Catechism he hath delivered these words: as Christ in his body descended into the bowels of the earth, so his soul being severed from his body he descended into hell. And as this was the judgement of that reverend Father, so was it no doubt the judgement of the Synod of learned men assembled together in the convocation house at that time, which was Anno Domini, 1571. who by an iviunction there made took this order, that no other Catechism in this Realm should be taught. Which injunction if it had been kept, we should not have so many sects in our Church as we now have, to the great dishonour of God, the joy of our endless adversaries the Papists, and the bitter grief of all the good Ministers of this Land. The articles also of the Synod of London in the time of King Edward the 6. in the year of our Lord God 1552▪ published by the King's authority approve Artyc. Syn. Lond. tempore Eduardi. 6. this doctrine: amongst which articles it is thus written; as Christ is dead and buried for us, so is it also to be believed that he descended into hell: for his body lay in the grave until his resurrection, and his soul separated from his body was with the spirits which were detained in prison or hell, and preached to them, as witnesseth the place of Peter, which I have before alleged. But because now the judgement of boys is more esteemed then of reverend Fathers, and every singular schismatic is more esteemed, than a whole Synod of chosen and expert men in divinity. Hereof it cometh to pass, that whatsoever hath been most gladly and learnedly proved by M. Nowell, and approved by our cowocations, is accounted error: and whatsoever every fantastical spirit doth utter without study rashly, and without fear of God presumptuously, is accounted truth, as though it had been merely revealed unto them from heaven. For what a rashness and presumption is this, to say all reformed Churches are of their opinion, whereas the contrary doth appear by their own writings to the great glory of God, and to the no less great shame of them, which in the Pulpits affirm most impudently, that all reformed Churches beyond the seas are of their judgement. But to lie is an usual thing to all Martinists, as their books in other things can witness against them aswell as in this behalf. To conclude, not only most of the reformed Churches beyond the Seas approve this doctrine, but even the very Infidels have acknowledged Aug. de civitate dei li. 18. ca 23. it. For Sibylla thus prophesied of Christ as Augustine witnesseth in his 18. book of the City of God, the 23. chapter: he shall come into the hands of Infidels, and they shall strike him with their filthy hands, and with their unclean mouth shall cast on him their poisoned spitals, he shall give simply his holy back to strips, and receiving buffets shall hold his peace: for his meat they gave him gall, for his thirst vinegar, showing this table of inhospitality: for thou being a foolish nation didst not understand thy God delighting in men's souls, but didst crown him with thorns, and didst give him bitter gall. But the vail of the Temple shall be rend, and at noon it shall be dark for 3. hours: and he dying for three days shall sleep, and then returning from hell shall come into the clear light, being the first that showed the beginning of the resurrection. The same verses of Sibilla are repeated by the same Augustine in a sermon which he August. li. contra jud. Pap. &. Arri ca 16. & 17 writeth to those that are catechized, against the jews, Pagans, and Arrians, in the 16. Chapter, and in the 17. Chapter of the same book, where he thus reasoneth: albeit O ye envious jews ye do with a shameless face say to Christ, joh. 8. 13. Thou dost bear witness of thyself, and thy witness is not true. Yet that the truth of the Majesty of God may appear, beside so many excellent consents of witnesses, every creature hath seemed to give testimony to christ their creator. Did not the heaven give witues, when as a new Star in the new generation of a man did as it were with his tongue or hand point, to God was born a man for all nations? did not the sea give testimony to him, when forgetting herself after a sort, the liquid humour solidity being received, carried the lively steps of their Lord? that it might be fulfilled which is written Psa. 77. 19 Thy way is in the sea, and thy paths in the deep waters. When the servant of Christ being wise about himself, that they might show what difference is between the creature, and the creator, the water had swallowed up Peter in the floods, unless the Lord of all things had reached him his hand, being ready to be drowned: did not the earth give him testimony, when being mingled with his spittle, he anointing with it the eyes of the borne blind, restored light to him that saw not? and by his workmanship like an Artificer he repaired that which he had not out of the dirt of the earth, which made all men out of the earth before? did not things under earth give testimony unto Christ, when lieging their right they yielded up Lazarus whole, whom they had taken to be corrupted, and kept him 4. days, that they might render him safe when they heard the voice of the Lord commanding? and in the end thus concludeth, O judaei, daemons qui corda vestra possiderunt, dixerunt, scimus qui sis, quid venisti ante tempus perdere nos? the devils which have possessed your hearts have said, We know who thou art, why comest thou before thy time to destroy us? Mark. 1. 24 Even as the heaven, the sea, the earth, things under earth, and the devils did confess him to be the Son of God in this life, so in his death, as the same Father noteth, the heaven was darkened, the earth did move, the vail of the Temple is rend, the stones did cleave asunder, the graves are opened, the devils at the presence of Christ do tremble, and every devil in hell confesseth jesus Christ to be the Lord, to the glory of God the father, Phil. 2. 10. 1●. Phil. 2. 10. If then we be led by the word of God as we should be, than I hope I have sufficiently proved this article by the blessed word of God, if Fathers, all, both gréek and Latin teach this doctrine to be true. If we esteem the judgements of the Ministers of the reformed Churches, if the adversaries of this doctrine have one to stand in their side, we have five on ours: if we reverence the authority of the Synod or convocation of England, they allow this ascertion. If we honour reverend antiquity, this doctrine is most ancient: for it hath been delivered not only of late by Nowell, Beecon, Fox, Hutchinson, Lamier, Peter Martyr, Hipperius, Pomeranus, Lucas Lossius, Aepnius and Luther: But in times passed by Augustine, Ambrose, Hierome, Cyprian, Fulgentius, Vigilius, Oecumenius, Atha nasius, Epiphanius, Cyrill, Ignatius: Yea it is delivered by Peter and Paul themselves, and this antiquity joined with verity is very strong as Cyprian saith. All these before named with infinite others, which for brevities sake I omit, were the devout faithful learned and zealous defenders of God's faith, and for this cause were hated, reviled, persecuted or murdered. And besides all these not only Zacharye, David, and Esau foretold of this descending into hell, but as you have heard before, Sibylla being a Prophitesse of the Heathen. And as S, Augustine truly noteth, not only the creatures in heaven, in earth, and in the graves, but also the very devils have confessed it; which those that are possessed with devils, as the jews, servetus, and Carlisle do deny stubbornly without relenting, and desperately without repenting, and obstinately without ceasing, notwithstanding all those honourable witnesses of Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, and Fathers before by me alleged. joshua said to jos. 24. 15. the Israelites, jos. 24. 15. And if it seem evil to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom you will serve, but I and my household will serve the Lord. So let others believe as they list, I and all those that believe my doctrine, will believe this article literally as it lieth, and as we believe the rest. For if hell here should be taken metaphorically as some will have it, so may you allegorise the whole creed as do the Heretics, and so overthrow the whole substance of our faith. Besides no hell being in our creed, men will not believe there is any hell at all, as do the greatest part of the world, as their blasphemous mouths and abominable lives declare the same every where. Wherefore I exhort Aug. ad Euodium Epist. 99 all men with S. Augustine in this sort, epist. 99 ad Euodium, therefore let us hold most firmly which our faith hath, being confirmed with most grounded authority, that Christ died and was buried and rose again the 3. day, and all other things which are written of him: amongst which also this one is, that he was in hell. And again, who but an infidel will deny Christ to have been in hell? but because I know the Papists doth rejoice to see this schism in the Church of England, therefore let them well understand that Hierome ad August. Epist. 9 it hath always been so, and so will be unto the world's end. Theophilus' called Epiphanius an archheretique. Hierom thus writeth to S. Augustine in his 9 Epistle, in thy Epistle I have judged somethings to be heretical. And Augustine to Hierome writeth thus, take upon you the severity of a Christian to correct and amend your work and to recant. Bonifacius said that Augustine and other Bishops Clemens Alexand. stromatum li. 7. of Africa were inspired with the devil, Clemens Alexandrinus. stromatum li. 7. saith, that the Gentiles did thus upbraid the Christians, ye Christians disagree among yourselves, and you have sects, and albeit all do challenge unto themselves the title of christianity, yet one of you doth curse and condemn the other. Wherefore your religion is not good, nor came from God: as the Gentiles did upbraid the Christians, so now the Papists the Protestants, saying as Chrisost. in Act hom. ●. the heathen did say in Chrysostom's time, in Act. homil. 3. the Gentile cometh and saith I would gladly be a Christian, but I know not to whom I may cleave, what opinion I may choose, or what I may prefer: all say, I say the truth. But as that was no lawful excuse for the heathen in those days, no more is it for our Papists now in these days: but rather because we have enemies on every side, they ought to believe that we are the tossed ship of Christ's Church, and we are the soldiers of our Captain jesus, which must fight against all Heretics and schismatics: we are the pure Corn that are so wynowed, and the pure gold that are so tried in the furnace of tribulation, we are in the house builded upon the rock, who though beaten with the roaring waves of heresies, or with the turbulent winds of temptations, or with the stormy tempests of persecutions, yet we stand and the Papists do fall, and therefore they should strive to come unto us. As Moses refused the kingdom of Egypt for the rebuke of the Children of God, so should they refuse the damned security of the papish Synagogue, to enter into this tossed and militant Church, where great troubles cause great prayer, and great prayer causeth a great calm, and a great admiration of Christ's power is caused by the great calm, and great admiration causeth great thanksgiving for ever. But what is the cause of these schisms in the Church? Leo in Epiphania ser. 6. showeth the same; the Devil is grieved with the calling of the Gentiles, and is vexed with the daily ruin and destruction of his power: sorrowing therefore that he is forsaken and the true king is worshipped of all men, he layeth snares, and raiseth dissensions. As here, so in the 13. of Matthew you may learn who is the author of schisms, Satan: where doth he sow this wicked seed? in the field and Church of the Lord: how doth he sow it? he turneth himself into an Angel of light, and so do his ministers, alleging the word of God contrary to the meaning of the holy Ghost: why doth he raise dissensions? because he seeth himself forsaken and Christ worshipped: when doth he sow schisms? while the servants slept. The sleeping therefore of the Ministers is an occasion that schisms are not only sown, but are rooted and do grow Chrys. in Gal. 3. and fructify. For this cause saith Chrysostome in Gal. 3. are we made laughing stocks to the jews and the Gentiles, while the Church is divided into a thousand parts? our slothfulness then causeth 2. great evils in the Church of God, that is schisms to grow, and ourselves to be scorned at. Cyprian in his 40. Epistle thus writeth, there is one God, and Cypria. Epist. 4. one Christ, and one Church: an other alter to be made and set up, or a new préesthoode to be made it is impossible: whosoever gathereth elsewhere, scattereth. It is adulterous, it is impious, it is sacrilegious, whatsoever is instituted by man's fury to the breach of God's divine disposition: get ye from the contagion of such men, and flee from their speeches as a canker and pestilence, our Lord having premonished and warned before hand, they are blind leaders of the blind: where this good Martyr willeth us to keep verity in unity. Hiler. li. ad Constantium Augustum. And so doth Hillary li. ad Constantium Augustum, perilous and miserable it is, that there are now so many faiths as wills, and so many doctrines as manners, whiles either faiths are so written as we will, or as we will have understood. And whereas according to one God, and one Lord, and one baptism, there is also one faith: we fall away from that which is the only faith, and whiles more faiths be made they begin to come to that, that there is none at all. For we know that sith the Synod of the Nicene assembly there is nothing else written but the faith, but while there is contention about the words, and question of novelties, and while there is occasion of doubts, while there is complaint of the authors, while there is strife about studies, while there is a difficulty in one consent, while one beginneth to cry anathema to another, almost no body belongeth to Christ jesu. Labour therefore for unity in the faith, stop the mouths of them that preach falsehood and lies, and that will descant one our faith, and bring in as Hillary saith new faiths either in word or understanding; let not one hold of Paul, and another of Peter, but let us all hold of jesus Christ, let us have one mouth, mind and faith; than whatsoever is planted or watered by us, God will increase it: then the jew by our schisms shall not be hardened, the Papists shall not be made glad, the weak shall not be discouraged, the strong shall not be weakened, than it will be good and joyful for us as blessed brethren to dwell together in perfect unity; then our house shall stand, our City shall flourish, our kingdom shall be invincible, and against our Church the gates of hell shall not prevail for ever. To all people in general which are not Ministers, this counsel I give with Paul, to be wise unto sobriety, and that they read the Scriptures of God not to be authors or arbettours of controversies, but to increase their faith, confirm their hope, and to inflame their charity, and to imitate the virtues of the godly: as the chastity of joseph, the humility of Moses, the zeal of David, the wisdom of Solomon, the patience of job, the obedience of Noami, the repentance of Paul, the renouncing of the world with th'apostles. Let them specially note those places, that breed the hatred of sin, fear of God's judgements, and delight in spiritual cogitations. Let not this disorder continue amongst us, that the wives teach their husbands, Children their parents, fools wisemen, Hierom ad Paulinum. cap. 6. the Scholars their Masters, the sheep their pastor, the people their preacher. Hierome complained in his time in his book to Paulinus the 6. Chapter, that whereas no man presumed in any occupation to teach that they never learned, only saith he the art of Scripture is that which every man challengeth: this the chatting old wise, this the doting old man, this the brabbling Sophister, this on every hand men presume to teach before they learn it. And again some with poise of lofty words, devise of Scripture, matters among women, othersome (fie upon it) learn of women what to teach men, and least that be not enough, by facility of tongue, or rather audacity teach that to others, which they understand never a whit themselves: to say nothing of such as he of my faculty. Who stepping from secular learning to holy Scriptures, and able to tickle the ears of the multitude with a smooth tale, think all they speak to be the Law of God. In Hieromes time this malady of arrogancy & presumption Nazians. orat: de moderatione in reb, diui. in divine matters was grievous, but now it is almost incurable. Nazianzene in an Oration of his concerning the moderation to be used in divine matters thus writeth: order saith he hath made and bound together all things, order preserveth earthly and heavenly things, order is to be kept in those things that are endued with reason and a soul, there is an order in those things that are subject to our senses, there is order in the Angels, there is order in the moving of the Stars, their greatness, their mutual relation and brightness; there is order in the times of the year, coming and going aptly and distinctly, and mitigating the as: perity of the extremes by the moderate quality of the middle times: there is order in the Elements whereof our bodies are made: order hath made the firmament roune, hath unfolded the air, poured out the liquid nature and gathered it into one place, and sendeth out the winds, but not to the destruction of man hath he sent them: order hath bound the waters in the Clouds but doth not hold them there, but scattereth them comely and equally upon the face of all the earth. A little after he addeth, order distinguished us from brute beasts, made laws, giveth honour to virtue, punishment to vice, invented arts, made marriages, and by earnest love towards our Children begotten, brought us from the rude life to humanity, and that which is greater than this terrene and carnal love, it fasteneth in our mind the love of God. For order is the father and safety of all things. Even so) saith this divine writer) order hath appointed in Church's that some should be Sheep, some pastors, some shouldrule, others should be under & obey rule, one is an head, another is a foot, another an hand, another eyes, another some other member of the body, to the concynnitie & beauty of the church and to the utility both of the subjects & rulers. And even as in our bodies, though the members be not abrupt or distracted, one from an other, but all that heap is one body made of divers members: yet there is not one force or faculty of all, although otherwise for the necessity of benevolence & concord, and for the like reason in their unlike offices all members are equally made others help. For neither the eye doth go but showeth the way, neither the foot doth see but goeth and changeth places; neither the tongue doth hear, for that is the office of the ears: neither the ear doth speak, for that is the function of the tongue; and the nostril is the organ of those things that are smelled, but the throat tasteth meat, and the hand is the instrument of giving and receiving: but the mind ruleth all, from whence truly the power of sense doth come, and whether all the senses do go and are referred. In like manner standeth the case with us, that is with the common body of Christ: we are all one body in Christ, and every one of us are Christ's, and all of us members together. Some have dominion and rule, some obey and are ruled: and albeit there is not the same action of both, unless a man will say it is all one to rule and to obey, yet both of them are made and joined together in the same Christ. and again as among them that are under, there is found a great difference, for they differ one from another in learning and experience, exercise and age: so there is no small difference also among the rulers: and sith the spirits of the prophets are subject to the Prophets, as Paul himself doth affirm. 1. Cor. 14. 32. There is no cause why any man should doubt of it. For he saith Ephe. 4. 11. He gave some to be Apostles, secondly Prophets, thirdly pastors and doctors: first for the truth, secondly for a shadow and obscurithy, last of all for the measure and action of divine utility and illumination. And the spirit is one truly, but the graces are divers, even as the conceptacles of the spirit are not alike. For. 1. Cor. 12. 8. To one is given the spirit of wisdom and speculation, to another the word of knowledge and revealation, to another a sure and undoubted faith, to an other workings of high miracles, to another the gifts of healing opitulations, that is defences patrocinices and governments, that is castigation of the flesh, languages, interpretations of tongues: to some more excellent gifts, to others inferior gifts according to the quality and proportion of their faith. This order my brethren let us reverence, defend and observe: let one be an ear, let another be a tongue, an other some other thing: let one teach, another learn, an other work with his own hands that he may have to give to the needy: let one rule and govern the people, let another by his dutiful ministry obtain the praise of justice: he that teacheth let him teach in modesty, for let two or three Prophets speak and that by course, and let one interpret, and if any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. 1. Cor. 1●. 29. 30. He that learneth in obedience, he that giveth in readiness, he that ministereth in chéerfulnes. Let us not all use the function of the tongue, which is most ready and prompt in all: for we be not all Apostles, we be not all prophets, we be not all interpreters. For albeit it is an honourable thing to talk of God, yet is it more honourable to keep ourselves pure unto God. It is a great and worthy thing to be a teacher, I hear thee: but it is with out danger to be a learner. Why dost thou being a Sheep take upon thee the office of a Pastor? Why dost thou being a foot, take upon thee to be a head? why dost thou being a Soldier take upon thee to be a leader of an army? why dost thou seek for those great, but doubtful and dangerous gains of the sea, while thou mayst keep thyself in safety in the land, albeit with less gain? If thou be a man according unto Christ, and hast thy senses exercised, and dost shine in the bright light of knowledge, go to speak the wiseof God, I say that wisdom which is preached among the perfect, and which is hidden in mystery, and that in such sort at length, as if thou shalt get a fit opportunity, and hast it committed to thy faith. For what hast thou of thyself, that thou hast not received it? but if thou be tender of age, or of a base or abject mind, or of weaker strength then that thou art able to wade in higher matters, follow the Corinthians, be content with milk. Why dost thou desire strong meat, which thy members for weakness can not consume and turn into nourishment? tell me if thou have any thing better than silence? therefore where it is better to hold thy peace then to speak, be silent. And a little after he saith, if thou dost resemble Moses in virtues, enter also into the Cloud itself, and speak to God and hear his voice, and promulgate the Law: if thou also be Aaron, ascend together truly, but stand without the Cloud, somewhat nigh. But if thou be Ithamar or Eleazar, or some third from Moses, of the order of the Senators, and of their number, stand farther off and be content with the third place. But if thou be a lay man or of the basest sort, let the hill itself keep thee back, which also if any beast touch, he shall be stoned: tarry beneath and hear the voice only, and that after thou hast purified thyself, and that I may more plentifully instruct thee, who did consecrate the Priest? Moses. Who was the first that was consecrated? Aaron, who did care for the things that pertained unto God, who was in steed of the voice? Moreover in the holy places, who might enter but one, and that not ever but once a year. Heb. 9 Who might carry the ark but the levites? 1. Levit. 15. And they as they were appointed, for some were of a high office, some of a lower as every one was worthy, and because that aught to be kept, it was appointed also, who should keep it every way: for some should keep one side, some an other side, neither should any thing remain indistincted or disordered in their smallest matters. Mark good Reader, what is the conclusion of this sweet discourse, for it toucheth most néerelye our disordered Martinists, but we if we have gotten a little glory and excellency of name, and have learned two or three words of Scripture, not often but by chance, and these unskilfully and ill couched together; by and by we furiously rebel against Moses, and follow the importune contumely and impiety of Dathan and Abiram: whose contumely I beseech you let us flee, and let us flee their madness, lest we be overthrown with the same punishments. Nazianzene affirmeth that order is beautiful in natural things in sensible and in reasonable, but more beautiful in houses, Cities and common weals, but most beautiful in the house and Church of God. For God is not the God of confusion but of order. 1. Cor. 14. 33. And for this cause all things in the Church must be done in order. 1, Cor. 14. 40. Take away 1. Cor. 14. 33. 1. Cor 14. 40. order from natural things, all things would come to annihilation, take away order from men and we become brutish: but take away order from Christian men, and they become very devils. In these last and dangerous times like beasts void of reason we despise government, and like devils that have come out of the horrible pit of shameless confusion, we overthrow all the orders which are established in the Church of England. Obedience by the word of God is a sacrifice, but we hold it to be a superstitious yoke. S. Paul sayeth we should obey, not for fear of wrath but for conscience: but now a days they are accounted the holiest men, which have no conscience, and do stubbornly resist all the orders of the Church, and desperately continue in their confused disobedience, every man will be a head, no man a foot, every man a tongue, no man a ear: S. james saith we should be slow to speak and swift to hear: but we have perverted his words in our deeds, and are slow to hear and swift to speak against Prince and Ministers. And even as the Donatists wrote against Augustine in his time, and the Catharoi against Cyprian in his time, and as the Pharasies withstood our Saviour and his Apostles in their time: so are the Martinistes now bend against the Church of God and Ministers in our time. For as their heart is full of envy, so their tongue is as keen as a razor, as sharp as a Sword, as hot as coals, asvenymous as vipers, and as they are swift to speak, without number, weight or measure of their words, so are they slow to hear: for they will not hear the voice of the charmer, charm he never of wisely. Of these men Gregory Nazianzene in the place before quoted saith very well: it is a shame truly when thou dost embrace not magnificence but baseness in thy apparel and diet, and to pretend humility in the hardness of thy knees, in thy fastings and watchings, and in the asperity of thy bed being laid in the ground, and in thy labours, and in all manner of pining and subduing thy body: and to challenge to thyself a principality and tyranny in divine disputations, neither to yield to any man, but to advance yourself above the Preachers of the Law, where humility hath not only glory but also security. What then? will some of them which are of a hot spirit object: dost thou by this Oration forbidden to talk of God? what shall we talk off? or how think Ob. you of this place? his praise shall ever be in his mouth. Psal. 33. I will bless the Lord always. Psal. 29. My throat shall meditate on his truth, and behold I have not forbid my lips: and so will bring many testimonies meditated and quoted to that purpose. To whom I answer gently and Sol. without bitterness of mind, that hereby we may teach also the moderation of the mind. I do not exhort a wise man to silence. but I study to fear thee from stubborn contention: neither do I bid thee to suppress or hide the truth, but I forbidden thee that thou teach not besides Law. For I myself do profess myself to be a chief man among them which praise wisdom and learning, and either do spend or desire to spend their times in holy Sermons and sacred studies, and God grant that I never be turned aways from this business, lest of wisdom itself I be pronounced a wretch and an unhappy man, because I have despised learning and wisdom. In the mean season I avoid the excess and do bridle the unsatiable desire of man and am so minded, that if I could not avoid both faults and keep a mediocrity, I had leyffer be too slow than a busy body, or too fearful rather then too bold or rash. He addeth shortly after, hold fast those words, in the which thou hast been instructed in thy infancy, commit the care of reasoning and disputation to the learned: it is enough for thee to hold fast the foundation, let a wise master builder build upon it: it is sufficient for thee to strengthen thy heart with bread, leave dainty dishes to the rich and wealthy. No sober or wise man will accuse thee if thou furnish not thy supper with liberal and bountiful fare. But if thou wilt not set bread, or give a cup of water to the Disciple of Christ. Mat. 10. Or to any other when thou art able, than art thou justly and worthily condemned also. Be not swift in thy words saith the wise man. Eccle. 5. And being poor compare not thyself with the rich, & affect not to be wiser than the wise. It is a point of wisdom to know thy self, and not to be immoderately proud: and so to be affected as the voices who when they are strained too high, by reason of the immoderation they do altogether faint. Thus this ancient father persuaded the people of God to a moderation in his time, that knowledge might not make them proud: for pride is the cause of singularity, singularity breedeth schisms, schisms disorder, disorder confusion. God saith in the 4. Ephe. that he hath made us Pastors and Doctors: hereby it is manifest that we are not the ordering or appointment of man, nor of angel, but of God himself. How dare every man then being scarce skilful in his own mystery, take upon him our office being in dignity the highest, in labours the painefullest, in disposing the wisest, and in abusing the most dangerous function of the world. Meat is common unto all, but none can dress it so well as Cooks: Cloth is common unto all, but none know good and bad cloth so well as the Cloth maker: a sword is necessary, but none can use it so well, as a skilful master of defence: so that word of God is to be read of all, but the desciding of controversies pertain to the learned ministers. If the unlearned attempt to do this, with the good meat of the word of God they may surfeit, and taking this sword by the point foolish, when they should discreetly take hold by the hilts, they may hurt themselves unrecoverably. For languishing about questions, 1. Tim. 4. They are ever learning and never coming to knowledge. 2. Tim. 3. 7. And as Peter saith, 2. Pet. 3. 16. Being unlearned and unstable pervert the Scriptures to their own damnation. The Lord grant we may read the Scriptures to our edification and amendment of life. And touching the unsearchable mysteries of our faith, to believe them without questioning or doubting. For as Athanasius Athana. de in carnat: verbi. saith in his Book of the incarnation of the word, to teach all things exactly few men can, but to keep the faith all men are bound. To the adversaries of this doctrine, I say with Gregory Nazianzene in the place so often alleged; and peradventure some of us (which is lamentable) do not understand, how of God cometh every good cogitation, word and action, and not only of good men, but also almost of all men, who being slow judges of our own affairs, yet notwithstanding in other men's matters we speedily take a sharp censure, and rather we impute great faults to others, then small to ourselves: and albeit they themselves are more rude and unlearned than we are, yet rather will they lay upon us the fault of impiety, then to accuse their own ignorance. This I know will be my reward for this work, which the knower of all hearts knoweth I have compiled for his glory, and for the unity of the Church. I shall rather be judged of adversaries impious, and with me Fox, Beecon, Nowell, Martyr, and all the Fathers before alleged, than they will account themselves ignorant. Therefore to stay their rash judgement, Gregory thus counseleth them; Greg. If thou burn in such an immoderate and insatiable desire of disputation, that thou canst not stay or repress thy disease, meditate those things, be conversant in these things, pour out thy ambition on these things wherein is no danger: and if thou refuse this and cannot bridle thy tongue, nor break or suppress the violence of thy mind, but thou mindest to rage and to be mad, and wilt not give place to the angels, and wilt arise higher than it is for thy profit: at the least command thyself this, that thou condemn not thy brother, but rather show here a token of humility; here to thy no detriment prefer thy brother before thee, where to condemn and despise thy brother, is nothing else but to eject and cast him out from Christ and only hope, and to root out the secret wheat, wheat better than thyself with the cockle. This I say is Nazianzenes Counsel, and not only his but Paul's. Rom. 14. 10. And Christ's counsel, Luk. 6. 37. If the counsel Rom. 14. 10 Luk. 6. 37. of these cannot stay rash censuring, but some as they have boasted will answer this treatise, and that within fourteen days: if they will leave lying to the Papists, railing to scolds jesting to Stagers, and cursed speaking to the Devil; I will be the man which by the aid of my God will be ready with all moderation to answer them, and that in such time also, as I hope they shall have no just cause to complain of any slackness. The almighty God the giver of all grace so lighten us in the reading of his word, that we may understand it, and so understand it, that we may love it; and so love it, that we may keep it; and so keep the word, that we may keep the faith: and steadfastly believe that Christ was borne for our purification, taught us for our edification, died for Caluin defied. ca 7. our purgation, was buried for our mortification, descended into hell for our reconciliation, rose again for our justification, and ascended into heaven for our sanctification, and shall come again in power for our glorification, and therefore blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honour, might and power, be ascribed unto our God for ever. Amen. THis Sermon being preached at Chippingham in Wiltesse, the 28. of February 1589. And delivered up in writing to M. Wisdom Minister: was answered by one Alexander Huns Schoolmaster of Bath, whose answer wholly followeth, with a reply of the Author, whereby the truth of this controversy doth more plainly appear. ¶ The reply of Adam Hill Minister, to an answer made by Alexander Humes, to a Sermon preached at Chippenham▪ in Wiltes the 28. day of February, 1589. of the descending of Christ into Hell. Humes. Sectio prima. IT fell out upon some occasions, that I was with a friend not far from Chippenham, the day before you preached there. As I was preparing to return, word came to my friend that you had certified M. Chalfoult of your intent the day following, to defend that which he had spoken against M. Wisdom that day seven-night before, concerning the descension of Christ into hell: wherefore my friend wrought me to stay, to hear what could be said for a matter, that both he and I did think to have no great probability. I did so, and it repenteth me not, for there I heard some thing which otherwise I might not have thought upon. And I was strengthened in the truth, because I proved that which I many times heard, that wit and eloquence was not able to shake it. Wherefore I have not thought it amiss to write these few lines unto you, either to win you to us, or to win some better reasons from you, to bring me to you. I am not married to mine opinion, but if any man can bring me better proof, I am content to yield. I hope the same of you, for you told me so in the pulpit, where the tongue should wait upon the heart, and speak his affections. As yet your reasons confirmed me and the rest of mine opinion, rather than confuted us. Hill. In the entrance of your answer, you have told two untruths upon untrue report. The one, that I certified M. Chalfoult of mine intent, which is not so, for neither by messenger nor letter did I ever send to M. Chalfoult. The other is, where you avouch that I would make an Apology of M. Chalfoults' sayings against M. Wisdom, which God knoweth was never my meaning: for first, I never knew what he had said in that controversy, till the morning I preached. Secondly, I did always love and honour M. Wisdom, but M. Chalfoult till that morning I was not acquainted withal. Thirdly, hearing a strife revived of that matter which was not long before quieted in Sarum by the last Bishop, now Archbishop of York, and being requested to deliver my judgement in the matter, not by M. Chalfoult, but by one Richard Woodlands, to set unity betwixt my brethren, and not to war against M. Wisdom: in the fear of God, and not to please you or your friend or any other man, I laid down my judgement, and gave up my Sermon in writing to M. Wisdom, craving an answer to the whole, and not to some part of it. Now you have made an answer to some, how truly it shall appear: and, other things you have left unanswered, for what cause, let the reader judge. In the end, you charge me with wit, which is small, with eloquence, which is none, and with my promise, which I will keep most willingly, hoping that you will keep yours. Humes. Sectio. 2. Wherefore to grow to the matter, I see no cause why you should think better of Augustine and Jerome, then of Beza and Caluine, for they were all but men, and they which now are old, were sometimes new. They had no better warrant of God's spirit than these: and errors in those days were so thick sown, that there grew darnel in the best fields, even of them whom we most admire. I speak not this to discredit the Fathers, but to prove that they were no Gods. They were no doubt the good instruments of our loving God, to maintain his truth against his enemies, but they were but men: you can not deny, but the best of them had his stains, and must confess, that God is infinitely wise, who did before hand ordain it, lest we might honour them for Gods, and set their writings in the place of his eternal word, whereof one jot shall not pass, though heaven and earth perish. Hill. Two arguments you make against Augustine and Jerome. The one is, they had errors, and therefore their interpretation not to be admitted. The other is, the time wherein they lived was corrupt, and for that cause they are not to be alleged in a controversy of Divinity. The same argument I make against all new writers. All new writers have errors, and they live in a most corrupt time, wherein (as Christ saith) shall be many false Prophets, and many false Christ's, to deceive the very elect if it were possible, Math. 24. 24. Therefore because men are vain, and the time corrupt, we must believe no man. You argue ab accidente ad subiectum. For Augustine and Jerome to err it is an accident, but the substance of all Fathers is to beget men in the word of truth, 1. Cor. 4. 15. And for this cause Augustine himself willeth us not to believe him, unless he bring the word of God. Truly (saith Augustine) I do desire not only a godly reader, but a free corrector in all my writings, especially in those things where there is great doubt: but as I will not have him to be given unto me, so I will not have him to be given to himself: let him not love me more than the Catholic faith. As I say to him, believe not my sayings as Canonical Scriptures, but believe steadfastly when thou hast found that which thou beléevedst not, but believe not firmly that which thou hast not seen out of God's word. So I say to him, do not correct my writings by thine own opinion, or of contention, but by the word of God, & by the reason thereof uncontrollable. And against Cresconius the Grammarian he thus writeth, lib. 2. cap. 32. I am not moved with the authority of this epistle, but I cousider them out of the Canonical books, and if they agree with the word of God, I receive them with praise, if they disagree, I refuse them with peace. The like he hath Epist. 3. and Epist. 112. And Jerome ad Theoph. is of the same judgement. I know that I esteem otherwise the Apostles, and otherwise other interpreters: these men speak truth always, these men in some things do err sometime. These Fathers themselves confess themselves to be but men, and will us to believe them no farther than they agree with God's word. Therefore they building upon Christ aswell as your new, aught to be believed rather in this point than they: for what they wrote in this controversy, the same did all other godly Interpreters both Greek and Latin, having a good warrant from God's word. But those of your side write contrary to God's word, to the ancient Fathers, yea and contrary to the new Fathers, namely, Luther, Selueccer, Chytraeus, Pomeran, Aepinus, Lucas Lossius, Alesius, Aretius, Peter Martyr, M. Fox, and M. Nowell. Therefore because Augustine and Jerome agree both with the old and new writers, and especially with the word of God, I like better of them, teaching the affirmative, then of any other labouring to prove the negative. To end therefore, you must note this, that all sayings of the Fathers, either they are demonstrative out of the Scriptures, and then they are the voice of God: or else probable, and these are the voice of man: or else false, and then they are the voice of the Serpent. Humes. Sectio tertia. Their weakness is no where more apparent, then in this matter that we have now in hand: for Jerome joineth his opinion herein with a palpable error, that Christ descended to deliver the Fathers which to that day had been in prison. Augustine is not far behind him, who though he confesseth that the Fathers were in joy with Abraham and Lazarus, yet after some long disputation whether he did deliver all or some, and why these more than those? at length he concludeth, that he did deliver whom he himself thought good. For after that they had once conceived that he descended into Hell, there followed (which could not choose) many inconveniences. There was not one of them dreamt that which you avouch, that he descended into hell, there to triumph or bind the devils, or to augment their sorrows, by showing them from what grace they had fallen. Hill. You writ that Jerome & Augustine did hold a palpable error, that is, that Christ descended to deliver the Fathers. I hope you will not deny, but the Fathers have their deliverance by Christ from hell, therefore by the merits and works of Christ, who I am sure conquered both death and hell. Therefore where you prove that Augustine & Jerome do err, I will leave them as I said before, but wherein they speak the truth, I will praise God for them. But let us see how many ways the scripture may be corrupted, that is, by adding, altering, and diminishing. Eve in the third The scripture is corrupted by 3. means Chap. of Genesis taught all her children so to do: for in the 3. verse thus she saith, But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it lest ye die. First, she changeth the word of God, for God saith Gen. 2. 17. of the tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat. Those words (of the tree of knowledge of good and evil) she changeth, & putteth in for them (in the midst of the garden.) Farther God said, they should not eat of it, she added (that they might not touch it.) God said they should surely die, Eve said (lest we die) here she diminished the scriptures. If then the Fathers have added to the scriptures, that the Fathers were set out of hell, there I leave them. And if you change hell into grave, as you do in the 16. Psal, & Act. 2. I will leave you also: for I stand not upon men's sayings, but upon the word of God. But where you boldly affirm that not one of the Fathers have deemed that which I say, you show yourself either to be malicious in hiding the truth, or else so ignorant, that you have not read the Fathers: for divers both old and new are of my judgement. Ambrose on the fourth Chapter of the Ephesians thus writeth. Christ therefore coming down from heaven into the earth, was borne a man, afterward he died, and descended into hell, from whence rising the third day, he showed death vanquished to every creature. Augustine de tempore in his 137. sermon, and in his third sermon of the resurrection, thus saith: Hell did restore him as a conqueror, and the Heavens did receive him as a triumpher. And in his second sermon he saith thus. Behold, you have heard what our defender the God of vengeance is said to have done freely. For after that he was exalted, that is, was hanged of the jews on the cross, that I may touch these things briefly, assoon as he had given up the ghost, the soul united to the divinity, descended into the bottom of hell: and when he had touched the band of darkness as a fearful and glorious spoiler, the wicked and hellish Legions were afraid, and trembling, began to inquire, saying, Who is this dreadful and glorious man? Eusebius writing of the resurrection of our Saviour, hath the like: We must know that in the self same hour wherein our Saviour bowing his head gave up the ghost, his body being left, in the grave, his Soul with the Divinity went down, to triumph over Hell. Fulgentius writing to King Thrasymund in his third book and eight Chapter, not dreaming but well advised, thus writeth: The true humanity of the Son of God neither was wholly in the grave, nor wholly in Hell, but in the Sepulchre he lay dead according to his true flesh, but in his Soul descended into Hell. In his Soul he returned to the flesh which lay in the Sepulchre, but in respect of the divinity, which neither is holden in place, nor limited by bond, he was wholly in the grave with his flesh, and wholly with his Soul in Hell. And by this means was fully every where Christ, because God was not separated from the humanity which he had assumpted, which was both with his Soul in Hell, that from Hell his Soul might return a Conqueress, and was with his flesh, that by reason of his speedy resurrection, it might not be corrupted. I have here alleged the old which disprove your assertion, for all these accord with me. Now to these will I add also the judgements of some new Writers. Mollerus a very learned Minister of Germany, on the 16. Psalm, thus teacheth: Christ would show his victory in a certain sort over the Devils to strike perpetual terrors into them, and to take away from us the fear of their tyranny. To this agreeth Musculus on the sixty and eight Psalm. This GOD which was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, first descended into the lowest parts of the earth, than he led captivity captive, and not only we are delivered from the captivity of Satan, sin, and damnation, but also triumphing over them as Tyrants, he hath ascended above all heavens to fulfil all things. The same learned Father interpreting the second Chapter of the Colossians, thus hath: There are some that be persuaded it is an absurdity, if it be said that Christ did triumph over the principalities and powers, but if all these things be attributed to God the Father, that he did them with Christ, and in Christ, we may truly read here, triumphing over them in his own person. In like sort doth Hemingius expound this place in the second Chapter of the Colossians: As by his death he conflicted with the Devil on the Cross, so by his glorious descending into Hell, Resurrection, and Ascension, he triumphed, as it is Ephes. 4. leaving his Cross lift up as a monument of his victory. So doth M. Fox understand this place in a book which he hath written, entitled, Christus triumphans. Therefore in this behalf you have told a manifest untruth, wherefore I shall think you will scarce have care to set forth the truth of God, when you will presumptuously utter such an untruth, which may be reproved by so many and honourable witnesses. Farther, here you leave out at your pleasure two other ends of Christ's descending into Hell, which I taught in my Sermon: the one is, the manifestation of his death, the other is, our deliverance from Hell. Plain dealing aught to be in this case, and therefore I expect it at your hands. Humes. Sectio. 4. But if you will see how doubtful Augustine was in this point, I pray you read his 99 Epistle to Euodius, where you shall find many his doubts and almost no other thing affirmed for certainty, but only that he doubteth not that Christ went to Hell, building upon the words of the Prophet David, and the Apostle Saint Peter: Thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell, nor suffer thy holy one to see corruption. Where I can not choose but wonder what should move so worthy a wit, and so learned followers of him, seeing it is apparent that the word doth signify aswell the sorrows of hell, as the place of hell in the scripture to pass by that signification of the word, which the whole church of Christ confesseth to be true, that our Saviour did suffer upon the Cross whole torments of hell for our redemption, and to fall upon that signification which hath slender proof, and led them iuto such straits as Augustine himself cannot escape. Whosoever doubteth that the name of hell is used in the Scripture, for those sorrows let him read that of 1. Samuel 2. 6. The Lord killeth and makaeth alive, he casteth down to hell and bringeth up again. Or that of David Psal. 30. 3. Thou hast brought my soul out of Hell. Or that of jonas 2. 2. I have called to thee out of the bowels of hell. And many other places, where the word can not signify the pit of hell, whence there is no redemption, but the sorrows of hell which the Saints of God did suffer in this life. Now seeing this is so, I would fain know of you (good M. Hill) why we may not more safely take the word Hell in that signification, which you cannot deny, than you in that signification, which the better part of Christians do take to be false. For that Christ descended into the pit of the damned, it hath no other warrant out of the word, but such as is builded upon a word of a double signification, which standeth at the courtesy of the reader to take it as to him shall seem probable. Hill. Here you confess that Augustine doubteth, and yet you say that in the matter in controversy between you and me he doubteth not, but proveth it by the Apostolical and prophetical testimonies: for he willeth us to hold it firmissima fide, with a most firm faith, and saith that none but an Infidel will dony it. He doubteth whether the Fathers were in hell, or whether they were converted in hell by Christ's preaching, as some did affirm untruly, and many such like things, little or nothing appertaining to the question we have in hand. But ad Dardanun. he doubteth not. Fo. 3. col. 272. Fo. 10. col. 1410. Fo. 3. col. 213. & 702. Fo. 6. 788. Fo. 10. 899. 989. In all these places and in many other he telleth without doubting, that he descended into hell, and the end why. To strike a terror into the devils, and to triumph over them: It pleaseth you to make yourself merry with S. Augustine's infirmity, I pray God you will with Saint Augustine acknowledge your own, which by and by shall be laid before you. You wonder at S. Augustine, but we wonder at your teachers and you, for you confess S. Augustine to build upon David and Peter, and yet you labour to overthrow this building, how deceitfully it shall now appear. You say that hell signifieth the sorrows of hell, sometime I grant it doth: Hereupon you make this argument: sometime it signifieth the sorrows of hell, therefore it doth so in the 16. Psalm. I deny your argument, and that you have spoken an untruth, the holy Ghost by Peter's mouth shallbe a witness against you. For you say it is spoken of the sorrows which Christ suffered upon the cross, Peter saith it is spoken of the resurrection: and in the resurrection I am sure Christ suffered no torments or sorrows. Peter's interpretation is thus, Act. 2. 32. He knowing this before spoke of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul should not be left in hell, neither his flesh to see corruption. Now then here is an answer to your demand: these words are spoken of the resurrection, a matter of joy and not of torments, for David saith in the person of Christ, Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad. And moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope. If Christ at this time did rejoice, how was he sorrowful? if he were glad, how was he tormented? if he did rest in hope, how was it true also that he was afflicted with torments? And here you utter another untruth, that Christ did suffer his whole torments on the cross, which is most untrue: for he suffered some in the Garden, when he said, Math. 26. 38. My soul is heavy unto death. And some in Caiphas house, and some under Pilate: but all his torments and sorrows were ended on the cross, which I think you would have said. Last of all the words of the text that cometh after, aswell as the words going before do prove, that it cannot be spoken of Christ's sorrows, for they are these. Thou shalt show me the path of life, in thy presence is the fullness of joy, and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore. Sith than David both before and after maketh mention of joy and pleasures for evermore, and as Peter saith these words prove the resurrection of Christ: I marvel how you dare to contradict the meaning of the holy Ghost. You speak not now contrary to Augustine, or Ambrose, or Hill, but contrary to David and Peter themselves: you boast yourselves to be the best Christians, but I shall hardly believe you are better Christians then David and Peter, In the conclusion you utter blasphemy, for Sheol being taken sometime for the sorrows of hell, and sometime for the place of hell, you say it standeth at the courtesy of the reader, to take it as to him shall seem probable. Are God's words to be interpreted after our pleasure? Hillary was of a better mind: he said as God was the author of the Scriptures, so God must be the Interpreter: he opened the wits of the Desciples going to Emaus, so let us pray that he may open our wits that we may perfectly understand the Scriptures. Humes Sectio 5. That he never was there, what better proof would a man ask then Christ's own words? Luc. 23. 46. Father into thy hands I commend my spirit. And in another place Luk. 23. 43. This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. Where it is a world to see how men of your side do trouble themselves to put out this candle. First you say that the place Into thy hands I commend my spirit, was borrowed of David, and must be spoken of Christ in that sense as David did use it before him. This we confess and gather hereupon, that Christ's soul did no more descend into hell than David's did: but say you his soul did not strait way ascend into heaven, for he lived many years after. That maketh not to the question when his soul went to heaven, but whether his soul which was still in the hands of God, ever went to hell, prove this and we will give you the goal. As for David he having devoured heaven in hope, did not doubt to speak that in the present time which he was sure would come to pass shortly. Furthermore seeing David was a figure of Christ, and spoke many things of himself in Christ's person, (which were more agreeable with the thing figured then with the figure) you must think that these words were spoken of Christ, who was strait way to commend his soul with these words unto his Father. Wherefore if you will answer this place, you must bring proof out of the Scriptures, that he which means to go to hell, doth use to commend his soul into the hands of God, or else you shall never be able to darken the light of this Son without any cloud of Sophistry. Hill. Indeed if these words were spoken in the present time, some show of truth were in your words, but in the Greek they are in the future tense, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Father into thy hands I will commit my spirit. Now your argument is thus: Christ commended his soul unto his Father, ergo immediately he went not down to hell. Here is more in your conclusion then is in your premises. You may conclude his soul went to heaven. But not immedlatly: for it went to hell as I have proved before, for hell in the 16. Psalm, doth not signify the sorrows of hell, but the place as I have confirmed already. Therefore it is better to translate I will commend, than I do commend, as Stepanus on this place noteth. Paul saith Eph. 4. and 10. verse, Now in that he ascended, what is it but that he first descended into the lowest parts of the earth. He that descended is even the same that ascended far above all heavens, to fulfil all things. Now if the same Christ did first descend which did ascend, than he descended in soul and body, as he ascended in soul and body. For both these must be effected in a wonderful manner, for they are reckoned by Solomon amongst the most stupendious works of the Son of God. Prou. 30. 4. Who hath ascended up to heaven, & descended? who hath gathered the wind together in his fist? who hath established all the ends of the world? By this scripture I infer, that to ascend and descend are as miraculous works as to create & govern the world. But if the soul of Christ did go to heaven immediately as you affirm contrary to this text, than the descending of Christ had not been so marvelous as his ascending. Besides, as you after allege, there is but one ascending, but if Christ's soul first went to heaven, and then his body, than were there two ascensions. But even as Christ was but once borne and once died and was once buried and once rose from the dead, and but once cometh into judgement: so as Cyprian saith in his Sermon of the ascending of Christ, Christ did once descend into hell, they shall see God no more on the cross, nor they that are damned in hell. Wherefore may it please you to accept the judgement of Athanasius a Greek Father, and a man persecuted for the truth's sake by the Arrians, he in his creed saith thus, who suffered for our salvation, and descended into hell. And interpreting the third Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians, he writeth, Satan was envious against our Saviour, for he killed him, not knowing that it would make against himself, for Christ after his cross going down into hell, hath vanquished death, & because he knew not sin, he could not be holden of death. Thus you see, that not only Hill, Augustine & Jerome do say, that Christ after he had uttered these words (into thy hands I will commend my spirit) but Athanasius a Greek father, who better than you, understood the meaning of these words. Therefore it is a wonder to see how those of your side labour to extinguish this everlasting light of God's truth, and set up a consuming candle of your own making. Where you teach that Christ's Soul did no more descend into hell than David's did, therein you are deceived, for Christ was to deliver us from hell and David also: wherefore if Christ's soul had not gone to hell, David's must, and mine and yours. And for this cause as you say they are true in Christ figured, but not in David the figure. And hereupon Peter thus reasoneth, that they could not be true in David. For Christ's soul was in hell, and yet not tormented, and his body in the grave, but not corrupted. Whereas David's body saw corruption, and if his soul had gone to hell it had found no redemption. Therefore to be in grave and return without corruption, and to be in hell and return with conquest of the devil, were two peculiar things to the Son of God, and not to any other of the sons of men. And here you utter an other blasphemy that Christ's soul had no other prerogative than David's soul, for by the same reason you may argue that Christ's body had no greater prerogative than David's body, for as this is false, so is the other. For as Athanasius saith in his book of the incarnation of the word, Death could not prevail on the human soul of Christ to tie him there, neither corruption invading his body by tyranny could show her force on him to putrefaction, as things not well seen unto, for to think so of him, so, were a wicked thing: for even as Adam had a double punishment inflicted on him for his disobedience, the one was on his body, earth thou art, and to earth thou shalt return, and so by this decree the body of the Lord departed unto the earth: but to the soul he said, Thou shalt die the death. Hereof it cometh to pass that man is divided into 2. parts, and is condemned to departed to 2. places, and therefore it was necessary that the self-same judge which had made this decree, that he by himself being under the colour of a condemned man, should free from that sentence all believers. Here you see by this learned Father, that Christ's soul went to hell to deliver our souls from hell, and his body to the grave to deliver us from death, and by this means both body and soul personally and not potentially (as you teach) working our deliverance from death & hell, have those prerogatives which David's soul and body had not. And for this consideration though the one was in the grave, & the other in hell, yet both were in the hands of the Lord. Here then we must learn what the hands of the Lord do signify. Sometime the hand of God doth signify the Son of God, Psal. 144. 7. Send thy hand from above. Sometime it signifieth the power of God, Psalm. 136. 12. With a mighty hand, and outstretched arm. Thirdly the bountifulness of God, Psal. 145. Thou openest thy hand, and fillest every living thing with thy blessing. Fourthly it signifieth consolation, Ezec. 3. 22. The hand of the Lord was with me comforting me. Fiftly grace, Psalm. 118. 16. The right hand of the Lord hath done valiantly. Sixtly it signifieth the gift of prophecy, Ezec. 8. 1. The hand of the Lord fell there upon me. Seventhly mercy, Psal. 37. 24. Though he fall he shall not be cast off, for the Lord putteth under his hand. Eightly the protection of the Lord, Psal. 31. 15. My times are in thy hand. Ninthly the aid of the Lord, Psal. 74. 11. Why withdrawest thou thy hand. Tenthly the punishment of the Lord, job. 19 21. Have pity on me (o ye my friends) for the hand of the Lord hath touched me. Lastly it signifieth the government of the Lord, Psal. 95. 4. In his hand are all the corners of the earth. This place therefore must needs have this construction, into thy consolation, mercy, protection and government, I will commend my soul. I hope you yourself commend your soul into the hands of God every day, but yet you mind not to go to heaven immediately. So said David, Psal. 30. 5. Into thine hands I commend my spirit, but he went not to heaven in many years after, neither did Christ ascend into heaven in many days after, but went down to hell, where it was in the protection and government of the Godhead, which as you confess descended into hell. For as we being in the damned world, are in the protection and hand of the highest, so Christ being in the place of the damned, after a wonderful manner was also in the Lord's aid and protection, by means whereof he hath wrought our deliverance from hell. Therefore prove you that Christ went straightway to heaven, and you shall effect that which many of your side have attempted, but never yet any could bring to pass. It is written of Procustes that if any were too short for his bed, he would stretch them out, and make them fit for his lodging: so you, this place being too short to fit your waste, will enlarge it with a word (immediately) which is not in the place primitive or derivative, expressly, or by way of implication. Moreover where you say, if I will answer this place I must prove that he that mindeth to go to hell, doth use these words. I wonder that you dare use such blasphemous speeches, for hereby you insinuate that Christ was but a mere man, and that other men have a part in the work of our redemption aswell as Christ. For as he is our only Saviour, so as Luther saith on Gen. 21. Chapter. This was singular in Christ (Thou shalt not leave my soul in hell, nor suffer thy holy one to see corruption,) for his soul could not be detained in hell, nor his body in the grave. For as this was singular in Christ that he did give up his ghost, so was it singular in him to go to hell and return again. Ambrose saith, Tradidit spiritum suum quia non invitus amisit, quod enim emittitur voluntarium est, quod amittitur necessarium. He gave up the ghost because he lost not his soul against his will: for that which is emitted is voluntary, but that which is amitted is necessary. Theophilact saith, he cried out with a loud voice & gave up the ghost, for he had power to lay down his life, & take it up again. Now when you can prove that you or any of your side have this power in you to die when he will, and live again when he will, then will I prove that he that speaketh these words (Into thy hands I commend my spirit) hath an intent to go to Hell. But as Christ his birth was a singular thing in him, so was his death burial, descending into hell, resurrection, and ascension into heaven. Eccle. 8. 8. Man is not Lord over the spirit, to retain the spirit. And john 10. 18. Christ saith, No man taketh my life from me, but I lay it down of myself: I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. By these two places it is evident, that no man can lay down his own spirit, but the only Son of God had that prerogative, and therefore as the laying down of his spirit and the taking up of his spirit again was wonderful: so was the state of the soul and body during the time of the separation of the parts of the humanity, singular and wonderful. Humes Sectio. 6▪ For the other place you bring a ready answer out of M. Hills answer to the place, This day shalt thou be with me in paradise. Augustine, of that which is God, but not of that which is man: how ready soever this construction be, I am well assured it can not stand with the words of Christ. Luk. 23. 43. This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. For what I pray you could the Godhead of Christ go to heaven in the future time, which was still in heaven from all eternity? For this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise is all one, as if he had said: this day shall thou & I be in Paradise: which no man that hath one drop of brain in his head dare avouch of Christ who was never thence. But here you tell me that the future verb is attributed to the thief only, and that which is given to Christ (with me) is limited with no bound of time. I told you even now, that thou shalt be with me, is all one with, I and thou shall be together. But to let this pass, what say you to the thief then that said Luk. 23. 42. Remember me Master when thou comest into thy kingdom, This thief was not sure of your mind, for he did suppose that Christ to whom he spoke was not yet in his kingdom, and I am sure that Christ was so good a Doctor that if the poor thief had missed his footing, he would have set him up again. Thus you see that these two places are to strong for your ordinance, if you have no better shot then this, we will spread our banner with Magnaest invicta veritas. Hill. Here you condemn S. Augustins answer. Well, because S. Augustine is dead, and in your margin you say that it is M. Hills answer, by God's grace and his word M. Hill will defend it. First I note a falsification of the text by you alleged. for whereas it is in the text Luke 23. 42. Remember me Lord when thou comest into thy kingdom. You for (Lord) say (Master) I told you in the beginning Eve did change the words of the Scripture to her overthrow. Therefore I pray you leave it, for otherwlse I must tell you of it: if a boy in the Grammar school construe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Master, he is worthy to be beaten: and if a schoolmaster teach so, he is worthy to be controlled: for this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 written by Stephanus with a capital letter, will cashier your banner of boasting, and bring your glory to shame. I preached in my sermon at Chippenham, that (to day) did signify for ever, and (with me) did signify the Godhead. I will not only affirm it, but confirm it, that (to day) doth signify for ever in this place, first I prove it by this philosophical reason out of Aristotle, which saith: In aeternis non est tempus, In eternal things there is no time. For time is the measure of motion, therefore if there be time then is there motion. Now as in hell all men do suffer torments, and in earth all labour: so in Heaven all do rest. Apoc. 14. 13. Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, so saith the spirit, for they rest from their labours. Therefore where there is no mutation from day to night, nor from summer to winter, there is no day natural or artificial, as you suppose. And this is proved Apoc. 10. 6. And the Angel swore by him that liveth for evermore, which created heaven and the things that are therein, that time shallbe no more. And this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to day, is used for (ever) in many Scriptures. Psal. 2. 7. Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee. Act. 13. 33. And we declare unto you touching the promises made unto the Father's God hath fulfilled it unto you their Children, in that he hath raised up jesus, even as it is written in the second Psalm: Thou art my Son to day have I begotten thee. And in the epistle to the Hebr. 1. 5. And to which of the Angels said he Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. And again, Hebr. 5. 6. He proving Christ to be a priest for ever, thus saith. Christ took not to himself this honour, to be made an high Priest: but he that said to him, Thou art my Son to day have I begotten thee, as he also in another place speaketh. Thou a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech. Here David and the Apostle do take this word (to day) to signify (for ever). And so doth S. Augustine and M. Hill against all the gainsayers of it in the world: For the circumstances of the place do strongly convince it. For what doth the thief ask? forgiveness of his sins: who can forgive sins? God only. He asketh for grace, who is the giver of all Grace? God only? he desireth glory, who giveth glory and life everlasting? God only. That God only forgiveth sins, it is proved Mar. 2. 7. That he is the giver of all grace, it is manifest 1. Pet. 5. 10. That God only giveth glory and life everlasting, it is evident 2. Tim. 48. Rom. 6. and last verse. Secondly where shall he receive this glory? in Paradise. For as much then as the thing that is given is eternal, the person that giveth it is perpetual, the place where it is given is everlasting: it must of necessity follow that the time also be world without end. And that (with me) signifieth as I do teach the Godhaad: it is constantly avouched by all the Fathers. Jerome on this place noteth. Christ brought the thief from the cross to Paradise, lest any man should think conversion to be too late at any time: he made the punishment of homicide Martyrdom: the truth being counted among the wicked, he left the one in the left hand, and took the other in the right hand, as he will do in the day of judgement. It were an absurd thing to say the soul of Christ only shall give judgement in the last day. Augustine hath the like on this place, The cross if you mark it was the judgement seat, the judge was set in the middle, the one thief which believed was delivered, the other which blasphemed was condemned. To save and condemn is the office of the deity, and therefore (with me) signifieth the Godhead, as the other thief no doubt was with the Devil. Ambrose in his Sermon of the holy thief writeth thus: He saw him hanging on the cross and prayeth to him as though he were sitting in heaven: he seethe him condemned, and yet he prayeth unto him as to a king. To this accordeth Damascene handling this place. In respect of his body he was in grave, in respect of his soul in hell: and as God he was both in Paradise with the thief, and in the throne with the Father and the holy Ghost. Therefore Ferus a writer not to be contemned, interpreteth these words thus. Mecum eris qui sum vbiqus omnia in omnibus. Thou shalt be with me which am every where all in all. In Exodus 34, 6. 7. verses, be set down the 13. names of God, and Lord is one of the first of them. Therefore when the thief calleth Christ Lord, he acknowledgeth him to be God, and desireth to dwell with the Godhead, in whose presence is the fullness of joy. Where you afke me how the Godhead can go to heaven, the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: Even as God came down from heaven, so is he said to go up to heaven. If you will read Augustine in his book of the essence of the divinity he will teach you. Psa. 68 24. They have seen o God thy doings, the doings of my god & king, which art in thy sanctuary. From heaven he camo into the virgin's womb, from the virgins womb after his birth he was laid in the cratch, after that he had fulfilled all for the which he was sent of his father, he was fastened to the cross, he was taken down from the Cross, he was buried in respect of his flesh, but in soul he descended into hell: the third day by the power of the divinity he raised his flesh out of the grave, and after the days of his resurrection, the fortieth day, his Apostles seeing it, he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father, that is, in his glory. The thief than prayeth to Christ, that as he should sit at the right hand of his Father in glory, so he might be partaker of that glory, and that he might have his perfect consummation and bliss in heaven as Christ should have after his ascension: and that his vile body which was partaker of the sufferings of Christ, might also be partaker of his glory, and made like to the glorious body of Christ jesu. Twice you have told me that (thou shalt be with me) is as much as (I and thou) but you bring neither scripture nor father to confirm it in that sense that you mean it. But if you mean thus I and thou shall be together, that is, thou shalt be partaker of the glory of the deity, as thou hast been partaker of the sufferings with the humanity it is true. For what need had the thief to pray for the presence of Christ's soul, when he had the presence both of body and soul. But it is the presence and fellowship of the divine nature that he prayeth for, wherein as David saith, is the fullness of joy and pleasures for evermore, Psal. 16. 11. In Luke. 13. 26. The jews say, We have eaten and drunken in thy presence, and thou taught in our streets. Christ thus answereth in the 27. and 28. verses. I tell you I know you not, depart from me all ye workers of iniquity, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you shall see Abraham Isaac and jacob in the kingdom of God, and yourselves cast out of doors. Therefore it is clear, they are not all blessed which were present with Christ's humanity, but they of whom Saint Peter saith, 2. Pet. 1. 4. Whereby most great and precious promises are given unto us, that by them we should be partakers of the nature of God. For therefore did Christ take upon him our nature, that we might be partakers of the nature of God, and be one with Christ, as he is one with his Father. Christ's prayer is to this end, joh. 17. 21. I pray not for these alone, but for them also which shall believe in me through their word, that they all be one, as thou O Father art in me and I in thee, even that they also may be one in us. Humes. Sectio. 7. But now to come to your reasons. First, you make much ado about the Hebrew names of Hell, against almost all the learned of this age. It will cost you a great deal of eloquence to persuade the world that Tremellius and junius, men that have spent their age in that study, did not know these words aswell as you. For my part, neither am I minded to stand with you upon that point, and I see no inconvenience to hurt us, nor vantage given you, if I grant you that Sheol is Hell. Only I stand upon this which I have said, that this word Hell doth signify the torments of the soul, and must needs in these places which you allege be so taken, for in the place of Psal. 16. 10. Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, nor suffer thy holy one to see corruption. The very order of the words do overthrow your conceit: for seeing in these words the hell which his soul should not be left in, goeth before Christ's burial, wherein that holy one should not see corruption, tell you me what hell should go before Christ's burial but that of the passion, wherein he paid the full ransom of our salvation, and nailed the hand writing that was against us to the Crosse. Hill. Two untruths are in these few words. First you say I make much ado about Sheol against almost all the learned men of this age. There are on my side Luther, Aepinus, Felinus, Pomeranus, Lucas Lossius, Selueccer, Vrbanus Rhegius, The authors of the Centuries, Erasmus, Chytraeus, Mollerus, Peter Martyr, Lavaterus, Proverb. 27. In England Lambert, Robert Samuel, Latimer, Becon, Hutchinson, Fox, and Nowell. Here are 20. most learned men of these latter times, as I can show you in my poor Library, besides that most learned and reverend Father M. Allen, and besides the advised judgement of the learned Convocations of England not only in King Edward's reign, Anno Domini. 1552. but also since the reign of her Majesty. 1571. In the which Convocations I am persuaded were as learned men as any were either in England or Europe. Therefore the learned reader must either think you a man of little reading, and that you never saw these learned men's works, or else of great malice, that you will disable all these for learning, who left a better testimony behind them then ever you will, unless you have more than you have showed in this answer. The other untruth is, that Sheol in the 16. Psalm doth signify the torments of hell, which Christ suffered in his passion on the cross. That this is untrue it is manifest M. Humes disagreeth with Saint Peter. not by conceit, but by Peter's Sermon, Act 2, 31. He knowing this before spoke of the resurrection, that his soul was not left in hell, nor his flesh saw corruption: You say it is spoken of the passion, Peter saith it is spoken of the resurrection: and good cause hath he so to say, for the words going before and coming after do prove it. The words going before are these, Psalm. 16, 9 Wherefore my heart was glad, my glory rejoiceth, my flesh also shall rest in hope: The words following in the 11. verse are these: Thou shalt show me the path of life, in thy presence is the fullness of joy, and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore. Where can you find your torments, in the word (glad) or in the word (rejoiceth) or in the word (rest) or in these words (fullness of joy) or in these (pleasures for evermore.) Was Christ glad of his torments? Did he rejoice or weep in them? Who would deliver this doctrine but he that wanteth either science or conscience, or both. To lie once is a fault, but to affirm it twice is a greater fault. To speak a lie is hurtful, but to write a lie advisedly is more hurtful. To lie in a matter political is dangerous, but to lie in divine matters without speedy repentance is damnable. You say no vantage is given to me nor inconvenience to you, if you grant Sheol to be Hell: Let your friends judge what vantage you have given to the truth, and shame to yourself by gainsaying Saint Peter, and by affirming, that in the resurrection are torments, where David and Peter say are fullness of joy and pleasures for evermore. Therefore it is the saying of Peter, that Christ's soul was not left in hell, and not my conceit, and it is deceit in you to affirm the contrary. Further where you say that Tremellius and junius are better learned in the Hebrew language than myself, I confess it, so are the jews themselves then Tremellius and junius, shall I therefore believe the jews? no more will I believe the Translation of any other learned man, if he disagree with David and Saint Peter. Finally, to answer your curious question, you ask me in what hell was Christ's soul before his burial? To this I answer, in that hell whither all Infidels go for their unbelief. I read but of one Hell, if you know any more let me see your proof, and then will I tell you into what hell Christ descended. But who but you doth think it an unpossible thing for a soul to descend into hell before the body be buried? The soul in an instant passeth to heaven or hell, but the body I am sure must have time to be buried: for bodies are in places circumscriptively, Angels and souls definitively, and God is in all places universally. And the soul came out of hell into the body, before the body could come out of the grave: therefore most aptly it is said Acts 12. 31. Thou shalt not leave my soul in hell, nor suffer my flesh to see corruptiou. For as Augustine saith in his 57 epistle ad Dardanum, That was spoken of his soul which came from hell so quickly, this of his body which could not corrupt by reason of his speedy resurrection: and writing on the 85. Psalm he saith: wherefore this is his voice in the Psalm not by any man's conjecture, but by the expasition of th'apostle, Thou shalt not leave my soul in hell, nor suffer thy holy one to see corruption. Humes. Sectio 8. Therefore to let this pass, your next reason is from that place of Paul Ephe. 4. 9 Now in that he ascended, what is it but that descended first into the lowermost parts of the earth. Where you hold out of the Hebrew, that the lowermost parts of the earth must needs signify the pit of hell: which thing if it were so sure as you bear us in hand, than were it a wonder that no divine (I speak of the modester sort) did ever yet gather upon that place hell, which they dare not dispute, where it were in the very centre of the earth. But whereas you avouch so confidently, that Erets tacthioth doth signify hell, as commonly in the Hebrew tongue, as our English name Hell is usual for that place among us: though I mean not to stand with you for the tongue, give me leave to dissent from you in this, for in some of the places which you cite, in my simple understanding it cannot carry that sense. You quote the 63. Psal. They which seek my soul, shall go into the lowermost parts of the earth. This I think cannot be hell, for first it were a presumption for the Prophet to enter so far into God's secrets, as to judge his enemies. 2. It standeth not (me thinketh) with the affection of a godly mind to assign that place to his enemies, out of the horror whereof there is no redemption, for the children of God do rather pray for their enemies and wish their amendment. This place may well be construed of the grave, and in my simple judgement it is an argument to lay the pride of them which sought his soul, and a comfort to himself, that their enmity must needs have an end one day, when the grave shall devour them. The words following confirm this sense. They shall fall on the edge of the Sword. Psal. 63. which cannot be spoken but of temporal death. Hill. Indeed I brought this place Ephe. 49▪ to prove that Christ descended into Hell. And whereas you charge me with immodesty for so alleging of it, I must needs charge you with two untruths in answering this allegation. The one is, that I called it the pit of Hell, which phrase I never used: The other is, you have impudently avouched, that none of the modester sort of divines have ever alleged this place to prove the descending of Christ into hell. For many, and those both learned and modest have alleged this▪ place to this purpose. Athanasius interpreting this Epistle and text thus writeth▪ Into what place did he descend? Into hell truly, which he calleth according to the common opinion of men, the lowest parts of the earth. Ambrose on this place saith thus. This Christ therefore coming down from heaven into the earth was borne a man, afterward he died & descended into hell, from whence rising the third day, he went up to heaven before all mortal men, that he might show death to be vanquished to every creature. Chrisostome on this place saith. He went to those parts of the earth, than the which nothing is lower, and from thence he ascended into heaven, than the which nothing is higher. The like hath Augustine li. de Trin. cap. 19 Jerome on this text thus noteth. That Hell is under the earth no man doubteth, for he that descended in soul into hell, ascended both body and soul into heaven. Mollerus a learned Minister of Germany on the sixteen Psalm saith: that the descending into hell is plainly proved out of the Ephesians the fourth chapter. Musculus on the 68 Psal. thus writeth. This God which was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, first descended into the lowest parts of the earth, than he led captivity captive, and not only we are delivered from the captivity of Satan, sin, death and damnation: but also Christ triumphing over them as tyrants, hath ascended above all heavens, to fulfil all things: Hemingius on the 2. Chapter to the Colossians thus also teacheth. As by his death he conflicted with the enemy on the cross, so by his glorious descending into hell, resurrection and ascension, he triumphed as it is Ephe 4. Leaving his cross lift up as a monument of his victory. To conclude, Alesius a very learned preacher of Scotland, on the 19 chapter of john, affirmeth that the 1. Pet. 3. and Eph. 4. do manifestly prove the descending of Christ into hell, if Athanasius, Chrysostome, Ambrose, Augustine and Jerome, of the old fathers, and Mollerus, Musculus, Hemingius and Alesius of the new writers: be all immodest divines, then have you truly said: but if in the judgement of the learned, all these were most reverend men, then most shameless are you to accuse them of the want of modesty. Moreover where you say no divine dareth to dispute where hell is: it is true in some sort, for no divine can circumscribe the place of hell which is infinite, nor yet of heaven: only the word of God affirmeth that heaven is above, Gal. 4. 26. And hell is beneath, Proverbs 15. 24. Therefore the lowest parts of the earth may well be taken for hell: Then you go farther and say, that Erets tachthioth doth not signify hell, Psal. 63. and for this you bring two reasons: the one is, that it were a presumption in the Prophet to judge his enemies: 2, that it standeth not with the affection of a godly mind, to assign hell to his enemies, but to pray for them: to your first reason this I answer. In the Psalm 9 18. David useth the like speech: The wicked shall be turned to hell, and all the people that forget God: which text Caluin thus expoundeth, the Hebrew word Sheolah which was doubtful, I have not doubted to translate hell, for though it doth not displease me that others turn it (Sepulchre) yet it is sure here is something noted beside common death, otherwise he should speak nothing of the reprobate, but that which did generally happen to all believers. In the hundred and ninth Psalm also David thus prayeth: Let Satan stand at his right hand, let his prayer be turned iuto sin, let the wickedness of his Father be had in remembrance in the sight of the Lord, and let not the sin of his mother be done away. Do you think this to be spoken presumptuously? Many such texts could I allege to prove that David inspired with the spirit of prophecy, did foretell not only of the tragical destruction of bodies of his enemies, but also of the extreme damnation of their souls. This then is my reply to your second reason: these enemies were not private enemies, but public, and did hate David for his religions sake: David therefore by the gift of prophecy doth foretell, that their souls should go to hell to be tormented, and their bodies should be the portion of Foxes, that is, should never come to the grave, for what need David tell us they should die, which we know is common to all? or how can that be true which you say, that they should be in grave, when David himself saith they were not in any grave, but were the portion of Foxes. And Humes disagreeth with David and Caluin. so M. Caluin (whom I hope you will believe) teacheth you, writing upon this Psalm and verse. To be the portion of Foxes, is as much as to be devoured and torn of wicked beasts: for God (saith Caluin) doth threaten this: punishment to the reprobate, that they shall be a pray to Wolves and dogs, because he would deprive them of the honour of their grave. Here you see M. Caluin saith they came not into their grave, you say they did. How M. Caluin and you may be reconciled I know not: for Caluin addeth this reason. It happeneth sometime that we know the same temporal punishments to be common to the good & the bad: but this is the difference, the bones of the godly are gathered together and kept in safety, that not one of them shall perish, but the scattering of the bones of the reprobate is a sign of their eternal destruction. Therefore how can the lower parts of the earth signify the grave as you say, since (as M. Calùin truly saith) they were in no grave: Answer me this (good M. Humes) plainly. Psal. 63, 9 The lower parts of the earth signify (not the grave) but hell. Christ descended into the lower parts of the earth, Eph. 4. 9 Ergo Christ descended into hell. Humes. Sectio. 9 Next, you quote Ecclesiasticus 24, 37. I will pierce through all the lowest parts of the earth, and look upon them that be asleep. Also the 31. of Ezechiel the 18. verse. Thou shalt be cast down into the lower parts of the earth, and shalt sleep in the midst of the uncircumcised. These two places by your leave can not be well meant of hell. The text doth show plainly that here is rest and quietness in the place that here is spoken of: but I hope you will not say that there is any great rest or quietness in hell. In all these places Erets Tacthioth cannot signify any thing but the grave. The same word is used also in the 139. Psal. 14. verse. My bones are not hid from thee though I was made in a secret place, and fashioned beneath in the earth. Hear the Prophet I believe doth not say of himself that he was fashioned in hell, which must needs be if your assertion were true, that those Hebrew words do signify hell, as commonly as hell in the english doth note that place. Here Beza doth well observe, that the place of the Apostle which you allege may fitly be applied to the sense of this place, and doth note unto us the descension of Christ into the womb of the virgin: for Erets Tachioth out of all question doth signify his mother's womb. Hill. First you say, the place quoted by me Syrac. 24. 37. maketh not for the proof of my assertion. If you had considered what went before, and what followeth, you would have been of another mind. For before in the 8. verse it is said, I alone have gone round about all the compass of heaven, and have walked in the bottom of the depth. Which depth Pellicanus a learned writer doth interpret abyssum mortis & inferorum, the depth of death and hell. Yea the whole Chapter speaketh of the Son of God, and of his wondrous works in saving mankind: of the which this is one, that he was not only alive among the living, but after death his body was among the dead bodies, and his soul among the souls in hell, which he calleth the lower parts. The like scripture to this is in job. 38. 16, 17. Hast thou entered into the bottom of the sea? or hast thou walked to seek out the depth? have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death. These words are thus opened by Martin Borrhavius in his learned Commentaries upon job. I have dwelled in the highest places, and my throne is in the pillar of the clouds: I have gone round about the compass of heaven above, and have walked in the floods of the sea. I pierce through all the lower parts of the earth. Have those in hell or the dead been searched out of thee? and dost thou know their state and condition, and what shall happen to their bodies hereafter? and what doth happen to their souls now? The force of death and of hell he maketh manifest by the name of gates, as it is manifest in that scripture, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against thee. By these words it is evident that the nethermost parts of the earth, Syrac. 24, 37. and Zalmaveth the Hebrew word, job. 38, 17. do signify hell, and that none but the Son of God above hath personally showed himself in all these places. For the place in Ezechiel that it maketh most significantly for my purpose, I will prove it by Esay, Ezechiel, and divers other both learned & modest writers. Esay handling the same matter, saith 14, 9 Hell beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming. And Ezechiel in the 15. and 16. verses Humes disagreeth with Esay, Ezechiel, Munster, Lauater, and Pelican. calleth it hell plainly. Sith then both the prophets call it hell, how dare you to interpret it grave. But that the nethermost parts of the earth do signify hell, I prove it out of the 12. ver. of Ezechiel. And the strangers have destroyed him even the terrible nations, and they have left him upon the mountains, and in all the valleys his branches are broken. Munster on this place saith, that by the branches are understood the carcases of his host which the beasts of the field did devour. Lavaterus the Minister of Tigurine agreeth with him. All the beasts of the field shall dwell upon his ruin: the king's carcase shall not be laid up into the sepulchre of his elders, but shall be a pray to crows, griphins, and to other carnivorous birds. So doth Pelican a learned Linguist interpret this place. At the last there is an aversion or apostrophe to Pharaoh himself, or to the Assyrian King. To whom art thou likened O thou noble and high among the trees of pleasure, thou hast passed all other in power, and yet with other kings that were in thy company they were brought to the lowermost parts of the earth (that is) to hell, among the abominable heathen shalt thou sleep, and lie as a wretched and miserable man. Now because you take hold of the word sleep, you must remember that these words are spoken ironically, as it is noted in the contents of the 14. Chap. of Esay. The derision of the king of Babylon. Moreover Lavaterus on this place of Ezekiel saith: These things may be better understood out of the 14. Chap. of Esay, which prophesying of the destruction of the king of Babylon Baltassar, describeth with what bitter scoffs he is entertained in hell. To end, Lavaterus on this place proveth these four things, first, that there is an hell, secondly, that hell in this chapter is called by three names, that is, 1. Sheol, 2. Erets Tacthioth, 3. and Bor. Hell, the lowest parts of the earth, and a pit: thirdly, that this hell is beneath us: and lastly, that the tyrants and wicked of the world do descend into it, and this he proveth out of Numb. the 16, 33. Psal 55, 15. And addeth also that Tertullian and Jerome do prove hell to be beneath in the earth. The conclusion than is thus, forasmuch then as the Assyrians died with the sword, & were devoured of the beasts & birds of the field, I pray tell me how that can be true that you affirm that the lowest parts of the earth doth signify the grave: for how were they in the grave that were never buried: therefore they were in hell as both Esay and Ezechiel do affirm, and as Pelican, Munster, and Lauater, three notable learned men in the holy tongue do interpret it. I think your own friends when they read this will confess you either to be ignorant of the word of God, or else to wrest it contrary to the meaning of the holy ghost. Moreover, where you mislike with me because I said that Erets Tacthioth, that is, the lowermost parts of the earth doth signify hell generally in the Hebrew tongue, and you bring an instance out of the 139. Psal. and 14. verse, where you prove that the lower parts of the earth doth signify the mother's womb, and therefore it doth not signify hell always: this is a childish reason. In a metaphorical signification it signifieth the mother's womb, therefore in his proper signification it can not signify hell. Argumentum a metaphora ductum non valet, an argument drawn from a metaphor is of no force. And that here is a metaphor, M. Caluin shallbe the judge. He compareth (saith Caluin) the mother's womb to the lowest and inward dens of the earth: and a little after, for no doubt David would express metaphorically that inestimable cunning which appeareth in the figure of man's body. The mother's womb is compared to hell for the darkness of it: for as Caluin saith, that artificer which maketh a cunning piece of work in a dark place is more to be commended than he which doth the like in the light. David also is here said to be made in the nethermost parts of the earth, because he was by nature the child of wrath & of hell, if he had not been delivered therehence by jesus Christ. briefly, where you say that he descended into the virgins womb, and that it is the true meaning of the place Eph. 4. 9 both you and your Master B. are deceived. For Paul reproveth you Ephe. 4. 10. He that descended is even the same that ascended. Now the body and soul of Christ ascended into heaven, therefore the body and soul of Christ descended into the virgin's womb: if the body did descend into the virgin's womb, than Christ took not flesh of the virgin. Thus that you may contradict me, you are not afraid ignorantly or wittingly to deny the incarnation of our Saviour: Theophilact saith well of these words, when you read that the Son of man came down from heaven, you may not think that his flesh came down from heaven, for this is the opinion of Heretics, which did teach that Christ brought his body from heaven, and did pass through the virgin, I hope you hold not this opinion, but if you hold this interpretation you must needs fall into it, For he that descended, is even the same that ascended. Eph. 4. 10. Humes Sectio 10. But here to let you alone with your Hebrew, these words can no ways be taken as you bear us in hand, for hell: but do purport to us the same that john told us in other words, joh. 16. 18. I came from my Father into the world, again I leave the world and go to my father. For seeing the Apostle in this place bringeth his ascension as an argument of his descension, which john the Evangelist did before: it must needs follow by necessary consequence, that his discense was rather thither whence he ascended. Now I trust you will not say he ascended into heaven from hell: but rather from the earth in the sight of his disciples. 2. If the place whence he descended was heaven, hell could not be the place whether he descended. For if he were there at all, he went not thither 30. years and more after he descended: if you will say, that he descended first into the earth and afterward into hell, than that descense could not be one motion, which was so many years intermitted, but needs must be two. First from heaven into the earth, and next from the earth to hell. Lastly if hell were the place whither he descended, it must needs be also the place from whence he ascended, which cannot be: for his returning thence (if ever he was there) was when his soul returning into his body, he came again to his Disciples, from whom he was separated before by death, which in the Scripture is called his resurrection, and not his ascension. For his resurrection (as it hath been heretofore taught) is no part of his ascension. If it were so as you bear us in hand. that thence his ascension beginneth, than his returning again to his Disciples was but a proceeding so far in his way, and his abode with them but a resting place, which was never hard of to this day. Hill. Where you say you will let me alone with my Hebrew words, and yet deny they signify hell, I hope because I have proved that they signify not the grave (as you have ignorant lie or against your conscience affirmed) at your next answering you will say they signify hell, and confess your disagree meant with David, Esay, & Ezechiel. Now you conclude with certain pregnant reasons as you imagine: your first is this: These words do purport unto us that which john told us in other words, I came from my Father into the world, and again, I leave the world and go to my Father. joh. 16. 18. This is nothing pertaining to the matter we have in hand, unless this be your argument. Christ came into the world, ergo he went not into hell. hereof I thus argue, Christ descended into the virgin's womb (as yourself say) ergo he came not into the world. Or thus, Christ descended into the world, ergo he descended not into the grave. Christ was borne of the virgin, and came into the world to reconcile us to his Father by his death, taking away our sins, and triumphing in his own person over death and hell, therefore not only Christ came down into the world, but as our body for sin lieth in the grave, so his body went into the grave: and because our soul was mancipate unto hell, his soul went into hell, that by his descending our souls might be freed from hell. In your next reason you say that Christ descended thither whence he ascended: Now that is merely false, as appeareth Math. 12. 40. For as jonas M. Humes disagreeth with Matthew. was in the whales belly 3 days and 3. nights, so shall the Son of man be 3. days and 3. nights in the heart of the earth. Now Christ ascended from the superficies of the earth, but he descended into the heart of the earth. Therefore as this is no good argument, Christ ascended from the mount ergo he ascended not from the grave, so this is also a weak argument, Christ ascended from the world, ergo he went not into hell: M. Humes lieth in his bed and early ariseth, afterwards many seeing him he rideth towards Bromham, ergo M. Humes came from Bath and not from his bed. Then you add this reason, if Christ descended into hell, than it was 30. years after his birth, and so it was not one motion: you charge me with clouds of sophistry, but here is a thick mist of sophisications: what you mean by this motion I know not, but all the actions of our Saviour are aptly divided into humility and glory: of his humility there are 4. degrees. First he came into the virgin's womb, secondly into the world: thirdly to the grave: four to hell. Of his glory and exaltation likewise there are four degrees. First he came out of hell and the grave: secondly he conversed in the earth: thirdly he was carried in the air in a cloud, and then entered the heavens with glory. Also where you say, that if hell were the place whether he descended, it must needs be the place from whence he ascended. This as I have said before is utterly false, if you mean the immediate place from whence he ascended, for it is known to all believers, that Christ did descend into the grave, but he did not ascend immediately from the grave, therefore your reason is against Scripture, where you make a distinction between the resurrection and the ascension: you may understand if it please you, that Eph. 4. 9 The word (ascend) containeth in it all the degrees of Christ's exaltation, and therefore the resurrection also: as the word descend doth comprehend all the degrees of Christ's humility. Humes. Sectio 11. Your next argument is taken from the words of our Saviour to Mary Magdalen, joh. 20. 17. Touch me not, for I have not yet ascended to my Father. Whereupon you ga' there, that seeing the whole man is said to be there where the soul is, that Christ's soul was not yet with his Father, seeing he doth say that he was not there himself. Here truly it is strange that a man of your learning and judgement, seethe not so apparent a fallacy: an argument you know negative a toto ad partes devisas, was never good among the learned: as for example, the whole race of Mankind is not in England, ergo there is no man in England. Or Edmund Campions whole body is not over Newgate, therefore no part thereof hangeth there. That these words are meant of the whole, it is manifest by the text, for that which had not been with the Father, was the same that Mary was forbidden to touch: That I trow you will not say was his soul, but his soul and his body joined together, that is to say, the whole man Christ: wherefore it was the whole man that he saith here was not with his Father, and not his soul alone. Hill. My next place was not this, but a text out of Syrac. 17. 21. At the last shall he arise and reward them, and shall repay their reward upon their heads, and shall turn them into the lower parts of the earth. In the margin is noted Math. 25. 35. So that this place showeth that after judgement, the wicked shallbe turned into the lower parts of the earth, that is, hell. This place, because you nor your Synod can answer, you have passed it over and said nothing to it, but are now come to your scholepoints, the which when I use you call sophistry: and so it were indeed if I did use them as you do. You say an argument drawn negatively from the whole to the parts doth not hold. True it is if by (parts) you mean integral parts, but not essential parts. My instance was this, Math. 8, 11. Many shall come from the East and the West, and shall rest with Abraham Isaac and jacob in the kingdom of heaven. Out of this place I prove that where the soul of man is after death, there is the man said to be, as we usually say that these patriarchs and all the saints are in heaven though their bodies be in the earth and are dust and ashes. If then the soul of Christ were in heaven until his resurrection, then could not these words of Christ be true john. 20. 17. Touch me not, for I have not yet ascended unto my father, for it is the preterperfectense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Therefore as this is untrue to say that Abraham is not in heaven because his body is not in heaven: so this is false to say Christ was not in heaven, because his body was not in heaven. Our body is governed by the soul, and man taketh his appellation of a reasonable creature not of the body but of the soul: and therefore if Christ's soul went up into heaven as you say, this can not be true (I have not yet ascended to my father) Besides if Christ's soul went first to heaven & afterward his soul & body together, then were there 2. ascensions: prove this, and I will give you the goal. You dally also with my argument in this manner. The whole race of mankind is not in England, ergo there are no men in England. Do you think there is no more union betwixt Christ and his soul, then between all the men of the world? then by this reason the body and soul of Christ were never united together. Your next resemblance is this: Edmund Campions whole body is not over Newgate, Ergo no part of him. Here is a foul error to think Christ's soul to be an integral or divisible part, which is an essential or indivisible: for by your reason Christ's soul is mortal and may perish as the integral parts of Campion doth. You utter also in an other error in these words (the whole man Christ) for the whole man doth not make Christ, but God and man as you may see in Athanasius creed: As the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and man is one Christ. I will end therefore with this saying of Irynaeus who lived under Marcus Antonius in the year of our Lord God 125. which thus proveth the descending of Christ into hell. For he writing against Heretics that said hell was in this world (as many do now adays) thus reproveth them in his fift book and last Chapter. As jonas tarried in the whales belly three days and three nights, so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth. And the Apostle saith, what is it that he ascended, but that he first descended into the lowest parts of the earth? and David prophesying of this, said: Thou hast delivered my soul from the nethermost hell: and rising again the third day he said to Mary which he saw first and worshipped him: Touch me not, for I have not yet ascended to my Father, but go to my Desciples and tell them I will go to my Father and to your Father. If then the Lord kept the law of the dead that he might be the first begotten of the dead, how are they ashamed that say hell is in this world. Thus you see it is no strange thing to see this scripture alleged to prove that Christ's soul was not in heaven until his visible and glorious ascension. Irinaeus a man of more learning and judgement than I am of, alleged it to the same end above 1300. years ago, and then it was accounted a currant argument among the learned. Humes. Sectio. 12. Now let us come to the great bulwark of your defence you choose to be your foundation and text. Peter saith that Christ was put to death in the flesh and quickened in the spirit, by the which he went and preached to the spirits that are in prison which were in times past disobedient, etc. Here following the Geneva translation, I leave some vantage that the Greek doth offer me, but I hope to find here matter enough to defend the truth. Beza here (whom we also follow because he groweth nearest to the meaning of the Apostle) by this word spirit doth give us to understand the deity of Christ, following john that calleth God a spirit, john. 4. 24. and by this word flesh his manhood containing both his body and soul as he findeth the word used both of Paul, 1. Tim. 3. 16. God was manifested in the flesh, and also of Peter himself, 1. Pet. 4. 1. Christ suffered for us in the flesh. Which antithesis of the divine and human nature Paul doth also express in the same terms speaking of Christ, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared mightily to be the Son of God according to the spirit. Rom. 1. 3. 4. where you see he useth the words no otherwise then he findeth them used in the scriptures. Now that this can not be the sense of them you reason thus. First you say that this participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is, going doth signify motion from some place which can not stand with the divine Essence, which can not possibly leave any place, being at all times in all places. To this I answer, that it is spoken of the same spirit or divine essence in Gen. 18. 21. I will go down and see whether the Sodomites do altogether according to the cry that is come unto me. And in Exod. 3. 8. I am come down to deliver them, that is the Israelites, out of the hand of the Egyptians. You can not be ignorant (M. Hill) that the holy ghost speaketh oftentimes of the divine Essence by a figure called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, when God declareth his presence in one place more than in another by some notable effect, which in this place was most necessary to express the continual presence of Christ in his Church in those days of Noah, and so in all ages either past or to come, departing as it were from all other places (which indeed he can not) and sitting as it were a perpetual moderator and ruler thereof. Next you allege the other participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is quickened, that because it is passive, it can not stand with the divine essence which can not suffer. This we deny not, for we attribute not this participle to the divine essence, but to the whole Christ God & man: for we say not Christ the spirit was quickened, but Christ was quickened in spirit. Thirdly you tell us that mortified and quickened were both participles, and both attributed to Christ at one time. We confess they were attributed to one Christ, but we see no matter to lead us to refer them both to one time. But by the contrary (me thinks) that the order of the words have sufficient matter in them to prove that he was first mortified and then quickened. As for the distinction of time, the distance was not to great as to require it. To this you add how he was dead, and how he was alive, by putting to killed flesh and to quickened spirit. The very text as I take it will deny you this, for it saith not that the flesh was killed and the spirit quickened, but that Christ was killed in the flesh and quickened in the spirit, which is all one, as if he had said that Christ died as he was man, and overcame death as he was God. Which thing also Paul doth express in other words, 2. Cor. 13, 4. He was crucified concerning his infirmity, yet liveth he through the power of God. Fourthly, you say that the scriptures do join together this going & preaching close to his passion, as if he had said, assoon as he had suffered he went & preached. This (as if) concludeth no necessary matter. We expect demonstrations, & cannot be carried with as, and if. Fiftly, you add out of Gen. 6. that the preaching of Noah is attributed to the 3. person, and not to the second, which putting on man's flesh redeemed us. We confess that ability to preach was given Noah by the holy ghost, but he was stirred up and sent by the whole Trinity. The actions whereof seeing they are common to all three, he erreth not that attributeth them to any of the three. Where you say that Christ was raised from the dead by the first person, and not by the second: I see not how that can stand with the truth of the Scriptures, which telleth me that the second person did put on man, and did never forsake him in all his distresses. Afterwards you tell me that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is disobedient, and sometime do separate the time of their disobedience and Christ's going to them. But I can not take it at your word, for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is, not as you seem to take it a Verb but a Participle, greeing with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is spirits in the verse before: and the Adverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes belongeth to the principal Verb, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is, preached, so that the sense must needs be, he preached sometimes to the spirits that are in prison, and were disobedient in the days of Noah. Whereas you argue this can not be spoken of the preaching of Noah, because he preached to men and to spirits: it is strange to me how he can preach to men and not to spirits, seeing that whosoever doth instruct men doth also instruct their souls. lastly. you charge this construction to do violence to the text, taking the word spirit for the divinity in one place, and for the power thereof in another: where you do us great wrong, for Beza himself refuseth it, and proveth it is not taken for the power of the deity in this place at all. Hitherto have I answered all that you can say against us, now will I prove that your sense which you make of this place, can not stand with the truth of the text. You take this word (flesh) only for the body of Christ, which died and was buried: and the word (spirit) for his soul, which you bear us in hand descended into hell, preached to the souls which had been rebellious in the days of Noah: if this your construction shall go for currant, than the apostle speaketh nothing here of Christ, which may not be verified of any man. For though our bodies die, yet our souls live aswell as his. The spirit here (as it appeareth by the text) doth signify that which gave life, to that which was dead: that I trust was not his soul, but his deity: thirdly this participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 killed, doth signify not only the death of the body, but also whatsoever Christ did suffer either in body or soul for the redemption of our bodies and souls: and doth comprise his whole passion which the Spriptures doth many times term death, which if it be so (as it is so indeed) then the word flesh noteth unto us the whole subject of his passion, that is, the whole man Christ, for it was expedient that he did aswell If this be true, than Christ was not dead as Peter saith. suffer in soul for our souls, as in body for our bodies: or else he had been but half a redeemer. Fourthly seeing his body was quickened, that is, restored from the grave aswell as his soul from the sorrows of hell, if you take spirit there for the human soul, than you confound those things which the Apostle doth distinguish, attributing that to the soul alone, which is also common to the body. Fiftly, seeing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to give life, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to receive life, this cannot be understood of the soul, which never lost life after that it had once lived with the body, and therefore could never receive it again. Here you tell us that to be quickened is to be delivered from miseries: how the English word may be taken I leave it to the wise, but in the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Latin word vi●ificari, I am sure it were strange and seldom seen to find that sense. Furthermore, I am sure that if this devise may stand, that then you will overthrow the antithesis between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dead and quickened, for if quickened doth not signify a restitution to life, what antithesis can it have with death or dead. lastly, add to those if it please you that infallible reason of Beza, taken from the scope and drift of the Apostle, to whose greater notes I refer you, being not able to handle his reason so effectually as he doth himself. Hill. Here you play the Captain, and will beat down bulwarks, and therefore you should have these 4. properties in you: virtue, knowledge, authority and felicity: for the first two they are in you (God grant you use them to his glory) but what authority you have to interpret the word I know not, therefore in this case (I hope) you shall have no felicity. Where you say that this word (spirit) doth signify the deity: and this word (flesh) the humanity of Christ, and that there is an antithesis between the divine and human nature: I confess that (spirit) sometime doth signify the Godhead, and (flesh) the humanity of Christ. But they do not so signify in this place: as I prove by the circumstances of the text and the words themselves. For where you say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 killed or put to death, doth signify the whole passion of Christ, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth the resurrection of Christ that cannot be: for of the passion of Christ is mention made before in the same 18. verse, Christ suffered for us, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God. Now after his sufferings ended as Peter saith, he was both killed and made alive. Now of his resurrection is mention made in the 21. verse, as of his ascension in the 22. verse. Therefore seeing the sufferings of Christ are mentioned before, and his resurrection is namely set down after: whereof can these words be understood, but of the separation of the body and the soul, and of the state of them during their separation, for an antithesis as you know is of contrary, or divers things, as in this place you see, in (killed and quickened.) Now how both these were true at one time, S. Peter doth show, for at the same time he was dead as concerning his body, he was alive in spirit, that is in soul: for the soul separate from the body is aptly called in spirit. Eccle. 12. 7. And dust return to earth as it was, and the spirit return to God that gave it. So is it taken Heb. 12. 23. Act. 7. 59 and so doth this word signify in this place: for Christ was not killed both in body and soul, but only in body and in flesh, for if the soul of Christ had been killed, then had it been mortal. Therfeore Athanasius, Epiphanius, and all the Fathers which did confute the Heretics called Damoerite & Appolinaris, which denied Christ to have a soul, do confute them by this place, proving that his spitite was among the spirits, that his soul separate from his body, was among the souls separate from their bodies. This interpretation you see is gathered out of God's word, and is made more manifest by the words following: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which we translate. In which spirit he went & preached to the spirits in prison, First you translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the which. But in the 1. Pet. 16. you do not so translate it, nor in the 2. Chap. and 12. ver. the same words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are Eph. 1. 13. 2. 22. 5. 18. and so could I cite at the least an hundredth texts in the new testament, where if you translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the which, or by whom, you shall overthrow the meaning of the holy ghost. The next word in construing, is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as I have said before, so I avouch still, is spoken not of the deity never in all the Scriptures, and therefore must needs be spoken of the soul of Christ. To confute this, you allege Gen. 18. 21. Exod. 3. 8. First I must tell you these books were written in the Hebrew tongue, and not in the Greek, I craved an instance out of the new testament. Secondly, in those places that you have named the interpreters do translate jarad by the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and not by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. And this I prove, joh. 16, 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. For if I shall not departed the comforter will not come unto you, but if I shall departed I will send him unto you. Here you see when he speaketh of the descending of the deity, he useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but when he speaketh of the humanity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. And in the same Chap. verse the 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. I came out from the Father & came into the world: again, I leave the world, & go to my father. And this propriety of speech which the holy ghost useth aught to be observed. I confess the scripture useth the figure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but when God is said to come down, there is used the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or some one of the forenamed, and when mention is made of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it is always spoken of the humanity, as it is to be seen Luk. 4. 30. 9 51. 52. 56. 57 Luk. 13. 22. joh. 8. 1. And in this place of Peter the last verse is used the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. He went up into heaven. Therefore if you can quote but one text in the new Testament that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is figuratively applied to the deity, your interpretation may seem tolerable: but if you can not (as I know it is impossible) then can you never prove your interpretation to be agreeable to faith, because it is not agreeable to the word. Out of the next word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this I note: he that was killed and quickened did preach, but Christ was killed and quickened, ergo Christ and not the deity preached. He preached not vocally for he was killed, ergo he preached really in soul: for here is noted. First, who preached? Christ. To whom? to the spirits. Where? in hell. When? after his death, and before his resurrection. This is the order of Peter and of our creed, which can not be by man overthrown. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is spirits also is not as you take it, for you say it signifieth the men in Noah's time, but you can not bring one scripture to prove it. Therefore I say as I said before it signifieth souls separated from the body. That my exposition is true, I have proved by three scriptures, Eccle. 12, 7. Heb. 12, 23. Act. 7, 59 Now as mine is true, so will I prove yours to be false and impossible by Christ's own words. Luk. 24, 59 where our Saviour to prove himself Humes disagreeth with the words of our Saviour Luk. 24, 39 to be no ghost, but to have a true body after his resurrection, thus reasoneth: behold my hands and my feet that I am the same, handle me, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have. This was Christ's argument, I have a body, therefore I am not a spirit, and so I reason against you and your teachers. The men in Noah's time had bodies, ergo they could not be called spirits. Every boy can tell you in Oxford that Substantia is divided into corpus and spiritum, and that one of these opposite species can not be affirmed of an other. And therefore to be short when you can prove out of the new testament, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is, mournying is spoken figuratively of the deity, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is spirit, signifieth a man that hath a boy. I will give you the goal, but if you will run on this course until you have proved these two points (which you must do if you will have me to recant) then take heed lest you run yourself out of breath. Lastly, the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is prison, doth signify hell, as it is to be seen Apoc. 20. 7. When a thousand years shall be fulfilled, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison. Thus thou seest (good reader) how I have proved my interpretation out of the word of God for every word, which our adversaries can not do for their interpretation: therefore thou mayst safely assure thyself ours to be good, and theirs to be false. And that this word prison doth signify hell, you may see Epiphanius, Athanasius, Fulgentius centuria 1. lib. 2. cap. 14. Peter Martyr on the creed, Nowell in his Catechisine, Beacon in the sick man's salve, and Crowley in his answer to the reasons of Pound the Papist. All these old and new writers have alleged this Scripture as I have done with good warrant & conscience. Now that I have proved this my own interpretation, I will (by God's grace) prove your answer to be frivolous. First you confess that killed and quickened are Participles of one tense, and yet you say they are not referred to Christ at one time, this is méerlye false, as I thus prove: Christ was after his passion dead and alive, or never; if he were never M. Humes disagreeth with Peter Paul and himself. dead and alive at one time, then Peter saith not truly, if he were dead and alive at one time than you speak falsely. Now you yourself confessed that he was dead and alive at one time a little before, and proved it out of the 2. Cor. 13. 4. He was crucified concerning his infirmity, yet liveth he by the power of God. Here by your own words Christ was alive when he was crucified: so may I say with Peter, he was alive when he was dead, and at one time, Then you say the (flesh) signifieth the manhood, and (spirit) the deity: this also is untrue, for the body may be killed, but the soul cannot. Again, show me any Scripture where one and the same word in one sentence and period, is taken for divers things: for in this sentence, In which spirit he went and preached to the spirits that are in prison. Here the word spirit in the beginning of the sentence signifieth the deity, in the latter end the same word signifieth the men that lived in Noah's time by your interpretation: but by my interpretation it signifieth the soul separate from the body in both places. For as Cirill saith, as Christ was with the living in body and soul, so to show himself a true man, his body was among the dead bodies, and his soul among the souls. Then you avouch the preaching of Noah is attributed to the whole Trinity, be it so, but can you prove that Christ after he was killed did preach in Noah, for this preaching was after Christ's death, which is mentioned in the 18. verse, and before his resurrection, which is spoken of in the 21. verse. You go forward and tell me, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not determine the Participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, disobedient, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, preached. I must tell you plain you speak neither like a Divine, nor a Grammarian. For an Aduerd is sometime put to a Participle, as Matthew. 2. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Then Herod calling privily the wise men. Sometime to a Noun, as Homo egregiè impudens. Sometime to an Adverb, as Parum honestè se gerit. Therefore the Adverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coming after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 next and immediately, and being distinguished from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a Comma, cannot by any example in divinity, or by any rule of Grammar be coupled with the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now to answer your infallible reasons. First you reason against me, that if my construction be true, than nothing did happen to Christ which might not be verified of any man. And did you not blush when you wrote these things? Can any man's soul go to hell, and return again? For his going down to hell I prove in the 19 verse, and his return from hell in the 21. verse. secondly, you say the word spirit doth signify that which gave life, what then? as God giveth life to the body effectually, so the soul giveth life to the body formally. Your Geneva translation which you follow, saith, he was quickened in the spirit, not of the spirit. And this I note against your side 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 18. verse you translate (In) But in the next verse as though you had not done well in the former, you translate it (by) Now you know the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth (by) and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it appeareth in the 21. verse and in many places more: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is, by the resurrection. Moreover if you had said quickened of the spirit▪ then had you made a probable answer: but no divine is able to prove this exposition, that Christ was quickened in the spirit, that is, in the deity, for the deity is life itself. Your third pregnant reason is, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth not only the death of the body, but also the whole passion of Christ. This cannot be, for the sufferings of Christ are set down before in the same verse: then in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is showed the manner of the death that Christ suffered, that is, he was killed and suffered a violent death. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, must needs signify put to death. Now I hope you will not say Christ was put to death in soul and body, but in body only. And where you say that Christ suffered in soul aswell as in body, that is true, and that is gathered not of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is killed, but out of these words antecedent (for Christ suffered the just for the unjust.) No reasonable man but he will say, that the sufferings of Christ are comprised rather in the word (suffered) then in the word (killed.) To your fourth reason I reply, that Christ was raised from the dead, but it is specially signified in the word resurrection, verse 21. and therefore I do not confound those things that are distinguished, but yourself: for you make suffered and killed all one, and quickened and the resurrection all one, and so make not only a confusion, but a fantology and peerless repetition which never was read in the word of God. To your fift argument, where you say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to receive life, I confess it is to be made alive. Then you urge it can not be spoken of the soul which never lost life: Then by the same reason more strongly it can not be spoken of the Godhead, which hath, doth, and shall live for ever: for God can not receive life, but the soul is said to live when he is out of the body, not because he lived not before, but because the body doth hinder the actions of the soul, john. 11, 25. He that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live. Sap. 9, 15. The corruptible body is heavy unto the soul, and the earthy mansion keepeth down the mind that is full of cares. 2. Cor. 4, 16. Therefore we faint not, but though our outward man perish, yet our inward man is daily renewed. Here Paul saith, the weaker the body is, the stronger is the soul, therefore the death of the body is the life of the soul. To draw to an end, your Antithesis of the divinity and humanity is Fortissimum argumentum answered before. For your Antithesis must be of things contrary or at the least divers and separate, but as you affirm truly the Godhead was never separated from the humanity: therefore this antithesis is of the body and soul which at this time were divided, and not between the deity and humanity which were always united: wherefore this bulwark I can assure you will stand, and you have overshot both it and yourself in attempting to overthrow it. For the very scope of the Apostle is this, All Christians must suffer afflictions for well doing, for Christ did not only suffer both in body and soul, but also was put to a shameful death in his body, and in his soul went down to the souls in hell, which were unbelievers in the days of Noah: but Christ did arise again from hell and the grave, and ascended both in body and soul to heaven: therefore shall you that suffer for well doing be delivered from death and hell by his merits, and go up into heaven, and be partakers of his glory as you have been partakers of his afflictions. Moreover, as you refer me to read Bezas great notes on this text, so I pray you to read Aretius handling this place, whose words are these. Generally (saith Arctius) Peter repeateth three effects of Christ's death if you mark it well. The first pertaineth to the damned. The second to the elect. The third to the person of Christ. The first was declared in his descending into hell. The second in his resurrection. The third in his ascension into heaven. This is the true and natural meaning of this place which we will follow, leaving the intrications of other interpretations. I willingly confess this place is very hard, for Augustine doubteth of it, and Luther doubteth of it how it is to be understood, but this obscurity ariseth not of the place, but of the variety of Interpretations. If thou mark the plainness of the place, the matter will be easy, but that pleaseth not all men: therefore that every one may establish his own sense, they apply the words of the Apostle Peter to their own conceit. But leaving these, let us embrace that which the words do teach us: in the which, if we attain to the truth it is well, if not, yet they shall be probable, because they have warrant out of the scripture, and leave to the very letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, otherwise it is certain the knowledge of man to be unperfect in many questions of holy scripture, of the which the Apostle doth warn us 1. Corin. 15. For now we know unperfectly. I have said here is declared three effects of Christ's death which differ in time, and are set in order in the creed. The first effect is, that Christ being dead, denounced eternal pains to the wicked in hell. The words of the Apostle are these. In which spirit he went and preached to the spirits detained in prison. I take the place simply of the descence into hell, for so the words do plainly sound, and I see all the Fathers so to interpret them: see Augustine Epist. 99 and Cyprian doth manifestly interpret this place of the descending into Hell. Neither doth the word prison hinder this Interpretation, which in the Apocal. 20. 5. is taken for hell. When a thousand years shall be fulfilled, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison. Therefore the prison that Peter here speaketh of, is the place deputed to the damned. Hither came Christ, as we confess in the creed, he went down into Hell. Where Hell is, it is a foolish and curious question to inquire, sith no man coming to that place ever returned but only Christ. Furthermore, what Christ did there, Peter expresseth, he preached to the spirits, that is, he declared that he showed himself manifestly to the world, and made that dire and mournful sermon namely to the wicked, that the merit of his death did nothing pertain unto them, but by his presence were confirmed those punishments of the which Noah and other Prophets had forewarned them. And the time of this Preaching I refer not to the times of Noah, but to the time of his descending into Hell. Whereunto agreeth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, spirits, for he preached to the spirits, that is, to dead, and not to living men. Thus far Aretius. I could here allege many other new Writers, which are of my judgement, but because you yield them no credit, therefore of purpose I will omit them. Humes. Sectio. 13. These things being thus, I pray you (good M. Hill) seeing you would have us undoubtedly to believe that Christ descended into hell. Tell us undoubtedly to what end he should descend thither. I trust you will not teach us neither Augustine neither jeroms lesson, that he went thither to deliver prisoners. As for that new lesson that he went thither to triumph, that is a base devise to send him thither to triumph, who had conquered hell on the cross. For my own part, I have oftentimes read the name of hell joined with shame and ignominy, but to this day I never heard it joined with triumph He joineth it himself a little after with triumph. and glory. But be it so, and tell me if you can, how Christ who was yet in the grave and bands of death could triumph over hell. Is it likely that he could triumph before the victory? You add two other causes to bind the devil and to deliver us from hell. You bring us many places of scripture to confirm this gear Gen. 3, 15. The seed of the woman shall break the serpent's head. Osee. 13, 15. O death I will be thy death, O hell I will be thy victory. 1. Cor. 15, 55. O death where is thy sting, O hell where is thy victory. In all which places there is not a syllable sounding that Christ descended into hell. A little before he saith he never read hell, with triumph. As for his triumphing over hell, we never denied it, and do avouch that he performed, that most gloriously by the power of his Godhead, which did present his most noble victory over his enemies, hell, and death, both in heaven, earth and hell, without his bodily presence. Hill. You ask me why Christ descended into hell, and yet you confess I noted 3. ends of Christ's descending into hell, the one to triumph over the Devils: the other to bind the Devils, and to take away their power over mankind: the 3. to deliver us from hell. There was also set down a fourth end, that is, to manifest his death unto those in hell & to reprove them of their incredulity: and here labouring to catch me in a snare, you are fallen into it yourself: for first you say Christ conquered hell on the cross, then as having forgotten Humes is contrary to himself. yourself you ask this question with admiration. How could he conquer being in the grave? Is it likely that he would triumph before the victory? First you stoutly affirm that he had conquered, than you boldly deny it. Conuenit nulli qui secum dissidet ipse. Next you say you have not read the name of hell, but joined with shame and infamy: why do you write then that the Godhead did triumph over hell? Did you not read your own writing, I am sure in this place. 1. Cor. 15. 55. O death where is thy sting? O hell where is thy victory? The name of hell is joined with triumph, but you answer these places with a flat negative. Here is not a syllable to prove the descending of Christ into hell. I am sure Paul proveth here the resurrection of Christ and of ourselves, and how can he prove the resurrection, unless he prove the knitting together of the body and soul? for as death is the parting of body and soul, so resurrection is the reuniting of them together again, and here Paul showeth that the body coming out of the grave and the soul from hell, Christ did conquer both. And therefore it is not the deity as you say, but the human nature of Christ did vanquish death and Hel. Heb. 2. 14. For as much then as the children were partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part with them, that he might destroy through death him that had power of death, that is the Devil. Therefore Hemingius on the Col. 2. saith. As on the Cross he conflicted with the devil, so by his glorious descending into hell, resurrection and ascension he did triumph. Therefore these places prove the descending into hell aswell as the burial, for the reason of the apostle is this. Christ came out of the grave, ergo he conquered death, and Christ came out of hell, ergo he overcame hell. Therefore thus I reason against you, that did conquer which did fight, but the human nature of Christ did fight, Humes disagreeth with Peter and Paul, 1. Pet. 3. 22. Phil. 2. 9 10 Eph. 1. 20. 21. 22. ergo it did also conquer, and is gone up into heeven, to whom the Angels, powers and mights be subject. 1. Pet. 3. 22. Col. 2. 15. Phil. 2. 9 10. Eph. 1. 20. 21. 22. Therefore sith all these Scriptures do witness that Christ as man did triumph, and is exalted, and hath all power, I doubt not but in your next answer you will reform your judgement. Humes. Sectio 14▪ You allege for his descending into hell to bind the devils this, how can a man enter into a strong man's house and spoil his goods, unless he first bind the strong man, Here is not that you took upon you to prove that he descended into hell to bind the Devil. The house of this strong man which is here spoken off, by the circumstances of the place is apparently to any man of judgement (not hell) but this world whereof the devil had taken possession, and had polluted many hearts, out of the which he was cast by Christ, who thereby proveth himself to be stronger than he. Hill. Your interpretation is true, and the other is true also, for Christ did not only overcome the devil in the world, but also in hell. For as Cyrill noteth on this place, there was before the coming of Christ much violence, taking away the flock of God, and carrying them to his own house, wherefore before the coming of Christ, the heathen and people of the world went into eternal death: but Christ hath delivered both their bodies from the grave, and their souls from hell: by his death and personal descending into hell. This place is alleged by one Georgius Princeps Anhaltinus, in his learned commentaries on the 16. Psalm, which you may read it if you please, for as David trampled on the face of Goliath, so did the soul of Christ trample on Satan in hell, and trod on his face: and this is noted by the Prophetess Sibilla, as also by the Heathen Poets, whose words I have set down in my Sermon at large. And therefore Clenard in his grammar giveth this observation, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. he went down into hell, that is, into the house of hell. Humes Sectio. 15. Now one thing remained wherein you seemed to run beyond yourself, and most men do wonder what you meant thereby, whereas Christ upon the Cross did utter to the hearers then, and to all ages after, that he had finished the work of our redemption in these words, It is finished: you take on you to prove that he meant not so, alleging these places. joh. 17. 4. I have finished the work which thou gavest me. Act. 13. 29, And when they had fulfilled all things that were written of him. joh. 19 28. Seeing all things were finished that the Scriptures might be fulfilled. Out of all these places say you it may be seen that there remained somewhat to do. Good M. Hill remember yourself and you shall find no man of our side that will deny you so much. When our Saviour cried out It is finished, he had not yet given up the ghost, which was the end of his work: but I trust you will grant us this, that the meaning was this work there should be at end, when he had breathed his last breath for you know it is a common manner to speak that in the time past, which is meant presently to come. So Christ himself speaketh in another place. Behold the time cometh, and it is already come, that you shall be scattered. You brought us here a distinction of Consummatum re, and Consummatum spe, out of the Dunces. I pray you to send it again to those thick skummes whence you had it. It will not serve our turn, for it seemeth no otherwise in our ears then that our Saviour should tell us that he had done, and had not done. And tell those Harpyae quae tactu suo optimas dapes foedarunt: that a thing may be consummatum spe, which a man meaneth not to begin twenty years hence, and perhaps never finish. Such ware will yield but little money and less thanks in these days: here we wonder what you meant by denying that he had finished all things on the cross, would you send him to hell to suffer there too? then his work was so far from any end, it was scarce begun. He that will hold that must needs condemn truth itself for an untruth: for if he had but only passed the death of the body, they which feel hell, and we also should know that he had scarcely yet been fleabitten, in respect of that which is to come. This truly (M. Hill) was ware not worthy your wit. Hill. Here you have spoken much and proved nothing, for of those reasons which I have laid down in my Sermon concerning this point, not one is answered. Only as you told me before I was immodest, so now you tell me I am a mad man, and the wonder of the world. I must answer you with David, I am become as a monster unto many, but my trust is in thy law. But what will men judge of you, that in one and the same matter affirm and deny. You confess in the beginning, that there remained somewhat to do, and in the end you wonder at me because I said all things were not finished in the cross. Your next words are these, when our Saviour cried it is finished, he had not given up the ghost which was the end of his work. It is true that after the speaking of Consummatum est, it is finished, he gave up the ghost, but that was not the finishing of his work, for he must also shed his blood. Heb. 9 22. Without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. 1. Pet. 1. 19 john. 1. 7. Apoc. 1. 5. In all which scriptures it is set down, that we are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ. The blood of Christ doth purge us from all sin: he hath loved us, and washed away our sins in his blood. Therefore the giving up of the ghost was not the end of his work. Here is a fault committed by you, but I will not wonder at you, nor say you are run besides yourself, but you run against yourself, and resist also the holy ghost. Then you scornfully reject my destinition of Consummatum re, and Consummatum spe, that is, finished in hope, and finished in deed. I will defend it, for it cometh not out of the Dunces, but out of God's sacred word. Rom. 8. 24. it is said, We are saved by hope. Gal. 5. 5. for we through the spirit wait for the hope of righteousness through faith. Luc. 21. 24. Lift up your heads (saith Christ to his Disciples) for your redemption draweth nigh. Rom. 8. 23. And not only the creature but we also which have the first fruits of the spirit do sigh, even we do sigh in ourselves waiting for the adoption, even the redemption of our bodies. Musculus on the fourth Chapter of the Ephesians thus writeth, the places are these, That we are called in hope not in deed, and that the hope of future blessings is the stay of our faith as long as we are in this flesh, for we are saved nondum in re sed in spe, not yet in deed but in hope. By all these scriptures it is manifest that our consummation is in hope and not in deed (as Musculus noteth) neither shall be actually perfected until the day of judgement. Therefore I did with this distinction refute the argument which is made of those that are on your side, who thus conclude. Christ said on the cross It is finished, Ergo he went not down to hell. By the same reason I thus argue. Christ said on the cross It is finished, Ergo he did not shed his blood, nor was buried, nor rose again, nor ascended into heaven to fulfil all things. Ephes. 4. 10. for if all things were then fulfilled on the cross, what need he to ascend to fulfil all things. Therefore I did prove that this argument of yours did make no more against the descending into hell, then against the shedding of his blood, burial, resurrection, ascension or judgement, all which are necessary to our weal and perfect consummation. Farther, to prove my distinction to be true, I did then quote that as Christ is said to be the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world, so the death of Christ did reach to the first believers, and shall do to the last. Which consummation by hope is so enjoyed as if we possessed it already: for all the promises of Christ are ye ye and amen, 2. Cor. 1. 20. Therefore I told you this argument It is finished, ergo Christ went not down to hell was a fallary a dicto secundum quid ad simpliciter. Also I noted how these words were to be understood. First, that all the scriptures and prophecies were fulfilled, for so the text noteth. Secondly, it is finished doth signify, there is no other sacrifice for sin: for by one sacrifice once offered, he hath made perfect all that shall be sanctified, Hebr. 10, 14. And therefore the Papists joining the merits of Saints with the merits of Christ, do err most shamefully. Thirdly it was finished as concerning all his labours and sorrows. Fourthly all his sufferings both of body and soul were ended, which he finished on the cross. Briefly his obedience to his Father was ended, for he yielded a pure, perfect, and perpetual obedience to his Father, and therefore had all power given him in heaven earth and hell. Moreover I did prove this interpretation by this text, 1. Cor. 15. 54. Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, O death where is thy sting, O hell where is thy victory, and did allege Beda, Peter Martyr, and Musculus upon this place, all which were of my judgement, and therefore you had no more cause to wonder at me, then at these learned men, whom all the reformed Churches of England do reverence. Last of all, you seem to charge me as though I had said that Christ went down to suffer, which thing I never mentioned, but that he went down to manifest his death, to triumph in his own person over the Devil, and personally to redeem us from hell. Then you call them dunces whence I had that distinction. I had it from Musculus, and Musculus from the word of God, and therefore you must embrace these distinctions, or else you will speak erroneously. Omnia probate quod bonum est tenete. Try all things, hold that which is best. This word is worthy my wit or any other Interpreters. Neither will I leave the ware that is in my poor pack for all the treasures of Egypt. Humes. Sectio. 16. In the end of your Sermon you bring us two inconveniences if this article be not believed. First, that men would doubt whether there were an hell. Secondly whether Christ had redeemed us thence. In deed you take the way to make men doubt thereof, to see learned men to strive about that which all the world doth know to be true. If you be remembered you told the people in the beginning of your Sermon that neither M. Wisdom, nor M. Chalfort did doubt of this article, and why are you now contrary to yourself. Why would you have it seen that these inconveniences would follow. If you should not be believed & bear the world in hand that we take away both hell, and the benefit of Christ's death. This is good Rhetoric, but it is ill Divinity. It was your part to have dealt plainly, and to have told the people. If you would needs speak thereof, that neither you nor we did do either of these points, and that thereof they had no matter to doubt, but to walk as the children of God, if they would either avoid the one, or possess the other. Hill. I brought two inconveniences if this article were denied, to move the people not to leave out any. It is not unknown to you that servetus and Carliell deny it, and divers others now living among us (by reason of the negative doctrine which is preached of your side) will not repeat this branch of the creed he descended into hell. And some have said to my face that Thomas Aquinas did insert it into the creed. Of these men I know too many, against whom I did direct my speech, for fear lest some might be in that populous assembly. Bad do they that deny the personal descending, but worse do they which deny both personal and potential. Therefore I was not contrary to myself, but contrary to those which have given occasion that so comfortable an article of our Christian faith, should be put out of the creed. You say it was my part to deal plainly. I hope I did deal plainly, for I preached the truth. Obsequium amicos, veritas odium parit. flattery getteth sréends, truth getteth hatred. I know the ears of that Auditory did itch for other matter, but I am God's Minister, and I have preached God's truth, which I will (by the hethe of my God) defend against all gainsayers whatsoever. Humes Sectio. 17. We hear that you have preached since at Leecock & condemned all your adversaries in this matter of ignorance, fury and madness, as denying so commodious and comfortable, so wholesome and needful a doctrine as you think yours to be. Hear I appeal to your conscience, show us what commodity or comfort, what wholesome or necessary matter we deny, that you do teach. If all your comfort and commodity consisteth in our redemption from hell and death to heaven and health, there to behold the glorious face of our immortal God and to sing amongst the Angel's hosanna in the highest: do not we teach this as diligent as you? what comfort or commodity can it bring us to send Christ the Son of the everliving God, (who hath borne all the torments of hell on his tender body for our sakes, and paid a full ransom of our redemption) down to the pit of hell, without warrant of his word, neither to redeem us thence, nor them that were there▪ I refer to the godly considerations of all good Christians. As for you M. Hill, the world is sorry to see a man so learned and so eloquent, to bestow his wit and eloquence in so weak a cause. As for Chalfout the world doth condemn him as a man without judgement or discretion, that so impudently and unadvisedly as some suppose (I pray God they be deceived) enviously did set his face against the truth, and did so irreverently use the diligent and meek labourer in the Lord's harvest M. Wisdom, I speak not this for any favour of him, in respect of his own person more than M. Chalfouts: for I have some great causes to esteem of the other, but truth is truth, I will not be carried for any private considerations against it, you promised if any man could answer your reasons, to recant them in the same place. I pray God you meant as you said, God open our eyes, and give us understanding hearts and wills obedient to his known truth. Hill. Truth it is, I did preach at Leicocke, and because I heard that M. Wisdom had set that opinion of yours abroach again at Cosham, I did here also confirm mine. Not because I am desirous to be contentious, but because I would have no Christian man to doubt of the articles of his Faith, you ask me what comfortable or necessary matter you deem, that we do preach? I answer: and I pray you consider of it, we are borne in sin: how are we delivered from sin, but by Christ, which was conceived by the holy Ghost: we have the magnitude of sins with Peter, the multitude of sins with Mary Magdalen: the turpitude of sins with the woman taken in adultery, the infamy of sins with the Publican: the diuturnity of sins with the thief on the gallows: the cruelty of sins with Paul, and the recidivation into sins with divers of the Sainies: yet if we repent we are pardoned for Christ's sake, who purely, perfectly, and perpetually obeyed the law of God. By reason of our sins we are subject to all punishments, both corporal and spiritual, and to the wrath of God: All these punishments due to us, did Christ suffer upon the cross, both in body and soul, and therefore it is called his Passion. He suffered in the Garden, in Annas and Caiphas house, in Pilat's hall, but upon the cross as you say truly he suffered the agonies of death and torments of hell. Further by reason of sin this was laid upon our first Parents, Thou shalt die the death: so by reason of this sentence not only the body was condemned to death, but the soul to damnation. To deliver us from these two punishments, the soul of Christ went to hell and returned, and the body of Christ that lay dead in the grave rose again mightily, naturally, speedily and happily. Besides Christ arose in deed, he gave himself to be felt and handled, hereupon we are assured that he conquered death and hell. He ascended into Heaven and therefore our prayers are hard, when we pray unto him and he giveth us gifts for our ministry, and so he shall come to judgement at the last day to give us perfect blessedness. You confess that Christ was borne in deed, lived and fulfilled the law in the likeness of our flesh (sin excepted) he died in deed, he was buried indeed, he arose and ascended indeed, and yet you will not confess that he personally descended. How can all these articles going before and coming after be understood of the person of Christ, and of his humanity, and not this. Therefore you denying this personal descending of Christ into hell, take away the great comfort of our deliverance from hell. You say we are delivered from hell by Christ's death: so are we too by his birth. For if Christ had not been borne he had not died: so if there had not been a separation of the body and soul of Christ, he could never have conquered death or hell for by descending into the grave, and that personally, he conquered death, and hath delivered us from death, and by going down into hell personally, he hath conquered hell. And for this cause the Scripture apply it to the death of Christ, because death was (as Paul saith, Phil. 3. A dissolution of body and soul, and these 2. parts being dissolved, Christ came from the grave and from hell, and so Christ did conquer both, and triumph over them in himself, as it is Col. 2. 15. These jews do ask a sign from heaven, Math. 22, 38. Luke. 11. 29. to whom Christ said, A wicked & advoulterous Generation doth ask a sign, but no sign shallbe given them, but the sign of jonas the Prophet, for as jonas was in the whales belly three days and three nights: so shall the son of man be in the heart of the earth, three days and three nights. Which words Basilius Magnus interpreteth very well. These words (a sign) is a matter made manifest containing the declaration of some thing that was hidden, as the sign of jonas representeth the descending of Christ into hell, and the resurrection of Christ, and as Bede saith and Rhabanus also, he gave them a sign but not from heaven, because they were unworthy to see it but from the depth of hell.. Therefore (M. Humes) this is a most comfortable doctrine that Christ doth deliver us from hell, which albeit you agnize aswell as we, yet because you deny the mean whereby it was purchased, you deny a most comfortable doctrine: for not only the body of Christ was in the heart of the earth, but the Son of man, which signifieth the whole humanity, that is, the soul and the body. jonas was in the whales belly alive and yet came forth, Christ was in the grave dead in flesh, and alive in hell and yet came forth. Therefore to take away this manner of descending, taketh away from the Church a singular comfort, and openeth a gap to many errors confuted already by the Fathers. For if Christ did conquer hell by the power of the Godhead only and not as he is man, what need had he to take upon him our nature? but because as man he might be Lord not of heaven and the Angels, but of the earth and the inhabitants therofand of hell and the devils. You say the world is sorry for me. In the world saith Christ you shall have affliction. And he telleth me the world will hate me. I way not these things, for I am no man-pleaser, nor lover of the world. But if in my Sermon I had disagréed with David, Ezechiel, Esay, Peter, Paul, and Christ himself as you have done in your answer, I hope I should be both sorry and ashamed. Touching M. Chalfoult whom you term a man without judgement, and that he spoke impudently and enviously, I never saw him before that time and but once since, but by that speech and conference which I had with him I find him to be learned and void of gall. Such of his neighbours as I have talked with, did give him the deserved praise of a learned and honest man. And forasmuch as he hath preached sound doctrine in preaching the affirmative, and that doctrine which is allowed by the learned convocation of this land, it doth not become you to libel against him, for in speaking against him you traduce all those reverend and learned men, which made an Injunction for keeping of unity, that no other Catechism should be taught of any Schoolmaster then M. nowel's. Therefore because you are a strauger you ought not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and speak evil of those Ministers which uphold the doctrine established: and because you are a Schoolmaster, you ought to teach and not to gainsay it. Qui pergit dicere ea que vult, audiet ea que non vult. As you revile at M. Chalfoult, so do you and your friends privily against me, calling me a Bishoppling and a timeserver. Indeed I was brought up under Bishop jewel, who catechized me in this faith, & therefore I will not easily or rashly depart from it. I confess myself also to be a timeserver, for it is the day & time of salvation accepted. Let them murmur with Martin that list, I pray God my days may end with this time, and my time may continue no longer than these days of the state of our Church that now is do continue. I have seen the beginning, I have seen the propagation of the Gospel, I have seen God hath defended our Church mercifully and miraculously from heaven, God grant that I and all my Auditors may walk worthy of our calling, Godly, justly, and soberly. Therefore I end with this saying of S. Paul 1. Cor. 4. 3. As touching me I pass very little to be judged of you, or of man's judgement. And in the 5. verse, Therefore judge nothing before the time until the Lord come, who shall lighten things that are hidden in darkness, and make the counsels of the heart manifest, and then shall every man have praise of God. The conclusion to M. Humes. M. Humes in the latter end of your answer you request me to recant: if your answer did please me as it doth you, I would be as willing to recant as you and your friends would be glad to hear it. But I will plainly set down my reasons why I do not recant: The first is: I alleged Act. 2. and proved out of Peter's sermon my assertion, and to the reasons I drew out of that place you have answered nothing. Secondly I alleged Syrach 17. 21. To prove that this phrase the nethermost parts of the earth doth signify hell, to this you have in like manner said nothing. Thirdly in all your answers to my allegations, you have disagréeed with the word of God. In answering of the 16. Psalm, you say my allegation is to be understood of the passion of Christ: And Peter Act. 2. saith it is spoken of the resurrection, whether is to be believed of Peter or you, I refer it to the indifferent Reader. Then I proved that Erets tacthioth that is, the nethermost parts of the earth did signify hell, out of 63. Psalm and 9 verse: In answering of this you descent from David and M. Caluin. Now whether it be more safe to foliow David or you, let my enemies judge. I alleged Ezechiel to prove that point also 31. Chapter, 5. 16, 17, 18, 19 In answering to that place you have gainsaid Ezechiel, Esay in his 14. chapter. Lavaterus, Munster, and Pelican. Now whether it be more fit for me to believe you or Esay, or Ezechiel, let your own favourites judge. Then I alleged the known place of Peter, you travailed much about this place, yet in your interpretation of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is spirits, which you interpret the souls of the men that lived in Noah's time, you contradict the words of our Saviour Luk. 24. 39 For Christ saith a spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me have. And yet you and your Masters say that this word spirit may signify a man living. Now whether it be more expedient for me to believe you or Christ, I refer it to your own judgement. You said my Sermon at Chippenham did confirm you and your friends, but I hope your own answers will not confute me but yourself, and cause yourself and them both to recant. You say you seek to know the truth, so do I, as knoweth the knower of all hearts wherefore whether you or I have taught the truth, let not Humes nor Hill judge, but the learned of the universities. For as Paul saith, 1. Cor, 14. 32. Yhe spirits of the Prophets, are subject to the Prophets. That is, the labours of learned men are to be judged of the learned. The God of patience and consolation give us grace that we may be like minded one towards another according to Christ jesus, that we may with one mind & with one mouth, glorify God the Father of our Lord jesus Christ. Rom. 15. 5. 6. To whom be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. jamque opus exegi quod nec iovis ira nec ignis, Nec poterit ferrum nec edax abolere vetustas.