The effect of certain Sermons TOUCHING THE FULL REDEMPTION of mankind by the death and blood of CHRIST JESUS: WHEREIN Besides the merit of Christ's suffering, the manner of his offering, the power of his death, the comfort of his Cross, the glory of his resurrection, Are handled, What pains Christ suffered in his soul on the Cross: Together, With the place and purpose of his descent to hell after death: Preached at Paul's Cross and else where in London, by the right Reverend Father Thomas Bilson Bishop of Winchester. With a conclusion to the Reader for the cleared of certain objections made against the said doctrine.  1. Corinth. 3. 
I esteem not to know any thing save Christ jesus, and him crucified.  Athanasius de Incarnatione verbi dei. 
Therefore the son of God took to him a body that might die, that, enduing it with a reasonable soul, it might suffice for a full satisfaction to Death for all.  
Imprinted at London by Peter Short for Walter Burr, and are to be sold in Paul's Churchyard at the sign of the Flower deluce. 1599   

To the Christian Reader.  
IT is some time since (good Christian Reader) that lying in London, and preaching at Paul's Cross, as the feast of Easter drawing near did admonish me, I made choice to speak of the redemption of mankind by the death and blood of Christ jesus. And because that City than had, and yet hath, as many learned and religious preachers; so some conceited and too much addicted to novelties, who spared not in their Catechize and readings, to urge the suffering of the very pains of hell in the soul of Christ on the cross, as the chiefest part, and main ground of our Redemption by Christ: I, finding how fast that opinion had increased, since it was first devised, and doubting where it would end, thought it my duty publicly to warn them that were forward in defending this fancy, to take heed how far they waded in that late sprung speculation: For as these words of 
a Psa. 18. & 116  David, The sorrows of hell besieged me, and these of 
b jonas. 2.  jonas, Out of the belly of hell I cried, & thou heardest my voice, may be tolerably applied to Christ, if they be metaphorically interpreted of Christ, as the scriptures mean them in David and jonas; so if we grow from the figurative use of the word HELL, to the proper signification thereof, and rise from the degrees of sorrows and fears, which pursue the Saints in this life, to the highest sense and suffering of ALL, and THE VERY SAME pains and punishments which the damned do and shall endure for ever; freeing Christ from nothing but from the place and continuance of hell: we make not a curious and superfluous, but an erroneous and dangerous addition to the mystery of our Salvation.  
The better to slack their inconsiderate heat, I laboured to prove these four points unto them. First that it was no where recorded in the holy Scriptures, nor justly to be concluded by the Scriptures, that Christ suffered the true pains of hell; and so the Consciences of the faithful could not justly be forced to the necessary believing of any such strange assertion. secondly, that as the Scriptures describe to us the pains of the damned and of hell; there are many terrors and torments, which, without evident impiety, cannot be ascribed to the Son of God, as namely extreme Darkness, Desperation, Confusion, utter separation, rejection and exclusion from the grace, favour, and kingdom of God; remembrance of sin gnawing the conscience, horror of Devils tormented and tormenting, and flame of fire intolerablie burning both body and soul. thirdly, that the death and blood of Christ jesus were evidently, frequently, constantly set down in the writings of the Apostles as the sufficient price of our Redemption, and true mean of our reconciliation to God; and the very same proposed in the figures, resembled in the sacrifices of the Law, and sealed with the Sacraments of the new Testament as the very ground work of our salvation by Christ; and so have been received and believed in the Church of God fourteen hundred years, before any man ever made mention of hell pains to be suffered in the soul of Christ. lastly, where the Scriptures are plain and pregnant, that Christ 
c 1. Corin. 13.  DIED: for our sins, and by his 
d Hebre. 2  DEATH, destroyed him that had power of death, even the Devil, and reconciled us, when we were strangers and enemies, IN THE 
e Colos. 1.  BODY OF HIS FLESH THROUGH DEATH, (for we are reconciled to God, by the 
f Rom 5.  DEATH of his son, and sanctified by THE OFFERING OF THE 
g Hebr. 10.  BODY of jesus Christ once, who 
h 1. Pet. ●.  himself bore our sins in his BODY on the Tree: where he was put to death concerning the FLESH;) Besides that the holy Ghost in these places by express words nameth the bodily death of Christ as the mean of our redemption and reconciliation to God: no considerate divine might affirm or imagine Christ suffered the Death of the soul; for so much as the Death of the soul must exclude Christ from the grace, spirit, and life of God; and leave in him neither faith, hope, nor love, sanctity, nor innocency; which God forbidden any Christian man should so much as dream. We should therefore do well to reverence the manifest words of God's Spirit in so high a point of Religion, and suffer ourselves as scholars to be taught by the leader into all truth, what to believe and confess in the mystery of our redemption, and not to control or correct the doctrine so clearly delivered in the Scriptures, so consonantlie retained of all learned and unlearned in the Church of Christ, for so many hundred years. And if any man to maintain his devise would invent a new hell and another death of the soul, than either scriptures or fathers ever heard or spoke of, they should keep their inventions to themselves; it sufficed me to believe what I read, and consequently not to believe what I did not read in the word of God, which is and aught to be the foundation of our faith.  
Thus far I purposed, when I first entered, by God's grace to proceed in this cause, according to the simple understanding wherewith god hath endued me for the good of his Church. The article of the Creed, Christ DESCENDED INTO HELL I meant not to meddle with; choosing rather to leave that untouched, then to press any sense as a point of faith, for which I had not so full and fair warrant, as for the redemption of man by the death and blood of Christ jesus; but the vehemency of some contradicting that I taught, and the importunity of others requesting to know what they might safely believe of that article, made me to alter my mind. For when some urged, others doubted, that if Christ did not suffer the pains of hell whiles he hung on the Cross, that part of the Creed was added in vain; and the words of 
i Psal. 16.  David, Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, applied by 
k Acts 2.  Peter unto Christ in the second of the Acts, could hardly have any good construction: (because it seemed far fet, and altogether repugnant to the proper signification of the words, to take the soul for the body, and hell for the grave; and as for the local descent of Christ to hell after death, they counted that but a fable:) I was forced to promise that I would openly deliver, which I thought was the likeliest and safest sense, as well of that article in the Creed, as of those words of David, fulfilled in the person of our Saviour. This occasion drew me to the next question of Christ's descent to hell. Wherein I resolved as by perusing the later part of this treatise will better appear, that Christ's descent to the very place of hell after his death, did best concord both with the Creed, and with the truth of Christian religion, so we took care not to serve from the Scriptures, in setting down the cause why he went thither: which was to overthrow & destroy the kingdom & might of Satan in the place of his greatest strength, even in hell, and as our head to free all his members from danger and fear of coming thither: the sorrows and terrors whereof he loosed with his presence, treading them under his feet, and rose again into a blessed and immortal life, leading captivity captive, and taking from hell and Satan all power to prevail against his elect.  
Both these resolutions that Christ suffered not the true pains of hell in his soul on the cross; and that he personally conquered and disarmed the powers and terrors thereof before his resurrection; some (as in such cases is common) misremembred, some misconstrued, and some misliked: whereupon I was both advised and entreated by men of greater place than I will name, to put the effect of that which I had delivered in writing, that by mine own words, and not by other men's conceits or reports, the learned might judge of the doctrine. Which I did that very Summer, and had it ready for the press before Bartlemewtide, but that the Parliament of States approaching, wherein men should be otherwise employed; and a great hurl raised against it by certain popular preachers in that city, through whose mouths the contrary had often passed to the people as currant, I was desired by the same persons again to stay, till that time of business were over past, that heat of contradiction somewhat allayed, and respite given that it might be translated into Latin, which also is now performed, as well as published in English. To whole counsel I yielded, referring the time wholly to their judgements, notwithstanding I were by many traduced in many places as a teacher of strange and false doctrine. But I have been and am the more willing to bear the reproaches of maligners, because I seek not myself herein, but that the church of Christ here in England should hold fast that ancient and sure foundation of faith which hitherto it hath kept; and profess that doctrine touching our Redemption by Christ, which as well the public laws of this realm, as all the catholic fathers do uphold and allow.  
In setting down the sum of that which I preached, I neither do, nor can promise thee (gentle Reader) the same words which I then spoke; I wrote them not; but I assure thee before him that knoweth all things, that I have not swerved nor altered any material point from the method, propositions, proofs and conclusions, which I then used, nor from the words as far as either my notes, or my memory upon the fresh foot could direct me; which I have yet to show. Many proofs and authorities I omitted in the pulpit, which the time shut me from; and some objections I have answered here more largely, than the course of Sermons would permit: but here is the self same in effect, which then I uttered and purposed, if the time would have suffered. The manner of handling this question, I always wished might be temperate and sober, as best became christian professors and teachers; least by catching advantages besides the cause, we increased quarrels, and so much regarded our credits that we neglected the truth. I have therefore in the Treatise itself touched no man's name, oppugned no man's words, traduced no man's judgement; but admitting and retaining as much as I thought might stand with the truth, I have pared off certain extremities, and rejected certain additions, which the first inventors did refrain; for that Christ suffered the death of the soul, or all the same torments, which the damned do and shall, are positions lately coined, and derived from the proportion of God's justice as they call it, but as I think from presumption of man's reason intruding into God's secrets. The doctrine which I defend, that we are sufficiently redeemed by the death and blood of Christ jesus, (without adding of hell pains to be suffered in the soul of Christ) hath the constant, full, and express warrant of the Scriptures, and the like approbation from all the fathers without exception. And therefore howsoever some men may despise all ancient writers, and frustrate the scriptures with their figures; all sober and wise christians will, I doubt not, beware how they admit this strange and late found novelty into their Creed or consciences. The second point I press nor with like vehemency, because it hath not like certainty. So long as we confess (which the Scriptures do confirm) that Christ's human nature after his extreme humiliation on the Cross, & before his resurrection, conquered & spoiled not death only, but hell & Satan also, of all their power & right over the faithful, & ascending on high lead captivity captive, & took the keys of death and of hell into his own hands; with the precise manner and hour I will not burden any man's conscience, that cannot be persuaded by reading the latter part of this treatise; though I myself, after long & diligent search, find no sense so agreeable to the words of the Creed, so answerable to the rules of the sacred Scriptures, and so fully followed by all the Fathers, as Christ's descent to the very place of hell for the purposes aforesaid.  
Having premonished thee (Christian reader) of thus much, I am not willing to detain thee any longer from viewing and examining the book itself, but only to tell thee that whiles I stayed the printing hereof, till others did like it, as well as myself, one more hasty then either advised or learned, calling himself H. I. would needs traduce it and confute it before he saw it, resting belike on such notes, as his angry mind and brickle memory took at the time when I preached of these points. Wherein though others condemn his folly, yet I commend his policy, that lest he should trouble himself with more than he could answer, he thought it the best way to come into the field alone, and like a stout Champion fight with his own shadow, to say no more than he would be sure to deny or decline with one shift or other. To make the easier conquest of that I preached, he clean changeth the state of the first Question, he offereth to prove that which I never denied, he confuteth that which I never affirmed, he runneth at Random no man can tell whither, he perverteth my words, he maimeth my reasons, he skippeth all my authorities; he scornfully rejecteth the judgement of the Fathers when I allege them, the Scriptures he turneth and windeth at his pleasure, he wadeth desperately through thick and thin in matters of most importance, his best reason is every where his own opinion, outfacing the world with his ignorance; in sum, he showeth us by his example what it is for a man in matters of faith to despise both authority and antiquity, and trust only to his own fancy. Such an opponent the wiser sort will think I were better neglect than encounter, which resolution I myself do retain; only lest my silence should augment his boldness, I thought it not amiss in the conclusion severed from the treatise, to give thee a taste of the rashness and weakness of his enterprise, entreating thee in the mean time to read advisedly and judge indifferently, for that the cause is weighty and toucheth thee as near as me. For if we suffer the main foundation of our faith and hope in Christ to be wrenched never so little awry; the whole building is more endangered than we are ware of. In God's causes, let God's book teach us what to believe, and what to profess. If thou think it thy duty in matters of faith to beware of unwritten verities, in the greatest point of all, which is our redemption by Christ; take heed thou easily admit not unwritten absurdities. This matter began in more general and more tolerable terms, if they might be rather soberly mitigated, then too vehemently pressed; but as when we run down an hill we can hardly stay; so in matters of religion when we fall to inventing beyond the scriptures we quickly miss and seldom recover the truth. Farewell (gentle Reader) and pray that our thoughts and wits may be subjecteth to the truth of God's word, and that we loathe not the simplicity which is in Christ.   

THE FULL REDEMPtion of mankind, by the death and blood of Christ.  GALATH. 6. verse. 14. Be it far from me to rejoice but in the Cross of Christ. 
AS the natural man no where liketh nor alloweth the things of God, because they seem foolishness unto him: so of all the ways and works of God there is none, that more displeaseth and offendeth the unbeliever, than the Cross of Christ. 
a 1. Corinth 8. The cross of Christ despised both of jews and Gentiles.  We preach Christ crucified (saith the Apostle) to the jews a stumbling block, to the Grecians foolishness. The Grecians savouring nothing but worldly wisdom, and fleshly reason, counted it a mere folly for the son of God, to leave his Throne of glory in the heavens, and as a man amongst men▪ to taste of many miseries; and to suffer a cruel and shameful death at the hands of his enemies. The price of our Redemption, for whose sakes he died, and the power of his resurrection, by which he raised us to the imitation and expectation of a better life, they did neither conceive, nor believe; and therefore they rejected his birth, and specially his death, as a dream of simple and unlearned men, such as they took the Apostles to be. The jews having their ears full of those excellent promises, which God made by his prophets, concerning the kingdom of the Messiah, and referring them to an earthly king, that should sit on the throne of David, bruising his enemies with a rod of Iron, and ruling the world with justice and equity: when they saw the weak and base condition of our Saviour, in outward show promising nothing but reproach and penury; they so disdained and detested him, that they could not be quiet, till they had crucified him; being then, and ever since ashamed, and grieved that any should say, or think, he was the Messiah, so much spoken of in the prophets. Thus the jews looking for wonders, and the Grecians for Wisdom, did both condemn the cross of Christ: the one of weakness, the other of foolishness: and for that cause fell at the stone of offence: but such as were called both jews and Gentiles to be heirs of the promise, did plainly perceive, and fully confess Christ crucified to be the mighty power, and manifold wisdom of God for their everlasting joy and bliss; and were so far from being ashamed of Christ's sufferings, 
What it is to the believers.  that they were willing partakers and open reioicers in the cross of Christ, as the Apostle here saith of himself. 
b Galath. 6  Be it far from me to rejoice, but in the Cross of Christ, by which the world is crucified to me, and I to the world. And indeed if we behold Christ crucified with carnal eyes, as did the jews, we shall see nothing in him but earthly weakness, and deadly wounds, as they saw: but if we bend the eyes of our faith to the truth of his person, and to the force and fruit of his death, as must all his saints; we shall find the power and wisdom, justice and mercy of God so tempered in the cross of Christ for our good; that by his pains we are eased, by his stripes we are healed, his weakness is our strength, his shame is our glory, and his death our life: worthily therefore doth the Apostle profess, that he did, and we should not rejoice but in the cross of Christ.  
And where he saith, he did rejoice in nothing but in the cross of Christ; he thereby teacheth us to repose all our faith and hope, aswell as our joy, in the favour of God, which Christ hath purchased for us, by his death and blood. 
c Rom. 1●.  Rejoice in hope, saith the Apostle; that is in the expectation, not in the present fruition of heavenly things, which God hath prepared for all that love him. Now hope without faith there can be none. 
d Hebr. 11  Faith is the ground work of that we hope, for how can we with patience look for that, which we do not believe we shall receive? The doubting of God's promises is the plain distrusting of them; and breedeth rather a fear we shall miss them, than an hope to enjoy them: and in fear there is 
e 1. john. 4.  PAIN, as saint john saith, and no joy. Then as there is no perfect joy, but in hope assured by faith, so if we must not rejoice but in the cross of Christ, our faith and hope must wholly depend on that peace and atonement▪ which Christ hath made betwixt God and us, by the shedding of his precious blood for our sakes; that is by his cross. Since therefore Christ crucified is the wisdom and power of God to save all that believe, and the cross of Christ is the full support of all our faith, hope and joy; there is no one point in christian religion, that more mainelie concerneth, and nearly toucheth the salvation of our souls, than the right understanding and only relying on the cross of Christ; lest we mistake the truth or distrust the force thereof, to the dishonour of Christ, and danger of our own souls.  
To prevent this peril, 
The method of this treatise▪  I think best to observe this order in that which shall be said, to show first what the Cross of Christ CONTAINETH, next what the cross of Christ PERFORMETH: that knowing the contents and effects of Christ's cross, I mean the pains which he suffered; and the work which he accomplished by dying on the cross; we may be settled and assured, how far it extended, and what it effected for us.  
To begin with the CONTENTS of Christ's cross: The cross is sometimes taken in the Scripture for all manner of affliction, 
f Luke. ●  He that will come after me, let him deny himself, and daily take up his cross and follow me. 
g Matth. ●●  He that doth not take up his Cross and follow me, is not worthy of me. In this sense, saith Bernarde, 
h 
De passi. dom. cap. 5.  
The cross taken for all kind of affliction.   The whole life of Christ was a cross and a martyrdom. The reason 〈◊〉 Christ so used the word (for he first used it) was, for that he saw before hand, that going to his cross he should taste all kinds of calamities: and so came it to pass. For between his last supper, and his death, he was betrayed of judas, abjured of Peter, forsaken of all his followers; he was wrongfully imprisoned, falsely accused, unjustly condemned; he was buffeted, whipped, scorned, reviled; he endured cold, nakedness, thirst, wounding, hanging, shame, reproach, and all sorts of deadly pains; besides heaviness of heart, and agony of mind, which oppressed him in the garden. Rightly then may the cross note all manner of miseries, forasmuch as our Saviour going from the garden to the grave, suffered all sorts of afflictions: howbeit this is no different signification, but rather a participation of the cross of Christ.  

The church of Rome honoureth the cross and dishonoureth the death of Christ.  The Church of Rome hath wedded a great part of her devotion to the cross of Christ, but under that name she adoreth the matter and form of the cross: as for the force and effects of Christ's death, which is remission of our sins, satisfaction of God's wrath, and donation of eternal life, she prodigally imparteth that to her pilgrimages, pardons, & purgatory, yea to the works and prayers of quick and dead; and so magnifying the sign and wood of the cross, she dishonoureth the merit and fruit of Christ crucified. But of her painted and carved crosses, the scripture maketh no mention, and therefore I shipped it, rather as a manifest illusion, than any signification of the cross of Christ.  

What the scriptures mean by the cross of Christ.  Most commonly in the Scriptures by the cross of Christ, the holy Ghost meaneth the person suffering, and the pain suffered on the cross, that is, the punishments and torments which the son of God suffered for our sins, after he was fastened to the tree: the rest which went before not being excluded as superfluous, but continued and increased by that sharp and extreme martyrdom which he endured on the cross. And so Christ crucified as the scriptures describe him, had from top to toe no part free from pain and grief; but hung on the wood, having his flesh torn with whips, his cheeks swollen with buffets, his face defiled with spittle, his head stuckt full with thorns, his eyes dejected for shame, his ears burning with taunts, his mouth soured with vinegar, his hands and feet wounded with Iron spikes, his bones unjointed, his sinews pricked and strained, his whole body hanging by the soreness of his hands and feet, and lastly (though he were first dead) his heart pierced with a Spear, whence issued blood and water. His body thus wounded and tortured unto death, his blood thus shed, and as it were powered on the earth, are said in the scriptures to be the ransom of our sins, and price of our redemption. 
i 1 Peter. 2.  He bore our sins in his body upon the Cross (saith Peter:) and again, 
k 1 Peter. 1  You are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb unspotted and undefiled. I do not amplify the bodily pains which Christ suffered, of purpose to make them seem greater than they were; I find myself rather unable to express them; but lest we should too much diminish them, and ask, What great matter it was for him to go securely, and as it were sportinglie to his death, I thought good shortly to touch them, and leave the fuller and further consideration of them to the godly at their private leisure.  
In the mean time I may not omit in his Stripes, Thorns, 
The pains of Christ's cross.  Crucifying and Death, to observe that which the Reader will happily overskippe in the history of his passion, unless he be both advised and learned. In his STRIPES I note, that Pilate having a purpose to save the life of Christ, and not neglecting to satisfy the people that were incensed against him, caused him extremely to be whipped, and showed to the people in that plight with these word, 
l john 19  Ecce homo Behold the man; to let them see that Christ had received very sufficient correction, no crime being proved against him, and so to withdraw them from seeking his death. in CROWNING him with thorns, the soldiers did not only wreath him a thick crown of thorns, to stick his head full of them: but after the putting it on, to fasten it, they did strike him on the head with their Canes, as 
m Matth. 27. Mark. 15.  Matthew and Mark do plainly testify. In NAILING him to the Cross, besides the greatness and soreness of his wounds, which were worthy to be marked, they so strained his body lest he should stir hand or foot, that all his bones might be numbered. The greatness of his wounds David foreshowed by these words: 
n Psal. 22.  Foderunt manus meas, & pedes meos; they digged my hands and my feet; noting how wide wounds they made in both, which were rather digged than pierced; and so big were the nails, as the Ecclesiastical history reporteth, that Constantine made of them (when his mother had found them in the mount where Christ was crucified) 
o Socrates lib. 1. cap. 17  A bridle, and an helmet for his own use. How tender and sensible the hands & feét are above other parts of the body, and what pain and anguish the pricking, straining and tearing of the sinews, ligaments and joints in either (which are very thick, and full of sense in both those places) did breed and kindle in the whole body, nature can teach us without any further proof. Of RACKING his joints, Bernard maketh this collection out of David: 
p De pass. dom. cap. 7.  Tantum distentus sum, ut corpore nudo in modum Tympanicae pellis distonto, facile possint omnia ossa mea dinumerari. I am so strained (saith he in the person of Christ) that my body naked being stretched like the head of a timbrel (or drum) all my bones may be numbered. If this proof reach not home, David hath plainer and expresser words, in the 14. verse of the same Psalm, which cannot be contradicted. HITH PAREDV i Separaverunt se omnia ossamea, All my bones are out of joint, or pulled one from the other. In this horrible torment of Stripes, Thorns, Wounds, Sinews and joints, our Saviour hung on the cross above three hours, in most perfect sense, with most extreme pain, till the very instant that he breathed out his soul. A violenter death by fire, or otherwise, our Saviour might happily have suffered; but a more painful, with perfection of patience, never martyr, much less malefactor, did or could endure.  
The torments of others when they are violent, 
Christ had no pangs of death but perfect sense of pain unto the end.  do either hasten death, or overwhelm the sense, and so the pain when it is most grievous, is least perceived. In Christ there was no such thing. He died not by degrees as we do; his senses did not decay, no pangs of death took hold of him, but in perfect sense, and perfect patience both of body and soul, he did voluntarily and miraculously resign his spirit (as he was praying) into his father's hands. Longer tortures others have endured, but never greater for the time, nor with like patience. For in all men (Christ excepted) though the spirit be never so willing, & the measure of faith never so strong, yet unless it please God to shorten or lighten the rage of their pain, the flesh repineth at the present anguish, howsoever grace support the soul, that it sink not under the burden. But 
q Bernard de pass. dom. ca 41.  He which shorteneth and lighteneth the force of torments in his saints when they be grievous, in his own would do neither. He spared not himself, that knoweth how to spare his; but suffered and endured all to the uttermost, with so exact obedience and patience, that he did not shrink at the pain, nor strive with death, but yielded so voluntary a sacrifice to god, that in, the sharpest torments he made no show of sense: nor suffered his flesh so much as to tremble or struggle with pain or death. 
He died voluntarily.  The manner of rendering up his soul the Scriptures and Fathers do carefully observe. Saint john thus describeth it. 
r john. 19  When jesus had tasted of the vinegar, he said (all) is finished, & bowed his head, and gave up the Ghost.. Whereupon Bernard saith: 
s Serm. 4. Hebdomadae panosae.  It is a great infirmity to die, but so to die, doth plainly prove an infinite power. S. Luke reporteth that jesus 
t Luk. 13.  cried with a loud voice (to show himself to be free from any touch of death) and said, Father into thy hands I commend my spirit. Whereupon Hierom observeth, that the Centurion hearing his prayer, and seeing him 
u quaest. 8. ad Hedibium.  Statim spiritum sponte dimisisse, presently of his own accord to send forth his spirit, Commotus signi magnitudine, moved with the greatness of the wonder, said; Truly this man was the son of God. Augustine largely handling the manner of his death saith; 
x Tract. 119. in johan.  Who can so sleep when he will, as Christ died when he would? Who can so lay aside his garment at his pleasure, as Christ laid aside his flesh? Who can so leave his place, as Christ left his life? with how great power shall he come to judge, that showed so great power when he died? Christ himself ralifteth these observations with his own mouth in the Gospel of saint john 
y john. 10. : None taketh my soul from me, but I lay it down of myself. By this we may perceive, the conjunction of the human nature with the Divine in the person of Christ was so fast and sure, that neither sin, death, nor hell assaulting our Saviour, could make any separation, no not of his body; but he himself of his own accord must put off his earthly tabernacle, that dying for a season he might conquer death for ever; and so the laying down of his life was no imposed punishment, nor forcible invasion of death upon him, but a voluntary sacrifice for sin rendered unto God for our sakes, to appease the wrath and satisfy the curse, which our manifold wickedness had most justly deserved.  

How the opinion of Christ's suffering hell pains hath grown by degrees.  Thus far without fear we may freely extend the cross of Christ by the warrant of the holy scriptures. Some men in our days stretch it a great deal farther, to the death both of body and soul, and to the WHOLE PAINS OF THE DAMNED IN HELL; but upon how just grounds, when you hear, you may judge as you see cause. This opinion hath grown by degrees; and every day taketh new increase. At the first, men contented themselves to think Christ suffered the pains of hell, that is great and intolerable pains; which metaphorical kind of speech the Scriptures will bear; if we conclude no worse meaning within those words; 
jonas. 2. Psal. 18. Psal. 116.  Out of the belly of HELL, (saith jonas) I cried and thou heardest my voice. The sorrows of HELL compassed me about (saith David) and the griefs of HELL took hold of me. Some others affirm, that Christ, in sustaining the wrath of God due to us, wrestled with the very powers of hell that sought to fasten on him, and howsoever beholding the terror of God's vengeance provoked by our sins, he did sometimes tremble, yet by firm faith always fixed on God, he repelled and repressed those assaults of Satan, and so saved not himself only, but us also. This might be endured if men could stay here; & it were to be wished, that in matters of so great weight and danger, we would rather try where we are, then hasten to go onward. But as water breaking her banks still runneth and never stayeth; so some lighting on other men's inventions never leave adding till they mar all. In the case which we have in hand, the name of Hell pains being once admitted into the work of our redemption, some in our days will no nay, but that Christ on the cross suffered the self same pains in soul, which the damned do in hell, and endured even the death of the soul; yea others avouch that he sustained far greater torments than any are in hell, to wit, as much pain in 15. hours, as all the faithful should have suffered everlastingly, and that as well in body as in soul. To these dangerous devices are some men slipped in our time. And because I know not when or where they will make an end, I think it needful for discharge of my duty, and direction of your faith, as well to set down certain limits beyond which you may not go, as also to reject such extremities as by no means may be closed in the cross of Christ, without apparent impiety.  
The pains of hell (if I be not deceived) make a fourfold impression in the souls of men; 
How many impressions the pains of hell make in the soul of man.  a careful fear, which declineth them; a doubtful fear, which conflicteth with them; a desperate fear which sinketh under them, and a damned fear which suffereth them. The first is and must be in all the godly; and chiefly in Christ himself: For the more we love God, the more we detest and shun all separation from God. Hell therefore which is an utter exclusion from the kingdom of God, is most justly abhorred of all his saints, and specially of his own Son: who not only by will, but by nature is one with his Father. A conflict with Hell if it come not from the inward motion of the mind, is but a temptation to try the heart, or show the strength of the godly. So was Adam tempted in Paradise by Eve, and Eve by the Serpent, to prove how mindful they were, and thankful they would be for the blessings of God bestowed upon them. So was Christ tempted in the wilderness by Satan, and all his life long by the wicked, which were to him but occasions to declare the innocency and integrity of his human nature. But the inward temptation of the heart and conscience, though it be in all the children of Adam, (the elect themselves not excepted,) by reason of their flesh lusting against the spirit, their conscience accusing them for sin, and their faith sometimes fainting; yet in Christ we must grant no such thing, because in him there was neither corruption of flesh, nor remorse of sin, nor weakness of faith, that should any kind of way breed or yield to the worm, that gnaweth at our consciences. A desperate fear is when the wrath of God awaketh the wicked to know and acknowledge, what vengeance is prepared for them, in the life to come, and so having lost both faith and hope, they fall to an horrible expectation of judgement, and flaming fire, which shall devour the adversary. But yet even these men, whose case is most despaired, are not while they live here on earth, in the true pains of Hell, but are as far from that, as expecting is from suffering. The last I know not how to call, but by the name of a damned, rather pain, than fear; which the wicked departed this life do presently feel. For pain that is present, inflicteth rather torment, than fear; since fear is properly the trembling at evil, before it come, and not the grieving at it, when it is come. Of these four impressions, ye see which I attribute unto Christ, and which not. Despairing, or so much as doubting of his salvation, we cannot ascribe to him without evident impiety. And as for Christ's suffering the same pains which the damned souls in Hell do, to my simple understanding, it is rather a dream then a doctrine to be taught in the Church of Christ. Did they defend as great sense and anguish of pain to have been in Christ's body or soul, as hell fire doth inflict to the damned, though that were a very presumptuous and audacious position, yet is it not so impious, as when they affirm he sufred the self same which the damned do. For the damned have many sorts of pains in hell, which by no means could fasten on Christ's person; and since there be degrees of pain in hell even for the damned; these curious teachers must show us which of these degrees Christ suffered, & by what warrant of god's word, they a●iunge the very pains of hell to the cross of Christ.  
To persuade them to hold fast the form of wholesome words, 
2. Tim. 1.  which the holy ghost observeth throughout the scriptures, I fear is but lost labour; having lighted on a strange doctrine, they are forced to use strange speeches, such as nowhere are found in the word of truth, expressing man's redemption by the death and blood of Christ; yet somewhat to rebate the heat of such as despise all other sufferings of Christ in respect of their hell-paines, I think it not amiss to examine the weight of those allegations and reasons that are brought to support their assertion. 
The proofs which are brought that Christ suffered the pains of hell.  The proofs that are pretended for this opinion may be recalled to three principal heads, which are these, PREDICTIONS that Christ should suffer the pains of hell in soul; CAUSES, why he must suffer them; SIGNS that he did suffer them. Predictions, that Christ should suffer the pains of hell are cited the se, 
a Psal. 16.  Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; and again, 
b Psal. 18.  The sorrows or straits of hell have found me out, & beset me round. The causes why he must suffer them are enlarged by some into many branches, but may be contracted into these two; THE PART that chief sinned in man; & the WAGES due to man for sin. The WORK of sin appeared first & most in the soul of Adam, & therefore in the satisfaction for sin, the soul of Christ, as they say, must properly & principally suffer. The WAGES of sin is expressly death both of soul and body, and therefore Christ, as our surety and for our sins, must taste of both, (as they affirm) before he can discharge us from both. Signs that he did suffer, were his AGONY in the garden, when he sweat blood; which for a corporal death he would never have done: & his COMPLAINT on the cross, that he was forsaken of God, which (as they think) proovesh he felt in soul a most fearful judgement of God, pronounced against our sins. To every of these I will speak in order, that finding the weakness of their foundation, we may the sooner see the lameness of their conclusion.  
To the first I might answer with Saint Austen; these words of David specify not any suffering of hell pains on the cross, but rather a descent to the place of hell. 
Predictions that Christ should suffer the pains of hell. August. epi. 99  That the Lord after his body was dead came to hell is certain enough: for neither can the prophecy be contradicted, which said. Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; (which lest any man should dare otherwise to interpret, Peter in the Acts of the Apostles so expoundeth;) nor the words of Peter be avoided, where he saith that Christ broke the sorrows of hell, the which could not possibly take hold on him; who then but an infidel will deny that Christ was in hell? But with antiquitte I will not urge them; if the text do not refuse their exposition, I will release them this authority. That this saying of David doth not import any pains suffered while Christ lived, but some honour done to his soul after his death, may three ways be proved; by the words next precedent, by the words next adjoined, and by the application which Peter maketh, when he citeth this place. The words next before, (which are these, 
Psal. 16.  My flesh shall rest in hope) note Christ's burial: and this is brought as a reason why Christ's body should rest in hope, not on the cross where it had no rest, but in the grave after he was dead; because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell. If this respected any thing endured on the cross, the holy ghost must have said in the person of Christ, because thou HAST NOT LEFT MY SOUL IN HELL: the pains, and time were both past; but he speaketh in the future tense, & of future things, Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell. And this was the hope in which Christ died. Now hope never tendeth to things past and known, but to that which is to come. This therefore toucheth something consequent after Christ's death, which he hoped for when he died, and not any pains suffered on the cross, or in the garden, whiles he lived. The words annexed infer the same. 
d Psal. 16.  Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, nor suffer thine holy one to see corruption. Both these being jointly spoken of Christ, must both be jointly verified in Christ; wherefore Christ's soul must then not be left in hell, when his flesh lying in the earth saw no corruption. They may not be severed in performance, which the holy ghost knitteth together in coherence. lastly Peter in plain words saith, 
e Acts 2,  David spoke (this) of Christ's resurrection. If this concerned his resurrection, than not his passion on the cross; but after death, and before he rose, as his flesh saw no corruption; So his soul was not left in hell. Yea, God 
f Ibidem.  raised him up (as Peter saith) breaking the sorrows of death (or hell before him) of which it was impossible he should be held; 
g August epist. 99  not that he was ever in them, and so loosed them, as a man doth chains, where with he was once bound: but as the snares of hunters (saith Austen) are broken, Ne teneant, non quia tenuerunt: before they take hold, not after they have taken hold. For Christ was to rise again, not as others before him were restored to this present life; but as the full and first conqueror of death and hell, he was to rise both in body and soul to eternal & celestial glory; and therefore he broke, when he rose, the pains and powers of death and hell; that they should not prevail for ever against him or his.  
The other places of the Psalms, have as many answers as they have words; for every word is an answer. First David speaketh of himself, not of Christ; and David's words to Christ's person we may not refer at our pleasures, without farther and better warrant. Again, David doth not say, the TORMENTS, but the 
h Psal. 18. & 116.  SNARES, or straits of DEATH, as well as of HELL (for the word Sheol indifferently signifieth both, if there be none other circumstance to limit it to either; and David by the rules of divinity was never here on earth in the true pains of the damned,) have FOUND me out, or BESET, and besieged me, but not oppressed, nor overwhelmed me. And if we take the name of HELL never so properly, it is no inconvenience, that the gates of hell, I mean the craft and power of Satan, should hunt after the godly here on earth, and seek to entrap, even Christ himself; but the true pains of hell, the wicked and desperate do not suffer in this life, much less the elect, least of all Christ. It is a judgement following death, and may no more be defended to be here on earth, than the joys of heaven may be possessed in this life.  

The causes why Christ must suffer the pains of hell.  In the causes, why Christ should suffer the pains of hell, we may do well not to be too forward with the rules of reason: as well for that there is no proportion betwixt the person of Christ and us, as also for that we may not sit judges with God, and prescribe when or how his justice should be satisfied. It is requisite in ourselves to confess that as both parts of man sinned in Adam, so the wages of sin, which is everlasting death, is due to both: and as the soul should have principally enjoyed God, which is her life, if she had persisted in obedience; so in falling from God, her loss, and smart, must of the twain be far the greater; though the body shall not want both grievaunce and vengeance intolerable: but if we stretch these rules to Christ, and subject his person, as our surety, to the very SAME WAGES of sin, which we should have suffered, I know not how in fewer words a man may couch more gross and open impiety. For we should have been WHOLLY SEVERED, JUSTLY HATED, and UTTERLY REJECTED from God, yea ETERNALLY CONDEMNED BODY AND soul, to hell fire. May any of these things be affirmed or imagined of Christ without heinous and horrible blasphemy? This was the wages of our sin; must he endure THE SAME, before we can be redeemed, or God's justice be satisfied? I hope no sound divine will so conclude.  
They will release eternal death to the dignity of Christ's person, 
Christ could not suffer the death of the soul, which was the chief wages of our sin.  but he was (as they say) for the time to taste the very same death both in soul and body which we should have done; and which in us should have been everlasting. First by their leaves, hell in the scriptures is an everlasting torment, and therefore if the excellency of Christ's person exempt him from everlasting misery, that clearly quiteth him in body and soul from suffering hell. Again, as sin is the voluntary defection of the soul from God, so hell is the TOTAL, if not FINAL EXCLUSION of the soul from all fellowship with God; less than the death of soul it cannot be. It is the wages of sin, and therefore it must be the death as well of the soul, as of the body; and chiefly of the soul, because the soul of man is the principal agent in sin. S. john calleth hell the 
i Apocal. 2.  second death. If then the soul of Christ suffered either hell, or the wages of our sin; of necessity for the time it must be dead. The 
k Rom, 6.  wages of sin is death. If for the time Christ's soul were dead, it had no communion with God, nor God with it, no more than death hath with life, or darkness with light: It lost for that time all faith and love of God. For by faith the just do 
l Galat. 3  live: and he that 
m 1. john. 4.  abideth in love abideth in God. And since God is the life of the soul, Christ could not suffer the death of the soul, which is the wages of our sin, no not for a day, or an hour, but he must be severed from God, & forsaken of God. 
n August. decinitate dei lib. 13. cap. 2.  Mors animae fit cum eam deserit deus, the death of the soul is when God forsaketh it. 
o Idem de Trinitate. lib. 4. c. 14  Mors est spiritus a deo deseri, it is the death of the spirit to be forsaken of God. 
p Idem de verbis domini super Matthae●til. serm, 6.  Mors animae deus amissus: the loss of God is the death of the soul. To lose God, or to be forsaken of God, is to have no conjunction, nor fellowship with God; the soul than that is dead, is excluded from the favour, and grace; truth, and spirit of God; and if any be so irreligious or impious, as once to affirm these things of Christ, he may avouch, that Christ's soul suffered the true wages of our sin; but if we abhor these things as sacrilegious and monstrous absurdities, as I doubt not but we do; then certainly the soul of Christ could not be dead, no not for an instant, and consequently the true wages of our sin the soul of Christ could not receive, nor suffer on the cross, or in the garden: but we must rather give ear to Peter, which saith, 
q Pet. 2.  Christ bore our sins in his body on the tree; where he was quickened in spirit, though mortified in flesh, and strengthened in the inward man by the joy proposed, for which he sustained the cross, and despised the shame thereof. Christ then took the burden of our sins from us, and laid it on his own shoulders, yea the Lord 
r Esay. 53.  Laid upon him the iniquity of us all; but when it came to light upon him, the very justice of God found great difference betwixt his person and ours; and so great, that what should have condemned us body and soul for ever, that could take no hold on him; but so far forth, as he did voluntarily yield himself to be obedient unto the death of the cross, and in our flesh to quench the curse of the law pronounced against our sins; insomuch that neither sin nor death were able to seize on his body, till he did of his own accord resign it into their hands. If we think it strange to see so much difference betwixt him and us, we must remember, we were sinful, he was innocent; we were defiled, he was holy; we were hateful, he was beloved; we were the servants of sin, and enemies unto God, he was the Lord of life and of glory; we were severed and estranged from God both in body and soul, his very flesh was personally united and inseparably joined unto God; besides that himself was the true and everliving son of God. What marvel then if sin, which should have wrought in us an eternal destruction both of body and soul, could not farther prevail in him, but to the wounding of his flesh, and shedding of his blood for the just and full satisfaction of all our sins, even in the righteous and sincere judgement of God? Though therefore THE SAME PART might, and did suffer in Christ, which sinned in man I mean the soul; yet by no means could it receive THE SAME WAGES which we should have received. And since hell is the greatest vengeance, that God inflicteth for sin, if Christ's soul were free from any, it must needs be cleared and acquitted from that, which is greatest, and most repugnant to the fullness of grace, truth and spirit, that dwell in the human soul of Christ: but hereof I shall have occasion to speak afterward again.  
The signs that Christ suffered the pains of hell are left: 
The signs that Christ did suffer the pains of hell, are his agony in the garden, and his complaint on the cross.  and those are his agony in the garden, and his complaint on the cross, that he was forsaken. Of Christ's agony, since the scriptures have nor revealed the right cause, it is cut los●tie to examen, presumption to determine, impossibility to conclude certainly what was the true cause thereof. Howbeit if we will needs conjecture at causes, we must take heed, that with our obscure and private guesses, we do not contradict such plain and evident places, as testify the perfection and conjunction of Christ's human nature with this divine, and so wrong the person of our Saviour. This rule remembered (though I be most willing to refrain the searching of that, which is concealed from us) yet since they make this the most advantage of their cause, that there cannot be any other reason assigned of Christ's sorrow, besides his suffering the pains of hell. I will let you understand how many there might be besides that which they brings; and that theirs of all others, is least probable, if not altogether intolerable. I will offer you six causes, that might be, of Christ's agony; every one of them more likely, and more godly than this devise of hell pains; others at their leisures may think on more, which I shall be content to hear. Those six are these. Christ's SUBMISSION to the majesty of God sitting in judgement; 
Six causes that might be of Christ's agony in that garden.  The REJECTION of the jews; The DISPERSION of his Church; The LAMENTATION of man's sin; The DEPRECATION of God's wrath; The VOLUNTARY DEDICATION of his blood to be shed for the sins of the world, and sanctification of his person to offer his true & eternal sacrifice.  
So great is the MAJESTY OF GOD, every where and at all times, but specially sitting in judgement, and so far excelling the capacity of all his creatures, that no flesh lining is able to appear before him without fear and trembling, 
s joel. 2  The day of the Lord (whensoever he riseth to judge) is great and fearful, and who shall endure it? When God gave his law, which was but the rule of his judgement, so 
t Hebre. 12  terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I fear and tremble. 
u Psalm. 119  My flesh (saith David to God) trembleth for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy judgements. Since than it is a point not only confessed but urged, by the defenders of this new devise, that Christ appeared here before the tribunal of God, to submit himself to his father's pleasure; and the words of Christ in that twelfth of john tend to that effect, where he saith, 
x john. 12  Now (even at hand) is the judgement of the world. Now (even shortly) shall the prince of this world be cast out, and if I were lift up from the earth, I will draw all unto me: why might not the human nature of Christ tremble before the majesty of that judge, whose glory the Seraphins in heaven do not behold without 
y Esay. 6  yealing their faces? whereby Christ teacheth us not to press into God's presence, whiles we are laden with sin, but in much fear and trembling; since he would not appear before God to take our sins on him, but in this agony.  

The reprobation of the Jews.  The REJECTION OF THE JEWS might be another cause of his agony. 
z Luke. 19  He wept over their city, when he beheld it, and remembered the subversion of it; how would he then be grieved when he foresaw the final rejection of the whole nation? and his blood to be laid on them and their children for ever? for their sakes Moses desired 
a Exod 32  To be wiped out of God's book, and Paul 
b Rom. 9  could have wished himself to be separated from Christ for his brethren the Israelites. If the servants of Christ had so great heaviness and sorrow in their hearts for their kinsmen according to the flesh; what agony must it needs breed in their king, and Messiah, in whom were the bowels of mercy and pity, to see the wicked rage of the people kindling Gods fearful vengeance against themselves, and their offspring by putting him to a most cruel and shameful death, that came to redeem them from sin and death? This cause is observed by Ambrose, Hierom, Augustine and Bede. 
c Ambros. in Lucam. lib. 10. de tristitia & dolere Christi.  Nec illud distat à vero, si tristis erat pro persecutoribus: neither is that dissonant from truth (saith Ambrose) if he were heavy (in soul) for his persecutors, whom he knew should dearly pay for their sacrilegious putting him to death. He was not then afraid to die, but he was loath to have them though they were evil, to perish; lest his passion should be their destruction, which he meant for the salvation of all. Christ's soul was not heavy (saith jerom and Bede) 
d Hieron. in Matth. cap. 26  for any fear of his passion, but for that most unhappy judas, for the scandal of all his Apostles, for the rejection of the jews, and subversion of wretched jerusalem. 
d Peda in matth. cap. 26.  And Austen, If we say the Lord was sorrowful (for the jews) when his passion drew near, where they would commit so heinous a sin, 
e August. in Psal. 87.  non incongruè nos dicere existimo, I think we speak not without reason.  
If respect of his persecutors could thus agonize him, what could the regard of his own followers do? 
The dispersion of his church.  how did the weakness of his own disciples afflict him, when the wilfulness of his enemies did so prevail with him? He warned his disciples of the danger, and they vaunted of their strength; he willed them to 
f Luke. 2●  pray, and they slept; and when he was apprehended they did every one forsake him; yea the stoutest of them did plainly forswear him. He might therefore justly be grieved with their infirmity, and earnestly pray for their security. His tender care of them, and earnest prayer for them appeareth in the 17. of john, even as he entered into the garden; he called upon them to 
g Ibidem.  watch and pray, that they entered not into temptation. 
h Ambros. in Iu●cam. lib. 10. de tristitia & dolere Christi.  Dormiunt (saith Ambrose) & nesciunt dolere pro quibus Christus dolebat: the Disciples slept, and camnottel how to sorrow, for whom Christ sorrowed. Tristis erat non pro suapassione, sed pro nostra dispersione. Tristis erat, quia nosparnulos relinguebat. He was sorrowful not for his own suffering, but for our dispersing. He was grieved because he left us young and weak. Hilary▪ in his tenth book de Trinitate largely pursueth this occasion of Christo agony, & concludeth: 
i Hilarius de Trinitate. lib 10  Non ergo sibi tristis erat▪ neque sibi orat, sed illis, quos monet orare pervigiles: Christ is not sorrowful for himself, nor prayeth for himself, but for those whom he warneth to watch and pray. And for their sakes he saith, the Angel was sent to comfort Christ, that he should take no longer grief and fear for his Disciples. 
k Ibidem.  The Angel being sent to protect the Apostles, and the Lord receiving comfort thereby Ne pro his tristis esset; iam sine tristitiae motu ait, dormite & requiessite: That he should no longer grieve for them, beginneth now to be without grief and fear, and saith to them, sleep now, and take your rest. 
k Ibidem.  Nam qui nobis tristis est, id est propter nos tristis est, necesse est ut proptennos sit comfortatus, & nobis; for he that was sorrowful for our sakes, and in our behalf, must of force be comforted for us▪ and to our use.  

His sorrow for our sin.  The desire and care Christ had to see his kept safe from the rage of Satan, leadeth me to the fourth cause of Christ's agony▪ For if Christ were so sad for our infirmity, how sorrowful then was he for our iniquity, whereby we do not one lie lay ourselves open to danger, but even wound ourselves to death and deseruetion & Well saith Ambrose of this matter. 
l Ambrose de fide lib, ●. cap. 3.  Mihicompatitur, mihi trist is est, mihi dolet. Ergo pro more, & in me doluit, qui pro sen●d habuir quod doleret. Doles igitur domine jesu; non tua, sed mea vulnera, non tuam mortem, sed nostram infirmitatem▪ Christ is affected for me, sad for me, and greened for me. He sorroweth for me, and in me, who had nothing in himself to be sorrowed for. Thou grievest Lord jesus, not at thine own wounds, but at mine; not for thy death but for my weakness: Inward sorrow for sin is precisely requisite in all remission of sins. To sin and not to be sorry for if, is first to displease, and then to despise God. Wherefore it is not possible to appease God's wrath once provoked▪ but with earnest and hearty sorrow that ever we offended, Then as corruption is the mother, and pleasure is the life of sin: so the inward affliction and contrition of the soul in all the godly, is the death of sin. And since we are neither willing, nor able to sorrow sufficiently for our sins, why might not the son of God, when her took upon him▪ the purgation of our 〈◊〉 in his own person, take likewise unto him that inward & earnest sorrow for our sins, which never creature before him, or besides him did, or could express 
m 2. Cor. ●.  Godly sorrow causeth (in us) repentance unto salvation; and a 
n Psal. 5. 1.  troubled spirit is a sacrifice unto God. Of this kind of sorrow to supply the weakness and want of true repentance in us all, and to teach us heartily to lament our sins, the more we attribute unto the soul of our Saviour, the more sufficient every way we make his satisfaction for sin, that did not only render recompense by his life, and suffer vengeance by his death for our sins, but for deeply sorrowed for them that in his agony, above nature, he sweat blood after a strange and marvelous manner.  
The fift cause of Christ's agony, 
The deprecation of God's wrath.  might be the cup of god's wrath, tempered and made ready for the sins of men. 
o Psal. 75  In the hand of the Lord is a cup (saith David) it is mixed full, the wine thereof is red, all the wicked of the earth shall wring and drink the dregs thereof. In this cup are all manner of plagues and punishments for sin, as well spiritual, as corporal▪ eternal, as temporal. The mixture of which cup. Christ perfectly knowing; and carefully shunning the dregs thereof, earnestly prayed this cup might pass from him. I know divers men have diversly expounded these words of Christ, some thereby collecting two wills showed in Christ, a divine and human, the one submitting itself to the other: some noting a difference betwixt the unwillingness of our flesh, and readiness of the spirit, even in the manhood of Christ: some also thinking that Christ corrected and revoked his petition, suddenly slipped from him, by the vehemency of grief, which took from him the present remembrance of gods heavenly decree. In this variety of judgements, to refuse none that agreeth any way with the rules of truth, Christ might behold three things in the cup of God's wrath, and by his prayer accordingly decline them; to wit, eternal malediction, corporal castigation above his strength, and the separation of his body by death from the fruition of God.  

Christ might pray against the eternal malediction of our sins.  What was due to our sins Christ could not be ignorant; and as he became man to quicken our souls that were dead, not to kill his own; and to bring us to God, not to sever himself from God: so knowing what our sins deserved, he might intentivelie pray to have That cup pass from him, which was prepared for us; & was heard in that he declined or feared; 
p Heb. 5.  Christ (saith Paul) in the days of his flesh did offer up prayers and supplications to him, that was able to save him from death, and was heard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for the reverence had of him; for so chrysostom, Theodorete, Oecumenius and others not unlearned (as I think) in the Greek tongue do interpret the word; or as others delight rather to say: He was heard in that he feared; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying fear and care, as well as reverence. 
q Theodoret in c. 5. epist. ad Heb.  Paul meaneth that prayer (saith Theodorete) which CHRIST made before his passion, when he said, Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me. And indeed but in the garden, Christ never prayed with strong cries and tears to be saved from death, that we read in the scriptures: and He was heard (saith the Apostle) in that he feared or shunned. From the death of the cross he was not saved, that therefore was not the effect of his prayer; for he was heard in that he asked. He desired therefore to be saved from ETERNAL death, and that the cup of God's everlasting malediction might pass from him, and in that he was heard.  
[At least then (will they say) Christ feared everlasting death, against which he instantly prayed with strong cries & tears.] The number of our sins, and power of God's wrath he could not choose but see, being ordained the saviour of the world, to hear the one, and appease the other; and therefore if we grant that the sight of both, did for the time somewhat astonish the human nature of Christ, advisedly considering she weight of both, I 〈◊〉 no great inconvenience therein, so long as they impressed nothing in the soul of Christ, but a religious fear to Sorrow for the one, and to pray against the other. But distrust of his own salvation, or doubt of God's displeasure against himself, we cannot so much as imagine in Christ, without evident want of grace, and loss of Faith; which we may not attribute to Christ's person, no not for an instant. It is weakness of faith in us to fear or forget the promises of God, when the conscience of sin accuseth us. What then will it be for the soul of Christ, after so many promises and oaths made by God, to anoint and send the Saviour of the world, after so many clear and full assurances of God's love and favour towards his person, to stagger at the certainty of God's counsel, at the light of his own knowledge, and at the truth of his father's voice so often denounced, and confirmed with thunder from heaven? I refrain to speak what wrong it is, to put either doubtfulness, or forgetfulness of these things in any part of Christ's human nature.  
[Why then did he pray that the cup might pass from him?] he had no need to pray for himself, 
Christ prayed as the head of his body, and so one person with his members.  but only for us; who then suffered with him, and in him. On us it might have stayed being severed from him, as the just wages of our sin: against him it could not prenaile, because nothing could befall him either against his will, or unfit for the son of God. Wherefore the force and effect of his prayer chiefly concerned us, 
Galath. 2. Rom. 6. Colos. 3.  Being then comprised in his body, in which we were crucified, buried, and raised, together with him. And touching himself, albeit the innocency of his cause, the holiness of his life, the merit of his obedience, the abundance of his spirit, the love of his father, and unity of his person, did most sufficiently guard him from all danger, and doubt of eternal death; yet to show the perfection of his humility, he would not suffer his human nature to require it of right, but prostrate on the earth be sought his Father, That cup might pass from him, and was heard in that he shunned, or avoided. For though God were long before resolved to accept the death and blood of his son for the sins of the world; yet by this means Christ did see how dearly God loved him▪ that for his sake, and at his request released the last vengeance of man's sin, & took the 〈◊〉 of eternal malediction not from him only, but from us all at his mediation: howbeit to show the confidence he had in his father, and to bring his obedience to the highest degree that might be, he did after his religious dislike of that cup, which we had deserved, simply and wholly submit himself to his father's pleasure, without any condition or exception, in saying to his father; 
Matth. 26  Not as I will, but as thou wilt. Not 〈◊〉 by striking any terror of hell into the sense of his flesh, as some would have it; but fully resting on his father's will and goodness towards him, as in the surest haven of his hope, and our help, against all the power of death and hell.  

Christ might desire the punishment of our sins to be proportioned to the strength of his human flesh.  A second thing which Christ might justly fear, and earnestly pray against, (though his soul were never so safe▪) was the power of God's wrath to be executed on his body, unless it pleased God to lighten the burden of man's sin. For God was armed with infinite vengeance to afflict and punish the body, above that the human flesh of Christ was able to endure. Since therefore Christ was not only with meekness to bear, but with all willingness to offer to abide the hand of God laid upon him, by what means soever; he might pray that the cup of his passion might be proportioned to the strength of his flesh, which was but weak in respect of God's power; and therein also he was heard. For the cup which his father gave him to drink by the hands of the wicked, did pass from him, without oppressing his patience, or shaking his obedience. 
Christ might pray against death, not as weaker but as perfecter than others.   
thirdly Christ might fear his very passion; not as weaker in courage than martyrs or malefactors, but as perfecter in nature then either of them. The more we enjoy the presence of God in soul or in body; the greater grief it will be, and must be to lack the sense hereof, even for a short time. The flesh of Christ then, which had not only a personal conjunction, but also a wonderful fruition of God above all men living, might well he loath to leave the same, and yield to death, not as timorous through infirmity, but as desirous in piety to keep that sense and feeling of God's presence, which not only the souls, but also the bodies of his Saints shall hereafter enjoy; and which Christ had here on earth in greater measure, than we can express, as being personally united to the divine nature, though as yet not glorified with immortality.  
And where some avouch, it had been in Christ a shameful niceness to be so afflicted with the fear of his passion; albeit S. Augustine say well: 
s August, tract. 60. in johanneth. Christ cured our infirmity in his own person.  Non est ullo modo dubit andum, non eum animi infirmitate, sed potestate turbatum; We may by no means doubt that Christ was troubled not for any weakness of heart, but through (his own) power: yet Cyril granteth that Christ as a man abhorred and feared death, and addeth that except he had voluntarily showed our fear in himself, and quenched it, we had never been freed from it. 
t Cyril thesauri. lib. 10. cap. 3.  Omnia Christus perpessus est, ut nos ab omnibus liberaret. Sicut igitur nisi mortuus esset, mors non extingueretur, sic nisi timuisset, non essemus nos à metu liberati: nisi doluisset non cessassent dolores nostri. Christ suffered all, that he might free us from al. As therefore except he had died, death had not been conquered; so unless he had feared, we had not been delivered from fear; and if he had not sorrowed, our sorrows could not have ceased. And in like manner shalt thou find all the passions of (our) flesh, to have been stirred in Christ, but without sin, that being stirred they might be repressed, by the power of the godhead dwelling in him, and our nature by that means reduced to a better temper. Ambrose in other words saith as much. 
Ambrose in Lucam lib. 10. de tristitia dollar & taedio Christi.  Sequestrata deloctatione divinitatis aeternae, taedio meae infirmitatis afficitur. Suscepit enim tristitiam meam, ut mihi suam laetitiam largiretur, & vestigijs nostris descendit usque admortis aerumnam, ut nos suis vestigijs revocaret advitam. Debuit ergo & dolorem suscipere, ut vinceret tristitiam, non excluderet; & nos disceremus in Christo, quemadmodum futurae mortis maestitiam vinceremus. And so he concludeth. Hic alto operatur effectu, ut quia in carne sua peccata nostra perimebat maerorem quoque animae nostrae, suae animae maerore aboleret. Laying aside the delight of his aeternal deity, (Christ) is affected with the tediousness of my infirmity; and dejected himself to feel the grief of death as we do, that by following his steps he might reduce us to life: he was therefore to admit sorrow that he might conquer sorrow, and not keep it off; and we to learn in Christ how we should overcome the fear of death approaching. (In his agony) he wrought with a deep effect, that because in his flesh he killed our sins, he might also with the sorrow of his soul extinguish the sorrow of our souls. So the sorrow and fear of death▪ which it pleased our saviour to feel in our nature came not for want of strength: but of purpose to quench and abolish those affections and passions in us, that the faithful for ever might be freed from them, through his grace working in their hearts. And therefore we have no cause to excuse, much less to reproach Christ's weakness, but rather to admire his power, and praise his mercy, that would submit himself to these infirmities of our nature, thereby to cure them in us, and to strengthen us against them; and to make us partakers of his wonderful courage, and patience, the steps whereof we may daily find, not in martyrs only, but in all his members, when they are tried with any kind of outward or inward affliction.  
Howbeit, I may not omit, how great an oversight it is to conclude, 
We must prefer Christ's suffering before all martyrs, not for his pains, but for his patience.  that Christ, if he feared death in his agony, was far feebler than martyrs which joyfully die; yea, than malefactors which oftentimes go to their death very resolutely. The desratenesse of the wicked which have neither fear nor care of God, till they feel the force of his wrath in hell fire, is no fit comparison for the son of God, no more than the sink of sin is to sweeten the fountain of grace; I will therefore skip that over with silence. But if death be not fearful to the servants of Christ, as indeed it is not, they are the more bound to their Lord and master, who in his own person to make the way easy for them, with the loss of his life disarmed death for ever, and broke the chains in sunder wherewith death and hell were coupled together. For Christ was the first that by severing death from the terror and power of hell, made the stroke of death contemptible to all the godly; which otherwise was and would have been the harbinger of hell. So that when death presented itself to the sight of our saviour purposing to redeem the world, it came so fast clasped with hell; that none but the son of God could dissolve the band, wherewith they were linked. And therefore Christ had far greater cause than any of his members, to fear; and with earnest prayer to decline the tail of death, which did wound both body and soul with everlasting destruction, if he did not take away the sting thereof; and by his sundering the one from the other, (which was the hope of all his saints, before he died, and faith of all the godly since) death was and is to all believers no cause of fear, but rest from their labours, and passage to a better life. The fear then which Christ had and showed of death, was either the curing of our infirmities in his flesh; or the breaking the knot betwixt death and hell, which none but he was able to do; or the mitigating of God's anger, which might be executed on his body, or lastly the desire he had to continue the feeling and enjoying of God's presence, and coherence with body and soul in the unity of his person: and if in any of these we charge Christ with niceness, we know not what we say, except we will be guilty in a worse issue, which I persuade myself was no part of their meaning, that first broached this matter.  
The last cause of Christ's agony might be the sanctifying of himself to pray for transgressors, 
Christ might by his agony voluntarily dedicate his blood to man's redemption.  and the voluntary dedicating of his blood to be shed for the redemption of mankind: for where some conjecture Christ did sweat blood for fear, Hilary plainly denieth it, and saith, 
x Hilar, lib. 10 the trinitate.  Sudoremnemo audebit infirmitati deputare; quia & contra naturam est sudare sanguinem, nec infirmitas est, quod pot estas, non secundum naturae consuetudinem, gessit. No man should dare attribute (Christ's bloody) sweat to infirmity, because it is against nature to sweat blood, and can be no weakness, which power did above the course of nature. Austen maketh it a signification of the martyrs blood, that should willingly be shed throughout the church for the testimony of the truth. 
y August. in Psalm. 93.  Ideo toto corpore sanguinem sudauit, quia in corpore suo, id est Ecclesia, Martyrum sanguinem ostendit. Christ sweat blood along all his body, to this end, that he might show the blood of martyrs in his body, which is the church. Prosper agreeth with S. Augustine in judgement and saith. 
z Prosper sentent. ex August. sent. 68  Oranscum sudore sanguineo dominus jesus▪ significabat de toto corpore, quod est Ecclesia, emanaturas martyrum passiones. The Lord jesus praying with a bloody sweat, signified the sufferings of the martyrs that should be in his whole body which is the church. Bede thereby noteth that Christ's prayer made for his Apostles was heard; and that by his blood he should not only redress the frailty of his disciples, but quicken the whole earth being dead in their sins. 
a Rede in Luc. cap. ●2.  Nemo sudorem hunc infirmitati deputet, sed intelligat per irrigatam sacratamque eius sanguine terram, non sibi, qui noverat sed nobis apertè declaratum, quod effectum suae precis iam obtineret, ut fidem discipulorum, quam terrena adhuc fragilitas arguebat, suo sanguine purgaret, & quicquidilla scandali de eius morte pertulisset, hoc torum ipse moriendo deleret, immo vniuer sum latè terrarum orbem peccatis mortuum sua innoxia morte caelestem resuscitaret ad vitam. Let no man attribute Christ's bloody sweat to infirmity, but rather learn that by sprinkling and hallowing the earth with his blood it was declared, not to him who knew it▪ but unto us, that he had obtained the effect of his prayer, with his blood to purge the faith of his Disciples, which earth lie frailty did weaken, and whatsoever offence (the earth) had taken at his death, all that he dying should abolish, yea with his innocent death he should raise unto an heavenly life the whole world then dead in their sins. Bernard taketh hold on S. Paul's words, where he calleth Christ's sweat by the name of tears: 
Bernard in ramis palmarum sermon. 3.  and saith, Ventum est adorationem, & usque tertiò factus in Agonia orabat; ubi quidem non solis oculis, sed quasi omnibus membris slevisse videtur, ut totum corpus eius, quod est ecclesia, totius corporis lachrymis purgaretur. Christ came to prayer, and being in an agony he prayed thrice: where he seemed to weep, not only with his eyes, but with all the parts of his body; that the whole body of his Church might be purged with the tears of his whole body.  
S. Paul allegeth the cries and tears of Christ in the garden as a proof of his priesthood, & saith, that not only 
b Hebe. 5.  He offered prayers & supplications, which was one part of the priests office, wherein he was heard for the reverence had of him: But also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, being sanctified, to offer sacrifice, 
Or sanctify his person to offer the true sacrifice for sin,  (for so the word doth often signify,) or else consummated by the offering of himself on the cross, (which was the other part of his priestly function) was made author of eternal salvation to all that obey him, being thus called and allowed of God to be an high priest after the order of Melchizedec. Christ ready to enter the garden saith, 
c john. 17  Pro●eis sanctifico meipsum; for their sakes I sanctify myself: and sanctification properly belonged to the priests: person, before he might appear in God's presence to offer for the sins of the people; and by the rite of Moses law, the priests, when they were sanctified unto God, had their bodies 
d Exod. 29  sprinkled with the blood of their sacrifice from top to toe. Christ then being the truth of all their figures as well in the sanctification, as oblation of himself, might miraculously sprinkle his whole body with his own blood; (for it was above nature as Hilary noteth) and so conscera●e his person, as approved of God, to be the true priest after the order of Melchizedec, and voluntarily dedicate his blood to be shed for the remission of our sins, which he did of his own accord yield, to be disposed of at his father's pleasure, before the jews or Gentiles wounded his body, that his whole passion which followed, might be a willing sacrifice, and no forced violence by the hands or weapons of the wicked. Christ's agony then being alleged by the Apostle to demonstrate Christ's priesthood, must not rise from the terror of his own death, but rather from the vehemency of his prayer for us, that it might be aswell an intercession for sinners, as a sanctification of himself, to offer the sacrifice available for the sins of the world. To which if any will add the signification of the martyrs blood, which Austen speaketh of, as if Christ in the garden did not only present his own blood to be the true propitiation of our sins, but also the blood of his martyrs, to make their death acceptable to God, that willingly laid down their lives for the witness of his truth; I can be well content to admit that exposition, considering Christ must offer both the lives and deaths of all his saints to God his father, before they can be holy or precious in his sight.  

The suffering of hell pains not the cause of Christ's agony.  But since Christ's fear (as they expound the Apostles words Hebre. 5.) is made the groundwork of this conceit, let us see whether their own foundation will not overthrow their own building. The pains of hell, did Christ when he prayed in the garden, fear them or no? if he did not fear them, he did not feel them; for they are fearful: yea the very 
e Hebre. 10  expectation of them is very dreadful, as the Apostle saith Hebre. 10; and if he feared them not, how could they be the cause of his agony, which these men so stiffly maintain? If he feared them, he was freed from them, as they themselves interpret the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for he was heard in that he feared. His prayer was to have that cup pass from him, and God never denied whatsoever he asked. 
f joh. 11.  I know (saith Christ to his father) that thou hearest me always. Whence they conclude, he feared hell pains, thence I infer he suffered them not. for being delivered from the fear of hell approaching, he could not be left under the burden of hell abiding. Again, if the suffering of hell were the cause of Christ's agony, the cause continuing, the effect could not cease. But his agony ended in the garden; how then could the pains of hell endure on the cross, and be lengthened almost to the end of his life? Jerome saith upon these words of Christ to his disciples, [Arise let us go:] 
g Hieron. in Matth. ca ●●  least they find us, as though we were fearful, and drawing back, let us of our own accord go towards them; ut considentiam, & gaudium passuri videant; that they may see the confidence and gladness (of Christ) going to his passion.  
The continuance of Christ's agony they prove by his complaint on the cross, where not long before he yielded up his spirit, he cried; 
h Matth. 2●.  My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? and these words, they say, do plainly convince, that Christ felt himself forsaken of God, 
What is mean by Christ's complaint on the cross that he was forsaken.  and that this was the true cause of his agony, whatsoever pretences are invented by others to excuse, or colour his fear. Indeed this place must bear the burden of the whole frame; for the rest are only signs of sorrow and zeal, the scriptures not expressing the cause; but here are manifest words if we mistake not their reference. 
i john. 14  My father is greater than I am, were words as clear as day light: but the referring that to the divine which he spoke of his human nature, bred the Arrian heresy. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me; are not so plain. for the saints of God have often complained unto God that they were forsaken of him, when he withdrew neither his favour, grace, nor spirit from them; but only withheld his help or comfort for the time, to make them more earnest to seek and fly to him. But were they never so pregnant, if we apply them to the wrong part, which God never forsook, we may incur as gross an error as ever did Arrius. And yet if we strain them to the uttermost, they will never prove that Christ on the cross suffered the pains of hell. For if we should grant, which were devilish impiety to think, that God forsook Christ's soul as verily, as ever he did any of the wicked here on earth, Cain, Saul, judas not excepted; yet that doth not conclude he suffered the true pains of hell. For those in this life did not suffer as much, as their souls do now in hell, make their case never so desperate. And therefore I marvel how wise men were bewitched with the sound of these words, which hence resolved that out of all question, Christ suffered the pains of the damned in hell, where as the words infer no such thing▪ though we stretch them never so far. For in spite of our hearts, before we can bring that conclusion to follow, this must be the jointure of our reason. 
The wicked are here forsaken, and yet not in hell.  All men any way forsaken of God in this life are in the true pains of hell: Christ was forsaken of God, ergo he was in the true pains of hell. Now how fond, false, and absurd the general assertion is, that all any way forsaken of God, are in the true pains of hell, to men of learning and religion needeth no long discourse. Cain was a 
k Genes. 4  runagate and accursed by God's mouth: Esau was a 
l Hebre. 12  profane person, and 
m Rom, 9  hated of God; Saul was very desperate when he sought to the witch, for God was 
n 1 Samuel 28  departed from him, and become his enemy; judas was the 
o john. 17  son of perdition, and a 
p john. 6  devil: yea many were stark mad, and possessed with devils; and yet none of them in those very torments, which are reserved for the damned in hell. The 
q Ephes. 4.18  Gentiles as Paul saith, were strangers from the life of God, and had 
r Ephes. 2, 12.  no hope, and were without God in the world, yet were they not in the pains of hell, here on earth. But I hope we be not so far drowned in the depth of hell, that we will for our fancy range the son of God, and saviour of the world, in this rabble of wicked and desperate castaways; and yet though men could be so dangerously devoted to their dreams, this proveth not their purpose. Desperation they may stumble at, if they will press the words without any difference between the dereliction of God's saints and his enemies; but toleration of hell pains these words will never conclude, unless we make hell to be no judgement, nor punishment after this life, but only a terror and horror of conscience, such as pursueth the wicked here in revenge of their sins.  
When the godly complain, 
How the godly are forsaken.  as often they do in the scriptures, that they were forsaken of God, it is not only a plain absurdity, but a gross impiety to conclude of their words, that they then suffered the very pains of the damned in hell. For example, Zion, which is the whole church of God, saith in the prophet Esay, 
s Esay 49.  the Lord hath forsaken me: and God himself assureth her words to be true, 
t Esay. 54  For a while I forsook thee, for a moment in mine anger, I hide my face from thee: Was the whole church for that time in the true pains of hell? David saith of himself, 
u Psalm. 89  Thou hast rejected and abhorred, thou hast been angry with thine anointed. Was David then in the very pains of the damned? of his whole realm he saith; 
x Psalm. 60  O God thou hast cast us off, and been angry with us. Did all the people then suffer the torments of hell? rejecting and abhorring are words of greater dislike, and more detestation, then forsaking; and yet they infer not the pains of hell. Why then do we so fondly misconstrue the one, when we well enough understand the other? why stumble we at a straw, when we can step over a block? To be forsaken of God as the wicked are, is to be deprived of his favour, grace, and spirit: and yet they are not forthwith in hell. To be forsaken, as the godly complain they are, is to be void of comfort, or destitute of help, when their enemy's assault or afflict them, which is nothing near the state of the damned. For as God is said to be present by his gifts and graces: so he hideth his face, or forsaketh us, when he refraineth his eye from watching, his ear from hearing, or his hand from helping us in the miseries and adversities of this life.  
If I be thought partial, let us hear what the ancient and learned fathers purposely write of our saviours complaint on the cross; in whom I find sundry, and all godly expositions, according with the truth of the scriptures, and no way bending or inclining to this late devise of hell pains.  
The first; that as Christ is our head, and we his members in such sort joined in one body with him, 
divers expositions of the fathers, how Christ was forsaken on the cross.  that he suffereth in us, and we in him; so were we not only crucified and buried, but also raised, and glorified in him, and with him; and therefore he showed and uttered many things in his passion, which ought to be referred directly to us, and not to him▪ but as bearing our person, and speaking in our names. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 
z August. epistola. ●20.  Hanc in se vocem transfiguravit jesus, vocem corporis fui, hoc est ecclesiae. This speech Christ transferred to himself, (saith Austen) being the speech of his body, which is the church. The church suffered then in him, when he suffered for the church, even as he suffered in the church, when the church suffered for him. And as we heard the voice of the church suffering in Christ, when he said; my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me: so have we heard the voice of Christ suffering in his church, when he said; Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And again; 
a Idem in Psalter 21.  quid voluit dicere dominus? non enim dereliquerat illum deus, cum ipse esset deus, atque filius dei. Quare dicitur, nisiquia nos ibi eramus, nisi quia corpus Christi ecclesia? Why would the Lord say, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? God had not forsaken him, for so much as he was God, and the son of God. Why then was it said, but because we were there in him, & the church which was his body? 
b Leo de passio. serm. 16.  Sub redemptorum suorum voce clamabat, deus deus meus, quare me dereliquisti, In the name of his redeemed Christ said, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me: 
c Athanasius de incarnate. Christi.  Ex nostra persona verba illa proloquitur, non enim ipse à deo destitutus fuit sednos. In our person Christ speaketh these words, for he was not forsaken of God, but we.  
The second exposition of these words is, that Christ's human nature was not protected from the rage of the jews, but left without help in the power of his enemies, to be used at their pleasures, which he calleth a kind of forsaking. For God then seemeth to leave us, when he doth not defend us from the fury of our foes, which seek our overthrow. 
d August epist. 120.  Erat aliqua causa, eaque non parva, quare Christum de manibus judaeorum non liberaret deus, cumque in potestate saevientium, usque ad mortis exitum derelinqueret. There was a cause, saith Augustine, and that no small cause, why God did not deliver Christ out of the hands of the jews, but let him alone in the power of his pursuers, until he died. 
e Ambros. de fide lib. 2. cap 3.  Vt homo loquitur meos circumferens metus, quod in periculis positi a domino deseri nos putamus. Christ speaketh as a man (saith Ambrose) bearing about him my fears, for that we, when we are in danger, think ourselves forsaken of God. 
f Hieron in ca 27 Matthae.  Ne mireris querimonias derelicti, cum scandalum crucis videas. Marvel not at Christ's complaint that he was forsaken, when as thou seest how he was used on the cross. 
g Idem in Psal. 21  Derelictus est Christus pro part carnis. Christ was forsaken in his passion as touching his flesh.  
A third is, that Christ's godhead together with his human soul were then departing from his body, and leaving it unto death. Tertullian, (Deus) Filium 
h Tertul. adversus Praxeam.  dereliquit, cum hominem eius tradidit in mortem. Ita relinqui a patre, fuit mori filio. God forsook his son, in that he delivered his humanity unto death. So for the son to die, was to be forsaken of his father. Hilary, 
i Hilar. lib. 10 de Trinitate  Habes conquerentem se esse relictum ad mortem, quia homo est: ut intelligentia nostra sit, & homo mortuus, & deus regnans. Thou heardest Christ complain that he was left unto death, that we should conceive he died as a man, he reigned as a God. And again; 
k Idem in Matth. Can. 33.  Clamour ad deum, corporis vox est, recedentis a se verbi dei contestata dissidium: relinquitur, quia erat homo etiam morte peragendus. Christ's complaint unto God, that he was forsaken, is the voice of his body, testifying the separation of the divine nature from it for a time. He is forsaken, because he was a man to be consummated by his death. Epiphanius saith, he spoke these words, 
l Epiph. lib. ●. ●. 2. contra. Ariomanita●  When he saw his deity with his soul ready to departed from the person of his humanity & to forsake his body.  
A fourth is, that where God for sin had refused and forsaken man, even from the fall of Adam, Christ now exalted on the tree, reconciled mankind unto God, and slew hatred, making peace by his prayer betwixt God & man. Cyril: 
m Cyril de recta fide ad reginas.  when Adam transgressed the divine commandment, man's nature was after a sort forsaken of God, and thereby subjecteth to a curse and death. These words of Christ therefore, Erant soluentis manifesté derelictionem quae nobis acciderat, & quasi placantis in hoc patrem, etc. Were the manifest removing of that dereliction, which fell on us, and as it were an appeasing his father, and procuring his favour towards us, as towards himself, Basil: 
n Basil. in Psal. 32.  Dicit haec dominus, primitiae humanae naturae pro universa. The lord speaketh these words for all mankind, as being the first fruits of man's nature. Otherwise of his own person it is true that Athanasius saith. 
o Athan. contra Arrianos serm. 4.  Neque enim à patre derelinqui potuit, quia semper est in patre & antequam hanc vocem ederet & post quam edidisset. Ecce enim dicente, cur me dereliquisti: ostendit pater seut semper antea, ita tum quoque in filio fuisse. He could not be forsaken of his father, who was always in his father, both before and after he spoke these words. Behold as he uttered these words (why hast thou forsaken me) the father showed himself to be even then in his son, as he was at all times before. For the earth feeling the weight of her Lord, strait ways trembled, the vail rend, the Sun darkened, the stones clave, the dead rose.  
The fift, that Christ putteth us in mind by these words to acknowledge the cause, why God doth often not hear our prayers, but in refusing our desires provideth better for us, then if we had our wills. 
p Leo de Pass. serm. 16.  Vox ista, quare me dereliquisti, doctrina est, non querela. Nam cum in Christo dei & hominis una sit persona, nec ab eopotuerit relinqui, à quo non poterat separari, pro nabis trepidis & infirmis interrogat, curcaro pati metuens exaudita non fuerit. This speech (saith Leo) My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me, is an instruction, and no complaint: For where in Christ there is but one person of God and man, and he could not be forsaken of God, from whom he could not be separated, he asketh the question for us that are fearful & weak, why flesh fearing to suffer is not heard. 
q Ibidem.  unde ipsa vox non exanditi, magni est expositio sacramenti: quod nihil humano generi conferret redemptoris potostas, si quod petebat nostra obtineret infirmitas. The very words of him, that was not heard, open to us a great mystery, to wit, that the power of the redeemer could do mankind no good, if our infirmity might obtain what it would ask. Origen saith: 
r Origen in Mat. cap. ●●.  In respect of that, in which consisted the invisible form of God, Christ was forsaken of his father, where he took the shape of a servant, and came to the death of the Cross, which amongst men was most shameful. So that for Christ to become man, and to suffer on the Cross, was to be forsaken of God, in comparison of that glory, which he had with his Father before all worlds.  
The last exposition is, that when the jews reproached Christ on the Cross, as rejected of God, he with a loud voice, that all might hear, sang or cited the beginning of the 21. Psalm, wherein it was by the Prophet David foreshowed, that the true Messiah and saviour of the world should suffer all those wrongs, and shames, which they had heaped on him: and thereby taught them, that they had 
s Act. 4.  gathered themselves together to do whatsoever the hand and counsel of God had determined before to be done. 
t Hieron in Psa. 12.  The Lord (saith Ierom) hanging on the Cross, useth this verse, My God my God, why hast thou forsaken me; by which we perceive, that in the Cross he sang the whole Psalm, as directly pertaining to his passion. 
Chrysost. hom. in Mat. ●9.  Christ spoke these words (saith Chrysostom) that the jews might know he honoured his father to the last breath, and that God was not his enemy (as they objected:) for which cause he used the Prophet David's words, to verify or fulfil the scripture of the old testament.  
All these interpretations are sound, and stand well with the rules of christian piety, without dishonouring the person, or disturbing the faith of Christ; & therefore I cannot but marvel what reason our late writers had to refuse them all, and devise another exposition of their own which employeth not only desperation in Christ's soul, 
If Christ's soul were forsaken, he had neither faith, hope, nor love.  if we press the words, and the dissolution of Christ's person, but an evident contradiction to all that Christ did, or said on the cross, or in judgement after the jews had once laid hands on him. For if these words be referred to the soul of Christ, and unport a general and true dereliction, which must be supposed, before the pains of hell can thence be concluded; Christ feeling and confessing himself to be forsaken of God, could have neither faith, nor hope. For he that believeth, and hopeth in God, cannot truly say, that God hath forsaken his soul; he may complain that God doth not deliver him from dangers and troubles assaulting him; which the weakness of man thinketh a kind of forsaking. 
x Psal. ●1.  Mine enemies (saith David) take counsel, saying, God hath forsaken him, pursue him, there is none to deliver him. But this is no forsaking of the soul, so long as that part of man trusteth in God, which is created chiefly to enjoy God. Now by faith, hope, and love, the soul of man enjoyeth God in this life; and he that enjoyeth God is not forsaken of God. Yea whosoever hopeth in him, neither is nor ever shall be forsaken. 
y Rom. 5.  For hope doth not confound, 
z Ecclesi. 2  was there ever any confounded, that put his trust in the Lord? or who hath continued in his fear, and hath been forsaken? or whom did he ever despise that called upon him? Then if out of these words we will infer, that Christ's soul was truly forsaken of God, it cannot be avoided, but this inward persuasion in Christ (that his soul was forsaken) during from the time of his agony in the garden, till his complaint on the cross (which was above 18. hours) was manifest desperation: unless we say Christ was deceived in so thinking, which is as great an error on the other side. For if his faith, hope, and love were still fixed on God, and no way decayed, he could with no truth say, that his soul was utterly forsaken.  
Again, the soul that is forsaken of God must needs be separated from God. 
a 1. Cor. 6. If Christ's soul were forsaken the union of his two natures was dissolved.  For he that cleaveth unto the Lord, is one spirit with him, & so not forsaken of him. If than Christ's soul were severed from God, it could have no mutual congruence, much less natural coherence with God. There must be a spiritual communion in grace, or else there can be no personal union in nature. As the soul doth communicate her effects to the body, with which she is coupled: so must the deity make the human nature of Christ partaker of those graces and gifts, which may come from the godhead, before we can truly say, that the one is personally joined with the other. The participation and fruition of God is not in words or thoughts, but in deeds and effects. In whom then the spirit of God dwelleth not, with his force and fruits, let him never deceive his heart, that he hath any fellowship with God. Now in Christ was the fullness of God's spirit and grace. God 
b john. ●●  measured not his spirit to him, but of his fullness we all have received. So that if the fullness of grace failed in the soul of Christ, the unity of his person was utterly dissolved. For without a communion, there can be no conjunction of two natures in Christ. If there were an effectual and full communion, there could be no real nor general dereliction. Insomuch that the very flesh of Christ, though it were left unto death; yet was it not utterly forsaken of the deity, but preserved even in the grave from corruption, and raised again with greater perfection than before; besides the wonderful conquest it had over death. Which plainly prove the godhead was never separated from the body of Christ, though the soul for a time departed, that death and hell might be destroyed. If the deity did never forsake the body, no not in death▪ much less did it ever forsake the soul, which always had an unseparable conjunction, and unceaseable communion with the godhead of Christ.  
lastly, no sense could be devised, more repugnant and opposite to all that Christ said or did after his agony, 
Christ's words & deeds prove his soul was not forsaken of God.  than this last found exposition, or rather depravation of his words. To the high priest ask him whether he were Christ the son of the blessed (God,) he answered 
c Mark. 14.  I am: and ye shall see the son of man sit at the right hand of the power of God, and come in the clouds of heaven. Christ was and must be far from distrusting or doubting that, which he resolutely affirmeth shall come to pass even in the eyes of his enemies. When they fastened him to the cross he said, 
d Luke. 25  Father, forgive them, they know not what they do. Can he entreat and obtain pardon for others, that found himself to be forsaken of God? To the thief that hung by him, and desired to be remembered when he came to his kingdom, he answered, 
e Luke. 23.  Verily, I say to thee, thou shalt this day be with me in paradise. Can he give paradise to others, with so great confidence, that could not then assure himself of God's favour, yea, as these men will have it, that was abandoned and forsaken of God? The Centurion that had the charge to see him put to death, and heard him speak these words, never conceived that he was rejected or estranged from God, but contrariwise confessed; 
f Matth, 27.  Truly this man was the son of God. Christ himself 
g john. 18  Knowing all things that should come unto him, said to his disciples; 
h john. 16  Behold the hour is come, that ye shall be scattered, and leave me alone, but I am not alone, for the father is with me. Now if God were with him, when his disciples left him, as he himself witnesseth, how could his soul be forsaken of God? of Christ crucified David saith (as Peter expoundeth his words) 
i Acts. 2.  I always beheld the Lord before me, even at my right hand, that I should not be shaken. If Christ had all the time of his passion the favour of God so constant, and the power of God so present, that he could not be so much as moved or swayed to and fro, for so the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do signify, that I should not wave up and down, but stand fixed and assured; how could that part of Christ, which enjoyed so manifestly the sight of God's countenance, and strength of God's assistance, be forsaken or refused of God: And out of this complaint, that he was forsaken, if we infer the pains of hell, we conclude directly against Christ's words in the 16. psalm. Non derelinques animam meam in inferno, Thou wilt not forsake my soul in hell. Christ's soul was not forsaken in hell; if then it were forsaken on the cross, it is evident that there it suffered not hell, for in hell it was never forsaken. And therefore turn and wind the words of Christ which way they will or can, this exposition●punc; which they fasten unto them, is a manifest contradiction to all that Christ did or said on the cross, and namely to that assertion of David, in the person of Christ, Thou wilt not forsake my soul in hell.  
Then are there in the sacred scriptures neither any predictions that Christ should suffer the pains of hell in his soul here on earth; nor causes why he must suffer them; nor Signs that he did suffer them; and consequently, whatsoever is pretended, no proof that these sufferings must be added to the cross of Christ, before the work of our salvation can be perfect. And for my part, which moderation I wish in you all, What I read in the word of God that I believe, what I do not read that I do not believe. In God's causes we may not easily leave God's words, and with a new kind of speech make way for a new kind of faith. We must learn from God what to believe, and not by correcting or inverting his words teach him how to speak. Since therefore redemption and remission of sins are euerie where in the scriptures referred to the death and blood of Christ, I dare not so much as think the words of the holy ghost in one of the greatest mysteries of our christian faith to be improper, or imperfect. And that you may the better perceive how plainly and fully this doctrine is delivered in the prophetical & apostolical scriptures, I think it good to go forwards with the effects of Christ's cross, by which it shall appear how sufficient the price of our redemption is, in the blood of Christ, without any supply of hell pains to be suffered in the soul of Christ.  
The effects of Christ's cross though I might reckon many, yet to keep myself within some compass, I restrain to five chief branches: 
The effects of Christ's cross.  the MERIT of his suffering, which was INFINITE; the MANNER of his offering, which was BLOODY; The POWER of his DEATH, which was mighty; the COMFORT of his CROSS which was NECESSARY, & the GLORY of his RESURRECTION which was heavenly. These five will direct us not only what to believe, but what to refuse in the person and passion of our Saviour. I will therefore take them as they lie in order.  

The merit of Christ's passion must be infinite in two respects  The merit of Christ's suffering must be simply infinite, that it may work two things for us; to wit, redeem us from Satan, and reconcile us unto God: clear us from hell, and bring us to heaven; & in either respect it must be infinite. The wages of sin is death, both of body and soul, here and for ever. With the judge of the world is no unrighteousness. He therefore punisheth no man, without cause, or above desert. Since the revenge of each man's sin is eternal, that is infinite in time; the weight of each man's sin must needs be infinite, as being rewarded with everlasting death. It may seem much to carnal men, that God should requite sin with ever during revenge; but if we seriously bethink ourselves what it is for earth and ashes to wax proud against God, & after so manifold & abundant blessings to cast off his yoke, & readily, yea greedily to prefer every vanity and fancy before his heavenly truth, & glory; we shall presently perceive how just cause God hath infinitely to hate our uncleanness, & eternally to pursue the pride, contempt, & rebellion of wicked and wilful men against his divine majesty; howsoever we digest it, it is a thing determined with God, and no doubt balanced in his upright and sincere judgement. 
k Ezech. 18.  The soul that sinneth, that soul shall die. Death & life are both eternal, that is, infinite in length, though not in weight; in durance, though not in degree and sense of joy, or pain. Then in either respect to countervail our deliverance from hell, & our inheritance in heaven, she merit of Christ's suffering must be infinite. An infinite purchase cannot be made, but with an infinite price.  
For this infinite price whither shall we seek? 
Hell is not infinite, but only in time.  to the pains of hell, or to the powers of heaven the pains of hell are neither meritorious nor infinite. What thanks with God to be separated from God? and the soul being alienated from God, what other part of man can merit his favour? 
l Hebre. 10.  If any man fall away, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. Hell pains therefore are accursed, not accepted of God; and he that suffereth them is hated, and no way beloved. 
m Matth ●●.  Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire. As they are not meritorious, no more are they infinite, I mean in weight; but they must everlastingly be suffered, before they can be infinite. For not only devils, but men of all sorts shall suffer them, who cannot endure any infinite sense of pain. All creatures are finite both in force to do, 
Nothing infinite but only God.  & strength to suffer. Infinite is as much as God himself hath, & therefore God alone is infinite. So that neither hell fire is of infinite force to punish, nor men nor angels of infinite strength to suffer, but the vengeance of sin continueth for ever, by reason no creature is able to bear an infinite weight of punishment. Since then the pains of hell have neither worth nor weight sufficient in themselves to satisfy the anger, & procure the favour of God, we must seek to heaven, even to God himself, for the true ransom for our sins, 
The merit of Christ is infinite in respect of his person.  and redemption of our souls, which we nowhere find, but in the person of Christ jesus, who being true God took our nature unto him, and by the infinite price of his blood bought us from the power of hell, & brought us unto God. For neither the virtues of Christ's human soul, though they were many; nor the sufferings of his flesh, though they were painful, are simply infinite, till we look to his person, & then shall we find that 
n Acts. 20  God vouchsafed with his own blood to purchase his Church, & that 
o Roman. ●.  we were reconciled to God by the death of his son when we were his enemies. Bernarde expressing the infinite merit of Christ's death and passion saith. 
p Bernard de passione cap. 17  Incomprehensibilis (deus voluit) comprehendi, summus humiliari, potentissimus despici▪ pulcherrimus deformari▪ sapientissimus ut iumentum fieri, immortalis mori, ut compendio absoluam, deus fieri (voluit) vermiculus▪ quid excelsius deo? quid inferius vermiculo? The incomprehensible (God would) be comprehended, the highest humbled, the most mighty despised, the most beautiful deformed, the most wise be like a beast, the immortal (would) suffer death; to speak all in few words, God would become a Worm: what is higher than God? what is base than a Worm? If between the Creator and the best of his creatures there be an infinite distance; what think ye then was there betwixt the throne of God in heaven, and the cross of Christ on earth? not an infinite distance? and so infinite that neither men nor Angels can comprehend it? The ground of our salvation then is the obedience, humility and charity of the son of God, yielding himself not only to serve in our steed, but to die for our sins. For when he was equal with God in nature, power, and glory, he refused not to take the shape of a servant upon him, and to humble himself to the death of the cross, not only obeying his father's will, which we had despised; but abiding his hand for the chastisement of our peace. The Apostle noteth these three virtues in the person of Christ; 
q Philip. 2  Let the SAME AFFECTION (of love) be in you, which was in Christ jesus, who being in the form of God, emptied and humbled himself and became obedient to the death, even to the death of the cross. By his humility, obedience, and charity, he purged the pride, rebellion, and self-love, which our first father showed when he fell, and we all express in our sins; and therefore as we all died in Adam's transgression, so we are all justified, that is absolved from our sins, and received into favour, by the obedience of Christ.  
Yea the obedience of Christ did in far higher degree please God the Father, than the rebellion of Adam did displease him. 
Christ's obedience doth more than countervail Adam's disobedience.  For there the vassal rebelled, here the equal obeyed: there earth presumed to be like unto God, here God vouchsafed to be the lowest amongst men: there the creature neglected his maker, here the creator so loved his enemies, even his persecutors, that he took the burden from their shoulders, and laid it on his own, contentedly giving his life for them, who cruelly took his life from him: to conclude, those were the sins of men, these are the virtues of God, which do infinitely countervail the other, and for that cause the justice of God is far better satisfied with the obedience of Christ, then with the vengeance it might justly have executed on the sins of men. For God hath no 
r Ezech. ●●  pleasure in the death of the wicked, neither doth he delight in man's destruction; but with the obedience of his son he is well pleased, and therein even his soul delighteth. 
s Matt ●●  This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. 
t Esay. 4●.  Lo my chosen, my soul taketh pleasure in him. In which words God doth not only note the natural love betwixt his son and himself; but he giveth full approbation of his obedience, as being thereby throughlie satisfied for the sin of man. By Christ's obedience I do not mean the holiness of his life, or performance of the law, but the obedience of the person unto death, even the death of the Cross; which was voluntarily offered by him, not necessarily imposed on him, above and besides the law, and no way required in the law. For it could be no duty to God or man, but only mercy and pity towards us, that caused the son of God to take our mortal and weak flesh unto him, and therein, and thereby to pay the ransom of our sins, and to purchase eternal life for us. He must be a Saviour, no debtor; a redeemer, no prisoner; Lord of all, even when he humbled himself to be the servant of all; his divine glory, power and majesty make his sufferings to be of infinite force and value. And from this dignity, and unity of his person, which is the main pillar of our redemption, if we cast our eyes on any other cause, or devise any new help to strengthen the merits of Christ, we dishonour and disable his divinity, as if the son of God were not a full and sufficient price, to ransom the bodies and souls of all mankind.  
On this foundation do the scriptures build the whole frame of man's redemption. 
u Acts. 20 The scriptures ground our salvation on the dignity of Christ's person  GOD purchased his church (saith Paul) WITH HIS OWN BLOOD; GOD, noting the dignity; HIS OWN, the unity of his person, and both importing a price far worthier than the thing purchased. 
x Rom. 8.  God spared not his own son, but gave him for us all. In that he was the son of God, all nations are counted unto him (or in balance with him) 
y Esay. 40.  less than nothing, and vanity; in that he was given for us, the ransom excelleth the prisoner, as much as God doth man 
z Rom. 5. . We are reconciled to God by the death of his son. Marvel we to see Christ's death of that power & price with God, that it appeased his wrath, when he was angry with us, as with his enemies; when as his own son being equal with him in the form of God, humbled himself to the death of the cross for our sakes? Fairer or fuller causes of our redemption we need not ask, the holy Ghost doth not express, God cannot have. If the son of God be not able with his blood to redeem us, we must give over all hope; and despair. For heaven cannot yield us a greater value, and the earth hath none like. Wherefore if any man be disposed to seal his own condemnation, with his own heart, let him distrust the merits of Christ's death: but all that will be saved must acknowledge the infinite price of his death, and blood above our worth, and we must learn being sinful and wretched creatures, not to amend the words of God, in the mystery of our redemption, but suffer him that is truth to be the guider of our faith, and not by figures to frustrate all that is written in the word of God touching our salvation, purchased by the death and blood of Christ jesus.  

And so do the fathers.  I am not the first that observed or urged this doctrine, it is ancient and Catholic. 
a Athanasius de incarnatione citatura Theodoreto dialogo 3.  Cum super omnes esset Dei verbum, merito suum ipsius templum & corporale instrumentum pro omnium ammis pretium offerens, id quod morti debebatur persoluit. Where as the word (or son) of God, (saith Athanasius) was above all, worthily then by offering his own temple & bodily instrument, as a price for the souls of all men, did he pay that was due unto death. Cyril. 
b Cyril de recta fide ad reginas in 1. Timothei. 2. dedit semetips● pretium pro nobis.  Si non esset deus quomodo ipse & solus sufficeret ad hoc, ut sit pretium? Sed sufficit solus pro omnibus mortuus, quia super omnes est; deus igitur est, morte suae carnis à mundo mortem depellens. If Christ were not God, how could he alone suffice to be the ransom (for all?) but he alone dead sufficeth for all, because he is above all; he is therefore God, by the death of his flesh, driving away death from the world. And again; 
c Cyril ibidem in 1. Petri. 1. pretioso sanguine Christi redempti estis.  Redempti sumus Christo proprium corpus dante pro nobis. Sed si ut communis homo intelligeretur Christus, quomodo corpus eius ad rependendum omnium vitam sufficeret? At si deus fuit in carne, qui dignissimus, sufficiens ad redemptionem totius mundi per suum sanguinem merito fuit. We are redeemed, Christ giving his own body for us. But if Christ be taken to be no more than a man, how should his body be sufficient to restore life to all men? but if he were God in our flesh, worthily then did he suffice to redeem the whole world with his blood. Austen. 
d August in psa. 148.  Si propter hominem mortuus est deus, non est victurus homo cum deo? quomodo mortuus est deus? accepit ex te unde moreretur pro te; nomposset mori nisi caro nōposset mori nisi mortale corpus. If god died for man shall not man live with god? but how died god? he took of thine wherein to die for thee. There could nothing die but flesh, there could die nothing but a mortal body. And elsewhere an ancient writer under his name, if not himself. Indubitanter credamus quod totum mundum redemit, 
e August. de tempore. 114.  qui plus dedit quam totus mundus valeret: inter redimentem & redemptum dispensatio, non compensatio fuit. Let us undoubtedly believe that he redeemed the whole world, which gave more than the whole world was worth. Between the redeemer and the redeemed there was a dispensation (of humility) no compensation (of equality.) And to show the truth of his speech he addeth; 
f Ibidem.  Innocency was arraigned for the guilty, mercy was buffeted for the cruel, piety was whipped for the ungodly, wisdom was mocked for the foolish, righteousness was condemned for the unrighteous, truth was slain for the liar, life died for him that was dead. And do we yet, remembering who he was, and what we were, stagger to confess with these Christian and Catholic Fathers, that his blood was a most sufficient price for all the world? or wonder we to see death overthrown by his death, who was the fountain of life, and could no more be swallowed up of death, than God himself could be conquered by the power of darkness.  
[The mightier Christ's person, the more able he was (some will say) to suffer death & hell. 
The mightier Christ's person the fit to conquer, but not to suffer hell. ] he would be partaker of our mortal infirmity, that by suffering death for the time he might conquer the force thereof for ever; but the gates of hell could not prevail against him, because the Prince of this world had nothing in him. The inward man may be strongest when the outward man is weakest; and when the flesh is nearest unto death, the spirit may clean fastest unto God. Christ therefore in dying for our sakes showed a most evident, and eminent example of his obedience, love, and patience; but in suffering hell there is no sign of grace, nor show of virtue. Uoluntarilie to forsake God, or willingly to be forsaken of God, is the greatest impiety that can be committed. And against his will Christ never did, nor might suffer any thing: for that had been violence, not obedience; vengeance, not patience; force, not love. But all constraint was far from Christ, that his sufferings might be a voluntary sacrifice to witness his love, and declare his merits, which in compulsion could be none. Since then the son of God neither willingly would, nor forcibly could be forsaken of his Father; it is a dangerous devise to subject his soul to hell, which is the total and final separation of the wicked from God, and his kingdom.  

Eight things in hell pains, which by no means Christ's soul might suffer.  And that we may a little the better be think ourselves, before we grow too resolute in this assertion, that Christ's soul suffered the very pains of hell; I will observe some things, which the scriptures affirm of hell; & may not be applied to Christ without apparent injury. First hell is outward and inward darkness; now Christ was light, and in him was no darkness of the soul. 
g john. 9  As long as I am in the world I am (saith he) the light of the world. Then as the 
h 2. Cor 6.  light hath no fellowship with darkness, no more had Christ with hell, which is the 
i Colos. 1.  power of darkness, from whence he hath delivered us. secondly, hell is destruction both of body and soul, 
k Mat. 10.  Fear not them (saith Christ) which kill the body, but cannot kill the soul; fear him rather which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. In the Saviour of both, we may not admit the destruction of both: how shall he save us, that could hardly, and as some writ, MAXIMA cum DIFFICVLTATE●punc; with much a do save himself? But 
l 1 john. ●●  God sent his son to be the Saviour of the world. We must not therefore wrap him within the destruction of body and soul; no not for an hour, or an instant. thirdly, hell is the second death. The first is of the body for a time, the second is of the soul for ever. 
m Apoc. 20.  The lake burning with fire and brimstone, this is the second death (saith Saint john.) Of this death Austen saith, 
n August. de ciui. dei. lib 13 cap. ●  De prima corporis morte dicipotest quòd bonis bona sit & malis mala; secunda vero sine dubio sicut nullorum est bonorum, ita nulli bona. Ideo vero secunda, quia post illam primamest. The first death of the body is good to the good, and evil to the evil; but the second death without doubt, as no good man suffereth it, so is it good to none: and therefore it is called the second death, because it followeth after the first. Before the first death, no man suffereth hell, which is the second death, and before we may avouch it of Christ, we must take all goodness from him; for doubtless (sayeth Austen) no good man doth suffer it. And indeed how pernicious it is to make the soul of Christ liable to the death of the soul, I shall afterward have occasion to speak. In the mean time S. john affirmeth, that hell goeth not before death, but followeth after death. 
o Apoc. 6.  I looked (saith he) and beheld a pale horse, and his name that sat on him, was death, and HELL FOLLOWED AFTER HIM: and therefore it cannot stand with truth to subject the soul of Christ yet living on earth, to the very pains of the damned. Fourthly, their 
p Mark 9  WORM in hell never dieth, for so much as the remembrance of their sins committed against God everlasting lie biteth and afflicteth the conscience. Now in Christ as there was no taint of sin, so could there be no touch of conscience accusing, nor remorse of any transgression against God. With compassion of our sins he might be moved and troubled; but worm of conscience he could have none, who was privy to his own heart, that he was, 
q Hebr. 7.  holy, harmless, undefiled, and separated from sinners, and therefore needed no sacrifice for his own sins, but as 
Hebr. 2.  a faithful and merciful high Priest by the offering of himself once, made an atonement for the sins of the people.  
But what the pains of the damned are, the sentence of the judge will best declare, 
Mat. 25.  Discedite à me maledicti in ignem aeternum, Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his Angels. In which words there are four things, which by no means can agree unto Christ; REJECTION, MALEDICTION, VENGEANCE OF FIRE, & CONTINVANCE THEREIN FOR EVER. As sin is a voluntary separation of man from god, so hell is a total and final exclusion▪ of the sinful from enjoying the presence or patience of God any longer. The time of this life is the respite of God's patience towards all the wicked; with the end thereof, beginneth his eternal vengeance, which wholly and for ever debarreth the workers of wickedness from the kingdom of God. This rejection the soul of Christ could not suffer, being inseparably joined to the Godhead of Christ. We must not in stead of a natural and mutual conjunction, believe or teach a real & effectual separation betwixt God and man, in the person of Christ, no not a persuasion thereof in the soul of our Saviour, which is all one with Desperation, and showeth the condition rather of the Reprobate, then of the children of God, much less of him that was God and man. As the Son of God could not be REJECTED; no more could he be ACCURSED. He that is joined with God, must needs be partaker of God's goodness. God is the fountain of all bliss; he therefore filleth with his blessing all that are united unto him. And if we, when we cleave unto him by faith and love, must needs derive from him joy and bliss; could the soul of Christ be personally joined with him, and not be perpetually blessed by him? Though then it pleased our Saviour to suffer a cursed kind of death for our sins, and by receiving that curse in his flesh to quench the spiritual and eternal curse that hung over our heads; yet his souls was never accursed, since he was always beloved; and the curse of God compriseth not only the anger and hatred, but the intolerable and unceaseable vengeance of God, which pursueth the souls and bodies of the wicked with flaming fire for ever. For how could 
t Gen. 22.  all nations of the earth be blessed in him; if he himself were accursed? but God 
u Acts 3●  sent him to bless us: he must therefore be stored with fullness of blessing, first for himself, then for us all.  
And could we frame our tongues, which I hope all Christians with heart detest, so much to dishonour the person of Christ as to avouch him to be truly rejected and accursed of his Father, for the time be it never so short; yet we must not show ourselves so void of all sense, as to say that Christ's soul suffered HELL FIRE; which is the perpetual and essential punishment of all the damned. Let us not come within that danger of so desperate folly; not to know, or not to care, what we defend or affirm. It should have some proof, it should have some truth, whatsoever is held for matter of faith. That Christ's soul was tormented with hell fire I ask not what proof, or truth, but what show can be pretended? The fire of hell, they will say is metaphorical; they that go thither shall find it no metaphor. It is no good dallying with God's eternal, and terrible judgements. The Scriptures are so plain, and so full of the parts and effects of fire in hell, that I dare not allegorize them. Christ maketh the rich man's soul in hell to say, 
x Luke 16.  I am tormented in this flame. Saint john saith it is a 
y Revel. 21.  lake burning with fire and brimstone. Daniel saith, 
z Dan. 7.  a fiery stream issued from before Christ sitting in judgement. Paul saith, it is 
Heb. 10.  a violent fire which shall devour the adversaries. God himself saith, a 
Deut. 32.  fire is kindled in my wrath, and shall burn to the bottom of hell, and shall inflame the foundations of the hills. If therefore the pains of the damned come in question, it is not safe to measure them by our imaginations, but to give ear to the holy ghost, who can best express them; and by him we learn, that if any man worship the beast and his image, he shall 
Revel. 1●.  drink of the wine of the wrath of God, and shall be tormented in fire and Brimstone before the holy Angels, and before the lamb. And the smoke of their torment shall ascend evermore; and they shall have no rest night nor day. Into this fire if we cast Christ's soul, we must take heed our proofs be sound and sure; lest our presumption exclude us from the place where Christ is; and leave us in the lake where he never was: there to learn what it is rashly to conclude the things that are not confirmed by the word of God. But I persuade myself, few men of learning or religion, will venture on this desperate resolution, that Christ's soul here on earth suffered hell fire, and therefore to propose it, is enough to confute it.  
The last thing in hell fire, is that it is eternal. For as there is no remission of pain, so thence is no redemption; but once adjudged thither is everlastingly fastened to that place of torment. And this is cause enough to stay all men, that be soberly minded, from defending that Christ's soul suffered the pains of hell, which the holy Ghost saith are endless. 
d 2. Thes. 1.  They which know not God, and obey not the gospel shall suffer pains, even everlasting perdition, from the presence of the Lord, saith the Apostle to the Thessalonians. And so Peter, 
e 2. Peter. 2.  to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. And Jude, 
f jud. epist.  Sodom and Gomorrhe are set for an example, which suffer the punishment of everlasting fire. Yea Christ himself pronounced that fire to be 
g Mark. 9  unquenchable. Wherefore unless we can show a later and better warrant than I yet see, we shall do well not to enterprise to quench hell fire; but to let it burn eternally, and to confess with Peter that God raised Christ breaking the pains of death and hell, of which it was 
h Acts. 2.  impossible he should be held. For since he was and is the 
i Ephes 5.  Saviour of his body, the pains of hell, which are eternal, could not take hold on him. He was mightier than hell, that saved us from hell; he could not free us from the chains of darkness, but he must first break them in sunder. His delivering us from the power of Satan, proveth him to be stronger than Satan; and the stronger could never be bound by the weaker; but contrariwise he entered into Satan's 
k Matth 12.  house, where his chief strength was, and bound him and so spoiled him. This comparison Christ maketh betwixt Satan & himself; by which he concludeth that he was stronger than Satan; and consequently could not himself be bound by death or hell, but 
l Luke. 11  overcame satan, and took all his armour from him wherein he trusted, and divided the spoils.  
And where some men begin to doubt, 
The pains of hell are eternal  whether eternal continuance be of the nature & substance of hell or no, they shall do well to leave these dangerous and fruitless speculations. For whether they look to the persons for whom; or the crimes for which, or the judge, by whom it was prepared; they shall every way find it must be eternal. It was 
m Matth. 25.  prepared for the devil and his Angels, and to them could no punishment be allotted but everlasting, except we will give possibility of grace, and hope of repentance unto devils. It is the wages of sin; which being an infinite contempt of the divine majesty, must by the balance of justice have infinite vengeance in weight, or in length. And since no creature is able to bear an infinite burden and sense of pain, of force all sinful creatures must be condemned to an infinite length of punishment; which is hell fire. lastly, as God is eternal and cannot change; no more can his justice, or judgement alter with time; but as his truth abideth for ever, so his judgement being just and good is irrevocable; & consequently the vengeance of sin can never cease, as proceeding from the righteous judge of the world, in whom is 
n James. 1.  no shadowing, nor varying. And therefore Paul calleth the judgement 
o Heb. 6.  eternal, whereby God shall reward every man according to his works; & our saviour for warneth us not in vain, that hell fire is 
p Mark. 9  VNQVENCHABLE, & EVERLASTING. Since than neither the remorse, rejection, malediction, nor desperation of the damned; nor the darkness, destruction, death, & fire of hell can without evident impiety be attributed to the soul of Christ; I am far from admitting into any part of the creed this ambiguous, if not dangerous assertion, that Christ in his soul on the cross felt the very pains, and torments of the damned: but I prefer the simple and plain doctrine of the holy Ghost, which teacheth us that Christ 
q 1. Corinth. 15  died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures, and by Christ's so doing, death was 
q Ibidem.  swallowed up into victory; and we may joyfully say, 
q Ibidem.  O death where is thy sting? O hell where is thy victory? thanking God which hath given this victory through our Lord jesus Christ, as it was forespoken by the prophet Esay. The Lord will 
r Esay. 25.  destroy death for ever; and by Osee, 
s Ose. 13.  O death I will be thy death, O hell I will be thy destruction.  

The sacrifice for sin must be bloody, before it could be propitiatory.  The manner of Christ's offering is the second effect of Christ's cross which must be bloody, before it can be propitiatory. In this part I will deliver you three things worthy to be observed; with what Sacrifice God was pleased for our sins, with what price the Devil was concluded for our ransom, with what Seal the new covenant of grace and mercy was confirmed unto us for our safety. These three depend each on other. God, as the judge offended, was to have a sacrifice for our sin, that might content him; the Devil as the jailor, was to have a ransom for us, that were by God's justice delivered into his hands; Ourselves as prisoners were to be restored by GOD'S pardon, and to be assured of his protection, that the like misery might not the second time prevail against us; which is performed by the new Testament of mercy forgiving, and grace repressing sin, that we relapse not into the pit of perdition whence we were delivered.  
What was the true propitiatory sacrifice which God accepted for the sins of the world, 
The true sacrifice for sin was shadowed in the figures and sacrifices of the former testament.  if the new testament did not plainly declare, the old testament would sufficiently witness unto us. For as well patriarchs as Prophets, yea all the godly from Abel to Christ did by their sacrifices and service of God profess and confirm their faith to be this, that they looked for the Seed of the woman, who by his death and blood should purge their sins, and make peace between God and them. This was the promise of grace which God made in Paradise to our first parents, threatening the serpent with the seed of the woman in these words; 
t Genes. 32  He shall crush thine head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. As the heel of man is the basest part of his body, and nearest the earth; so the Serpent should bruise the weakest and earthliest part of Christ; but even that bruised heel should be of force enough to crush the Serpent's head. For by the flesh of Christ wounded, and blood shed, the power & pride of satan should be conquered and confounded. This sense of Gods promise made to his parents, Abel the first martyr by faith accepted, by sacrifice adored; and in that respect his bodily and bloody offering was preferred before his brothers. This faith did all the patriarchs testify by their bloody sacrifices, that they expected the body of the Messiah to be bruised, and his blood to be shed for the remission of their sins. And as they received it from their fathers, so they delivered it to their children for the shoot anchor of all their hope. This God did ratify by his law written, suffering his people to have no sacrifices for sin, but such as represented the bloody offering of Christ on the cross. So that all the sacrifices and sacraments of Moses law were nothing else but figures and 
u Hebre 9  examples of better things, as the Apostle calleth them, namely of Christ's body once to be offered, and his blood once to be shed for the abolishing of sin. The FIGURES of Christ before and under the law, what else do they point, but to the death, blood, and cross of Christ to be the redemption and salvation of all mankind? Abraham's readiness to offer up Isaac, for which the blessing was annexed to him with an oath, what doth it import but the love of God 
x Rom. 8  Not sparing his own son, but giving him for us all? The blood of the passover sprinkled on the posts of the Israelites to avert the destroyer; doth it not represent the blood of that immaculate lamb, which saveth us from the fierceness of God's wrath? The lifting up the brazen serpent to cure the people that were stung with fiery Serpents, doth it not foreshow. Christ hanging on the cross to cure our souls from the poison of sin, which is the sting of that deadly serpent? The strength of Samson pulling the house on his own and his enemy's heads, doth it not declare the voluntary death of Christ, to be the destruction of death and hell, which insulted at him on the cross?  
When the truth came expressed by all these sacrifices, and resembled in all these figures, 
The patriarchs and prophets did not mistake the true sacrifice for sin.  what offering made he on the altar of the cross? Did he yield his soul to the pains of hell, or his body to be crucified of the jews? both they will say; for so they must say, except they will have their supposal of hell pains clean excluded from the sacrifice for sin. But which of these two was believed of the patriarchs, witnessed by the sacrifices, shadowed in the figures of the law, expected of the faithful from the foundation of the world? The bloody sacrifice of Christ's body is so plainly proclaimed by them all, that there can be no question of their faith and expectation. And were they deceived in the object of their faith, and hope? Did they all mistake the true sacrifice for their sins? and did God by his law confirm them in that error? And doth the Apostle falsely conclude from the sacrifices of the law, that Christ's offering before it could take away sin, must of force be bloody? These were very strange positions in Christian religion, and yet I see not how we shall avoid them, if we strictly maintain the suffering of hell pains to be the chiefer and principaller part of our redemption, without which the rest is nothing. If their faith fastened on the death and blood of Christ for the remission of their sins did save them, than was the death of Christ of force enough, without the pains of Hell to release them from their sins; and bring them unto God. And if it wrought that effect in them, it is still of the same power and strength to work the like in us. If it were insufficient to release them from the rigour of GOD'S wrath, then are the patriarchs perished in their sins, by mistaking the true price of their redemption. For that they knew any thing of Christ's suffering Hell pains, I think will hardly be proved. But out of question their faith was right which was settled on the blood of Christ to be shed for the redeeming of their sins; and themselves are Saints in God's kingdom: We must therefore take heed that we do not rashly vary from the foundation of their faith and hope; which must likewise be ours, with this only difference, that they believed in him, which should take away the sins of the world by his death and cross, and we in him that hath taken them away. The time doth differ; but the means are still the same. The 
y Revel. 13  lamb was slain from the beginning of the world; not actually, but in the counsel of God, which did purpose it; and in the truth of God, which did promise it; as likewise in the faith of all his saints, which did rest & rejoice in it; from whose steps if we serve, we may not look to be Abraham's children, that refuse Abraham's faith as erroneous, & challenge our father for misbelief  

Three properties of the true sacrifice for sin, urged by the Apostle.  If the offerings and faith of the patriarchs were not pregnant enough to lead us to the true sacrifice for sin; the Apostle to the Hebrews doth so purposely and positively handle it, that I much muse how any man of judgement or learning can mistake it. For if we mark but three conclusions, which the Apostle maketh; we cannot err from the truth in this behalf. The true sacrifice for sin must be but ONE, and ONCE OFFERED, not often, nor iterated, by reason it is perfect and able to cleanse us from all sin. It must be BLOODY, for so were all the offerings of the law, and 
z Hebre. 9  without shedding of blood is no remission. It must be CONFIRMED BY DEATH, that redemption purchased might never be revoked, nor altered. These three positions are mainelie and mightily urged by the holy ghost, the 9 and 10. to the Hebrues; and for this faith, are all the fathers of the old Testament from Abel to Samuel praised in the 11. chapter of that Epistle. This 
a Hebre. 10.  man (saith Paul meaning Christ) after he had offered ONE SACRIFICE FOR SIN, sitteth for ever at the right hand of God. For with ONE OFFERING had he made perfect for ever those which are sanctified. Now where remission (of sin) is, there is no more offering for sin. Christ then making but one offering for sin, we must not make two; but rather learn what that one was, which we may do without any difficulty, since the Apostle so plainly teacheth us, that we are sanctified by THE OFFERING OF THE BODY OF JESUS ONCE; that 
b Hebre. 9  BY HIS OWN BLOOD CHRIST ENTERED in Once into the holy place, and FOUND ETERNAL REDEMPTION. Almost all things are by the law purged with blood, and without shedding of blood is no remission. It was then necessary that the similitudes of heavenly things (in the law) should be purified with such things (as the blood of bulls and goats) but heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these; even with the blood of Christ. For 
c Hebre. 9  if the blood of bulls and goats sanctifieth as touching the purifying of the flesh; how much more shall THE BLOOD OF CHRIST, who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God, PURGE YOUR CONSCIENCES FROM DEAD WORKS to serve the living God? And 
d Ibidem.  for this cause is he the Mediator of the new Testament, that THROUGH DEATH which was for THE REDEMPTION OF THE TRANSGRESSIONS IN THE FORMER TESTAMENT, they which were called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must be THE DEATH OF HIM THAT MADE THE TESTAMENT. For it is of no force, so long as he that made it, is alive; wherefore neither was the first testament ordained without blood. 
e Hebre. 13  jesus then suffered without the gate, that he might SANCTIFY the people WITH HIS OWN BLOOD, and this is the blood of the everlasting Testament, through which God brought again from the dead our Lord jesus. Christ confirmeth the same when he saith. This is 
f Matth. 26,  MY BLOOD of the new testament WHICH IS SHED for many for THE REMISSION OF SINS.  
The words be plainer than that they need any commentary. There was but ONE sacrifice that could abolish sin; 
The sacrifice for sin was bodily, bloody, and deadly.  even THE OBLATION OF THE BODY OF JESUS ONCE, whose BLOOD purged our consciences from dead works, and purchased eternal inheritance, by the TESTATORS DEATH, FOR THE REDEMPTION of those sins, which we committed against the former Testament. What shift have we to shun the force of these words, or to bring in the pains of hell in Christ's soul, as a part of the propitiatory sacrifice for sin? Christ made but one oblation of himself for sin, and that was the suffering of death in his body for the redemption of our transgressions, and shedding of his blood for the remission of our sins. More than one, he needed not make; for that one obtained eternal redemption: and other than this, he did not make, for his offering was both BODILY and BLOODY. 
g Luke. 22  This is my body, which is given, (and) 
h 1. Corinth. 11  broken for you; this is 
i Mark. 14  my blood, which is shed for many. THE OBLATION OF THE BODY of jesus once & THE SHEDDING OF HIS BLOOD are of strength & force enough to cleanse us from our sins, & to procure us the promise of everlasting inheritance, which being confirmed by the death of the testator standeth irrevocable. How can we then bring in another sacrifice of Christ's soul suffering the pains of hell, which could be neither bodily nor bloody, but we must increase the number, and confound the differences of Christ's offerings; and weaken the force of his external & corporal sacrifice, which was the truth that answered & accomplished all the signs of the law? For the invisible pains of hell are no where prefigured in the sacrifices of the law, that I find; nor so much as once mentioned in the Apostles discourse, of Christ's sacrifice for sin, that I read; & therefore if we add them as a necessary part of our redemption, we derogate from the blood of Christ, as insufficient without those torments to cleanse us from our sins, & pacify the wrath of God, that was kindled against us.  
What danger it is to departed from the manifest words of the holy ghost in so high a point of faith, 
The force of Christ's blood expressed in the scriptures.  & by things unwritten to discredit things written, I need not admonish such as be learned, let the simple take heed, that they suffer not reason to overrule religion, & obscure and doubtful places in the scriptures to wrest from them the perspicuous and perpetual doctrine of the holy ghost. How full and perfect the redemption is, which we have by the blood of Christ, if you search the Scriptures you shall easily see; if you do but hearken you shall presently learn. The blood of Christ doth REDEEM, CLEANSE, WASH, JUSTIFY, & SANCTIFY the elect; It doth PACIFY and PROPITIATE the judge; It doth SEAL THE COVENANT of mercy, grace & glory, betwixt God & man; It doth CONCLUDE and bind the devil; what more can be required I verily cannot conjecture. If the blood of Christ perform all these things for us, & more we can not ask or expect; why shrink we from it as unable to save us, except it be supplied with the pains of hell? Whether I affirm any thing of mine own, or deliver you that which is plainly taught in the scriptures, judge you. 
k 1 Pet. 1.  Ye were REDEEMED (saith Peter by the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb unspotred, and undefiled. 
l Hebr. 9  Christ by his own blood (saith Paul) entered once into the holy place OBTAINING eternal REDEMPTION. 
m 1 john 1.  The blood of jesus Christ CLEANSETH US from all our sins. 
n Revel. x  He WASHED us from our sins in his blood. 
o Rom. 5.  Being now JUSTIFIED by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 
p Heb. 13.  jesus suffered that he might sanctify the people with his blood. By Christ than 
q Ephes. 1.  we have redemption through his blood, even the remission of sins▪ and 
r Ephes. 2.  now in Christ jesus ye which once were far off, are made near by the blood of Christ. 
s Colos. 1.  For it hath pleased (the Father) by him to reconcile all things unto himself. And to pacify through the blood of his Cross both things in earth, and things in heaven: 
t Rom. 3.  Whom God hath purposed to be a Reconciliation through faith in his blood.  
And therefore the new testament is sealed with Christ's blood. This is (saith he) my blood of the 
u Mat. 26.  new Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 
x Heb. 12.  Ye are come to jesus the mediator of the new Testament (saith Paul) & to the blood of sprinkling which speaketh better things then that of Abel. For Abel's blood cried for vengeance: but Christ's blood speaketh for mercy and grace. And for that cause Paul calleth it, 
y Heb. 13.  The blood of the everlasting Testament; For 
z Heb. 8.  this is the Testament, that I will make with the house of Israel; after those days sayeth the Lord, I will put my laws in their mind, and in their heart I will write them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people; I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, 
z Heb. 8.  and I will remember their sins and iniquities no more. This testament of mercy, grace and glory is confirmed by the death of Christ, and sealed with his blood, which if we weaken or frustrate with our inventions, or additions, we must look for that fearful judgement which the Apostle threateneth. 
a Heb. 10.  He that despiseth Moses law dieth without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be worthy, which treadeth under foot the son of God, and counteth unholy the blood of the Testament, wherewith he was sanctified, and reproacheth the spirit of grace? The wrong that is offered to the blood of the new Testament, treadeth under foot the son of God, and reproacheth the spirit of grace. Now how can we more unsanctify the blood of the Testament, then to make it so unprecious, that it cannot redeem us without the pains of hell, or to set up another price, for which we have no express record, against, or above the blood of Christ, by which we are cleansed from our sins, and reconciled to God?  
I know they will and must answer, the pains of hell are contained in the blood of Christ; for so much as he suffered the one in their imagination, 
Whether the pains of hell be comprised in the blood of Christ.  when he shed the other. Can they prove by express and infallible testimonies (which they cannot do) that Christ suffered in soul the pains of the damned, they had some reason to comprise the one within the other; but no such thing being warranted, or witnessed in the scriptures, they must take heed, that they do not elude, rather than expound the words of the holy ghost with a perpetual Synecdoche, which shall frustrate the very force of all those evident and vehement speeches. For it is strange to me, first, that without just proof any such thing should be joined to the blood of Christ, to help the price thereof. Next that the holy ghost should always urge the one, and as if were continually forget the other. thirdly, the things which are named in the Scriptures, as they were the last, so are they the chiefest parts of Christ's sufferings, the rest being understood as antecedent to them, and not eminent above them. Now the CROSS, BLOOD, and DEATH of Christ are every where mentioned in the scriptures, as the very ground work and pillars of our redemption. lastly the body of Christ wounded, and his blood shed for the remission of sins, are the seals that confirm and ratify the new testament; and therefore they give chiefest power and strength to the whole covenant; as appeareth by the Sacraments: which import unto us not the pains of hell, but the death and blood of Christ, as the right and true means of our redemption. 
b Rom. ●  Know ye not (saith Paul) that all we which have been baptized into jesus Christ, have been baptized into his death? We are buried then with him by baptism into his death. And speaking of the Lords Supper he saith: 
c 1. Cor. 11.  As often as ye shall eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye show the Lords death until he come. 
d 1. Cor. 10.  The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of Christ's blood? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of Christ's body? By these we are grafted into Christ, by these we are quickened, & nourished into life everlasting: And these propose unto us no invisible pains of hell, but the body of Christ wounded, and his blood shed for the remitting of our sins, and uniting us unto Christ, that we may be 
e Ephes▪ 5.  members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.  
Yea what an unthankful part were it for the captives that are enlarged, 
Christ's blood the very price of our redemption.  to challenge the ransom, which was paid for their freedom, as defective; when the adversary from whom we were bought, received it by the rule of God's justice, as a price most sufficient for us all that were delivered? I will redeem them from the power of hell, I will ransom them from death (saith God by his Prophet:) g you were bought with a PRICE (saith Paul,) The price then which Christ paid must be fully worth the thing redeemed. For since it pleased God, not by force to take us from Satan, but with a price to buy us out of his hands, it were dishonour to God, and a kind of reproach to give less for us, than might countervail us. And therefore let us rest assured that the price which Christ paid for us, was of far greater value than we were, not only in the upright judgement of God, but even in the malicious and furious desire of Satan, who thirsted after the blood of the son of God, with greedier jaws, then after all the world besides, and triumphed more in bringing him to a shameful death, then in the destruction of all the faithful. Wherefore the wisdom and justice of God, suffered him to show his rage on the flesh of Christ, and as it were to trample in his blood, which he spilled like water on the earth; and left him that, which he so eagerly pursued, and in his malice against God's glory preferred before all the world, as a full payment for all those that should be delivered by the death of Christ. And for this cause the blood of Christ is called by the holy ghost the PRICE of our REDEMPTION. 
h 1. Pet. 1.  Ye were REDEEMED (saith Peter) WITH THE PRECIOUS BLOOD of Christ as of a lamb unspotted and undefiled. Yea the song which the Saints in heaven do sing unto the lamb is this, Thou wast killed, and 
i Revel. 5.  HAST REDEEMED US TO GOD BY THY BLOOD.  

How the price of our redemption was paid.  When I say the blood of Christ was the price, wherewith God redeemed us out of Satan's power, I do not mean that God made any contract with Satan, or took his consent to exchange; much less, that Christ did proffer his blood to the devil, to set us free: it were an injury to Christ for us to think his blood was shed to 
k Nezianzen. orat. 42. in Paschat. 2.  satisfy the devil as Gregory Nazianzene well observeth in his oration de Paschate; but Christ offered his blood as a sacrifice to god his father to verify the judgement pronounced against us, 
l Gene. 2.  Thou shalt die the death, and to satisfy the justice of God provoked with our sins; yet in coming to his death, since his life might not be ended, neither with his own hand, nor by the hand of his Father, the wisdom of God 
m Mark. 14.  delivered him into the hands of sinners, by whose blind zeal and bloody rage the devil, that worketh in the children of disobedience, conspired and compassed his death, and with all manner of contumely and cruelty abused his body, and spilled his blood, insulting at him by the mouths of the wicked, and rejoicing in the conquest he gate over Christ in bringing him to a reproachful death. But this extreme rage of Satan against the person of Christ, turned to the utter ruin of his own kingdom. For God did not only raise again the Lord jesus from death, as dying an innocent without all desert, but in recompense of the wrong, which he received at Satan's hands, to the which he willingly submitted himself, God gave him power to spoil the kingdom of the devil; and to deliver all that ever did or should believe in his death and passion. And in this sort Christ bought us with his precious blood from the danger of sin and hell; not offering, but suffering Satan by the hands of the jews to take his life from him; neither compounding with his adversary, but repressing him in the midst of his malice, who assaulting Christ jesus our head, as he had done all the members was overthrown by him, and vanquished with an everlasting victory.  

n Basil. oration, in fine epistolarum.  Mortuus est volens, ut inuoluntarie mortuos exuscitaret. Devoravit ipsum mors ignorans, ubi devorasset, cognovit quem non devoravit. Devoravit unum cum omnibus; perdidit omnes propter unum. Rapuit ut lo; confracti sunt dentes ipsius. Christ died willingly (saith Basill) that he might raise those which died against their wills. Death ignorantly devoured him, which when he had done, he knew whom he had not devoured▪ He swallowed up one as he did all; and for that one, he lost all. He seized on him as a Lion, but his teeth were therewith broken. The creed extant under the name of Ruffinus; 
o Symbolum Ruffini tomo Hicronymi. 4.  Sacramentum carnis susceptae hanc habet causam, ut divina filii dei virtus velut hamus quidam, habitu humanae carnis obtectus principem mundi invitare posset ad Agonem, cui ipse carnem suam velut escam tradens, hamo eum divinitatis intrinsecus teneret insertus ex profusione immaculati sanguinis. The mystery of Christ's taking flesh was to this end, that the divine power of the Son of GOD covered as a hook under the show of man's flesh, might provoke the Prince of this world to assault him; to WHOM (CHRIST) DELIVERING HIS FLESH AS A BAIT held fast (the devil) with the hook of his divinity sticking in him, through the shedding of his immaculate blood. 
p Gregor. Moralium. lib. 3. ca 11  Conditorem omnium Satanae manui traditum, quis vel desipiens credat? sed tamen edoctus veritate quis nesciat;— cum se pro nostra redemptione Dominus membrorum Satanae manibus tradidit, (quod) eiusdem Satanae manum in se saevire permittit, ut unde ipse exterius occumberet, inde nos exterius interiusque liberaret? That the maker of all was delivered into the hand of Satan, who is so foolish as to believe? And yet who taught by the truth is ignorant, that when the Lord for our redemption yielded himself into their hands that were the members of Satan, he suffered the hand of Satan to rage against him, that whence he outwardly died (in body) thence he might both outwardly and inwardly deliver us? And therefore he concludeth, 
q Ibidem.  Cum corpus eius ad passionem accipit; electos eius à iure suae potestatis amittit. When (Satan) received the body (of Christ) to crucify it; he lost the elect of Christ from subjection to his power.  
Saint Austen showing how Christ conquered the Devil first by justice, and then by power, sayeth; 
r August. de trinitate li. 13 cap. 13.  Placuit Deo, ut propter eruendum hominem de Diaboli potestate, non potentia Diabolus sed justitia vinceretur. It pleased God for the delivering of man out of the devils power, that the devil should be conquered by justice, and not by might. 
s Ibidem.  Qua est igitur justitia, qua victus est Diabolus? Quae nisi justitia jesu Christi? Et quomodo victus est? Quia cum in eo nihil morte dignum invenit, occidit eum tamen: & utique justum est, ut debitores quos tenebat, liberi dimittantur, in eum credentes, quem sine ullo debito occidit, Hoc est quod justificari dicimur in sanguine Christi. What then is the justice whereby the Devil was conquered? What but the justice of jesus Christ? And how? Because that when the Devil found in Christ nothing worthy of death, he killed him notwithstanding: and surely justice requireth that the debtors, which Satan held should be set free, believing in him whom Satan slew without any debt. This is it that we are said to be justified in the blood of Christ. 
t Ibidem. cap. ●●  Sanguis enim ille quoniam eius erat qui nullum habuit omnino peccatum, ad remissionem nostrorum fusus est peccatorum; ut quia eos Diabolus merito tenebat, quos peccatireos conditione mortis obstrinxit, hos per eum meritò dimitteret, quem nullius peccati reum immerito poena mortis affecit: hac justitia victus, & hoc vinculo vinctus est fortis, ut vasa eius eriperentur. For that blood because it was his, who was utterly void of sin, was shed for the remission of our sins; that whom the Devil justly held as guilty of sin, and obnoxious to death, those he might worthily lose through him, whom he wrongfully slew being guilty of no sin: with this justice the Devil was conquered, and with this band was he bound, that his goods might be spoiled. And so Saint Austen concludeth in express words, that THE BLOOD OF CHRIST, which the Devil was permitted to shed by the hands of the wicked, WAS GIVEN AS A PRICE IN OUR REDEMPTION, Which when the Devil had spilled, it was reckoned to him as a ransom for us since Christ owed none for himself; & so were we dismissed out of his power. 
u Ibidem. cap. 15  In hac redemptione tanquam pretium pro nobis datus est Christi sanguis, quo accepto diabolus non ditatus, sed ligatus est, ut nos ab eius nexibus solueremur. In this redemption the blood of Christ was given as a ransom for us, which being received, the devil was not enriched, but concluded that we might be loosed from his snares. 
o Ambros lib. 9 Epist. 77.  S. Ambrose affirmeth as much. Si redempti sumus non corruptibilibus argento, & auro, sed precioso sanguine domini nostri jesu Christi (quo utique vendente NISI EO qui nostrum iam peccatricis successionis are quaesitum seruitium possidedat) Sine dubio IPSE flagitabat pretium ut seruitio exueret quos tenebat obstrictos: Pretium autem nostrae liberationis erat sanguis domini jesu, quod necessario soluendum erat EI, CVI peccatis nostris venditi eramus. If we be redeemed not with corruptible things as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of our Lord jesus Christ (who selling us, BUT HE that possessed us as his servants by reason of our sinful succession) doubtless even HE required a ransom to dismiss us from the servitude which he had over us. Now the price of our deliverance was the blood of the Lord jesus, which (price) was necessarily to be paid to HIM, TO WHOM we were sold through our sins. They which traduce this doctrine, as inclining to Manicheisme, had more need of Elleborus to furge their brains, then of authorities to persuade their hearts. For since Christ paid no ransom for himself, but for us, and his innocent blood could not be shed but by the hands of the wicked, what touch of untruth can it have, that God accounted the blood of Christ to be of more value than all the sons of men; and consequently, that, which the devil eager thirsted, and wrongfully shed, to be reputed as man's ransom, and a price most sufficient for all the world? Yea the scripture, which is the word of truth, doth not only teach us, who redeemed us, and with what price, as, 
x Acts. 20.  God bought his Church with his own blood: but in manifest words from whom we were redeemed, even from the power of 
y Colos. 1.  DARKNESS, 
z Osee. 13.  DEATH and HELL; that being 
a Luke 1.  delivered out of the hands of our enemies, we should serve God without fear in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life.  
Whether therefore we resemble the body and blood of Christ to a PRAY that broke the teeth of the devourer; to a BAIT that held fast the swallower; to a PRICE that concluded the challenger; to a RANSOM that freed the prisoner; or to a CONQUEST that overthrew the infulter; in effect it is all one: Satan by killing him, that was the author of life, lost both him and all his members; the Lord rising again by his own power, and raising them all, that could not be severed from him, by the might and merit of his death and suffering. And so the godly, which now live on the earth, are not their 
b 1. Corinth. 6.  OWN, but his that bought them with a price; being before 
c Rom 7.  sold under sin, whose 
d Rom 6  servants they were till Christ with his blood 
e revelat. 5.  redeemed them 
e revelat. 5.  unto GOD, and made them kings and priests to God his father. 
f August in Psal. 95.  Venit redemptor & dedit pretium, fudit sanguinem suum, emit orbem terrarum. Videte quid dederit, & invenite quid emerit. Sanguis Christi pretium est, tanti quid valet? quid nisi totus orbis? quid nisi omnes gentes? The redeemer came (saith Austen) and paid the price: he shed his blood, and purchased the world. Consider what he gave, and mark what he bought. The blood of Christ was the price: what was valued at so great a price? What but the whole world? what but all the nations of the earth? 
g Chrysost. ad popul. Antioch homil. 61.  Hic sanguis effusus omnem terrarum orben● abluit, hic sanguis antea semper praesignabatur in sacrificijs, in justorum caedibus▪ Hic orbis terrarum est pretium. Hoc Christus emit ecclesiam. Hoc eam omnem adornavit. This blood (saith Chrysostom) being shed washed the whole world. This blood was ever before figured in the sacrifices, and martyrdoms of the righteous. This blood is the price of the world; with this Christ bought his Church, with this he wholly adorned it. 
h Cyril dialog. de trinitat. lib. 4.  Christus non esset condignum pretium totius creaturae redimendae, neque sufficeret ad bene redimendam mundi vitam, etiamsi suam deponeret animam ut pretium pro nobis, ac etiam pretiosum sanguinem, nisi vere esset filius, & tanquam ex deo deus. Christ had not been a just price (saith Cyril) to redeem all creatures, nor sufficient to purchase the life of the world, though he would have laid down his life and his precious blood as a ransom for us, if he had not been the true son of God, & as it were, God of God. Where as now 
i Cyril tom. 2 epistola. 1.  unus dignitate universos superans, pro omnibus mortuus est, & quaecunque sub coelo sunt sanguine suo redemit, deoque & patriuniversae terrae habitatores acquisivit. He alone exceeding all other in worth & value died for all, & by his blood redeemed all things under heaven, & purchased to God his father the inhabitants of the whole earth.  
[But our saviour saith the son of man came 
k Matth. 20.  dare animam svam redemptionem pro multis, to give his soul a ransom for many. And Esay foretold as much, that he should 
l Esay. 53. How Christ gave his soul a ransom for many.  make his soul an offering for sin] It is no great mastery to cite places of scripture in show repugnant one to the other; howbeit in truth these are not contrarieties, but consequents to the former authorities. For where the soul of man is the life of his body; Christ could not die for our sins, but he must lay down his soul to death, that it might be separated from his body & so give HIS SOUL, that is, his LIFE a ransom for many, & an offering for sin. And so she very translators, that otherwise favour this opinion of hell pains, do interpret those words: 
m Matth. 20.  The son of man came not to be served but to serve, & to give HIS LIFE a ransom for many. And the like elsewhere: 
n john. 10  Bonus pastor dat animam pro ovibus, The good shepherd giveth HIS LIFE for his sheep 
n john. 10  Animan meam pono pro ovibus meis; I lay down my LIFE for my sheep. 
n john. 10  Diligit me pater quia pono animam meam, ut iterum sumam eam. My father loveth me because I lay down my life to take it again. And indeed that phrase PONTRE ANIMAM in the Scriptures doth always note a voluntary yielding of the life, which is A LAYING ASIDE OF THE SOUL, for the love of others; as where Peter saith, 
o john. 13.  Ponam animam meam pro te; he did not mean he would go to hell for his master, there was no cause nor need thereof; but I will lay down MY LIFE for thee. And when S. john telleth us, 
p 1. john. 3.  Quoniam ille; animam svam posuit pro nobis, & nos debemus animas ponere pro fratribus; he doth not charge us to hazard our souls by sin or hell for others; but insomuch as Christ gave HIS LIFE for us, we ought to GIVE OUR LIVES for our brethren. So that for Christ to LAY ASIDE HIS SOUL, or to POVRE IT OUT UNTO DEATH; was not to suffer hell pains for our sakes, but to die for our sins; & all those places are rather coherent, than dissident to the rest of the scriptures, which I alleged.  
And yet because the ancient fathers some times say that Christ gave his soul for our souls, as he did his flesh for our flesh, & the scriptures often affirm he gave himself; I will come to the third effect of Christ's cross, which is the MIGHTY POWER OF HIS DEATH; 
The power of Christ's death.  and there examine what part of Christ died for our sins, and how by his death the guilt of sin, the curse of the law, the sting of death, and the strength of Satan are not only weakened, and wasted, but extinguished and abolished, that they shall never prevail against him or his elect.  
That the Son of God loved us & gave 
q Galat. 2  himself for us making the purgation of our sins in his 
r Hebre. 1  own person, by the 
s Hebre. 9 By Christ's death the scriptures mean the death of his body.  sacrifice of himself to put away sin; is a case so clear, that it need not to be proved, much less may be doubted without apparent subversion of the christian faith: but whether Christ suffered the death of the whole man, his soul tasting for the time an inward and spiritual death in satisfaction of our sins; as his flesh did an external & corporal dissolution of nature, this by some men is questioned in our days. That for our sakes he humbled himself, & was obedient unto death even the death of the cross, is out of all doubt; the Evangelists describe the manner of his death, the apostles the cause; to wit the REDEMPTION of our sins, the CONFIRMATION of the new testament, the RECONCILIATION of man to God, the DESTRUCTION of him that was ruler of death, & the IMITATION of his obedience, who suffered for us leaving an example 
t 1. Peter. 2.  that we should follow his steps. All this he performed with the death of his flesh, the Scriptures nowhere mentioning any other kind of death, that I can read. Where a testament is, there must be the death of him that made the testament. r For the testament is confirmed when men are dead▪ Christ is the mediator of the new Testament, that through death which was for the redemption of the trespasses in the former Testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. This plainly expresseth the death of the body. For God forbidden men's Testaments should be frustrate, till their souls have tasted the second death: but from the death of the body all testaments take their force. Wherefore the new testament is confirmed by the bodily death of Christ, and there need no pains of hell before it can be good. 
x Colos. 1  You that in times past were strangers and enemies in mind by evil works, hath he now reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to make you holy, undefiled, and faultless before him. Paul thought it not enough to say, We were reconciled unto God by the death of his son; but that death, he addeth, was IN THE BODY OF HIS FLESH, to exclude all supposals of the death of the soul; since THE BLOOD OF CHRIST'S CROSS did PACIFY things in earth and in heaven. 
y Hebre. 2  For so much as the children were partakers of flesh and blood, he also did therein partake with them, that through death he might destroy him that had power of death even the devil. The death of the spirit may be without flesh and blood; as we see in the Devils who are dead in spirit. But Christ took flesh and blood, that by the death of his flesh he might destroy the devil, that insulted and reigned over the weakness of man's flesh. 
z Rom. 6  We are buried (with Christ) by baptism into his death, and if we be grafted with him into the similitude of his death, we shallbe likewise into his resurrection: knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin, for he that is dead is freed from sin. So many words, so many reasons to prove that Christ died not for us the death of the soul, but only of the body. We are buried with him by Baptism; his body not his soul was buried. We are grafted into the similitude of his death; not the soul but sin dieth in us, when we are grafted into Christ, for he quickeneth our spirits. Our old man was crucified with him; his soul was not crucified but his flesh: that the body of sin might be destroyed; by the death of the soul the body of sin is strengthened and increased. That henceforth we should not serve sin; they must needs serve sin, whose souls are dead with sin. He that is dead is freed from sin; but he that is dead in spirit, is subjecteth to the force & fury of sin. The death of Christ then is mentioned nowhere in the Scriptures, but the very words or circumstances, do clearly confirm that they speak of the death which he suffered for us on the cross, IN THE BODY OF HIS FLESH.  
That Christ did or could suffer the death of the soul, 
Christ could not die the death of the soul.  is a position far from the words, but farther from the grounds of the sacred scriptures. For in God there is no death, and without God there is no life of the soul. So that it is neither possible for the soul joined with God to die, nor for the soul separated from God to live. Then if Christ's soul were at any time dead, it lost all conjunction and communion with God; and consequently the personal union of God and man in Christ was for that time dissolved, and the grace and presence of God's spirit were utterly taken from him; and so during that space, there could be in Christ neither obedience, humility, patience, holiness nor love, which are the fruits of God's spirit; yea the soul of Christ, if it were but for an hour deprived of God's grace and spirit, must needs for that time be subjecteth to all sin and wickedness; which the devil himself dare not avouch of the soul of Christ. Men may do well therefore to beware how they venture unadvisedly to say, that Christ suffered the death of the soul, for howsoever they may frame unto themselves a new kind of death in the soul of Christ, as they think far from these absurdities and blasphemies; yet both scriptures & fathers mightily contradict that lose, if not lewd assertion. 
a Psal. 36.  With thee is the fountain of life, saith David to God. Then if the soul of Christ were always joined with God, or so much as in God's favour, it must needs have life; for 
b Psal 30. john. 6  in (Gods) favour there is life. Yea the presence of God's spirit giveth life. 
c ●. Corinth. 3.  Spiritus est qui viuificat; it is the spirit that quickeneth, saith our Saviour; and Paul citeth the same words. Where then THE SPIRIT OF GOD is, there is LIFE; and consequently the soul that is dead is deprived of God's spirit. Now from whom the spirit of God is departed; in him must needs want all the fruits of God's spirit; and so the soul, that is dead, is excluded from all godliness and virtue. For these are not only signs, but effects of God's spirit working in the soul of man. And since between righteousness and unrighteousness there is no middle, the soul of man wanting light, truth, and sanctity, of force must be filled with darkness, error, & iniquity; which to surmise in the soul of Christ, is the height of all impiety. 
d Rom. ●  As many as are led by the spirit of God, they are the sons of God. If Christ's soul wanted at any time the spirit of God he was not the son of God. If he ever and always had the spirit of life dwelling in him, his soul could at no time be dead. For the 
e Rom. 8.  spirit is life through righteousness. But why seek we proofs that Christ's soul could not die, since he himself is the AUTHOR and GIVER OF LIFE? 
f john. 14  I am the way, the truth, and THE LIFE saith our Saviour. 
g john. 6.  He that believeth in me hath everlasting life. 
h john. 11  I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, he shall live. And he that liveth, and believeth in me, shall never die. If the soul of him that believeth in Christ shall never die how could Christ himself at any time die in soul? 
i Colos. 3.  Christ is our life; how then shall we be sure never to die, if the fountain of our life in Christ's person might for the time be dried up with death? shall we have fuller or perfecter fruition of life than Christ jesus our head, who 
k john. 1●  giveth life to all his sheep? but he had so plentiful, perpetual, and personal possession of life, not only for himself, but for us all, that the Apostle saith, the first Adam was made a living soul, the last Adam was made a 
l 1. Corinth. 15  quickening spirit; that is not only to have life in himself, but to give life to others. Can he then at any time be a dead soul, whom the holy ghost affirmeth to be made a QVICKENING SPIRIT? could he give that to others, which himself did lack? or lose that which he once had? I know to give life is proper to God, and for that cause the soul of Christ could not have that power by creation, but by conjunction with his godhead; and in that respect was the receptacle whereby the life and grace of his divine nature was derived into his human, with such abundance, and assurance, that of his 
m john. ●  fullness we all have received; insomuch that the 
n john. 6  words which he spoke, were spirit and life; and the 
n john. 6  flesh which he took, was the bread of life; yea the body of Christ dying did not only resist and repress the force of death; but rising again destroyed death, & restored life to the world. If the temple of his body were stronger than death, what was the sanctuary of his soul?  
I wish therefore all men, that profess themselves christians, to be soberly minded; 
The death of the soul is either sin, or damnation.  and with the learned and ancient, fathers to acknowledge, that there is not mentioned in the scriptures any death of the soul, besides SIN, & eternal DAMNATION; neither of the which with any moderation or mitigation can be attributed to Christ without shameful blasphemy. 
o Ezech. 1ST  Anima peccans ipsa morietur. The soul that sinneth, that soul shall die. In these words are both deaths of the soul expressed; the first voluntary when for the delights of sin we refuse the precepts of God: the other necessary, when God by his justice withdraweth his presence from us, and executeth his VENGEANCE on us, that never shall have end. That sin is a death of the soul, cannot be denied. Let the 
p Matth. ●  dead bury their dead, saith Christ to one of his disciples, follow thou me. Which must needs be meant of such as are living in body, & dead in soul, as Paul speaketh of wanton widows, she which liveth in pleasure, is 
q 1. Timoth. ●.  dead whiles she liveth. These the scripture calleth DEAD IN SIN. When we were 
r Ephes. 2  dead by sins, God quickened us together with Christ. And again, You, which 
s Coloss. 2  were dead in sins, hath he quickened together with Christ, forgiving you all your trespasses. From this death I make no doubt but all christian men with heart and voice will clearly discharge the 
t 1. Pet. 1.  UNSPOTTED and UNDEFILED Lamb of God, who did 
u 1. Peter. 2.  no sin, neither was there any guile found in his mouth.  
The other kind of the death of the soul, which is damnation, must be farther from Christ then ever was sin. For not only Christ's innocency should be unjustly condemned, which were altogether repugnant to God's righteousness; but the son of God wronged, and man's salvation wholly subverted. Nothing might befall the human nature of Christ, which was unfitting for his divine; both being joined in one person. And if our Saviour were condemned to hell; which way shall we think to scape the just and fearful judgement of God for our manifold and grievous sins? he was indeed condemned by man, that gave wrongful sentence of death against him; but he was acquitted of God. And because he humbled himself to the death of the cross, God highly 
x Philip. ●  exalted him, and gave him a name above all names, as well in witness of his innocency, as in reward of his humility. Yea the holy ghost, which evidently 
y Psal. 1●.  recordeth Christ's assurance, confidence, and rejoicing in God, as he hung on the cross, clean excludeth all suspicion that he suffered the death of the soul. For the soul in this life can have no fuller, nor faster coherence with God, than Christ had. And since God is the true life of the soul; the inseparable conjunction of Christ's soul with God proveth a continual persuasion, and fruition of eternal life; which by no means admitteth any danger or doubt, much less any sense or sufferance of the second death being the just wages of sin, whereby the wicked are everlastingly punished. 
z August. epi. 66.  Certe anima Christi non solum immortalis secundum caeterarum naturam, sed etiam nullo mortificata peccato, vel damnatione punita est: quibus duabus causis mors animae intelligi potest. Surely the soul of Christ (saith Austen) was not only immortal in nature as the rest; but was NEITHER DEAD WITH ANY SIN, nor PUNISHED WITH DAMNATION: which two ways the death of the soul may be understood. If then neither transgression, nor damnation may be ascribed to the soul of Christ, it is evident he suffered not the death of the soul; yea to subject the soul of Christ to either of these two deaths, which only are the deaths of the soul, were more horrible blasphemy, than I hope any Christian man meaneth to incur.  
[But I mistake the death of the soul. 
The death of the soul is a separation from God. ] I must confess I therein follow the sacred Scriptures, and ancient fathers; other kind of death of the soul I know none, because I read none justly proved. These two are manifest in the scriptures. That sin killeth the soul, besides many other places before cited, Saint Paul shortly showeth in these words. 
a Rom. 7.  SIN REVIVED, BUT I DIED: for sin deceived me, and slew me. And likewise our saviour, except you believe, you shall 
b john. 8.  die in your sins. That everlasting death is the wages of sin, I take it to be as clear a case, as the former. These shall go into 
c Mat. 25.  everlasting punishment, saith Christ to the wicked. They shall be 
d 2. Thes. 1.  punished with everlasting perdition, saith Paul of the ignorant and disobedient. The smoke of their torments shall ascend 
e Revel. 14.  evermore, saith john in his Revelation. The 
f Revel. 20.  lake burning with fire and brimstone, this is the second death. How the ancient fathers define the death of the soul, is soon seen by their writings. Dicam audacter fratres sed tamem verum. Duae vitae sunt; una corporis, altera animae, sicut vita corporis anima, sic vita animae deus. Quomodo si anima deserat, moritur corpus; sic moritur anima si deserat Deus. 
g August. in Psal. 70.  I will speak boldly (saith Austen) but truly. There are two sorts of life, one of the body, another of the soul. As the soul is the life of the body, so God is the life of the soul; & as if the soul depart the body dieth; so dieth the soul, if God forsake it. 
h Cyril. homil.. 〈…〉.  Mors proprie non est ea, quae animam à corpore, sed quae animam à Deo separate ● Deus vita est, quia Deo separatur, mortuus est. That is not properly death (saith Cyrill) which severeth the soul from the body, but that which severeth the soul from God. God is life; and therefore he that is separated from God, is dead. 
i Ambros. de bono mortis ca 9  Anima quae peccat moritur, non utique aliqua sui dissolutione, sed merito moritur Deo, quia vivit peccato. Ergo quae non peccat, non moritur. The soul which sinneth dieth, (sayeth Ambrose) not by any dissolution of her substance, but worthily dieth she unto God, because she liveth unto sin. The soul then which sinneth not, dieth not. 
k Gregor. in Ezech. homil. 17.  Anima in corpore vita est carnis; Deus vero qui vivificat omnia, vita est animarum. 
l Idem moraliū lib. 9 Cap. 38.  Sicut mors exterior ab anima dividit carnem, ita mors interior à Deo separat animam. The soul in the body (saith Gregory) is the life of the flesh, but God that quickeneth all things is the life of the soul; as the outward death divideth the body from the soul, so the inward death divideth the soul from God. 
m Bernard serm. paru. 3. & aliis servant paru. num. 7  Sicut anima vita est corporis, ita Deus vita est animae. 
Luc. 18.  Mors animae separatio à Deo; mors corporis separatio animae à corpore. As the soul is the life of the body, so God is the life of the soul, saith Bernard. The death of the soul is to be separated from God; the death of the body is the departure of the soul from the body. Neither do I see how this definition of the death of the soul can be avoided or amended. For can there be life from any other, but only from God? If it be good, it must come from the fountain of all goodness; and● none is good but only God. Then the soul which is partaker of God, is partaker of life; and to be severed from God, is to be severed from life which is the true description of death.  

The fathers mainly teach that christ died the death of the flesh ONLY.  Rightly therefore do the ancient Fathers teach, that Christ dying for our sins, suffered ONLY THE DEATH OF THE BODY, but not of the soul: and the scriptures wheresoever they mention the death of Christ, must have the like construction. For the soul of Christ could not die, so long as it had the presence and assistance of God's spirit; yea we leave him neither faith nor hope, love nor joy, obedience nor patience, nor any other merits or virtues, if we subject him to the death of the soul; for these are the buds and fruits of life. From which if we cannot exclude the soul of Christ, no not for a moment, without sacrilegious impiety, it remaineth that Christ neither suffered nor tasted the death of the soul, but only the death of the body. 
o 1 Pet. ●.  In his body he bore our sins on the tree; and 
p Colos. 1.  reconciled us unto God, in the BODY OF HIS FLESH THROUGH DEATH, when we were strangers and enemies in heart, by reason of our evil works. 
q August. epist. 99  Quid est enim quod vini●icatus est spiritu, nisi quod eudem caro QVA SOLA FVERAT MORTIFICATUS vivificante spiritu resurrexit? Nam QVOD ANIMA FVERAT MORTIFICATUS JESUS, hoc est eo spiritu qui hominis est, QVIS AUDEAT DICERE, cum mors animae non sit nisi peccatum, à quo ille omnino immunis fuit? Mortificatus ergo carne dictus est, quia secundum SOLAM CARNEM mortuus est. What is meant by this, that Christ was quickened in spirit, but that the same flesh, IN WHICH ONLY HE DIED, rose again quickened by the spirit? For that jesus was DEAD IN SPIRIT WHO DARE AVOUCH, I mean in his human spirit, since as the death of the soul is nothing but sin, from which he was altogether free? And lest we should think this slipte his pen, elsewhere he largely and learnedly handleth the same matter. (Diabolus) 
r Idem de trinitate. lib. 4 ca 1●.  per impietatem MORTWS EST IN SPIRITV, carne utique mortuus non est: nobis autem & impietatem persuasit, & per hanc ut in mortem carnis venire mereremur effecit. Quô ergo nos Mediator mortis transmisit, & ipse NON VENIT, hoc est ad MORTEM CARNIS: ibi nobis Dominus Deus noster medicinam emendationis inseruit quam ille non meruit. By sin the Devil DIED IN SPIRIT; in flesh he died not: but to us he persuaded sin, and thereby brought us to deserve the death of the flesh. Whither then the mediator of death cast us, and came not himself, that is to the death of the body; even there the Lord our God appointed a medicine to cure us which the Devil never obtained. And noting the remedy provided for us in the bodily death of Christ, he saith, 
s Ibidem.  Vitae mediator ostendens, quam non sit mors timenda, quae per humanam conditionem iam evadi non potest, sed potius impietas quae per fidem caueri potest occurrit nobis AD FINEM QVO venimus, sed NON QVA VENIMUS. Nos enim ad mortem per peccatum venimus, ille per justitiam; & ideo cum sit mors nostra poena peccati, mors illius facta est hostia pro peccato. The Mediator of life (Christ jesus) to show us that death is not to be feared, which by human condition can now not be escaped, but rather impiety, which by faith may be avoided; met us in the end whither we were come, but not in the way by which we came. For we came by sin to death; but he by righteousness: and so where our death is the punishment of sin; his death is the sacrifice for sin. And therefore the death which Christ suffered in his body on the Cross, did purge, abolish, and extinguish all our sins, whereby the power of satan justly detained us to abide the punishment of our transgressions. 
t Ibidem. cap. 13  Quia viwm spiritu mortuus spiritu non invasit, quoquo modo avidus mortis humanae convertit se ad faciendam mortem quam potuit; & PERMISSUS EST IN ILLUD, QVOD EX NOBIS MORTALE vinus mediator acceperat: Et ubi potuit aliquid facere, ibi omni ex part devictus est, & unde accepit exterius potestatem dominicae carnis occidend●e, inde interior eius potestas, quâ nos tenebat, occisa est. Factum est enim, ut vincula peccatorum multorum IN MULTIS MORTIBUS PER VNIUS unam MORTEM, quam peccatum nullum praecesserat, soluerentur. Ita Diabolus hominem in ipsa morte CARNIS amisit. Because (the Devil) dead in spirit could not invade (Christ) living in spirit; as most desirous to kill man, he fastened on that death which he could compass and was suffered to kill that mortal (body) which the living Mediator took from mankind; and where he could do any thing, even there was he every way conquered; and whence he received outwardly power to kill the Lords body, thence was his inward power, whereby he held us, overthrown. By which it came to pass, that the chains of many sins deserving many deaths were loosed by the one death of one, in whom was no sin. So the Devil lost man BY THE VERY DEATH OF (Christ's) FLESH. Yea the death of Christ should lead us patiently to suffer the same death for him which he suffered for us. 
n August. de Trinitate lib. 1● cap. 15.  Hactenus morerentur ad Christi gratiam pertinentes, quatenus pro illis ipse mortuus est Christus, CARNIS TANTUM MORTE NON SPIRITUS. So far should they, which belong to the grace of Christ, die as Christ died for them; that is, the DEATH OF THE BODY ONLY, AND NOT OF THE SPIRIT. And by that death of his body he freed us from both. 
x Idem de tempore. Serm. 16.  SOLIUS CORPORIS MORTEM Dei silius pro nobis accepit, per quam à nobis & dominationem peccati, & poenam aeternae punitionis exclusit. The death OF THE BODY ONLY THE SON OF GOD SUFFERED FOR US, by which he delivered us both from the dominion of sin, and from eternal damnation.  
Cyrillus teacheth the same doctrine. 
y Cyril. de recta fide ad reginal lib. 2.  Si intelligatur Deus incarnatus, & propria carne passus, parva est erga ipsum omnis creatura, & sufficit ad redemptionem mundi VNIUS CARNIS MORS. If we understand (Christ) to be God incarnate, and to have suffered in his own flesh; of small value in respect of him are all creatures, and sufficient to redeem the world is the DEATH OF HIS ONLY FLESH. And likewise Gregory, 
z Greg. moral. lib. 9 cap. 15.  Nos quia mente a Deo recessimus, & carne ad pulverem redimus, poena duplae mortis astringimur. Sed venit ad nos qui SOLA CARNE PRO NOBIS MORERETUR, ET SIMPLAM SVAM DUPLAE NOSTRAE iungeret & nos AB VTRAQVE MORTE liberaret. Because in heart we were departed from God, and in flesh returning to dust, we are tied to the punishment OF A DOUBLE DEATH. But (Christ) came unto us, which DIED IN THE FLESH ONLY FOR US. and joining HIS ONE KIND OF DEATH TO BOTH OURS, DELIVERED US FROM BOTH. And more at large, the same father debating the same matter; 
a Idem moralium lib. 4. cap. 17.  Vmbra mortis mors carnis accipitur quia sicut vera mors est, qua anima separatur á Deo, ita umbra mortis est, qua caro separatur ab anima. Quos enim constat NON SPIRITV SED SOLA CARNE MORI, nequaquam se vera morte, sed umbra mortis dicunt operiri. Quid est ergo quod beatus Iob postulat umbram mortis nisi quod ad delenda peccata ante Dei oculos, Dei & hominum Mediatorem requirit, qui SOLAM PRO NOBIS MORTEM CARNIS susciperet, & veram mortem delinquentium, per umbram suae mortis deleret? Ad nos quip venit qui IN MORTE SPIRITVS CARNISQVE TENEBAMUR unam ad nos svam mortem detulit, & DVAS NOSTRAS, quas reperit soluit. SI ENIM IPSE VTRAMQVE SUSCIPERET NOS A NULLA LIBERARET: sed unam misericorditer accepit, & JUSTE VTRAM QVE damnavit SIMPLAM SVAM DVPLAE NOSTRAE contulit & DUPLAM NOSTRAM MORIENS SUBEGIT. Qui ergo SOLAM PRO NOBIS MORTEM CARNIS SUSCEPIT umbran mortis pertulit, & a dei oculis culpam quam fecimus, abscondit. The shadow of death is taken for the death of the body, for that as it is the true death, whereby the soul is separated from God; so it is but the shadow of death, whereby the body is separated from the soul. For they which assuredly die NOT THE DEATH OF THE SPIRIT, BUT ONLY OF THE FLESH, they do not say they are covered with the true death, but with the shadow of death. To what end then doth blessed job ask for the shadow of death, but that to wipe away sin out of God's sight, he seeketh for the Mediator of God & man, who should undertake FOR US THE DEATH OF THE BODY ONLY, and by the shadow of his death might extinguish the true death of sinners? He came to v that WERE SUBJECT BOTH TO THE DEATH OF THE SPIRIT AND OF THE FLESH, and by HIS SINGLE DEATH HE LOOSED BOTH OUR DEATHS. If he should have SUFFERED BOTH, HE COULD HAVE DELIVERED US FROM NEITHER. But he mercifully undertook ONE OF THEM and justly CONDEMNED BOTH. He joined HIS SINGLE DEATH TO OUR DOUBLE DEATH, and dying CONQVERED BOTH OUR DEATHS. He then which for us took UPON HIM ONLY THE DEATH OF THE BODY suffered the shadow of death, and hid from God's eyes, the sin which we had committed. Bernard likewise. 
Bernard. ad milit. 〈◊〉 cap. 1●.  Cum gemina morte secundum utramque naturam homo damnatus fuisset, altera quidem spiritali & voluntaria, altera corporali & necessaria; utrique deus homo, una SVA CORPORALI ac voluntaria benign & potenter occurrit, ILLAQVE SVA una NOSTRAM VTRAMQVE DAMNAVIT. Where man was condemned unto a double death, to wit, in either part of his nature; the one death spiritual and voluntary, the other corporal and necessary; God being made man did mightily and mercifully release both our Deaths, with his ONE CORPORAL and voluntary Death, and with THAT ONE DEATH OF HIS DESTROYED BOTH OURS. And so concludeth; Dum sponte, & tantum in corpore moritur, & vitam nobis & justitiam promeretur. While Christ died willingly and ONLY in his BODY he merited for us both righteousness and life.  
I hope to all men learned, 
How Christ gave himself wholly for us.  or well advised it will seem no jesuitical frenzy, but rather christian & catholic doctrine, that the son of God dying for our sins, suffered NOT THE DEATH OF THE SOUL, but ONLY OF THE BODY by the hands of the jews: and by the bodily & bloody sacrifice of himself, did not only redeem & cleanse both our souls & bodies, but destroyed sin & death, purging our transgressions by the merit of his obedience, & swallowing up death by power that of his life And howsoever the scriptures sometimes affirm that he gave 
b 1. Tim 2  himself a ransom for all men, and the Fathers likewise teach, that he gave his flesh for our flesh, and his soul for our souls: yet neither Scriptures nor Fathers have any meaning either to subject Christ to the death of the soul, which assertion they abhor as wicked; or to diminish the force or fruit of his bodily death, which they extol as most sufficient; but to express that in the death of his flesh on the cross his soul did suffer the sense of pain, and smart of death which parted the body and soul in sunder; and so jointly with the body, and severally by itself, the soul of Christ had not only temptations, afflictions and passions, but even endured the natural sting and sharpness of death, to which he submitted his soul, that he might have the 
c Heb. 4.  feeling of our infirmities, and in all things be tempted as we are: but still without sin. How Christ gave himself wholly for us, we may learn out of Bernard. 
d Bernard in ramis palmarum Serm. 3.  Sicut TOTUM HOMINEM saluum fecit, sic DE TOTO SE HOSTIAM fecit salutarem; corpus exponens tantis supplicijs & iniurijs, animam vero geminae cuiusdam humanissimae compassionis affectui, inde super moerore inconsolabili sanctarum foeminarum, inde super desperatione & dispersione discipulorum. In his quatuor crux dominica fuit. As Christ saved the WHOLE MAN, so of HIMSELF WHOLLY he made a wholesome sacrifice: yielding his body to so great torments and wrongs, and his soul to the feeling of a double most tender compassion, on the one side for the uncomfortable grief of the holy women; on the other side for the desperation and dispersion of his disciples. In these four consisted the cross of Christ. Since then the death of Christ did both affect and afflict his soul and his body; justly might Irenaeus say, 
e Irenaeus. lib. 5. cap. 1.  The Lord bought us with his own blood, and gave his soul for our souls, and his flesh for our flesh. For in dying he laid down his soul not only to sorrow, grief and pain, but even to the bitter divorce of death, that broke the communion of body and soul. 
f Fulgentius ad Trasimundum lib. 3.  Sicut TOTVS SEMETIPSUM tradidit, & TOTUS HOMO SEMETIPSUM OBTULIT, ita totus homo ANIMAM SVAM POSVIT, cum anima, in cruse moriente carne, discessit. As WHOLE Christ gave HIMSELF (saith Fulgentius) and the WHOLE MAN OFFERED HIMSELF, so the whole man LAID down HIS SOUL, when, the flesh dying on the cross, the soul departed. So that Christ yielded his soul for our souls to the susception of sorrow, prepossion of pain, and dissolution of nature; but unto the death of the soul he did neither offer, nor yield himself: since that is a separation from God, and exclusion from grace, from which it was utterly impossible the soul of Christ could either willingly, or forcibly for an hour be removed: yea where you find the suffering of his soul witnessed, there shall you see the DEATH OF HIS FLESH ONLY to be avouched. 
g Fulgentius ad Trasimundum lib. 3.  Quia TOTUM HOMINEM deus ille suscepit, ideo TOTIUS HOMINIS in se passiones in veritate monstravit, & ammam quidem rationalem habens, quicquid fuit infirmitatis animae sine peccato suscepit & pertulit, ut dum humanae animae passiones, in anima quam accepit vinceret, nostras quoque animas ab infirmitatibus liberaret. Carnem quoque humanam accipiens, in eiusdem veritate carnis, veritatem voluntariae habuit passionis, ut IN CARNE MORTWS TOTAM in se HOMINIS OCCIDERET MORTEM. Because (the son of God) took unto him the WHOLE NATURE of man, therefore he showed in himself the sufferings OF THE WHOLE MAN; and having a reasonable soul, he took upon him and endured all the infirmities of the soul, but without sin; that whiles in the soul, which he took, he conquered the passions of man's soul, he might free our souls also from infirmities. Taking likewise man's flesh, in the truth of the same flesh he suffered a true and voluntary passion, that DYING IN THE FLESH, he might kill in his person the WHOLE DEATH dew to man. Christ endured the passions of the whole man; having neither body nor soul free from suffering; but yet he died ONLY in the FLESH, and thereby he killed the WHOLE DEATH inflicted on the body and soul of man. 
h Ibidem.  Quis ignorat Christum IN SOLO CORPORE MORTWM & sepultum? Who is ignorant that Christ in BODY ONLY DIED, and was buried? And again, 
i Ibidem.  Sicut in MORTE SOLIVS CARNIS immortalis fuit, sic in passionibus totius hominis impassibilis omnino permansit. The godhead of Christ was immortal when ONLY HIS BODY DIED, and impassable, when the whole man suffered. 
k Ibidem.  Moriente carne, non solum deitas sed NEC ANIMA CHRISTI POTEST OSTENDI COMMORTVA. When Christ's body died, not only his deity, but his SOUL CANNOT BE showed TO HAVE BEEN PARTAKER OF DEATH. Wherefore I easily admit the words of Nazianzene to be true, that every part in man is 
l Nazianzen. in tract. 49. ad Cledonium.  sanctified by the like in Christ, our condemned flesh by his flesh, our soul by his soul, our understanding by his understanding; yea I dislike not the words of cyril; 
m Cyril. de recta fide ad Theodosium.  Carnem suam in redemptionis pretium pro omnium carne dependit; & animam suam similiter pro omnium anima redemptionis pretium constituit, quamuis iterum revixerit, vita secundum naturam existens. Christ yielded his flesh, as a ransom for the flesh of all men, and made his soul likewise a price to redeem the souls of all, though he were restored again to life, as being life by nature: so long as we abuse not his words to maintain our fancies impugning his general and settled doctrine; that 
n Cyril de recta fide ad reginas lib. 2.  sufficient for the redemption of the world, is the DEATH OF HIS FLESH ONLY: nor thereby take occasion to defend that his blood is not able to justify, or sanctify the believers. 
o Idem de recta fide ad reginas lib. 1  Sanguine suo, hoc est SVAE CARNIS SANGVINE justificat omnes in se credentes. With his blood, that is with THE BLOOD OF HIS FLESH he justifieth all that believe in him. 
p Ibidem.  SI NON ALIO MODO SALVANDUS ERAT mundus nisi in SANGVINE ET CORPORE morti VTILITER derelicto, quo pacto non necessarius verbo incarnationis modus ut iustificet in sanguine suo credentes in se, & conciliet patri per mortem sui corporis? If the world MIGHT NONE OTHER WAY BE SAVED but by Christ's leaving his BODY AND BLOOD UNTO DEATH for our good, how was not the taking of flesh necessary for the son of God, that by his blood he might justify such as believed in him, and BY THE DEATH OF HIS BODY reconcile them to God his father? 
q Ibidem.  Quomodo sanguis communis hominis nos sanctos efficeret? sed sanctificavit sanguis Christi. Deus igitur & non simpliciter homo; deus enim erat in carne, SVO SANGVINE nos purificans. How could the blood of a common man make us holy? BUT THE BLOOD OF CHRIST DID SANCTIFY US. He was therefore God and not simply a man. For he was God in FLESH THAT CLEANSED US WITH HIS BLOOD.  
When the ancient fathers affirm, 
The death of Christ's flesh redeemeth as well soul as body.  that Christ died for us THE DEATH OF THE BODY ONLY, and that the BLOOD OF HIS FLESH doth save and sanctify the believers; we must not like children imagine they speak of insensible flesh, or that in those words they exclude the union, operation or passion of the soul, whiles Christ's body suffered and died: that were to make Christ a stock, not a man, and to give him carrion, and not human flesh quickened and coupled with life and soul; but in the death of his body & shedding of his blood, they include all those afflictions and passions of the soul, which naturally & necessarily follow pain & accompany death. For these sufferings of Christ's soul confirm his obedience, & witness his patience; only their intent is by all means to free Christ from THE DEATH OF THE SOUL, and then to propose the death which he suffered in the body of his flesh on the cross, with all painful, but no sinful c●●comitants and consequents, as the propitiation for our sins, redemption of our souls, and reconciliation unto God; by which all the adversaries of our salvation the law, sin, death and Satan are utterly conquered and abolished. And thus far forth they have the scriptures expressly concurring with them. 
r 1. john. 1  The blood of jesus Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin. It must cleanse then our souls, as well as our bodies; for they are the chief agents in sin. 
s Hebre. 9  Much more shall the blood of Christ purge your consciences from dead works. Conscience is a part of the soul; not of the body. 
t revelat. 5.  Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, say the saints in heaven, whose bodies lie in the dust of the earth. Redemption, remission of sins, justification, sanctification, and such like effects of the blood of Christ are PRINCIPALLY and PRIMARILY in the soul; and by consequent in the body. And therefore there can be no question, but the bodily death of Christ is the redemption of our souls, as well as of our bodies, in as much as the whole man in Christ died the death of the cross, to redeem the whole man in us; both parts in him jointly feeling; but with admirable patience enduring, the bitter and sharp pains antecedent, and annexed to the death of his body. 
u August. epist. 120.  Cum caro in doloribus est, & in poenis, profecto anima tunc habet maximum agonem patientiae. When the flesh is in anguish and pain, (saith Austen) than the soul certainly hath the greatest trial of patience. For the soul is so created and ordained that she feeleth the pleasure and pain of her body; and howsoever the flesh be subjecteth to violence, the sense and grievance thereof is in the soul, both in this life, and in the next.  

The bodily death of christ overthrew all the enemies of our salvation,  As the bodily death of Christ payeth the price of our redemption: so it removeth all the impediments of our salvation, which are many and mightily linked together. For by the CORRUPTION of nature descending from our parents, and dwelling within us, we are 
x Rom. 7.  sold under sin, 
y Ephes 2.  fulfilling the will of the flesh, and loving 
z 2. Timoth▪ 3  pleasures more than God: whereby we neglect and break the LAW of God, and so incur the CURSE pronounced against the transgressors of the law; and by that obligation are liable to ETERNAL DEATH. This is the chain of original infection, actual transgression, legal malediction, and eternal damnation, which draweth us from God, and bindeth us as prisoners and captives to death, and hell. If then the DEATH of Christ suffered 
a Colos. ●  IN THE BODY OF HIS FLESH loosed every link of this chain, and not only cleared us from all these enemies and exactors, but reconciled us to God, and made peace for us 
b Ibidem.  by the blood of his cross; it is a wrong to the death & blood of Christ either to disable them as not sufficient to redéem us; or to supply them with any better or other addition, which the holy ghost doth not mention. Examine these particularly, and see whether the power of Christ's death do not perfectly dissolve them all. 
c Rom. 6.  Our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. Let not sin reign therefore in your mortal body, (saith the Apostle) that you should obey it in the lusts thereof. The force and strength of original sin and corruption in all the faithful is crucified and dead with Christ, except they revive it by voluntary obeying the lusts thereof. 
d Galat. 5  For they which are Christ's, have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts; by reason not only the guilt, but also the life and power of sin died in Christ's flesh, when it was crucified. So that 
e Rom. 6.  sin now hath no dominion over them, because they are not under the law, but under grace. And likewise for actual sin, (by Christ) 
f Ephes. 1. Colos. 1.  we have redemption, through his blood, that is the forgiveness of sins. For God hath 
g Rom. 3.  proposed him to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood by the forgiveness of the sins that are passed, through the patience of God. 
h 1. john. 1  The blood (therefore) of Christ jesus his son cleanseth us from all sin, since he is the 
i Hebre. 9  mediator of the new Testament, (whose) death was for the redemption of the transgressions, that were in the former testament.  
If the death of Christ on the cross, 
The death of Christ on the cross quencheth the curse of the law.  and the shedding of his blood were the just and full redemption of all our sins, then apparently it eased and ended the curse which the law inflicted, for sin. For where he is 
k Galat 3.  accursed, that continueth not in all things written in the book OF THE LAW, to do them; the remitting of sin, is the releasing of the curse that is consequent to sin. The curse importeth vengeance due to sin. Then where sin is pardoned the curse is determined. But 
l Ephes. 1  we have redemption, even remission of sins through his blood. Ergo the blood of Christ doth quench the curse of the law. The manner, how the curse of the law lighted & seized on the person of Christ, is thus expressed by S. Paul. 
m Galat. 3  Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. For it is written, accursed is every one that hangeth on the tree. As by his stripes we are healed: so by his curse we are blessed. In as much as he submitted himself to the curse of the law for our sins, not only our transgressions are pardoned, for which Christ suffered; but the law stinging him to death, lost his force for ever. For the vengeance of the law once executed on our surety, can no more in God's justice be exacted of us. But Christ received the sentence of the law in himself, when he bore our sins in his body on the tree; we therefore are quited for ever from the power of the law. Since then by his receiving and suffering the curse of the law in his own person, we are freed and blessed; it remaineth we search how far the curse prevailed against him. Wherein we must take heed that we slep not an hairs breadth from the Apostles words. For if we stretch the curse farther on Christ, then in truth it did, or could take place, we arrogantly and impiously pronounce that cursed, which indeed was blessed; and falsify the promise of God, made to Abraham, that in his seed, which was Christ, 
n Genes. 22  All the nations of the earth should be blessed. For how could the blessing of Abraham be derived from Christ to us, if every part of his human nature were accursed? Wherefore Christ must receive the curse of the law in one part of himself, which was his flesh, and in the other which was his soul, retain the blessing of God, as well for his flesh to be raised again, as for his members to be united unto him. If this be not the doctrine of the holy Ghost, I urge no man to believe it; if it be, let such as will want GOD'S curse, beware how they refuse it. It is no small adventure to extend the curse of God upon the soul of Christ jesus, without clear, sound, and sure testimony of the holy scriptures.  
To show that Christ sustained the curse of the law; 
How Christ was made a curse for us.  and by his enduring it, acquitted us; Saint Paul in effect useth this reason. 
o Deuter. 21  CURSED saith Moses is every one that is hanged on the tree. But Christ was content for our sins to be hanged on the tree of the cross. He therefore submitted himself to the curse of the law to redeem us from it. That this is Saint Paul's argument, the third to the Galathians, to prove Christ under the curse of the law, I hope the simplest amongst you, will soon perceive, the learnedest dare not deny. By which it is evident, that part of Christ which hung on the cross was subjecteth to the curse: but the soul of Christ was not crucified: Ergo the soul of Christ was not made a curse; but only his body. And by suffering this curse, that is by hanging on the tree, he redeemed us from the curse of the law, which we had deserved both in body and soul. Which of these things can we contradict? Shall we say the Apostle missed his mark, in that he cleareth us from the spiritual and perpetual curse of the law, by Christ's suffering a corporal and temporal part thereof? or shall we challenge him to be so simple that he knew not the difference betwixt the one & the other? I am far from any such thought; I love to follow and not to lead the holy ghost. In matters of so great depth I dare not wade, without, or before my guide. That Christ died hanging on a tree, the 
p Matth 27 Mark 15 Luke 23.  Evangelists are plain. That hanging on a tree is a cursed kind of death in the 
q Deutero. ●●  law of Moses, is as manifest. That by hanging on the tree he was made a curse for us, and thereby redeemed us from the curse of the law, the 
r Galat. 3.  Apostle is resolute. If any man will offer farther, I must leave him. To fasten the internal or eternal curse of the law, 
Christ was not accursed in soul.  on the soul of Christ, is to my understanding very desperate divinity. For men might nail his body to the tree, as did the jews; but none could inflict the curse on his soul, but only God. Since then the innocency, obedience, patience, humility, and sanctity of his soul were so perfect even in the sight of God, that it could not justly be but blessed, how should the righteousness of God immediately, and unjustly lay the curse, which bringeth inward and everlasting death, on the soul of Christ? Again, God spiritually curseth none, but whom he first deservedly hateth; as all unclean and wicked persons. If then the soul of Christ could not worthily be hated of God, it could not truly be cursed of God; for the hatred and curse of God cannot be severed.  
This doctrine is ancient and catholic. Saint Austen ripping this matter to the quick, saith. 
s August. contra Faustum Man●●h●ū. lib. 14. ca 4  Securus Apostolus ait de Christo, factus est pro nobis maledictum, sicut non timuit dicere, pro omnibus mortuus est; hoc est enim mortuus, quod maledictus; quoniam mors ipsa ex maledicto est: 
Christ was in that part accursed in which he died.  & maledictum est omne peccatum, sive ipsum quod fit, ut sequatur supplicium, sive ipsum supplicium, quod alio modo vocatur peccatum, quia fit ex peccato. Suscepit autem Christus sine reatu supplicium nostrum, ut inde solueret reatum nostrum, & finiret etiam supplicium nostrum. Securely the Apostle saith of Christ that he was made a curse for us, even as he feared not to say, Christ DIED FOR ALL. For, HE DIED, IS ALL ONE WITH HE WAS ACCURSED, because DEATH CAME FROM THE CURSE; and all sin is accursed, as well that which is committed and deserveth punishment, as THE PUNISHMENT ITSELF, which in a sort is called sin, because it is consequent to sin. Now Christ bore our punishment without any desert, that thereby he might acquit our guiltiness, and end our punishment. And again. 
t Ibid, in cap 6  Maledictus omnis qui pendet in ligno, non hic aut ille▪ sed omnis omnino. Etiamne & filius dei? etiam prorsus. DISPLICET VOBIS MALEDICTUS PRO NOBIS, QVIA DISPLICET MORTWS PRO NOBIS. Tune extra maledictum illius Adam, si extra illius mortem. Cum vero ex homine, & pro homine mortem suscepit, ex illo & pro illo etiam maledictum quod mortem comitatur suscipere non dedignatus est etiam ille, prorsus etiam ille filius Dei, semper viuus in sua justitia, mortuus autem propter delicta nostra in carne suscepta ex poena nostra. Sic & semper benedictus in sua justitia, maledictus autem propter delicta nostra, in morte suscepta ex poena nostra; ac per hoc additum est, OMNIS: ne Christus ad veram mortem non pertinere diceretur, si à maledicto, quod morti coniunctum est, insipienti honorisicentia separaretur. Cursed is every one that hangeth on the wood: not this or that man, but every man without exception. What the son of God himself? yea in any case. You (Manichees) mislike Christ should be accursed for us; because you believe not he died for us. Then is Christ without the curse of Adam, when he is without the death of Adam. But for so much as from man, and for man he did admit death; even from man, and for man he vouchsafed to admit the curse, which accompanieth death; I mean even that very son of God, always living in his own righteousness, but dying for our sins in the flesh which he took from our punishment. So always blessed in his own righteousness, he was accursed for our sins in the death which he suffered by reason of our punishment; and therefore the Scripture saith, EVERY ONE; lest Christ should be thought not truly to have died, if by an intent of foolish honour he should be excepted from the curse, which is united unto death. And answering Faustus objection; if a king command any Christian to worship the Sun & Moon, or to be hanged on a tree; he must either way of necessity be accursed: Austen saith. 
u Ibid. cap. 1●.  Christianus videt unum maledictum pertinere ad corpus mortale, quod ligno suspenditur; alterum ad ammum, quo sol adoratur: sicut mors est corporis in ligno pendere, it a mors est animi solem adorare. Eligendum est igitur maledictum in corporis morte, quo maledicto & ipsum corpus in resurrectione liberabitur: devitandum autem maledictum in animi morte, ne cum suo corpore in aeterno igne damnetur. Nolite timere maledictum corporalis mortis, quod temporaliter soluitur; sed timete maledictum mortis spiritualis, per quod anima in aeternum cum suo corpore cruciatur. A Christian perceiveth the one curse to belong to the mortal body, that hangeth on the wood; the other whereby the Son is worshipped, to pertain to the soul. He must therefore choose the curse of the corporal death, from which curse even his very body shall be delivered in the resurrection; and shun the curse of the spiritual death, lest together with the body the soul be damned in everlasting fire. Fear not the curse of the corporal death, which is dissolved with time; but fear the curse of the spiritual death, by which the soul is everlastingly tormented with her body. This doctrine is so sound, it cannot be confuted; and so clear, it need not be explained. The temporal death of the body came first from sin, as a part of the curse and punishment of sin; and so to this day doth it continue. Christ therefore in that he yielded his body to die on the Cross, subjecteth himself to the curse of our sin, and by suffering a part of the curse, abolished the whole: but the curse of the soul, which is the spiritual death, Christ could not taste; because that damneth body and soul for ever.  
The rest of the ancient fathers tredd the same path. 
x 
Chrysost. in cap. 3 epit. ad Galato●.  
The kind of Christ's death was accursed, & so the force of the law dissolved.   The people (saith chrysostom) were subject to the curse, which saith, accursed is every one that abideth not in those things which are written in the book of the law. For none of them had continued therein, neither had any man fulfilled the whole law, but Christ exchanged the curse with another, which saith, accursed is every one that hangeth on the tree. Where then he that hangeth on the tree is accursed, and he that transgresseth the law is likewise accursed, he that shall dissolve this curse, must not be subject to the same; but must admit an other in steed of that; which Christ did, and so by the one loosed the other. 
y Ibidem.  The cross therefore took away the curse. Can we wish plainer words, then that Christ by suffering the CURSE OF SUSPENSION on the cross, took away THE CURSE OF TRANSGRESSION, to which the people were subject? Theodorete: 
x Theodoret. in cap. 3. epist. ad Galat.  When all were subject to the curse of the law, Christ suffered that kind of death, which is accursed in the law, that he might deliver all men from the curse. Cyril. 
a Cyril. de recta fide ad reginal. lib. 1.  Factus est pro nobis maledictum, crucem ferens & pendens in ligno ut soluat peccatum mundi. Christ was made a curse for us; when he endured the Cross, and hung on the tree, that he might release the sin of the world. Ambrose. 
b Ambros. epist. lib. 5. oration. in Auxentium de 〈…〉.  Quare maledictum dicatur Apostolus te docet dicens, quia scriptum est: malediclus omnis qui pendet in ligno. Hoc est qui in carne sua nostram carnem, in suo corpore nostras infirmitates, & nostra maledicta suscepit, ut cruci sigeret. Why Christ is called a curse, the Apostle teacheth thee, when he saith, because it is written; accursed is every one that hangeth on the tree, that is, which in his flesh bore our flesh, AND IN HIS BODY took OUR INFIRMITIES, AND OUR CURSES that he might fasten them to his Crosse. Hierom. 
c Hierom. la. cap. 3. epist. ad Gala.  It ought to trouble no man that Christ was made a curse for us; because God, who is said to make him a curse, did also make him sin for us, though he knew no sin; yea, being life he died, and being the wisdom of God, he is called foolishness: but he died, that we might live; he was made foolishness that we should be made wisdom; he hung on the tree, that being fastened to the tree, he might wipe out the sin, which we had committed in the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Oecumenius. 
d Ecumenical in cap. 3. epist. ad Galatas.  We were under the curse, because we had not kept the law; Christ was free from that because he had fulfilled the law; and yet he suffered a curse not due to him, when he was hanged on the tree, that he might dissolve the curse pronounced against us.  
Other expositions if any man seek, he shall find even in the learned and ancient writers. 
e Cyril, desens. in Anathematismum primum.  Non maledictum, vel peccatum factum, est (verbum) sed cum iniquis reputatus est justus existens, ut aboleat peccatum: & appellatus est maledictus, qui benedixit creaturam, ut soluat nostrum maledictum, & liberet à poenà credentes in ipsum. Igitur non est factus secundum veritatem maledictum & peccatum, appellatus autem illorum nominibus, ut aboleat maledictum & peccatum. Christ was not made indeed a curse, or sin (saith Cyrill) but he was reputed amongst the wicked, being just, that he might put away sin; and he who did bless the creature, was called a curse, that he might dissolve our curse, and free from vengeance such as believed in him. Therefore he was not in truth made a curse and sin; but he was called by those names, that he might abolish both the curse and sin. Christ was no more a curse, than he was sin; who indeed, and with God was neither; but with men he was reputed both wicked and accursed, by reason God suffered him to endure that wild and shameful kind of death, which he did to save us from the curse of sin. Epiphanius saith he was A CURSE UNTO THE CURSE, that is, a dissoluer and finisher of the curse. 
f Epiphanius contra Ma●ci●●●itas heres. 42.  Ignorat omnino miser ille, quod neque Christus maledictio factus sit; absit: sed maledictionem, quae propter peccat a nostra fuit, abstulit seipsum cruci dedens; & factus est mors morti propter peccata nostra, & MALEDICTIO MALEDICTIONI. Quapropter non est Christus maledictum, sed maledicti solutio; benedictio autem omnibus verè in ipsum credentibus. That wretch (Martion) is utterly ignorant, that Christ was not accursed; God forbidden: but he took away the curse that lay on our sins, in yielding himself to the cross, and was made death unto death for our sins, and A CURSE UNTO THE CURSE. Wherefore Christ WAS NOT A CURSE, but THE DISSOLVER OF THE CURSE, and A BLESSING to all that truly believe in him.  
These, though they diversly apply the Apostles speech, Factus pro nobis maledictum, Christ was made a curse for us, some to the toleration of death, some to the opinion of men, 
These three ways Christ is said to be accursed for us.  and some to the depulsion of the curse from us; yet in this they all agree, that by giving his body to die on the Cross, Christ received, sustained, and abolished the curse due to us for transgressing the law of God. And to justify their assertion they have not only the plain text of 
g Galat. 3.  Paul and 
g Deut. 21.  Moses, Cursed is he that hangeth on the tree; but the manifest words of Peter, 
h 1. Peter. 2.  He bore our sins in his body on the tree. To prove the death which Christ suffered to be a cursed kind of death, the place of Moses is very pregnant; to prove the person to be accursed in soul, it hath neither cause, nor truth. For innocents may suffer that wrong to be hanged on trees; and shall they then be accursed in soul? And be they malefactors, they may repent as did the thief on the cross; and shall they notwithstanding their repentance be accursed? Shall we close both penitent and innocent within the true curse of the soul, rather than we will suffer Paul's words to be referred to the death of the body? For he saith, Cursed is EVERY ONE that hangeth on the tree; excusing none; and if any might be excepted out of the general rule, Christ jesus most of all. But every one that hangeth on the tree, hath a cursed kind of death, though a blessed soul. Paul therefore expressly teacheth, that Christ subjecteth himself to a cursed kind of death; and in so dying, he delivered us from the curse of the Law. 
i August. in exposition. epist. ad Galat.  Ex part quip mortali pependit in ligno, mortalitas autem unde sit, notum est credentibus. Ex poena quip est, & maledictio peccati primi hominis, quam Dominus suscepit, & peccata nostra pertulit in corpore suo super liguum. That part (saith Austen) which was mortal (in Christ) hung on the Cross; and whence mortality came the faithful knowe. It came from the punishment of sin, and is the malediction of the sin of the first man; which the Lord took unto him and bare our sins in his body on the tree. Yea when Christ took the curse, he took the sin of the old man into his flesh, and fastened it together with his flesh unto the Crosse. 
k Ibidem  Quid pependit in ligno, nisi peccatum veteris hominis, quod Dominus pro nobis in ipsa carnis mortalitate suscepit? unde nec erubuit nec tumuit Apostolus dicere, peccatum eum fecisse pro nobis; addens ut de peccato condemnaret peccatum. Non enim & vetus homo noster simul crucifigeretur, sicut Apostolus alibi dicit, nisi in illa morte Domini, peccati nostri figura penderet. What hung on the tree but the sin of the old man, which (sin) the Lord took upon him for us in the very mortality of his flesh? Wherefore the Apostle was neither ashamed, nor afraid to say, that (God) made him sin for us, that by sin he might condemn sin. For our old man could not be crucified together with Christ, as the Apostle else where writeth, except the figure of our sin did hang on the Cross in that death which the Lord died. And if Peter's words be true, (which can not be false) Christ bore our sins, that is, the malediction and punishment of our sins, in his body on the tree, and thereby saved us from the eternal malediction, which is, Go you cursed into everlasting fire.  
My resolution then is, which I hope will be received, because it is the Apostles; 
l Rom. 7. We are dead to the law in the body of Christ.  WE ARE DEAD TO THE LAW BY THE BODY OF CHRIST, that we should be to another, even to him that is raised from the dead. We are quit from the fear, from the yoke, from the curse, from the vengeance of the law; in one word, WE ARE DEAD to the law; which hath no more challenge to us now, than a man hath to his wife that is long since dead. And if you ask when, and how we became dead to the law, Saint Paul answereth; BY THE BODY OF CHRIST, when he suffered on the Cross for our sins. And as 
m Rom. 6.  he that is dead is freed from sin; so we dying in, and with the body of Christ, are 
n Rom. 8.  LOOSED FROM THE LAW OF SIN, AND DEATH; Sin being condemned, and death conquered in the flesh of Christ, WHICH IS OUR FLESH, not only because it was taken of us, but also for that it is united unto us, as the head to the members; and communicateth with us both in life and death, as appeareth by that we died and rose again in him; and to this day he suffereth in us, than which no conjunction can be surer, or nearer. Since then the corruption of our flesh, the guilt of our sin, the curse of the law, the sting of death were all closed and crucified in the body of Christ on the Cross, and his death hath discharged us from their dominion; justly doth the Apostle say of Christ, that he did 
o Hebr. ●.  partake with flesh, and blood, that through death he might destroy him that had power of death, even the devil. For in that we be freed from the curse of the law, which brought and bound sinners by death to hell: the chains of darkness are broken, and Satan's force wholly frustrate; and he himself now left to behold the ruin of his kingdom, to grieve at the spoil of his goods, and to fear the vengeance provided for him, howsoever for a season he be suffered to pursue the members of Christ here on earth, to his own shame, and their greater comfort, in trying the mighty power and steadfast favour of God for their perpetual defence, and eternal recompense. So that in all things 
p Rom. 8.  we are more than conquerors through him that loved us, 
q Galat. 2.  and gave himself for us, 
r Rom. 16.  who will tread down Satan under our feet, 
s 1. Cor. 15.  that God may be all in all. Very mighty than is the power of Christ's death, by whose BLOOD the saints 
t Revel. 12.  OVERDO COME the great Dragon, that old Serpent called the Devil; and his overthrow proveth all the enemies of man's salvation to be vanquished, and impediments removed; since he was the first persuader and procurer, and is the Prince and ruler of them all.  
We have seen the power of Christ's death in subduing sin and Satan, 
The bodily death of christ doth more express Gods mercies and Christ's merits, then if the pains of hell were joined with it.  as likewise in ending & abolishing the curse of the law, which obliged man for his uncleanness and unrighteousness to everlasting condemnation; and find that he, which bore our sins in his body on the tree, did in that mortal part which he took of us, crucify as well the flesh, and sin of man, as the curse and death, that reigned over man: and so much he performed in the body of his flesh through death, by which he reconciled us unto God, to make us holy and blameless in his sight: let us now see whether the death of the spirit, and the curse of the soul will any thing help the work of our redemption, or whether the death of Christ's body, do not more fully demonstrate the mercies of God, and merits of Christ, then if the pains of hell had been joined with it. And where some men think it would much commend the TRUTH, POWER, and JUSTICE of God, and more amply declare the OBEDIENCE, PATIENCE, and LOVE of Christ, if he refused not the very torments of hell for our sakes, shunning no part of the burden that pressed us, I must confess I am rather of a contrary mind; that the bodily death of Christ on the cross doth more plainly express the virtues of God, and Christ his son, then if the terror and horror of hell were therewith coupled.  
And first for the TRUTH of god, his threatening Adam in this wise, 
u Gen. 2.  Thou shalt die the death, or thou shalt certainly die, was truly performed in the body of Christ; in the soul of Christ it could not without sin or damnation; neither of which with any truth can be ascribed unto Christ. 
As namely the truth of God  That the mouth of God lied, or the soul of Christ died, is a choice so hard, that I wish all men that have any care of Christian religion to refrain either. Next, touching the POWER of God; 
The power God.  the weaker the instrument which God useth to overthrow his enemies, the greater is both his glory and their shame. Then, for flesh which was the feeblest part of Christ, after it was dead, and void of all hope in show, to rise again into a blessed and heavenly life, and to foil both death and Satan by recovering itself into the full possession, and all his members into the joyful expectation of everlasting glory, was far a mightier conquest, then for his soul with much ado at length to escape, and resist the assaults of hell. From the depth of hell here on earth many sinful souls have by grace struggeled, and cleared themselves; from the grave never rose none into an immortal, & incorruptible life, before the flesh of Christ. Deeper in desperation, and all other temptations of hell have others been, that yet were saved, than any man dare affirm of Christ: deeper in death without corruption, than the body of Christ, never was, nor ever shall be any of the sons of men. It was therefore an harder thing for the body of Christ, past all sense, to rise from death, to immortality, then for his soul void of sin, and full of grace to repel the force of Satan; and yet to repel it, showeth greater power then to suffer it; to conquer it, showeth greatest of all.  
[But to bear the burden of God's wrath due to our sins, and to free us from it, needed greater strength, (they will say) than Christ's flesh could have.] To support and avert Gods just indignation from us, the human body or soul of Christ of themselves were not able; 
To avert God's wrath from us, the dignity of Christ's person was necessary.  but the DIGNITY and UNITY of his person must be placed in the gap to quench the flame of God's just vengeance against our sins, which was everlasting destruction both of body and soul; yet for so much as the sincerity and sanctity of Christ's soul, personally joined, quickened, and blessed with the perpetual union, communion, and fruition of his deity, could feel no want of grace, no lack of spirit, no loss of favour with God (in which things consist the inward death, and curse of the soul:) the wrath of God was executed on the flesh of his son, which he took of purpose from Adam, that the rain he might bear the sin, and curse of Adam; and so by his death might satisfy the sentence, and pacify the displeasure of God against our unrighteousness.  
And this is more agreeable to God's justice, then if Christ's soul had suffered the death and curse of the soul. For to take life from the soul, 
The justice of God.  must be God's proper and peculiar action. No creature can give the grace or spirit of God to the soul of man, which is the life of the soul, but only God. Therefore no creature can take it from the soul, but God alone that GIVETH it, must TAKE IT AWAY. Since than Christ might suffer nothing justly, but as the 
x 1. Pet. 3  just for the unjust, that is willingly, but unjustly; his death must come by the hands of the wicked, who might wrongfully take his life from him, but not touch his soul; and not by the immediate hand of GOD, who will do no wrong, and can kill the soul. 
y Matth. 27  I have sinned, saith judas, in betraying the INNOCENT blood. 
z Acts. 3.  You denied the HOLY AND JUST, and killed the Lord of life, saith Peter to the jews, warning them how great a sin they had committed in putting Christ to death. If he were an INNOCENT, and deserved no punishment; if he were HOLY and JUST, and could not be persecuted or put to death without heinous impiety and injury, we may do well to remember that the death of his soul had been a far greater wrong, than the death of his body was. And therefore if the justice of God would not farther interpose itself in killing his body, then by delivering him into the hands of the wicked, permitting them to shed his blond, which he would accept for the sins of the world; much less would God with his own mouth accurse; 
The death of Christ's soul could neither proceed from God, nor be acceptable unto God.  or with his own hand slay the soul of his son, whom he sent to restore and quicken those that were accursed, and dead in their sins. Again, corporally or temporally God punisheth one for another's fault, because he can recompense them eternally, that thereby repent and turn from their sins; but eternally or spiritually he punisheth no man, but for his own uncleanness, either naturally sticking in him, or voluntarily committed by him. Christ then being free from all sin, might not suffer the inward or everlasting death of the soul, but corporal and temporal reproach, and pain, which God might and did recompense with eternal joy, 
a Ezechiel. 18  and glory. thirdly that soul which sinneth, that soul shall die. This is the settled rule of God's justice; and therefore Christ's soul which sinned not, could by no justice die the death of the soul. To lay down his life for us was love and thanks with God: but willingly to separate himself from God for us, was no way to reconcile God to us, or to bring us to God. He must therefore cleave fast to God in soul, whose death shall be precious in God's sight, as was Christ's. If the soul be severed from God, the death of the body is detestable in his eyes, as being the wages of sin; and therefore no more acceptable to GOD then sin itself, but where the soul, hating the infection of sin, and loathing the infirmity of the flesh, resigneth it unto death for God's glory, and the good of others. And in this respect the death of the body may be a sacrifice unto God, but not except the soul do live, and cleave to God, without separation. Then hateful to GOD was the death of Christ, if his soul were first hated or accursed; if that were beloved and blessed of God, it could not choose but live; for God is not the 
b Matth. 22.  God of the dead, but of the living. So that the death of Christ's body on the Cross, was by no justice an acceptable sacrifice unto God, if his soul were first dead. But his death was so precious in God's sight, that in 
c Colos. ●  the body of his flesh through death, he reconciled us unto God: his soul was therefore alive and in favour with God, yea so abundantly blessed, and highly accepted, for the holiness, humility, and obedience thereof, that God was pacified, and pleased, and we all sanctified with THE OBLATION OF THE BODY of jesus on the altar of the cross.  
lastly, the flesh of Christ by God's justice must be as able to purge us from sin, as adam's was to poison us with sin. 
Christ's flesh must be as able to quicken us, as Adam's flesh was to kill us.  But the flesh of Adam infected all his posterity with sin, and death; ergo the flesh of Christ must have as much force, to cleanse and quicken the faithful both in this life, and the next. Of this justice Paul speaketh, when he saith, since by man came death, by man must come the resurrection of the dead: For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. The first Adam WAS THE FIGURE of the second Adam, that where 
c 1. Corinth. 15  sin abounded, there grace might abound much more. 
e Rom. 5.  As then by one man's disobedience many were made sinners; so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. The obedience of Christ which here Paul mentioneth, is his 
f Philip. 2. Rom. 3. verse  obedience unto death, even to the death of the cross; and the 
g 25. &  righteousness of the faithful is the forgiveness of their sins, 
h 24.  through the redemption that is in Christ jesus. I will not here dispute whether the soul be created, and infunded; or else traduced from Adam, as well as the flesh: I mean not with curious or superfluous questions to busy men's heads; that which the scriptures deliver touching the derivation of sin and death from our first parents, I may safely teach, and you must necessarily believe. That we were 
i Psal. 51.  fashioned in iniquity, and conceived in sin, the words of David do exactly witness, and no marvel. For 
k job. 14.  who can make that to be clean, which cometh from the unclean? yea sin cleaveth so fast unto our flesh, that when the 
l Ephes. 1.  eyes of our heart are lightened, and the 
m Ephes 4  spirit of our mind is renewed, so that the 
n Rom 7.  inward man delighteth in the law of God; EVEN THAN have we an 
o Rom. 7  other law in our members rebelling against the law of our mind, and leading us captive unto the law of sin; the 
p Galat. 5  one so contrary to the other, that we cannot do the things which we would; by reason the affection or 
q Rom. 8  liking of the flesh cannot be subject to the law of God. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  This fight betwixt the flesh and the spirit is so durable, that it cannot be dissolved but only by death. Though 
r Rom. 1  Christ be in us, and the spirit live for righteousness sake; yet 
s Rom. 7  sin so dwelleth in us, (that is) in our 
t Rom.  ● mortal bodies, that whiles we live, 
u Rom. 7  in mind we serve the law of God, but in our flesh the law of sin. From Adam's flesh we derive this infection of sin, that sticketh so fast unto us after we are regenerate, and new borne again of water and the holy ghost, and this is the root and nurse of all sin, and the cause of death to all men. 
x Rom. 8.  If Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin. From Christ's flesh than we must receive the purgation of sin both inherent in us, and committed by us; or else Adam's flesh is stronger to wound us, than Christ's is to heal us; which is repugnant to the justice of God; by which the grace of God must be far mightier unto salvation in the body of Christ, than the force of sin was unto condemnation in the body of Adam; unless we make sin of more power to kill, than God is to quicken; which is to exalt the devil above God, and his son. For 
y 2. Corinth. ●  God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself; by whose blood the 
z Ephes. 2  partition wall is broken down, and hatred abrogated 
z Ephes. 2  through his flesh; that we might be reconciled unto God in one body by his cross.  
[But the death of the body, they will say, hath no proportion to the death of the soul; 
why the death of Christ's body doth countervail all the bodies & souls of men.  and therefore the one cannot in justice excuse the other.] There is far greater distance betwixt the son of God, and the sons of men, then betwixt the bodies and souls of men. These differ as creatures, and both inferior unto the angels; but there is the excellency of the Creator above the creature, which is simply infinite. Whatsoever therefore it pleased the son of God to suffer for our sakes, it was most sufficient for our redemption; howbeit to demonstrate his love, he would be partaker of our infirmity and mortality; lest we should loathe our condition, or grudge at the chastisement of our sins; but if we set a side the dignity and unity of his person, then is no way the death of the soul or the pains of hell, which they imagine Christ suffered, proportionable in exact justice to the true wages of our sin. For what equivalence hath one soul with all the souls of the Saints? or one days anguish which Christ felt in soul, as they suppose, with that everlasting fire which we should have suffered in body and soul for ever? set aside I say the respect of the person, which suffered for us; and in the rest they shall never be able to prove any proportion of justice divine or human. But as I have fully showed before, the worthiness of the person is the surest ground of our salvation, and chiefest weight of our redemption; and therefore his death is of infinite force, and his blood of infinite price, even as his person is. For since all men's actions are and aught to be esteemed according to the gifts which they have, and place which they hold from GOD; why should not the death and blood of Christ be valued in God's justice according to the height and worth of his person? and if in all things we receive honour not due to our flesh wherein we partake with Beasts, but fit for the soul wherein we communicate with Angels; how seemeth it strange in our eyes, that the doings and sufferings of Christ jesus, which hath the natures of God and man in a surer and nearer conjunction, than we have our souls and bodies, should not be reckoned and accepted in GOD'S justice, as the ACTIONS and PASSIONS of HIS OWN SON; and have their value from the diviner and worthier part of Christ?  

The bodily death of christ doth more commend the merits of Christ then if the pains of hell were joined with it.  As the death of Christ's flesh ONLY doth more express the TRVETH, POWER, AND JUSTICE of God, then if the death of the soul had been joined with it; so the same setteth forth Christ's merits, namely his OBEDIENCE, PATIENCE, and LOVE in far better sort, then if we add unto it the death of the spirit, which is the reward of all the reprobate and damned. For what a man unwillingly suffereth, that showeth neither obedience, nor patience. Obedience hath readiness; and patience, if it be perfect, hath gladness; both haus' willingness. If then we be forced against our wills to endure that which we would gladly avoid, it is violence; 
In the death of the soul there could neither be obedience nor patience.  it is neither obedience nor patience; and consequently it hath neither merits nor thanks with God. The death then of the soul, which is a separation from the favour and grace of God, did Christ suffer it willingly, or unwillingly? if willingly; there could be no greater neglect of GOD, then to be willing to be separated from God. It were disobedience and insolence in the highest degree, to be glad and forward to forsake God, or to be forsaken of him. Christ therefore must not be willing to suffer the death of the soul, lest we wrap him within the compass of contemning and rejecting the grace and favour of GOD, which are sinful enormities. Was he unwilling to suffer it? then could he be neither obedient, nor patiented in suffering it. All virtue is voluntary, compulsion hath no merit. 
a 2. Corinth. 9  God loveth a cheerful giver, and sufferer. He that murmureth, in heart rebelleth, though he hold still his tongue. So likewise I must ask, if Christ suffered the death of the soul, did he suffer it justly or unjustly? if unjustly: God could not be the sole and immediate agent in imposing it; and besides God, no creature can bereave the soul of life. Did he suffer it justly? then must he be void of all virtue; for nothing but sin deserveth the death of the soul. Obedience and patience, merit thanks with God; and cannot want the blessing of God: where the death of the soul is the greatest curse, that God inflicteth here on earth.  
And where they think it would greatly increase the love of Christ towards us if he vouchsafed to taste the death of the soul for our sakes; 
It is no love to renounces God for man's sake.  I reply, that supposition would make Christ a sinner, if not a liar; which God forbidden should once enter our thoughts. For first Christ saith. 
b john. 15  Greater love than this hath no man, that one should lay down his life for his friends. But 
c Rom. 5  God commendeth his love towards us; that whiles we were yet sinners Christ died for us. If it be love for a man to lose his soul for his friend, then is there found a greater love, than Christ ever knew: for he saith, there is no greater love than for a man to lay down his life. And the Apostle applying it to Christ saith, The height of God's love was this, that Christ died for sinners: that is, for his enemies, not for his friends; sin being enmity to God, and sinners enemies to the holiness of his will, and glory of his kingdom. This love of Christ by which he died for us, we reject as little worth, unless he endured the loss of God's favour for us; which I take to be sin and not love. For love is due first and above all to God, then to men; this order of love if we break, it is no charity, it is iniquity. What do all wicked ones, but prefer the love of themselves, or of others, before the love of God? to love men so well, that we wax willing to forsake the favour and fellowship of God, is transgression against God, and not compassion towards men; and therefore we may not bring the son of God within the lists of this love, no not for an hour; by reason the love of God afore all others may not fail in the heart of Christ, not for a moment, be it never so short.  

Christ's love towards us in dying for us.  For our love than he took flesh, when he was God; which was infinite humility; and gave his life for his enemies, which was exceeding charity; and in the course thereof referred himself wholly to the will and pleasure of God, which was exact obedience; willingly, but wrongfully suffering, whatsoever the malice of Satan, and rage of the wicked contrived against him: the wise and gracious counsel of God so turning the mischief of the devil and his members to the general good of mankind, that Christ's innocent and righteous blood, being furiously and unjustly shed by the hands of his enemies, became the true sacrifice for sin, and the full price of man's redemption. Farther than this, if we will force the son of God with our fancies, as namely to the death or curse of the soul, we do not only diminish the strength of his love towards God, but we debase the price of his blood; and make it rather detestable, then acceptable in God's sight. For nothing can please God, but that which is RIGHTEOUS, INNOCENT, HOLY, & VNDEPILED. And in a dead or cursed soul what place leave we for these gifts and graces of the holy Ghost? Since than our high Priest must be 
d Heb. 7.  holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners, before his sacrifice could be accepted; the soul of Christ must necessarily be replenished with all goodness, and embraced with all favour, before the death of his body could be an 
e Ephes. ●.  offering of a sweet savour unto God: and so the power of Christ's death is no whit increased, but altogether weakened, if we conjoin it with the death of the soul.  
The death of the soul than doth not increase the obedience, patience, and love of Christ towards us, but doth rather decrease and endanger all the virtues of our Saviour. For if Christ suffered the death of the soul, which is God's immediate action; since God will offer his own son neither violence nor wrong, we must confess that Christ deserved the death of the soul, and admitted it as due unto him; to which absurdities if we come, we leave nothing sound in our salvation. 
All Christ's sufferings were INJURIOUS in respect of the doers▪ and VOLUNTARY in respect of himself.  Call we him just that deserveth, or holy that desireth to be forsaken of God? I think not. Then all Christ's sufferings must be INJURIOUS, before he can be JUST; and VOLUNTARY, before they can be a SACRIFICE unto God. Both which are witnessed by the word of God, as likewise by the ancient fathers. THIS IS 
f 1. Peter. 2.  THANK-WORTHIE (saith Peter) if a man for conscience towards God endure grief, SUFFERING WRONGFULLY. For what praise is it, if when ye be BUFFETED for your FAULTS, ye take it PATIENTLY? But if, when ye do well, ye suffer patiently, this is acceptable unto God. For hereunto are ye called: for so CHRIST SUFFERED FOR US, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps. Christ therefore suffered as well WRONGFULLY as PATIENTLY. Malefactor's may be patiented, but that is no merit with God. He must be both innocent and patiented that will have thanks from God. So was Christ 
g 1. Pet. ●.  He did no sin, and so was innocent; 
g 1. Pet. ●.  when he was reviled, he reviled not again: when he suffered, he threatened not, which proveth his patience. This very testimony, the thief on the cross giveth him. 
h Luke 23.  We receive punishment worthy of that we have done; but this man hath done nothing amiss. 
i Augusti. de tempore. serm. 101.  Quod just debebat Adam, Christus iniusté mortem suscipiendo persoluit. What Adam justly owed (saith Austen) that Christ unjustly paid by suffering death. 
k Idem de trinitate li. 13. ca 14  Pergit ad passionem, ut pro debitoribus nobis quod ipse non debebat, exsolueret. Christ goeth to his passion to pay that for us debtors, which he did not owe. 
l Ibid. cap. 1●  De humanitate suscepta tantum beneficij collatum est hominibus, ut à dei sempiterno filio, eodemque hominis filio mors temporalis indebita redderetur, qua eos a sempiternâ morte debità liberaret. Peccata nostra Diabolus tenebat, & per illanos merito figebat in morte. Demisit ea ille, qui sua non habebat, & ab illo immeritó est perductus ad mortem. Tantum valuit sanguis ille, ut neminem Christo indutum in aeterna morte debita detinere debuerit, qui Christum morte indebita vel ad tempus occidit. By Christ taking man's nature, this benefit men get, that the eternal Son of God, and the same also the son of man, suffered a temporal death not due, to deliver them from an everlasting death due. The Devil laid sure hold on our sins, and by them held us deservedly in death. Those he remitted, that had no sins of his own, and was without any desert brought by the Devil unto death. But such was the force of Christ's blood, that the Devil had no right to detain any man (that put on Christ) in eternal death due, for so much as he slew Christ with death for the time, which was no way due. 
m Greg. 〈◊〉. 3. ca 11.  Mediator noster puniri pro se ipso non debuit: quia nullum culpae contagium perpetravit. Sed si ipse indebitam mortem non susciperet, nunquam nos à debita morte liberaret. Our Mediator for himself ought not to be punished, because he never sinned. But if he had not suffered a death not due, he could never have freed us from the death that was due. If the temporal death of the body were not due to our Saviour, much less was the death of the soul due unto him. And if no death were due; that which he suffered was wrongful. Then might God be the permitter, director, orderer, and accepter of Christ's death on the Cross; but he could not be the immediate inflicter of it, because it was wrongful and undeserved: much less might GOD in justice forsake his soul, that with so great obedience, patience and innocency humbled himself to the will of his heavenly father.  
That likewise he suffered nothing against his own liking, his own mouth testified when he said. 
n john. 10.  Nemo tollit animam meam à me, sed pono eam à meipso. No man taketh my life from me, but I lay it down of myself. And else where. 
o Galat. 2.  The son of God loved me, and gave himself for me. 
p Ephes. 5.  love your wives as Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for it. If it were love, than was it no constraint, nor violence, that forced him thereto. If he gave himself for us; it must needs be voluntary whatsoever he suffered. 
q August. de trinitat, li. 4. ca 13  Demonstravit spiritus mediatoris quàm nulla poena peccati usque ad mortem carnis accessorit, quia non eam deseruit invitus, sed QVIA VOLVIT, QVANDO VOLVIT, QVOMODO VOLVIT. The spirit of the Mediator showed that without any punishment of sin it came even to the death of the flesh, which he did not leave against his will, but because HE WOULD, WHEN HE WOULD, AND HOW HE WOULD. Et 
r August. de 〈◊〉 contra Manichaeos'. cap. 26.  natus, & passus, & mortuus est, nulla sua necessitate, sed voluntate, & potestate. Christ was borne, and suffered and died, not for any necessity that urged him, but of his own will, and having it in his own power. If Christ might suffer nothing but what he would, and as he would; the death of the soul he did never suffer; for thereto he could not be willing without sin, by reason it is a separation from God, and a loss both of his heavenly favour, and holy spirit, from which Christ willingly would never be excluded.  
The sum is, since the TRUTH and JUSTICE of God might not release the sin of man, 
The recapitulation of the manner and merit of Christ's death.  without fulfilling the sentence of the judge, 
s Gen. 2.  thou SHALT DIE THE DEATH, and that by man; for so much as man was the trespasser: 
t john. 3.  God so loved the world, when none of the sons of Adam was able to restore his own soul, much less to ransom others; that he sent his own son to become man; and as by the dignity and purity of his person to countervail and overweigh the souls of all men; so by his pains and death on the Cross, to verify and satisfy the judgement of God pronounced against man, and to quit him from all danger following death. And to try the obedience, show the patience, and augment the merits of the Redeemer, the wisdom of God decreed, that his son in our substance should violently and wrongfully be put to death even by their hands, for whose sakes he laid down his life; that his love might so much the more exceed in praying for his persecutors, and dying for his tormentors. The shame and sharpness of the cross, so injuriously imposed on the holiness, and worthiness of Christ's person, and yet so obediently and patiently endured by him, God so highly esteemed, and recompensed, that he made his death the ransom of all mankind, and his blood to be the purgation and propitiation of our sins: his obedience wiping away our disobedience; his favour quenching the displeasure; his blessedness altering the curse; his death finishing the vengeance that was due to our iniquities. This is the manner and merit of Christ's suffering death on the cross, to save us from the wrath of God, that was kindled against our transgressions. And since the scriptures mention none other means of our redemption but the DEATH and BLOOD of the SON of God, I hold them wisest, that leave devising any better or other help for our salvation then God himself hath revealed. And as for the death of the soul, I take that to be the greatest hindrance that maybe to the work of our redemption, and to shake the very foundation of our faith and hope in the cross of Christ. Which lest I should seem to say, & no way to prove: let us view the COMFORT of Christ's cross, and thereby see how his soul was affected towards God, even whiles his body suffered that grievous, and opprobrious death of the cross.  
I have often mused what made men of great learning and judgement otherwise, 
The comfort of Christ's cross taken out of the 22. Psalm.  to serve so much from the plain tenor of the scriptures; and to imagine in the soul of our saviour, such doubt and fear of God's favour, such horrors and torments of hell, that they stick not to match them with the pains of the damned; considering there is no manifest ground, nor evident proof of so dangerous doctrine in the word of God: but contrariwise, when the scriptures describe Christ on the cross, they propose his body martyred with all kind of cruelty, but his soul cleaning to God, with all perfection of constancy. Read the xvi. and xxii. Psalm. who will, which purposely treat of Christ's passion; and tell me whether there be so much as a word importing any distrust of God's favour, or any suspicion of the pains of hell suffered in the soul of Christ? [The first entrance of the xxii. Psalm, you will say is, 
u Psalm. 2●.  My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?] This is that Helen, that hath bewitched the world; I mean the misconstring of these words. Of which though I have spoken before, as much as may content any man that is not fastened to his fancies, more than to the truth; yet let us shortly see whether the rest of the Psalm admit their new found exposition, or no. It followeth in the same place. 
x Vers. 9  Thou didst bring me out of my mother's womb; thou gavest me confidence at my mother's breasts. 
y 10  On thee was I cast from my birth. thou ART MY GOD FROM MY MOTHER'S BELLY. 
z 11  Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help. 
a 19  Be not far, O Lord my strength: hasten to help me. 
b 12  I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the congregation, I will praise thee, 
c ●4  for HE HATH NOT DESPISED, nor abhorred the weakness, or baseness of the poor: neither HATH HE HID HIS FACE FROM HIM; but when he called unto him HE HEARD HIM. Is this the prayer of a man whose soul is forsaken of God? Did he doubt of God's favour, that with such confidence pronounced, Thou gavest me assurance at my mother's breasts, thou art my God from my mother's belly? Was he persuaded that god had refused and left him when as he saith, God hath not DESPISED the weakness of the poor: he hath not hid his face from him; when he called, God heard him? If these be flat contradictions to their imaginations, why wrist they the first verse to evert all the rest? Christ therefore in the beginning of the Psalm might well complain that god had for the time of his passion withheld his PROTECTION, or diminished his CONSOLATION; but in no wise that God had decreased his love, or shut up his favour towards the human soul of his son. Yea the next words are an explication of the former. Why hast thou forsaken me, 
d Vers. 1.  and art so far from mine help? Not to help in trouble is to forsake, though God be not angry with the souls of such as suffer affliction. The very words agree, to GO far OFF from a man, is to FORSAKE HIM; & so he that desireth God not to be far off, prayeth not to be forsaken; but rather to receive help in time of need. Uerilie S. Ambrose's judgement and reason doth satisfy me, whatsoever it doth others. 
e Ambros. in Psal. 118. ser. 1.  Ille nunquam derelictus est à patre, cum quo pater semper erat. Sed secundum corpus, in quo traditus est passioni vox ista processit; quoniam derelinqui nobis videmur, quando sumus in periculis constituti. Christ was never forsaken of his Father, with whom the father always was; but this complaint came from his body, which was left to suffer death, for so much as we think ourselves forsaken when we are oppressed with any troubles▪  
If the xxii. Psalm content us not, let us examine the sixteenth, 
The same out of the 16. Psalm.  and there mark what the holy Ghost doth attribute to the soul of Christ in the mids of his sufferings on the Cross; and then judge which opinion draweth nearest to the truth of the sacred Scriptures. 
f Psal. 16.  I have always SET the Lord BEFORE ME; for he IS AT MY RIGHT HAND THAT I SHOULD NOT BE SHAKEN, therefore my heart is glad, & my tongue rejoiceth; my flesh also shall REST IN HOPE. Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, nor suffer thine holy one to see corruption. Thou wilt SHOW ME THE WAY OF LIFE; THE FULLNESS OF JOY IS IN THY PRESENCE, and delectation at thy right hand for ever. Three plentiful and wonderful graces of the holy Ghost are here described in our Saviour, as he hung on the cross, in the midst of his miseries; abundance of FAITH, assurance of HOPE, persistence in JOY. The ground of our faith is the truth of God's word, 
The ground of Christ's faith.  sealed in our hearts, by the working of his spirit. The faith of Christ had a far stronger foundation, and clearer revelation, then ours can possible have. He was hoped for by the patriarchs, searched after by the Prophets, he was the end of all the law, and truth of all the former testament. He was served by Angels, acknowledged by stars, seas, winds, beasts, fishes, and trees; he was obeyed by diseases, death and devils, the holy Ghost visibly descended on him when he was baptized, the father by thunder from heaven often proclaimed him to be his well-beloved son, and commanded all men to hear him; he knew the thoughts of men's hearts, yea the secrets of heaven; he was transfigured in the Mount, and tasted of that heavenly glory prepared for him. The confessing him to be the son of God, openeth heaven, prevaileth against hell, supporteth his Church, and obtaineth blessedness. This he heard with his ears, saw with his eyes, and wrought with his hands: yea, he spoke with his mouth, & knew in his heart that God had sanctified him, and sent him to save the world. I ask now a mean divine; was it possible that Christ jesus after all this intelligence, evidence and experience both of his own person who he was, and of his father's love and purpose, how settled, determined, and everlasting it was, should fear or doubt, lest he should be forsaken, or want the favour and help of god in those afflictions, which he willingly suffered for our safety? For us to distrust or doubt Gods promise confirmed by his word, & persuaded to our spirits by his spirit, is diffidence and incredulity. What heinous and horrible sin than were it for the soul of Christ, after so clear perspicuity, so full certainty, so firm stability of God's COUNSEL and PROMISE, OATH & PERFORMANCE, that in him all nations of the earth should be blessed: to have so much as a fear, doubt, or thought, that God would fail him, or forsake him? Let me fatherly advise, and brotherly entreat you all in the bowels of Christ jesus, that you take good heed how you venture on any such doctrine. join rather with S. Peter, and steadfastly believe, that David spoke concerning Christ, when he said: 
g Act. 1.  I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand, that I should not be moved. If ALWAYS, then was there no intermission: If BEFORE HIS FACE, than was there no obscuration: If A HIS RIGHT HAND, than God was never absent: If he COULD NOT BE MOVED, then could he not be forsaken.  
[But Christ himself saith, he was forsaken?] he doth not say he was forsaken, either in soul, or else of God's favour and grace, as some in our days would feign make him speak: but he saith, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And his words stand true, if any kind of dereliction be confessed. 
h Bernard de verbis I saiaes serm. 5.  Quasi quaedam ibi derelictio fuit, ubi nulla fuit in tanta necessitate virtutis exhibitio, nulla maiestatis ostensio. There was on the cross a kind of forsaking, in as much as there was in so great necessity, no declaring of his power; no showing of his majesty. divers other kinds of forsaking may be very well allowed and believed in the sufferings of our Saviour; but that he should be destitute of FAITH, HOPE, LOVE, or JOY, or forsaken of Gods. FAVOR, grace., or SPIRIT, that is so dangerous to the office, and pernicious to the person of Christ, that it may in no wise be admitted.  
Whatsoever is not of faith is sin. 
Rom. 14  Then how much we decrease faith in Christ, so much we increase sin in Christ. WAVERING, 
Doubting of God's favour is sin in Christ  STICKING, DOUBTING are all rebatements of faith, and degrees of diffidence, and greater sins in Christ, then in any other man, because of his infallible REVELATION FROM GOD, unspeakable FRVITION OF GOD, and inseparable COMMUNION WITH God. 
k Matth. 14.  Modicae fidei, quare dubitasti? O thou of LITTLE saith, why didst thou DOUBT? saith Christ to Peter. Then doubting is the diminishing of faith. 
l Rom. 4.  Abraham (saith the Apostle) did not DUBT of the promise of God THROUGH UNBELIEF; but was strengthened in faith, and gave the glory unto God; being fully assured, that he which had promised, was able to perform it, Then doubting, by the express rule of the holy ghost, is UNBELIEF, and a DISHONOUR UNTO GOD, as if he were not able to make good his promise. So that we must in spite of our hearts either CLEAR CHRIST FROM DOUBTING, or CHARGE HIM WITH unbelieving, and DISHONOURING God. 
m jacob. 1.  If any man lack wisdom (saith james) let him ask of God, and it shall be given him: but let him ask in faith, and not doubt, (or dispute with himself;) for he that doubteth, is like a wave of the Sea, tossed with the wind; neither let that man think he shall receive anything of the Lord. Doubtfulness differeth from incrodulitie in this, that the incredulous as yet believeth not: the doubtful wavereth betwixt faith and infidelity; as a wave of the sea doth, that is tossed with the wind, inclining sometimes one way, sometimes another way. But this man for his inconstancy, shall obtain nothing at God's hands, whose truth when we but DOUBT we DENY; and whose promise when we DISPUTE we DISBELEEVE. The soul of Christ then may not be touched WITH ANY DOUBT, much less distrust of God's favour and love towards him, and to imagine or affirm so much of Christ's person, is to draw him within the compass of inconstancy, infidelity, and Apostasy from GOD; which I assure myself, no Christian Divine will attempt or endure.  

Fear is more intolerable in Christ then doubting.  If the human soul of Christ must be so settled and resolved in faith, that it might not doubt of God's favour; much less might it be perplexed or amazed with the fear, terror, or sense of God's displeasure against himself, as our surety. For to that end did it please the son of God to take our nature into the unity of his person, that it should utterly be impossible for sin, death, or hell to separate us from him, or him from God. Whereof because he was infallibly assured, he must needs be throughlie persuaded; and in that perfect persuasion, knowledge, and assurance of God's everlasting purpose, favour, and love towards him, that he should be the Saviour of the world, if doubting be not tolerable, how inexcusable is fear and terror, as if he were forsaken of God? which could not be, except God would break his promise, and oath given to Abraham and David, and falsify his truth expressed with his own voice from heaven; yea, and reverse his eternal counsel and decree, forspoken by the mouths of so many Prophets, confirmed with so many miracles, and executed and accomplished so evidently in the birth of our Saviour. The soul of Christ must therefore be far from fearing or doubting, lest God would change his mind, recall his word, frustrate his promise, and violate his oath; for these are blasphemies against God in the highest degree; we must rather receive Saint Peter's assertion out of David, that Christ did 
n Acts. 2.  ALWAYS see God on HIS RIGHT HAND that he should NOT be MOVED; And therefore his heart was glad, and his tongue joyful: yea, we must not only leave him faith, but so perpetual, constant, and strong, that nothing might shake it, or abate it. For if we give unto men faith that shall withstand, and conquer all temptations, much more must we allow the Saviour of the world faith, as far above ours, in validity, stability, and certainty, as the rest of his virtues and graces exceed the measure of our gifts. As therefore in wisdom and holiness, power and prudence, counsel and strength, righteousness and faithfulness, no creature might exceed the human soul of Christ; so in patience and assurance, hope and love, courage and confidence no earthly wight might come near him. For he had the 
o john. 1.  fullness of God's spirit, as much as the creature was capable of; we have but a portion according to the 
p Ephes. 4  measure of the gift of Christ. Since then 
q john 3.  God did not give him the spirit by measure, it is an evident absurdity, if not impiety, to diminish his faith with doubting, his love with fear, his hope with horror of rejection, alienation, or separation from GOD; but as constant faith STAGGERETH NOT, perfect love FEARETH NOT, assured hope TREMBLETH NOT; so the faith, hope, and love of Christ must not stumble at any of these stones, much less make such a shipwreck of faith and hope, as if he DID ALMOST PERSUADE HIMSELF that he was DROWNED, and PERISHED in the gulf of perdition.  
[But the vehemency of pain (some think) might for the time wrest from Christ the remembrance of God's eternal decree & promise, 
Christ was not amazed on the Crosse.  & so shake the persuasion otherwise settled in his heart that God had sworn he would not fail David.] I had rather confess mine ignorance in not understanding, then show any skill in refelling this answer. It is true that a mighty fear may so affect a man for the time, that it shall hinder the senses from recovering themselves, and stop the faculties from informing one the other. But this must be some sudden object astonishing the heart; and so terrible that it suffereth us not presently to gather our wits together, and to consider of it. But what is this to our purpose? was Christ in a trance on the cross? and so continued eighteen hours, from his entering into the garden after supper, to the ending of his life the next day at three of the clock after noon? and all this while so affrighted and amazed that he could not remember he was the son of God, and sent to redeem the world? his words and deeds at his apprehension, at his examination before the chief Priests and Elders at his condemnation by Pilate, at his crucifixion and expiration do they make any proof, or give any sign of a man in a maze? when he boldly professed himself before the high Priest 
r Mark. 14.  TO BE THE SON OF GOD; when he told Pilate as well the cause why 
s john. 18  HE WAS BORNE, as the place whence he had 
t john. 19  POWER OVERDO HIM; when he warned the women of jerusalem TO 
u Luke. 23  WEEP FOR THEMSELVES and their children; when he prayed for his persecutors, as 
x Luke. 23.  NOT KNOWING WHAT THEY DID, and promised PARADISE to the penitent thief that hung by him; when he bequeathed the care of his 
y john. 19  MOTHER to the fidelity of his DISCIPLE, and 
z Luke. 23  COMMENDED HIS SPIRIT into the hands of his father; was his memory or understanding taken from him by fear in any of these actions? or do we not rather see his death answerable to his life, that is full of constancy, clemency, fidelity and piety? If any be otherwise minded, God grant they be not in a deep trance of selfe-liking: that will rather challenge Christ's memory, then suspect their own fancy. Could he forget himself to be the son of God, that so often and openly called God his FATHER? that in the heat of his agony praying used none other stile, but 
a Matth. 2●  O MY FATHER? that in the counsel of the Scribes and Elders would not conceal himself to be 
b Mark. 14  THE SON OF GOD, no not to save his life, but said 
b Mark. 14  I AM the son of the blessed? that dying committed his spirit to his 
c Luke 23.  FATHER'S HANDS? he remembered to call for drink, that the 
d john. 19  scripture might be fulfilled; and 
d john. 19  knew that all things touching him were performed; and had he forgotten who he was, or why he came into the world, even 
e Matth. 1●  to save that which was lost?  
And in all good sort to admonish them that are learned, to look a little better, before they resolve on so strange a conclusion in divinity; if we put Christ in such a maze on the cross, that for fear he forgot his father's counsel, purpose, promise, voice, and oath; yea his own function, union and person: what obedience or patience, what humility or charity do we leave him, in suffering the death of the cross? what virtue find me, where remembrance faileth? or what merit is it for a man to be amazed? how hangeth this with their own position, that the sense and suffering of God's wrath in the soul of Christ is the chiefest and principallest part of our redemption? is it so material for man's salvation, as they affirm, and can it not be maintained but by taking from Christ both judgement and memory? is this that great mystery of devotion, which true religion may not endure, except we suppose the son of God to be for fear besides himself? have they not spun a fair thread, to be so zealous for Christ's suffering the very pains of hell, here on earth, and when all is done their assertion cannot be saved from impiety, but by casting Christ into a fit of a Lethargy? for that God was in deed angry, and offended with his own son, is odious and enormous blasphemy. That Christ so conceived, and persuaded himself, or so dissembled, when there was no such cause; chargeth the son of God not only with falsity, but with infidelity. To decline both these mischiefs there is no mean left, but to say, that the very force of pain made Christ forget both his own person, and his Father's eternal counsel and love towards him; which is to fly one absurdity with an other. For though by this maze they excuse Christ from sin, as being neither advised, nor suffered by fear to be master of himself; yet by the same they exclude him from all the graces and virtues of his passion, on which our salvation is grounded; and leave him as without memory, so without merit; since the faculties of the mind, overwhelmed and astonished with fear or pain, have no full apprehension, much less just deliberation, and least of all free election of good and evil. In which case if we suppose our Saviour to have been during his suffering on the cross we show ourselves to be void of all understanding, in that we cleave to our own fancies against the witness both of nature & scripture. Read who list the manner of Christ's praying, answering & suffering, before & at his death; & tell me wherein he showed any defect of judgement, or want of remembering? Peter saith, Christ 
f 1. Peter. 2  suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow his steps. If he were strooken with fear besides himself, it is a bad example for us to follow. But in deed he neither did, nor spoke any thing, no not in the mids of his pains, but very advisedly, quietly, religiously, & obediently: such as might well beseem the Saviour of the world, humbled in our flesh, and chastised for our sins, but no way partner of our impatient and sinful affections.  

Christ wavered not in his prayers in the garden  [He wavered (some think) in his prayers; and corrected himself as overshot, in that he asked at his father's hands:] such holdfast they take of his words, that feign would have his wits amazed with their imagined fear and horror of hell fire. But by their patience, their expositions must not look to be canonical in the church of God. If they say any thing well, we take it with their praise; if otherwise as men they miss their mark, we refuse it with their leaves. 
g 1 Galat. 5  God hath called us unto liberty, 
h 1. Corinth. 7  not to be servants of men; and to serve erroneous constructions, is worse than to bear tyrannous exactions. Was Christ unadvised in his prayers in the garden? and did he revoke that which suddenly slipped from him? All prayer without faith is sin in God's sight. What then was Christ's prayer, if it were directly bend against the determined purpose, and revealed will of God, but evident sin? His thrice repeating 
i Matth. 26. verse 44.  the self same words with good distance of time between, and advised and vehement zeal, what was it, if it still needed to be revoked and amended, but a voluntary spurning at the steadfast decree and eternal counsel of God for man's redemption? But god forbidden, we should so conceive of our saviour, as if there were in his deeds, words or thoughts the least inclination to contradict his father's resolution. He was not only patiented without refusing, but obedient without misliking his fathers wil Esay saith of him. 
k Esay. 53●  He was oppressed and afflicted, yet did he not open his mouth. He was brought as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a Lamb is dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth. Doth the holy ghost give him this testimony, that he mildly and silently bore all the oppressions and afflictions, that were laid on him, and shall we dare avouch, that he vehemently and often struggled, and strived in his prayers against the known will of his Father; and sought by all means to decline the work for which he came into the world? [His flesh (they will say,) feared death, though his spirit submitted itself to the will of his heavenly Father.] As if his flesh did pray, and not his spirit? if than his prayers were passionate and unadvised, his spirit cannot be excused from consenting and yielding thereto. And where do we learn that Christ's flesh refused the law of his mind, and so prevailed against the spirit, that it wrested from him inconsiderate and disobedient thoughts, and words? or when we thus say, do we not plainly bring the son of GOD within the communion of our sinful corruption?  
[But his spirit was amazed with fear, and so he knew not what he prayed. 
Christ prayed often and earnestly but with full assurance to be heard. ] We take too much upon us to put Christ besides himself, when it pleaseth us. His prayers in the garden were zealous, but religious; vehement, but reverent; mournful, but faithful. He offered up 
l Hebre 5.  strong cries and tears, but HE WAS HEARD in that he asked; and so long as God performed, what Christ desired, it is more than presumption to challenge his prayers as inconstant and wavering. For my part though I could not conceive the sense of Christ's prayer in the garden, yet do I fully resolve he was most assured in faith, his prayer should take effect. His often repeating the same words, noteth how great a thing he requested at his father's hands, which yet he obtained, though it were never so great. That which you call a revocation, I take to be a limitation, whereby Christ declared, he never meant to ask or have any thing against his father's liking; nor in any sort to prefer his own choice or ease, before his fathers will. If this be a trance, than faith and obedience are no fruits of God's spirit, but fits of a distempered humour, and in the end we shall conclude godliness to be madness. For greater submission or more devotion, than Christ uttered in that agony, can no man show. If therefore we condemn this as a maze in Christ, when shall zealous and devout persons be in their wits?  
[But the scripture saith, he was 
m Mark. 14. verse: 33. Christ might at the first be abashed with God's majesty, or man's misery; but he recovered himself before he entered into his prayers.  AFFRIGHTED, & ASTONISHED.] The lively beholding of God's majesty, or man's misery might both affright & astonish his human nature on the sudden, but presently, recollecting himself, he fell to vehement and intentive prayer, and therein continued almost an hour, not warbling in his words, nor wavering in his petitions or affections; but persevering in the same mind, & in the same matter, till he obtained his desire. Now to be abashed at God's presence, declared his piety: and to be stricken at the heart with the feeling of vengeance provided for us, commended his charity. Lay these two, devotion to God, and compassion towards men, as the grounds & causes of his Agony, and you shall easily clear this foul heap of absurdities and impieties, that now pursueth the contrary position. It is humility for man's infirmity to shake and tremble at the appearance of God's glory. It is mercy, to stand defixed and even astonished with the sense and grief of man's final judgement and eternal punishment. From this fountain, that is from the meditation of the divine Majesty, and commiseration of human misery, if we derive the HEAVINESS of heart, FEAR and ASTONISHMENT, which Christ suffered or showed in his agony, we can do him no wrong; because the more violent, the more eminent signs they were of submission to God, and compassion on man: his faith and love not being oppressed with stupidity, 
How and why Christ might be ravished.  but inflamed with such vehemency, that the weakness of man's flesh not able to follow the readiness of his spirit, ravished with a wonderful fervency to give himself to save the world, might for the time fail in the exterior actions, and offices of the body. But we must beware that we continue not this astonishment, when he came to his prayers. For in prayer the heart must be, not one lie prepared and advised; but sincerely affected and wholly devoted to ask nothing, but that which tendeth to God's glory, and agreeth with Gods will. He that otherwise asketh any thing at God's hands, prayeth not, but presumptuously tempteth God, and seeketh to make the wisdom and power of God serviceable to his corrupt appetites. 
n Mat. 20.  You know not what you ask; said Christ to the sons of Zebedee, when he refused their petition, and reproved their folly. How shall we believe, we shall receive, if we ask we know not what? Faith must be rightly directed, and throughlie persuaded, before it can obtain. Christ's prayers then in the garden were neither abrupt without sense, nor wavering without faith, that they needed be excused or corrected; but his devotion was instant, and persuasion constant that he should prevail; and therefore he ceased not to ask the self same thing thrice, till he was heard, and strengthened by an Angel from heaven.  
[He asked that, they will say, which was not granted.] I am resolutely of another mind. 
Christ's prayer could not be rejected.  My reasons are, first the Apostle sayeth. 
o Heb. 5.  HE WAS HEARD offering up strong cries and tears. secondly, Christ himself sayeth; 
p john 11.  Father I thank thee, because thou hast heard me. I know thou HEAREST ME ALWAYS. And how could it be otherwise? For if he prayed according to the will of God, he must needs be heard; and against the will of God he neither did, nor would pray. For that were sin in him, that was not ignorant of Gods will, both determined and revealed. And God forbidden, we should be so wicked, as to say or think, that Christ would thrice in most earnest prayer, impugn his fathers will so well known, and so often foretold by his own mouth. I believe rather his own report of himself; for he could not lie. 
q john. 8.  I do nothing (said he) of myself, but as my father hath taught me, so speak I these things. For he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone, because I DO ALWAYS the things, THAT PLEASE HIM. Though I bear record of myself, my record is true; FOR I KNOW WHENCE I CAME, AND WHITHER I GO. As he could not be ignorant, so could he not be forgetful of his Father's counsel and decree. The glory of God might appall him at the entrance into his prayers: but his constant continuing one and the same request to his Father three several turns, with intermission of time, and admonition to his Disciples to watch and pray, proveth he had not forgotten himself, that still persisted in his purpose; nor yet strived against his Father's will, in that his prayer was accepted, and assured from heaven.  
[Did then the cup pass from him; which was the sum of his prayer?] No doubt it did in that sense which he desired. The cup mingled by God's just judgement for the sin of man, 
The cup did pass from Christ in that sense in which he prayed it might.  did pass both from him, and us, by force of his prayer; not that he did not taste of it, but in that yielding himself to the temporal and corporal chastisement thereof, he quenched the spiritual and eternal vengeance, that was consequent after death: the abolishing whereof was a work worthy of the son of God; and a memorable effect of that earnest and instant prayer, which our Saviour made in the Garden, thereby shutting up hell, and opening heaven to all his members. And for that cause the Prophet Esay joineth his patiented suffering and vehement praying, as needful grounds of our redemption; he bore the sin of many, and 
r Esay. 5●.  PRAYED for the TRESPASSERS: and the Apostle reckoneth Christ's 
s Hebr. 5.  PRAYERS OFFERED WITH TEARS, and his pains 
s Hebr. 5.  suffered through obedience as principal parts of his Priesthood, and effectual sacrifices for the sins of the people.  
As praying in the garden Christ must be free from forgetting either his father's will or love; 
Christ on the cross must be assured his sacrifice should be accepted.  so suffering on the cross he must have not only patience and obedience, but intelligence & assurance that the bloody sacrifice which he offered, should be accepted as the propitiation for our sins, and himself exalted from the shame and pain of the cross to everlasting honour, joy, and glory. He did not offer himself on the altar of the cross, supposing or presuming it might please God thereby to be favourable unto man; but as he came into the world anointed and sent of purpose 
t Matt. 1.  to save his people from their sins, so did he 
u Phil. 2.  humble himself to the death of the Cross, being thereto appointed by his heavenly father; and therefore most assured that God was immutably determined to accept his sacrifice for the sin of the world, and 
x Colos. 1.  by the blood of his cross to set at peace things both in heaven and in earth: and to reconcile us that were strangers and enemies in evil works, through death in the body of his flesh, to make us holy and without fault in the sight of God. This Saint Paul saith was Gods 
y Colos. 1. verse. 19 & 20  GOOD PLEASURE, to which Christ was 
z Phil. 2. ver. 8.  OBEDIENT, & therefore neither ignorant of it, nor doubtful in it; but assuredly resolved with fullness of faith and hope, that he which had decreed it, could not be changed; and that God which had sent him, would not deceive him. And for that cause the Apostle maketh the death of Christ to be a 
a Ephe. 5.  SACRIFICE OF A SWEET SMELLING SAVOUR UNTO GOD; and saith, that 
b Heb. 12.  jesus the author & finisher of our faith, FOR THE JOY WHICH WAS SET BEFORE HIM, endured the cross, and despised the shame (thereof) and is placed on the right hand of the throne of God. So that howsoever late writers have found out the terror of God's wrath, and horror of eternal death in the soul of Christ suffering; the Apostle teacheth us, that Christ hanging in the shame and pain of the cross, had not only peace and favour with god, as offering a sweet smelling sacrifice, but also joy before his eyes of everlasting glory at the right hand of the throne of God. And with him agree both Peter & David, when they bare witness of Christ, that his HEART WAS GLAD, & his TONGVE JOIFUL, and that even 
c Acts. 2. Psal. 16.  HIS FLESH should REST IN HOPE, notwithstanding the anguish of death, force of the grave, and fury of hell. For God would neither forsake his soul in hell, nor suffer his flesh to see corruption.  
Dare any man doubt of this doctrine, which is so clearly and fully delivered us in the Scriptures? 
We must suffer as Christ did; which I hope is not the pains of hell.  Or make we a pastime of it, in favour of our fancies to overturn the very principles of truth? 
d 1. Pet. 2.  Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow his steps. For if 
e Rom. 8.  we suffer with him, we shall be glorified with him. Must we suffer the pains of the damned, afore we may hope to be partakers of his glory? The gain which we have in Christ, when we have refused all things as vile for his sake, is to know the fellowship of his afflictions, 
f Phil. 3.  and to be conformed unto his death; if by any means we may attain to the resurrection of the dead. Shall the communion of Christ's sufferings bring us to the true torments of hell, and must we persuade ourselves that we are forsaken of God, afore we can be conformed to his death? 
g 1 Peter. 4.  Rejoice (saith Peter,) when ye do communicate with Christ's sufferings. Must we then REJOICE in the horror of hell, and be glad of God's displeasure towards us? I think not. How far fuller of comfort is the Apostles doctrine, where he saith; 
h 2. Cor. 1.  As the sufferings of Christ abound in us; so our consolation aboundeth through Christ. 
Christ's affliction on the cross was full of consolation.  And our hope is steadfast concerning you, that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so shall you be of the comforts. What comfort these men can find in the pains of the damned, I know not; they else where seem to say, that all fears and griefs, all terrors and torment's are trifles unto the sense and feeling of God's displeasure and just indignation; but the holy Ghost I am sure proposeth to us the Cross of Christ as the way to perfection, that never wanteth consolation. For therein though our 
i 2. Cor. 4.  outward man perish, yet the inward man is daily renewed; and when our bodies die to sin, as did Christ's, our souls live to God, as did his. excellently doth the Apostle describe the comfort of Christ's Cross in all the faithful, when he sayeth. 
k Ibidem.  We are afflicted on every side, but not overpressed; wanting, but not utterly destitute; persecuted, but not forsaken; falling, but not perishing; always bearing about in our body the dying of the Lord jesus, that the life of jesus might be manifest in our bodies. For we, whiles we live, are still delivered unto death for jesus sake, that the life of jesus might be manifest in our mortal flesh. Christ then in the mortification of his body on the Cross, was neither OVERPRESSED, FORSAKEN, nor PERISHING; but relieved & supported inwardly by the power of god's spirit, in which he rejoiced, whiles his flesh endured bitter and sharp torments. And this rule, 
l 2. Cor. 12.  When I am weak, then am I strong, was true in Christ, and after his example shall be in all his members. For God's 
m Ibidem.  power is perfected in infirmity. 
m Ibidem.  Very gladly therefore must all the godly rejoice and take pleasure in their infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell in them. How can this be called Christ's power, if he wanted it in his infirmities and afflictions? And if we have it from him, why presume we to take it from him in the time of his sufferings? Shall the scholar be above his master? or the servant more perfect than his Lord? Yea, then God manifested in the flesh? But I hope men learned will take good heed how they diminish the comfort of Christ's cross; we must 
Heb. 12.  look to jesus the author and finisher of our faith. If he were amazed, perplexed, and forsaken in his afflictions, who shall raise and comfort us in our extremities? He that himself was astonished and overwhelmed, with his sufferings on the cross? It may then be said unto him, 
o Luke 4.  Physician heal thyself. Shall he comfort us, that could NOT COMFORT himself? Can we REJOICE AND TAKE PLEASURE in following his steps, when he sank under the burden, and suffered both his faith and hope for the time to fail? But far be from us these unsavoury thoughts, and unseemly speeches. 
p Heb. 2.  It was fit that he from whom, and by whom are all things, should CONSUMMATE BY AFFLICTIONS THE PRINCE OF OUR SALVATION, that should bring many sons unto glory; the self same way that he went before them. Which cannot be by doubting & distrusting the favour and help of god, much less by suffering & enduring the pains of the damned; but by desiring through love, and rejoicing under hope to take up Christ's cross and follow him; 
q 2. Cor. 12.  delighting in reproaches, necessities, persecutions and anguish for Christ's sake, that 
r 1. Pet. 4.  when his glory shall appear, we may be glad and rejoice with fullness of everlasting joy.  
Do we then exempt the Lord Christ from all sense of his father's wrath against our sins; whiles we defend in him peace and joy of the holy ghost, as he hung on the cross? 
All miseries are the effects of gods wrath.  There is a feeling of god's wrath which may stand with the pacification & consolation of the inward man; and there is a sense of God's wrath which overthroweth both, and breedeth a fearful apprehension of God's displeasure towards us; in which is neither peace nor comfort. All the miseries of man's life, whatsoever they be, came first from the force of god's wrath revenging sin; and therefore not only death & damnation, but all kinds of troubles, pains & griefs, in our states, bodies and minds, which shorten or sour this present life, are degrees of gods wrath, & chastisements of our transgression and corruption. When the plague was kindled amongst the people for murmuring against Moses & Aaron, Moses said to Aaron, 
s Num. 16.  take the censer & put fire & incense therein, & go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there IS WRATH GONE OUT FROM THE LORD; the plague is begun. When the prophet jehu reproved jehosaphat for aiding Achab the king of Israel; he said 
t 2. Chro. 13  wouldst thou help the wicked? and love them that hate the lord? even for this cause WAS THE WRATH OF THE LORD UPON THEE. The prophet Esay comforting the church, saith 
u Esay. 51  Awake, awake and stand up o jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the Lord, THE CUP OF HIS WRATH. By the prophet Micheas the Church humbleth herself under the hand of God in these words. 
x Mich. 7.  I will BEAR THE WRATH of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgement for me. Every where the like is used in the scriptures. 
y Esay. 47.  I WAS WRATH with my people, and gave them into thine hand, (saith God to Babylon) and thou didst show them no mercy, but didst lay a very heavy yoke upon the ancient. So jeremy complaineth to God. Thou hast 
z Lament. 5.  utterly rejected us, thou art EXCEEDINGLY ANGRY WITH US. These, and many such places more, mention the wrath of God, which the saints & servants of god tasted and felt for their sins; but they do not import that Gods eternal favour and love towards his children in heavenly things, was vanished or changed. The 
a 2. Tim. 2.  foundation of God standeth sure; yea the 
b Rom. 11.  gifts and calling of God are without repentance. And therefore it is utterly impossible, that God's election should alter, or that he should not 
c john. 13.  love his own unto the end; but 
d ● Peter. 4.  judgement beginning at the house of God, 
e 1. Cor. 11.  we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. And albeit that bitterness of affliction some time bite so near, that the conscience of our sins accusing us as unworthy to be the sons of God; fear calleth God's favour in question for the time; yet that temptation riseth from the guiltiness of our hearts, and weakness of our faith, which giveth way to the devil: otherwise as we ought to been god will be 
f Heb. 8.  merciful to our iniquities, & remember our sins no more, for his covenant made with us in the blood of his son; so should we be fallie persuaded, that when we endure chastening, be it never so sharp, God 
g Heb. 12.  offereth himself unto us, as unto sons; for what son is it, whom the father chasteneth not? So that if we be without correction, whereof all are partakers, we are bastards and not sons, since God chasteneth us for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.  
This correction and chastisement of God, because it 
h Heb. 12.  seemeth grievous for the present, and not joyous, is called in the scriptures the rod and wrath of God; not that God's love ceaseth when he correcteth his children; (for 
Heb. 13.  whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and he scourgeth every son, that he receiveth;) But as the blessings which he abundantly bestoweth on us, do manifest his gracious and undeserved mercy; so the plagues, with which he visiteth our sins, do witness his righteous and provoked judgement. And in that sense must we reckon them to be the signs and effects of God's wrath. For as he is justly offended with our iniquities because they resist his will 
k Rom. 2.  dishonour his name, and 
l Ephe 4.  grieve his holy spirit, by whom we are sealed unto the day of redemption; so when he chasteneth our transgressions, the scourge which we feel is truly said to be the wrath of God; not that God is touched with any perturbation or alteration in himself, but his justice leadeth him to inflict that punishment on us, as well to bring us to hate that we have done, by godly sorrow; 
God's wrath towards his ● mixed with mercy and justice.  as to make us more wary how we attempt the like, which is religious fear restraining us from often and easy offending the majesty and sanctity of God. But this vengeance of our sins because it is temporal, when it should justly be eternal; and afflicteth the body, where it might worthily kill the soul; it is rather the chastisement of a father, than the rigour of a judge. And yet the scriptures call it wrath, because God never proceedeth to punish, but when he is provoked and despised, in such sort, that were it not for smart of correction, we would fall to the rage of open rebellion.  
Wherefore the displeasure of God against our sins was very great, 
The wrath of God against our sins was very great in the cross of Christ.  that pursued our surety, being innocent and obedient, and even his own and only son, with all manner of corporal and temporal scourges unto death, before it could be pacified; but that God's favour towards his son was altered or diminished, or that Christ in fear and terror apprehended any such change in his father, or so much as doubted the constant and eternal counsel, and decree of God, to make him the Saviour of the world, and by the blood of his cross to make peace in heaven and earth; these are so dangerous doctrines, that I think no learned divine will undertake them. 
m Hebre. 5  Though he were the son, yet learned he obedience, by that which he suffered, saith the Apostle. Now obedience could not breed diffidence but confidence; and was the virtue, that so highly pleased God in Christ, that he was 
n Ibidem.  made the author of eternal salvation unto all that OBEY HIM. A double sense then of God's wrath Christ jesus had. The first that pursued his body unto death on the tree, where 
o 1. Peter. 2.  he bore our sins; that is the 
p Esay. 53.  chastisement of our peace, the STRIPES of our iniquities, and WOUNDS of our transgressions. The next was the serious contemplation of that eternal and intolerable vengeance; which the justice of God had in store for us, by reason of our manifold sins; whose danger and destruction touched him as near, through the tenderness of his love and piety, as if it had been imminent over his own head. And therefore even sick with sorrow for us, & trembling at the terror of God's wrath prepared to revenge our unrighteousness, he never left SWEETING, WEEPING and CRYING to God for us, that his stripes might heal us, his anguish excuse us, his death quicken us, and his person sustain and suffer for us, whatsoever the justice of God would lay on him, till he was heard, and allowed of God to offer the sacrifice, that should propitiate the sins of the world. In these pains and fears, whiles he felt the arrows of God sticking in his flesh, and saw the terror of eternal death ready to swallow up all his members, we may grant, that the CONSOLATION and joy, which the human soul of Christ before had of his Father's continual presence and assistance, was for the time somewhat diminished; his heart being oppressed with sorrow, his body afflicted with sharp and bitter pain, his soul besieged with fear and care for us, that neither the dreadful wrath of God overwhelmed us, nor the deceitful fraud of Satan undermined us: but by no means we may admit in Christ either fear or doubt of his own salvation; nor forgetfulness of his person or function; but the harder the work he undertook, the stronger his faith, that performed it; the more terrible our danger, the more steadfast his love, that shrunk not from us in so great extremity.  
[Might not yet the soul of Christ in this constant and full assurance of God's love towards him, and mercy towards us, feel the torments of hell for the time without any distrusting or doubting of his salvation, or our redemption?] The essential torments of hell, are the absolute loss of God's kingdom, without recovery, and exquisite sense of hell fire everlastingly without release. Neither of these without horrible blasphemy can be imagined in the soul of Christ: the rest that are consequents to these, as desperation, murmuration, darkness, horror and such other impressions are like to these; and could no more have place in Christ's person, than the antecedentes might. And since it is no where witnessed in the Scriptures, nor any way proved, that Christ suffered the pains of hell; why strive we to establish a mere conceit of men, never written or spoken of, before our age? bear we so small regard to the Church of Christ, and to all the learned fathers and teachers in the same, 
It should somewhat move us, that hell pains were never added to Christ's cross for 1300 years since the Apostles time.  that for thirteen hundred years no man ever knew or heard the right way, and true mean of our redemption and reconciliation to God, till the pains of hell were lately devised? Abuses and errors did by little and little creep into the church by the wiliness of Satan, and wilfulness of men; but that the gates of hell should so much prevail against it, as from the Apostles time to this present age, no christian should ever truly teach or rightly believe how we are saved by the cross of Christ, is to me so strange, that I will be ten times advised, before I will once admit it. Let us give thanks to God, for dispelling the mist of darkness and ignorance, that overspread the world under Antichrist: but let us never glory that we first invented a new faith, neither testified in the scriptures, nor mentioned in any ancient writers, nor ever heard of amongst christians before our time. It is no corn but cockle that springeth so late in the lords field; it is no saith, but fancy that never before was in the foundation of Christ's church. The simplicity therefore of the scriptures continually PRESSING the DEATH and BLOOD of Christ, as the TRUE CAUSES of our salvation & redemption; and the consonancy of all antiquity according therewith, do so challenge my faith, and establish my heart, that I will see this new devise of hell pains suffered in the soul of Christ, better warranted, before I wish it to be believed.  
And as for the doctrine of the church of England, 
The doctrine here delivered is authorized by the laws of this realm.  which some men would feign infect with this late fancy, give me leave, men and brethren to admonish you shortly but truly; that who so will read the sermon of the 
q Num 3.  salvation of all mankind, in the first volume of Homilies; and likewise the two Homilies, concerning the death and 
r Num 13.  passion of our Saviour jesus Christ, contained in the second tome of Homilies; shall find that the doctrine which I have delivered you, hath the public approbation of Prince and Parliament, the consent and agreement of all the Bishops, and the subscription of all the clergy of this kingdom, to be taught as truth in all the churches of this realm, and so hath had, as well in the days of king Edward the sixth, as all the time of her majesties most happy reign, whatsoever some forward novices have told you to the contrary. And thus much let me speak in the Honour of her majesty, and this realm; I see no cause, why the doctrine of the church of England so plainly warranted by the Scriptures, so fully confessed by all the Fathers, so long continued in Christ's church without contradiction, so sufficiently authorized, so generally acknowledged, should be controlled or corrected, either by the dangerous devices of some late writers, or by the unsettled humours of some late teachers. Hold therefore in God's name close to the rules of the holy ghost, close to the words of the christian & catholic Fathers, close to the laws of this realm: they all concur and conjoin together, howsoever some giddy spirits have lately buzzed in your ears that I impugned the doctrine of the church of England.  
I Have delivered you four effects of Christ's cross; the merit of his suffering which was infinite; 
The fift effect of Christ's cross; which is the glory of his resurrection.  the manner of his offering, which was bloody; the power of his death, which was mighty; the comfort of his cross, which was and is necessary for us all; there remaineth the glory of his resurrection, which was heavenly, of which I did not purpose to speak, when I first entered this matter; but the ignorance of some, imagining I denied the Article of the creed, HE DESCENDED INTO HELL (for descent but on the cross they admit none) and the zeal of others importuning me to know what they might safely believe touching that article, hath made me to change my mind; and in this last part to show, that I neither frustrate the faith, nor alter the creed by any thing that I affirm, or refuse. Where to let you see the multiplicity of men's wits and conceits; there are four several opinions that take hold every one of this Article of our creed, and challenge the true meaning thereof as their peculiar and undoubted right. 
Four opinion touching the article of the Creed he descended into hell.  The FIRST apply it to the soul of Christ suffering on the cross; the SECOND to the body of Christ buried; the THIRD to the state of Christ's soul severed by death from the body; the LAST to the conquest and triumph which the human soul of Christ had over hell by the glory of his resurrection, as his body had over death. Which of these hath the best right, and fittest sense to be an article of our creed, will appear by comparison in the end and upshot of all; in the mean while, I will shortly sift them, that you may see the substance of them, and so be able the better to judge of them.  
The first is the very same, which I have already handled, and refused as not consonant to the christian faith; but rather repugnant to the dignity, certainty, sanctity of Christ's person, conjunction, & communion with God. The scriptures avouch, that Christ's SOUL was IN HELL, but not whiles he lived here on earth: it was a consequent to his death, and no part of his suffering on the cross, as I showed before. And since the times do so much vary, there can be no truth in taking the one for the other. In this life God sometimes suffereth the sorrows and fears of hell to besiege his servants, and 
s 1. Samuel. 2  bringeth them even unto hell; but his saints descend not into hell: fear may humble them, that would otherwise presume of themselves, 
The fear of hell may fall on us, but not on Christ.  or make trial how fast they stand on that foundation against the which the gates of hell shall not prevail: but this conflict of conscience must resolve on the assurance of God's favour, except they yield themselves unto to despair. In Christ as there was no use, so was there no place for any such temptation. There was in him no danger of pride to exalt him; and therefore no need of fear to depress him: no slackness or coldness could take hold of him; and so no terror requisite to awake him from sleep, or inflame his zeal: generally there was in him no corruption of nature, no infection of sin, no wavering of faith, no want of grace, no doubt of God's favour; and so those dreadful thoughts and fears of hell, which amaze other, could not arise within his heart; but all the pains and griefs, which the son of God felt in his precious body, or righteous soul, as they were VOLUNTARY for our example, and SATISFATORIE for our sin; and not MEDICINABLE for any infirmity of his, nor PROFITABLE to bring him to perfection of holiness, as they are in us: so were they proportioned to his person, that was most assured of God's everlasting love; and to his gifts, that could endure no inward decrease; and therefore he must in this point differ from all the saints of God, that ever were or ever shall be on earth. For they may be tossed with the waves of temptation, rising from the remembrance of sin, & remorse of conscience; but our Saviour, as he was free from all touch of sin, so was he from all fear of heart, that he should or might be rejected from God's favour, or adjudged to everlasting death. Smart, pain and grief of body or mind, be it never so great, will commend his obedience and patience; but the SENSE of damnation or separation from God, or the FEAR or DOUBT thereof in Christ, as they quench faith, and abolish grace, so they dissolve the union and communion of both his natures; or else breed a false persuasion, and sinful temptation in the soul of Christ. In us that have infinitely provoked the justice of God, it is the true beholding what we have deserved, if God be not pleased for Christ's sake to pardon and forgive us; In Christ, that was perfectly righteous, and personally joined with God, there could be no apprehension of hell pains as due unto him, or determined for him, without renouncing his innocency, and leaving the unity of his person; and consequently he must find or fear, that God would be inconstant, and unjust; which are more than heinous impieties. For Christ could not FEAR or DOUBT his own salvation, but he must fear or doubt, that either his human nature should be separated from his divine, or his divine together with his human be cast into hell fire; from which the Lord bless the tongues and thoughts of all christian men. As for Christ's not remembering in a maze, that he was the son of God, & saviour of the world; is a silly shift to shun these inconveniencies; I had rather simply deny, than any way believe this kind of descending into hell.  
Do I charge then any man with upholding these impieties? God forbidden. I see by their own words they purpose and profess by all means to decline them, & no doubt detest them; but I confess my dullness, that see not how to avoid the one, if I avouch the other. 
How Christ in some sense may be said to have suffered the pains of hell on the cross.  If we take hell pains METAPHORICALLY for great and intolerable pains; in which sense the word may be used; then it is no danger to say, Christ suffered on the cross the pains of hell: because there can be no doubt, but HIS PAINS were exceeding GREAT, and more SHARP, than we can conceive or utter. But this is not the meaning of the creed in that Article he descended into Hell; by reason there are words before inferring the pains, which he SUFFERED, when he was CRUCIFIED. If we attribute the sense of God's wrath, and feeling of hell pains unto Christ by way of COGNITION and COMPASSION towards us, forsomuch as the soul hath her sight, and pity hath her inward feeling of other men's miseries, as if they were our own; it is no wrong to the person or function of our Saviour for us to confess, that he considered and grieved to see the burden of God's everlasting wrath due to our sins, none otherwise then if himself had been subject thereto: so long as we leave him certainty and security of his own salvation & our redemption; that his bowels of mercy may be moved and affected for our danger, and not for his own. It is far more religious to press the soul of Christ with violent pangs of grief and sorrow for our iniquities and miseries; then to touch him with any fear or doubt of his own innocency or safety. Charity is a fit Agony for the son of God in our flesh, than either timidity or stupidity; and yet I do not think this to be the sense of the Creed, when it saith he descended into hell; for that it were somewhat strange to express the virtues of Christ's suffering, by his descending into hell.  

Papists were the first brochers of this opinion, that Christ suffered hell pains on the cross.  And lest the insolent sect of Jesuits should take such pleasure as they do, in misconstruing other men's words, and blazing them unto the world as erroneous and impious; let them remember, that some of their own side, and those not of the meanest both for learning and religion amongst them, have not only waded as far as any other new writers in this position; but for aught that I read, have gone farther; howsoever they will defend it or excuse it. Nicholaus Cusanus a Cardinal of their church, and a great adviser of the council of Basill, 50. years before Luther appeared, first broached this assertion. 
t Nicholaus de Cusa Excitationum lib 10. ex sermone: qui per spiritum sanctum semetipsum obtul●s.  Passio Christi, (qua maior nulla potest esse) fuit ut damnatorum, qui magic damnari nequeunt, scilicet VSQVE AD POENAM INFERNALEM. The suffering of Christ, (than the which there can be no greater,) was as of the damned, which cannot be more condemned, EVEN UNTO THE PAINS OF HELL. And again. 
u Ibidem.  Illam poenam sensus CONFORMEM DAMNATIS IN INFERNO, pati voluit in gloriam dei patris sui. That pain of feeling agreeable to the damned in hell, Christ would suffer for the glory of God his father. Augustinus justinianus, that set out the Psalter in Hebrew with six translations and observations, the same year, that Luther began to write; in his scholies upon the 30 Psalm, mentioneth this opinion of Cusanus, and saith, 
x August. justinianus in scholiis Octapli● Psal. 30.  Se huius eruditissimi viri, & in omni scientia eminent issimi opinionem, nec amplecti, nec aspernari; He neither embraceth nor rejecteth the opinion of that most learned man and excelling in all kind of knowledge. johannes Ferus a Franciscane and preacher at Mogunce, about the same time that calvin wrote, goeth further than any other writer, that I have read. Commenting upon these words of Christ, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me, he saith, 
y Ferus. lib. 4. in Mat. cap. 27. in illa verba, Deus meus, devenitus  Exuit Christus hac horâ DEUM, non abijciendo, sed non SENYIENDO: seposuit patrem ut hominem ageret. Sic & Deus pater, nunc non patrem, sed TYRANNUM AGIT, quamuis interim amicissimo in Christum sit animo. Illa Christi derelictio panor est conscientiae nostrae ob admissa peccata, quae judicium dei & iram aeternam experitur: & sic afficitur, quasi in perpetuum derelicta & reiecta à facie Dei esset. That very hour Christ put off GOD, not casting him away, but not FEELING him; he laid aside his father, that he might show himself to be a man. So also God the father now taketh unto him the PERSON not of a father, but OF A TYRANT; though in heart he were most loving unto Christ. That forsaking of Christ is the fear of our conscience for sin committed, which feeleth the judgement and eternal wrath of God; & is so affected, as if it were forsaken and rejected from the face of God for ever. And as if this were not enough to say, that Christ put off his divine nature, as having no feeling of it, and God the father played the PART OF A TYRANT; he goeth on and addeth. 
z Ibidem.  Non solum supplicium à nobis meritum, verum etiam DESPERATIONEM NOSTRAM in se transtulit. Itaque Christus ut peccatores liberaret constituit seipsum in locum omnium peccatorum, non quidem furans, adulterans, occidens, etc.: sed stipendium, poenam & meritum peccatorum, quae sunt frigus, calor, esuries, sitis, timor, tremor, horror mortis, horror inferni, DESPERATIO, mors, INFERNUS IPSE) in se transferens, ut samem fame, timorem timore, horrorem horrore, DESPERATIONEM DESPERATIONE, mortem morte, INFERNUM INFERNO, breviter SATANAM SATANA, vinceret. Christ did transfer to himself not only the punishment which we had deserved, but even OUR DESPERATION. And therefore Christ, that he might deliver sinners, set himself in the place of all sinners, not by stealing, adultering, kill, but by transferring unto himself, the wages, punishment, and desert of sinners, which are heat and cold, hunger and thirst, fear and trembling, horror of death, HORROR OF HELL DESPERATION, death, HELL ITSELF: that he might overcome hunger with hunger, fear with fear, horror with horror, DESPERATION WITH DESPERATION, death with death, HELL WITH HELL, and lastly, SATAN WITH SATAN. Truly I know no man that so plainly avoucheth, Christ admitted and received unto himself DESPERATION, as this Friar doth. For where other men warily decline to say that CHRIST DESPAIRED, this Franciscane boldly saith, Christ transferred unto himself DESPERATION, HELL, yea, THE DEVIL and all, and was so affected for the time, as if he had FELT THE ETERNAL WRATH OF GOD, and were REJECTED FOR EVER. Can those quarrelers have gotten the like advantage against any of our writers, they would have filled the world with their tragical exclamations of HERESY, BLASPHEMY, TURKISM, PAGANISM, and I know not what; and therefore let them go and wash their own faces from these spots, before they declaim so violently against our deformities.  
And albeit I like not these speeches either in theirs or ours, yet I clear them both from any purpose of wilful blasphemy. 
Charity supposeth the best  They might be deceived in the sequel of their assertion, but sure they were never so unadvised, as to fasten either DESPERATION or DAMNATION on the soul of Christ. Perhaps they thought he was besieged and assaulted with these temptations, and that the human nature of Christ, being left to itself, could not presently & easily stand clear from the vengeance due to our sins, but with some conflict and fear, wrestled from under the weight of our iniquities, and in this fight did sweat blood, and spoke as if he were forsaken: yea Ferus seemeth to mean that Christ did voluntarily take the burden of desperation and damnation from us, and laid it on himself; against whom it could not prevail; that by transferring those dangers from our persons to his, & suffering them for the time, he might break them, and dissolve them for ever.  
Natural infirmities, 
Sinful infirmities are more heinous in Christ then in us.  which are outrageous in us by reason of our corruption, Christ might suffer to arise within him, and there temper them, as cyril & other ancient fathers do teach; but sinful extremities, as desperation, confusion, rejection, damnation, Christ must conquer by repelling, not by suffering: lest the fellowship of our sins be more heinous in him, then in us. For as his faith, hope and love must by many degrees exceed ours in perfection; so the quenching or slaking of these graces in him, is greater sin than in us. Doubt and distrust is far more impious in Angels, by reason of their excellent knowledge and strength, then in men; and most impious in the soul of Christ, who by his personal union with God, derived clearer intelligence in knowing Gods will, and greater assurance to persist therein, than either man or Angel. For the very Angels have but the condition of their creation, from which some fell; and confirmation of grace, in which the rest stand: but no creature ever had so fast conjunction, and full communion with the godhead, as the soul of Christ. And therefore DUBITATION, DESPERATION, TREPIDATION in his soul are more heinous sins, then in any other creature; for somuch as they believe not the truth, trust not the promise, rest not secured in the VOICE and OATH of God, which all are immutable and impossible to be false; and fear least Gods goodness and love will fail; and in fine do deprive him of his divine nature, since without verity, bonity, and constancy, there can be no God. It then Christ's soul could not be infected with sin, nor have any society with evil, no not for an instant; these doubts and fears of God's favour, and his salvation must be far from him; and in the full persuasion, and steadfast expectation of eternal joy and bliss, how desperation should lodge, I yet understand not.  
God might reveal, and the soul of Christ in this life behold, as all ours shall when we appear before the face of God after this life, what cup was prepared for the wicked to drink, and the sight thereof as it is most fearful, so might it make him tremble, though he were never so free from it; but more than the VISION of God's wrath, and COMMISERATION of man's danger, if we attribute to the soul of Christ; we must either grant he was tempted as well with our iniquities, through lack of grace, as with our infirmities through want of strength; or else cast him into a trance at the time of his passion, as some do, to excuse him from sin. For that in the fullness of God's favour, grace and spirit, the soul of Christ should feel the flames of hell fire; 
Christ's soul freer from hell. than either saints or angels.  can neither be proved, nor defended by the word of God. The proof I leave to them that like the position; which if any man affirm, he were best be sure of his footing. It is no small arrogancy, and blasphemy to sit judge in God's place, and to condemn Christ's soul to hell fire, without a sound and clear commission, to warrant that assertion. Besides hell fire in the Scriptures being ETERNAL; by what authority will they quench it at their pleasure, and make it temporary? And if Christ's soul being personally joined to the Deity, notwithstanding might feel the fury of hell fire, when shall the Saints of God, that can never be so united unto his glory, nor assured of his society, nor so endued with his sanctity, be free from the flames of hell? If that union and communion which Christ had with God, could not exclude hell fire; what shall hinder but that the Angels in heaven may for the time likewise feel the flames thereof? Can they have faster coherence, or fuller presence of God, than he which was joined with God in unity of person? They come not near the favour and grace, knowledge and truth, power & steadfastness of the manhood of Christ, which here on earth they did serve and adore. But none of these things can be intended in the Creed; for there the articles are placed in ORDER and TIME, as they were performed. And therefore when Christ was DEAD AND BURIED, he then DESCENDED INTO HELL.  
The second opinion is, that Christ's descent to hell is all one with his burial, 
This opinion is not false, but impertinent and idle.  for that SHEOL in the old testament doth most commonly, if not continually signify the grave. But this is nothing to the Creed, whose authority and antiquity if we reverence, it is soon concluded, that hell there doth not signify the grave. For first it is absurd, that in a short rehearsal of the faith made for the simplest to conceive, one article should be twice repeated; and after a plain and known word, he was buried which no man could doubt of; a dark and enigmatical phrase of speech, HE DESCENDED INTO HELL, which few men did understand, should be added, rather to obscure then to expound the former. Again, HE DESCENDED, signifieth a voluntary motion, where as the body dead hath neither WILL nor MOTION. thirdly, HELL in the new testament, is so unusual for the grave; that I think no example can be showed thereof. Though therefore this exposition cannot be charged with falsity, for Christ was truly buried; yet may it not be endured by reason of the idle repetition, and strange circumlocution, which troubleth and confoundeth the hearer; besides the impropriety and incoherence of the word, that a dead corpse should descend, and specially unto hell.  
The third opinion doth neither mistake the TIME nor the PART which descended: for they refer the words of the Creed to Christ's SOUL after DEATH, but they change the name of hell into the state of the dead; and so confess that Christ's soul after separation from the body endured THE STATE OF THE DEAD. 
The third opinion can hardly avoid 〈…〉.  To this a number of learned men incline, because they would avoid Limbus patrum; disliking by all means that the souls of the righteous and faithful before Christ's suffering should be kept in a region or part of hell; and thence delivered by his descent. I see well enough what they would feign decline; but what if by their far fet exposition they fall into that error which they seek to fly? Do they not fairly proffer, and quite besides the mark? Let us look a little into their conceit. Christ descended into hell, that is, say they, his soul after death, conversed among the souls of the just, that were dead before him. But where were the souls of the just? In a place, or no? Without a place can nothing be, but only God. All creatures be they souls or angels are defined with place, though they do not replenish their places as bodies do; yea what soever is not circumscribed within a place, is infinite; which no creature can be. The souls then of the righteous must of necesstie be in a place. And what call you that place by your opinion? Forsooth even HELL. For Christ's descending into hell, as you expound it, was his conversing among the souls of the dead. Those souls than were in a place, and that place by your construction the Creed calleth Hell. Their state you will say, is called hell, but not their place. A witty difference I assure you. The place for souls after this life, is answerable to their state. If their state be hell, their place can neither be Heaven, nor Paradise. As is their receptacle, so is their rest; the place doth bring either joy or pain, which is their state. So that if Christ descending into hell conversed with the souls of the righteous; of force the souls of the righteous were in hell, which is the self same error, that you would seem by your new found interpretation to prevent.  
[But the state of the dead, is in Hebrew noted by the word Sheôl; and thither Christ descended.] And the state or place whither Christ descended, is in the Creed named hell, and so Sheôl is that which the Creed calleth hell. In deed some say, that Sheôl doth never in the old testament signify the place of the damned: but I must be borne with, if I be not of their mind. Many men say, that they never prove; and some speak they know not what. As both parts of man sinned in the first transgression; 
Sheol as well hell as the grave.  so was there a pit of perdition provided for either part; the grave for the body, which there should rot; and hell for the soul, which there should be tormented with everlasting fire. Both these pits, because they always expect and exact as their due, the bodies and souls of mortal and sinful men, and never are satisfied, are contained in the word Sheôl; and are not distinguished by the nature of the word, which is common to both; but by the circumstances added, which are proper to either. For example, when the word Sheôl is qualified with an OPPOSITION to heaven with a difference of SCITVATION, as the LOWER PIT; with an ADDITION of the soul there suffering, or of the pain there suffered; all these are proofs that the word Sheôl, which is otherwise indifferent, must there be taken not for the burial of the body, nor for the change from this life, but for the state of destruction, and place of damnation. 
a Psal. ●.  Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I sly from thy presence? If I ascend into heaven, thou art there: If I lodge BENEATH IN HELL, thou art there. Opposite to heaven is not the grave, where the bodies of all gods saints do lie, but hell as being the farthest from it, and most repugnant to it; since from hell to heaven there is no passage for man; but from the grave to heaven is the assured hope of all the faithful. This opposition our Saviour expressing in the new testament, saith. 
b 〈…〉  And thou Capernaum which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell. Christ doth not threaten the contemners of his doctrine, and miracles with the grave, which is common to all the godly; but with perpetual destruction and punishment proportionable to the height of their pride, which must needs be hell. And so much followeth in plain words in the next verse. 
c Ibid. ver. 24.  I say to you, it shall be easier for them of the land of Sodom in the day of judgement, then for thee. In the day of judgement as death, so the grave are at an end, for the bodies of the wicked shall then live for ever; and then shall Capernaum be cast down to hell for the contempt of Christ's preaching.  
As hell is the farthest place from heaven, that can be named, so it is the lowest, and therefore by the lower pit, is meant not the grave, but hell, which in situation is far lower than the outside of the earth where men are buried. 
d job. 11  Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the perfection of the almighty? to the height of heaven what canst thou do? it is deeper than hell; 
The lowest place and farthest from heaven is hell.  how canst thou know it? God's perfection is higher than the highest place, which is heaven; & deeper than the deepest place, which is hell. To compare his power or justice with the depth of the grave, which is not four yards deep at the most, were a very slender comparison for the incomprehensible greatness of god; but since in height & depth it exceedeth all things; there can be no doubt, but it is compared with the highest & deepest places that are; which are heaven and hell. In like sort, 
e Psal. 85.  Thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest pit, can not be meant of the grave. For men's souls are not enclosed in graves with their bodies, but as the pit provided for the body is the higher of the twain, and the pit prepared for the soul is the lower; so the lowest pit out of question is hell, where the souls of such as are rejected from God are detained against the day of vengeance. And albeit some of these speeches may perchance admit an allegorical sense, and so signify the greatest and extremest dangers that might be; yet the ground of the allegory dependeth on the nature of hell, and not of the grave, because of the two sorts of pits, hell is the lowest; and made to receive the souls of men, which the grave doth not. 
f Deut. 32  A fire, (saith God by Moses) is kindled in my wrath, and shall burn to the bottom of hell, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains. Fire in the grave there is none, in hell there is; neither can the sepulchre, where men's bodies lie buried, be the bottom of hell. For so shall we make the place of hell higher than the earth, which the scripture every where crosseth, when it calleth hell the deep, or lowest pit. A fire then burning to the bottom of hell, and inflaming the very foundations of the hills, can have no resemblance to the grave, nor performance in the grave; but Sheol in that scripture, as in many others, must signify the very place of the damned, which we call hell.  
The words then of the creed, he descended into hell, since the defenders of this third opinion do not refer to the body of Christ buried, but to the soul of Christ after death; it is evident by their position, that not only Christ's soul after this life descended to hell, but all the souls of the just and righteous leaving this world before Christ's coming, descended likewise into hell. And this evasion of theirs, that Sheol in Hebrew signifieth the state of the dead after this life, be it good or bad, standeth them in little steed. For first they do not avoid that obscure and idle repetition, wherewith the second opinion was charged; that, after a plain and easy article, he was dead, the self same thing should be iterated again with a very dark and doubtful kind of hebraism, he descended into Sheôl. By this former, he was dead, every man must needs conceive, not only the separation of the soul from the body, but also the subjection of either part to the state of the dead. What needed then an unknown hebrew phrase he descended into Sheôl, to express the very same point, which before was fully and fairly delivered? Again, though Sheôl be common to the bodies of the faithful and infidels, yet may it be very well doubted, whether the souls of the righteous departed this life be in Sheôl, 
The scripture maketh a descent to Sheol.  or no. And under correction I take it to be more, than the Scripture any where doth positively affirm. My reason is, that Abraham's bosom is by our Saviour placed 
g Luke. 16  ABOVE, PARR OFF from the place, where the wicked after this life are tormented. Now to Sheôl the Scripture maketh a DESCENT, not an ascent, as when jacob saith; 
h Genes. 37  I WILL GO down TO Sheôl unto my son, mourning. And again, 
i Genes. 42.  you will bring my grey hairs with sorrow down TO SHEOL. And lest we should dream of a metaphorical kind of descent; in the rebellion of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, the scripture saith; 
k Numb. 16  THE GROUND clave asunder, that was UNDER THEM, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, with their families. So they, and all that were with them, DESCENDED alive into Sheôl, and the earth COVERED THEM. To Sheôl then the scripture maketh a local descent, which is either of the body to the grave, (for so jacob's words must be understood; when he saith, I will descend to Sheôl unto my son;) or of the soul after death, to the place of torment, which is the reward of all the wicked. The 
l Psal. 9  wicked (saith David) shall be turned into Sheôl, and all nations that forget God. 
The souls of the wicked were in Sheol before Christ's coming, but not of the godly.  Where he doth not mean, they shall die aswell as the godly, which is likewise the lot of all the just & righteous; but they shall have the due wages of sin; both body and soul descending to Sheôl; that is, the one to corruption in the earth, the other to damnation in hell. For Sheol containeth both, and importeth both to the forgetters and despisers of God; albeit it fasten no farther on the godly, then to bring their bodies to the grave, which is the gate of hell. Ezechiah mentioning in his prayers, how he was willed by the prophet to prepare himself to die, thus expresseth it. 
Esay. 38  I said in the cutting off of my days; I shall go to the gates of Sheol, I am deprived of the residue of my years; but the wicked go to THE DEPTH OF SHEOL, which is the place of everlasting punishment. 
n Proverb. 15  The way of life (saith Solomon) is ON HIGH, to him that understandeth to decline from SHEOL BENEATH. So that after this life, the souls that live, are above, for the way to life is on high; the souls that die, go to the depth of Sheol, even to the bottomless pit of perdition. Of him that hanteth harlots Solomon saith. 
o Proverb. 9  He knoweth not that her guests are in the depth of Sheol, that is, so wrapped in their sins, that they cannot prevent everlasting damnation. And again. 
p Proverb. 23  Thou shalt smite the child with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from Sheol. Correction will not save a child that he shall not see death, but it will bow him to obedience, and so save his soul from destruction. Yea how should David so often confess to God that his soul was freed from Sheol, if by Sheol he meant the state after death? for thence it was impossible his soul should be delivered. 
q Psal. 89.  What man liveth, & shall not see death? 
r Psal. 49  so precious is the redemption of the soul (from death) that it must cease for ever. And yet comparing himself with the wicked, & his state with theirs, he saith. 
s Psal. 49.  Like sheep shall they lie in Sheol; death shall devour them, and the righteous shall have dominion over them, in the day spring. But God will deliver my soul from the power of Sheol; for he will receive me. Doth David mean he shall never die, or that his soul shallbe delivered from Sheol, that is from the state of such as were departed this life? the imagination were both false & absurd; but he meaneth, that death shall devour the wicked wholly, as well soul as body; whereas he did firmly believe, that God would deliver his soul from the power of Sheol, & would receive him after death▪ though his body must of force by the condition of nature wax old as a garment, and rot in the grave, till the day of resurrection.  
And if any man think good in some such places, 
Abraham bosom is no part of Sheol, or hell.  as these are, to interpret the SOUL for LIFE, because it is the spring and cause of life in the body; and SHEOL for the GRAVE, where life endeth; I will not utterly condemn his exposition, so long as he leaneth a different power of Sheol over the just & unjust, from which David saith, God will deliver his soul; and do not make the souls of the righteous DESCEND TO SHEOL after death. For that directly impugneth the doctrine, as well of the old testament, which saith the 
t Proverb. 13  way of life is on high; as of our Saviour, who placeth Abraham's bosom upward A FAR OFF from hell; when he saith of the rich man; that 
u Luke. 16.  being in hell in torments, he LIFT UP his eyes and saw Abraham A FAR OFF, and Lazarus in his bosom. Upon which place, S. Augusten learnedly and truly inferreth, 
x August. epist. 99  Ne ipsos quidem INFEROS VSPIAM scripturarum locis IN BONO APPELLATOS potuireperire. Quod si nusquam in divinis authoritatibus legitur, non utique sinus ille Abrahae, idest, secretae cuiusdam quietis habitatio ALIQVA PARS INFERORVM esse credenda est: quanquam in ijs ipsis tanti magistri verbis, ubi ait dixisse Abraham, Inter nos & vos chaos magnum firmatum est; SATIS VT OPINOR APPARET, NON ESSE QVANDAM PARTEM, ET QVASI MEMBRUM INFERORUM, tantae illius felicitatis sinum: Chaos enim magnum, quid est nisi quidam hiatus multum ea separans, inter quae non solum est, verum etiam firmatus est? The name of Inferi I could nowhere find in any place of scripture used IN ANY GOOD SENSE: which if we do nowhere read in the authorities of the scripture, surely Abraham's bosom, which is an habitation of secret rest, may not be thought to be ANY PIECE OF THE LOWER PARTS albeit in the words of so sufficient a master (as our Saviour) where he maketh Abraham say, betwixt us and you there is a GREAT GULF ESTABLISHED, it is EVIDENT ENOUGH, as I take it; that the bosom of so great felicity, is NO PART NOR MEMBER of hell. For what is a great gulf, but a great distance separating those places, between which it lieth? Inferi are the lower parts where the dead remain, which the Hebrew calleth Sheôl; and touching Inferi, which are the places, or spirits beneath, we may with S. Austen conclude two things out of the manifest words of our Saviour. First that Abraham's bosom is UPWARD towards heaven, and therefore the souls of the righteous before the death of Christ ascended rather, then descended. Next, that neither paradise, nor Abraham's bosom, (which was the receptacle for the souls of all the sons of Abraham, that held the faith, and did the works of Abraham,) was any part or member of hell. So that CHRIST'S DESCENDING INTO HELL cannot be expounded of his conversing with the spirits of the just and perfect men after his death; nor of his enduring the state of the dead; since the place, where their souls do rest after death, is no where in the scriptures called HELL or SHEOL, or, as S. Austen speaketh, INFERI. And this I take to be so clear, that neither jewish Rabbins with their grammatical observations, nor Greek poets with their fantastical imaginations may be suffered to contradict it. How easy it is to wrangle with the words, NEPHESH, SHEOL, and HADES a mean scholar may soon perceive; but I hold it no sound course to fetch the explication of the mysteries of christian religion, either from such impudent impugners of it, as were the Rabbins, or from such ignorant deluders of it, as were the profane poets, who talk euerie where of heaven and hell, according to the false and lewd persuasion of their own hearts. And therefore they may spare their pains, that promise us so many thousand deponentes both jewish and heathen, that Sheol and Hades do not signify hell. It will trouble them more than they think, to bring us but one good proof out of the scripture, that the souls of the righteous before Christ's coming, were in Sheol or Hades; and till they do, I rest on Saint Austin's collection out of the words of Christ; that Abraham's bosom is no piece nor part of Hades, or Inferi, which the hebrew calleth Sheol, as being divided from it with a mighty distance; and that the souls of the just departing this life before Christ's death, were 
y Luke. 16.  CARRIED UP BY THE ANGELS, INTO ABRAHAM'S BOSOM.  
So that as yet we have not the true meaning of these words of our creed, he was CRUCIFIED, DEAD, & BURIED; HE DESCENDED INTO HELL; neither doth any of the precedent opinions come nére the plain and true exposition thereof. 
How the words of the Creed are best expounded.  For in my judgement they must have a sense both DIFFERENT in matter, and CONSEQVENT in order, even as they lie, before we can rightly understand them. First he must be DEAD; then BURIED in body, which was laid in the earth: lastly the soul after it was severed by death from the body, DESCENDED INTO HELL; & this third point, he descended into hell, must neither be ALLEGORIZED, which in matters of faith is very dangerous, so long as the proper sense containeth a truth; nor CONFOUNDED WITH THE FORMER: for so the creed shall not shortly touch mysteries of religion, but darkly trouble us with phrases of variation. And therefore for my part, I retain in expounding this Article, 3. things; DISTINCTION of matter, CONSEQVENCE of order, & PROPRIETY of words; and those three considered, the sense of the Article may & must be, that Christ, after his BODY was BURIED, in soul DESCENDED UNTO that place, which the scripture properly calleth HELL; & this sense I find to be so far from any falsity or absurdity, that it is more honourable to Christ, and more comfortable to christians, than any of the rest, that we have yet examined. Which that you may the better perceive, give me leave somewhat farther to repeat the fruit and force of his glorious resurrection.  
Christ is called 
z 1. Corinth. 15  the first fruits of them that slept; not that never none before Christ was restored from the dead, to live here on earth; but though many were so revived again, yet from the foundation of the world not one was ever raised unto a blessed and immortal life before Christ. Elias raised the 
1. Regum. 17.  widow of Sareptas son; Elizeus the 
b 2. Regum. 4  Sunamites; Christ himself restored to life the 
Marei. 5.  daughter of jairus, the 
d Luke 7  widows only son of Naim, and 
john. 11  Lazarus; yet all these after their return to life were still subject to sin and death, as they were before; but he whom the scripture nameth 
revelat. 2.  the first begotten of the dead, was indeed the first, that ever rose from the dead into an happy and heavenly life. For where man here on earth is beset with three dangers, 
Christ the first that ever rose, conqueror of sin, death and hell.  with SIN during life, with DEATH shortening life, with HELL tormenting after life; (the just vengeance of sin delivering the body to death, the soul to hell:) the resurrection of Christ, being the full conquest of all his & our enemies, that impugn either his glory or our safety, must overthrow, sin, death & hell; not in his own person only, to whom no such thing was due, but in our steed, & for our good; that we might be likewise freed from the power of those foes; and as members be joined unto our head, wholly without any hindrance, everlastingly without any disturbance, and joyfully without any grievance. Wherefore Christ rising into a SPIRITVAL, IMMORTAL, & CELESTIAL life, freed us from the dominion of sin, fear of death, and fury of Satan; and by 
g Ephes. ●●  quickening us, raising us up, and setting us together with himself, in heavenly places, hath not only given us the victory against sin, and death, but even trodden down Satan under our feet.  
Of Christ's conquest against sin & death, 
The conquest of Christ over sin & death.  I shall not need to say much; things not impugned require less pains to be defended; his conquest overhel, as in himself it showed most power, & purchased most honour; so from us it deserveth greatest thanks as bringing us greatest comfort; that though sin remain, & death prevail against our bodies, there is yet no cause to fear or doubt the fullness and sureness of our redemption, since the strength of hell is altogether conquered & abolished from the faithful; which before was the very sting of sin and death. As therefore Christ was 
h Rom. 4.  delivered to death for our sins, and is risen again for our justification; so by MERCY REMITTING, and grace. REPRESSING, he pareth the branches, and drieth the root of sin, till the body of sin and death turning to dust, & withering in the grave, be restored again after Christ's example to perpetual & celestial life and bliss. Insomuch that by lamenting sin past, and resisting sin to come, sin daily dieth in us; and the inward man of the heart being lightened and renewed by grace doth daily more and more, by desire and delight of heavenly things, aspire to the imitation and participation of Christ's resurrection. The force of sin then being quenched by Christ's dying unto sin, and his rising again unto righteousness, the power of death is abolished by the pardoning and decreasing of our sins; that being now the passage to glory for all repenters, which before was the gate to hell for all transgressors. In his own person Christ showed his conquest over death, not by keeping his flesh from death, which he could easily have done, but by saving it from rotting in the sepulchre, and by raising it again into an immortal and glorious state: that death being swallowed up by the power of his life, he might take from us the fear of death, whiles here we live: and change the curse of death, making it now a 
i Revel. 14  rest from all labours, which before was an entrance into perpetual pain. This enemy, because he doth least harm, shall be last destroyed: even at the day of the general resurrection, and not before: and serveth now rather to repress sin, then to revenge sin; the godly being by death delivered from the committing, loving, or fearing sin; and the wisdom of God providing, that as sin brought death into the world; so death should abolish sin out of the world. This is briefly the victory, that Christ obtained against sin and death, by his dying and rising from the dead. His conquest over hell, as it is more questioned, and more expected, so will I not refuse to show you, what I think may be safely believed, and must not rashly be rejected of any christian.  
The conquest of Christ over hell and Satan may be no way doubted by any divine, 
In vain is all that christ did for us, if hell be not conquered.  that rightly handleth the mystery of our salvation. In vain do we speak of releasing sin, or despising death, if the right of hell to us, and power of hell over us do still remain. And therefore the very ground of Christ's conquering sin and death, is his subduing of hell and Satan, that they should lay no challenge to, nor have no force against the faithful. It is then on all sides accorded, that hell and Satan must be fully conquered by Christ, before the work of our redemption can be perfectly settled or assured; but as well the time when, as the manner, how, are somewhat questioned, and that maketh the whole matter the more needful to he discussed. To refute every man's fancy that speaketh hereof, were an infinite labour; to search out a truth in this case, that may safely be received, and comfortably embraced, if not necessarily urged, is the sum of mine intention, and should be the end of your expectation; with this proviso, that no man carp before he righlie conceive; nor pronounce before he well examine that which shall be spoken; lest he check the Scriptures before he beware, and condemn the whole Church of God without any cause.  
In expressing Christ's conquest over hell and Satan, I think best to observe these three things: 
The method of handling Christ's descent.  WHAT he did unto Satan and his kingdom; WHEN; and with WHICH PART OF HIMSELF he did execute this triumph. WHAT HE DID unto Satan, we shall learn, by seeing what he suffered at Satan's hands. Proportionable to Christ's humiliation was his exaltation; and for the violence which he endured, he received full satisfaction. As then on the cross Christ suffered at Satan's hands, and by Satan's means REPROACH, RAGE, & WRONG; 
Christ's conquest over Satan had these three effects.  so in his resurrection he reaped a triple recompense from Satan: SUBMISSION, whereby his pride was subjecteth under Christ; CAPTIVATION, whereby his rage was restrained, and himself chained by Christ; RESTITUTION, whereby his spoils were divided, and delivered unto Christ. When I say that Satan was SUBDVED, TIED, and SPOILT by Christ rising from the dead, let no unsettled brain imagine, this is superstitious and popish; as I mean them, and as the scriptures deliver them, they are prophetical and Apostolical. And lest you should think I delude you with words, I will show you whence I take them; first jointly all in one sentence, then severally from sundry places of the holy scriptures. Our Saviour in the Gospel doth purposely make this comparison, 
The proof of these three by the scriptures  or utter this parable concerning himself and the kingdom of Satan. 
k Mat. 12. Mark. 3.  How can a man ENTER into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first BIND the strong man, and then SPOIL his house? Christ then ENTERED upon Satan's house as a CONQVERER; TIED him as the STRONGER; SPOILT him as the right OWNER of that, which Satan unjustly detained from him. And albeit it may not be denied, but Christ whiles he lived on earth, made some proof, of his right and power, to dissolve the works, and displace the force of Satan, from the bodies and souls of men; yet it is evident that the full demonstration of his victory, and perfection of his glory were reserved to the time of his resurrection, when he broke the 〈◊〉 and sorrows of death and hell, and ascended to his father, not only clothed with honour, and immortality, but armed with power and principality; 
l Phil. 2.  all knees bowing unto him, in heaven, earth and hell, and all tongues confessing that jesus was the Lord, to the glory of God. These very parts of Christ's conquest over Satan, the Apostle doth comprise in one sentence to the Colossians, saying: Christ 
m Colos. 2.  SPOILT powers and principalities, and made A SHOW of them openly, TRIUMPHING over them in his own person. That powers and principalities in this place do signify wicked and sinful spirits there can be no question; those names in the scriptures are proper to Angels, be they good or bad; as Roman. 8 vers. 38. Ephes. 3. vers. 10. & 6. vers. 12. Colos. 1. vers. 16 1. Peter. 3. vers. 22. And here must needs import evil Angels, because Christ had no cause to conquer or spoil the elect Angels, which served him, and ministered unto him; but the bad that impugned his truth, and envied his glory. Over those than Christ TRIUMPHED as a conqueror; those he OPENLY showed as captives bound with chains; those he STRIPPED OR SPOILT of the goods which they had unlawfully gotten. And this the Apostle saith he did execute in his own person, as a triumph fit for the son of God, 
n 1. Cor. 15.  all things being subjecteth under his feet, yea, 
o 1. Peter. 3.  Angels, powers, and mights subdued unto him, when he ascended into heaven.  
And though some late translators, to decline the descent of Christ to hell after death, do imagine that the wicked Angels were CONQVERED, showed and SPOILT by Christ in his suffering the pains of hell on the cross; 
On the cross Christ obtained his triumph, but he executed it at his resurrection  and to that end do alter the ancient and constant reading of the text, putting in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his own person, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the same cross; yet since both scriptures and fathers with one consent do contradict that dangerous speculation, I may not admit it as consonant, either to the faith or truth of the Scriptures. For the conquest which Christ had over Satan and his Kingdom, was not by RESISTING, much less by SUFFERING the assaults of hell. He is no conqueror that with much ado saveth himself and his from the fury of his enemies; but he that subdueth and treadeth his adversaries under his feet, and so maistreth them, that he may dispose of them at his will, he is truly called a conqueror. And since the Apostle saith, Christ SPOILT the powers of darkness, and made AN OPEN SHOW of them, and TRIUMPHED over them, it is an evident wrong to Christ to think that all the conquest he had over them, was at length to REPEL them; & with mighty fears and cries TO SCAPE their force. Yea the redemption of mankind is altogether uncertain and unsufficient, if our head being God and man, could do no more but by long struggling wind himself out of Satan's claws. We must confess an other kind of conquest, before the kingdom of Christ can overrule all as it must; and his Church be secure from the gates of hell; to wit, that 
p Mat. 28.  ALL POWER in heaven and earth was given unto him; that 
q Philip. 2  EVERY KNEE in heaven, and earth, and hell bowed unto him; that he had and hath THE 
r Revel. 1.  KEYS of death and OF HELL; and could 
s Psal 2.  RULE his enemies with a rod of iron, and break them like a potter's vessel; that by his death, he 
t Heq. 2.  DESTROYED him, that was the ruler of death, even the devil. This conquest Christ purchased by his passion, but he did not execute it till his resurrection; otherwise he could not have died, if death on the cross had been throughlie conquered. But he was humbled and exinanited on the cross, even unto death, that he might after in his resurrection be exalted, and replenished with all honour, power, and principality, in heaven, earth and hell. Howbeit of the time WHEN he triumphed, we shall afterward speak; we now observe WHAT he did in his triumph over hell and Satan; and by the Scriptures we find that Christ ENTERED Satan's house, TIED him, and SPOILT his goods; or as the Apostle expresseth it, he SPOILT POWERS & PRINCIPALITIES, MADE AN OPEN SHOW of them, and TRIUMPHED OVERDO THEM IN HIS OWN PERSON.  
And lest I be thought to pretend an ancient and uniform reading of Paul's words in this place without just proof, let us see what ancient fathers have followed the same. The Siriacke translation of the new Testament, which is of no small antiquity, readeth 
n Colos. 2. The fathers read in semetipso in his own person, and those that read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apply it to Christ, & not to the cross, save only Occumenius.  IN SEMETIPSO, IN HIS OWN PERSON, as I do. So do Origen, in Epistola ad Romanos, lib. 5. cap. 5. Epiphanius in Anchorato, & contra Pneumatomacheos haeres. 74. chrysostom homili. 6. in 2. ca ad Colos. and Theodorete likewise in 2. cap. ad Colos. Of the Latin Fathers, in whom it may better be distinguished, the book de Trinitate under Tertullia's name, Augustine contra Faustum: lib. 16. cap. 29. & Epistola 59 Hilarius de Trinitate. lib. 1. & lib. 9 Fulgentius ad Thrasimundum. lib. 3. Hieronymus in cap. 2. ad Colos. Ambrose upon the same place, Ruffinus in Symbolum Apostolicum, and so throughout the Latin Church without any dissenting. Only the Greek collections under Oecumenius name, refer that triumph which saint Paul here speaketh of, to the Cross, saying that Christ shamed and confounded the devil on the cross, in that he was openly crucified in the eyes of all the people. 
Oecumenius in 2. cap. ad 〈◊〉.  And although I condemn not the sense as false, that Christ wrestled with Satan on the cross, and even there overmastered his power, yet that Christ had no further or greater triumph over hell and Satan, then by dying on the cross in the sight of men, doth utterly abolish the glory of his resurrection, and contradicteth the whole course of the scriptures. By his suffering and dying on the cross; he deserved and purchased the exaltation, and triumph which he had afterwards, when he rose from the dead; and even before he died, he was fully assured, that neither his soul should be left in hell, nor his flesh see corruption; but that God would raise him again, and give him all power in heaven and earth; and make all knees in heaven, earth, and hell to bow unto him, 
Christ's resurrection was a famore glorious triumph over Satan, than his passion was.  and place him at his right hand in the brightness of eternal glory. It may therefore be confessed & believed, that Christ overthrew Satan on the cross; and so triumphed in spirit against him, or had a spiritual triumph over him, as David foretold, when he said in the person of Christ; Mine heart was glad, and my tongue joyful, yea my flesh shall rest in hope; but that the glory of his resurrection did not far excel the shame of his passion, and that his rising from the dead was no more victorious and triumphant, than his yielding himself unto death, is directly repugnant to the truth of the scriptures. Though he were 
x 2. Cor. 13.  CRUCIFIED THROUGH INFIRMITY, yet liveth he (saith Paul) through THE POWER of God. So that to die, even in Christ, was infirmity, though voluntary; to live again as he liveth in the height of celestial glory, was a clear demonstration of the power of God in him. 
y Rom. 1.  He was declared to be the son of God, in power by the resurrection from the dead. Insomuch that if Christ had died, and not risen again, his conquest had not been worth the speaking of. 
z 1. Cor. 15.  If Christ be not raised, your faith is in vain, saith Paul; and ye are yet in your sins. Christ's death then without his resurrection had been a full conquest of Satan over Christ, and all his members. That which Paul sayeth, is true, as well in Christ as in us; 
〈◊〉  It is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory; it is sown in WEAKNESS, it is raised in power. Since then in the death and cross of Christ the holy ghost noteth 
● Heb. 13.  reproach, 
● Heb. 12.  shame and weakness; we do foully err, if we ascribe no greater, nor other triumph to Christ over death and hell, than his cross and passion. 
Luke. 24.  These things, Christ was to suffer, and (so) to enter into his glory; but we must make as great difference betwixt his dying, and his rising again, as we would betwixt his weakness and his power; his conflict, and his conquest; his depression, and his exaltation; his suffering in reproach, and his reigning in glory.  
For the better evidence whereof, you shall see the holy scriptures at large express the very same parts, and the very same time, which I observed unto you. 
Phil. ●.  Christ humbled himself, and became obedient unto the death, 
The cause and time of christs triumph.  even the death of the cross. WHEREFORE God also highly EXALTED him, and gave him a name above every name, that at the name of jesus every KNEE SHOULD BOW, of things IN HEAVEN IN EARTH, AND BENEATH THE EARTH. Under the earth are no reasonable creatures to kneel to Christ's person and sceptre, but the damned spirits and souls in hell, except we take hold of Purgatory, or Limbus patrum; the elect in heaven do willingly serve him; such as live on earth, do endure his justice or love his mercy; the spirits beneath do find his truth, and feel his hand; the most adverse acknowledge his name, and fear his force. This exaltation of Christ to reign over heaven, earth and hell, came after his death, as being the reward and effect of his obedience unto death. So saith the Apostle. He humbled himself, and became obedient to the death, even the death of the Crosse. WHEREFORE (or for which cause) God highly exalted him, that in the name of jesus all knees in heaven, earth and hell should bow. Then on the cross, or afore his death the time was not yet come, that Christ should be thus exalted; but there rather was the time and place of his humiliation; and when he rose again, 
f Math. 〈◊〉.  all power in heaven and earth was given unto him. 
g Revel. ●.  I was dead (saith he himself) and behold I am alive for evermore; and I HAVE THE KEYS OF HELL AND OF DEATH; that is all power over death and hell, to 
h Revel. 3.  shut and no man may open; to open, and no man may shut. The Prophet Esay pointeth to the very same CAUSE and TIME of Christ's exaltation. 
i Esay. 5●  BECAUSE he hath powered out his soul unto death: THEREFORE will I give him his portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoils with the mighty. If FOR THAT CAUSE; then AFTER THAT TIME, Christ divided the spoils of the mighty; or (as the Apostle speaketh) he spoiled powers and principalities. And noting exactly the TIME of Christ's triumph, the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, ASCENDING ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVITY CAPTIVE. This that he ascended, what meaneth it, but that he first descended into the lower 
Ephes. 4.  parts of the earth? Christ did not lead captivity captive, when he descended into the lower parts of the earth, but when he ascended from thence. The Devils then which held us in captivity, were themselves lead captive, when Christ ascended from the lower parts of the earth; and then were powers and principalities SPOILT, and openly showed, Christ TRIUMPHING OVERDO THEM, not on the Cross at the time of his passion; but IN HIS OWN PERSON, at the time of his resurrection and ascension. An effect of this triumph is this, that an Angel was sent (in the Revelation of Saint john) from heaven having the key of the bottomless pit, and a great chain in his hand. 
l Revel. 10.  And he took the Dragon that old Serpent, which is the devil & Satan, and bound him a thousand years. And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and sealed upon him, that he should deceive the people no more. If a messenger from Christ had this power over Satan, to bind him, and shut him up, what command then had Christ himself over hell and Satan? And how wholesome and gladsome a thing is it for us to believe and confess, that Christ jesus our Lord and saviour hath Satan, and all the pawers of hell chained at his will, and by his conquest over them so ruleth and restraineth them that they can not stir but by his leave and appointment; and thus shall he hold them captive, till he deliver the kingdom to God his father, and thoroughly tread both death and Satan under our feet. This doctrine I trust maintaineth no superstition, but sound and true religion, as well touching the parts, as the time of Christ's conquest and triumph over death and hell.  
It resteth now to search what part of Christ had this triumph over hell; for so much as Christ consisted of two natures, divine, and human; 
Christ's manhood must triumph and not his Godhead.  & his manhood by death was then divided into two places, the body being separate from the soul, and lying in the dust of the earth, but without corruption. And first, we must not refer this triumph to his divine nature; by reason it was no mastery for god to conquer his vassal. The 
〈◊〉 3.  seed of the woman must bruise the serpent's head, and not the maker of heaven and earth with his almighty power & majesty. Besides the godhead of Christ could neither truly DESCEND, nor ASCEND; as being every where present; nor be EXALTED as being equal with the highest, nor RECEIVE GIFT, as having all fullness in it: but that nature which led captivity captive, did first DESCEND into the lower parts of the earth, & after ASCENDED, & was EXALTED, and RECEIVED this power and honour as a GIFT from God, in respect of his obedience, patience, and humility. The places are before alleged, there is no need to repeat them. It was then Christ's human nature, which God so highly EXALTED for his former obedience unto death, and to which all power was given in heaven and earth; his divine was ever in even degree with his father, full of majesty, power and glory. It is not to be neglected, that Ireneus saith, 
u Irenaeus. lib. 3. cap. 20.  Si homo non vicisset inimicum hominis, non iusté victus esset inimicus. If a man had not overcome the enemy of man, the enemy had not lawfully been overcome. Which proportion of justice the Apostle urgeth, when he saith; as 
o 1. Corinth. 15  by a man came death, so by a man came the resurrection of the dead. Since then the human nature of Christ by condition might, and by desert must be exalted above all creatures; and by the rule of justice had the conquest of satan and his kingdom; it is no hard matter to discern, 
And in his manhood the soul, not the body, which lay dead in earth.  which part of Christ's manhood must overthrow death, and which must triumph over hell. The body of man, whiles the first death lasteth, is not due to hell; it must lie dead and senseless in the earth; and so can neither live, nor feel the pains of hell. Christ's body then lying in the grave without SENSE, MOTION, OR LIFE, could have no conquest over hell; over death it had, being preserved in the grave without all corruption; and raised from the dead to a blessed and immortal state without all imperfection: Over hell it had none, because that part of Christ which did conquer hell, must have as well MOTION TO DESCEND thither, and POWER TO REPRESS there the rage of satan; as also LIFE AND SENSE TO SPOIL powers and principalities, and by leading them captive to make an open show of them; from all which, the first death kept the body of Christ; till the time that his soul ascending with triumph from hell, took his body from death, and so made a perfect conquest over hell and death, not only for his own person, to whom all power was given in heaven and earth, but for his members also, for whose safety he took from Satan the keys of hell, and of death, that he himself might be 
p Rom. 14  Lord of the dead & the living. So that now the power of hell is destroyed, and Satan restrained, and the faithful freed from all fear, & assured that 
q Matth. 16.  the gates of hell shall not prevail against them. And this is that victory, which God threatened to death and hell by his prophet, saying: 
Osee. 13  I will redeem them from THE POWER OF HELL; I will deliver them from death. O death I will be thy death: O HELL I WILL BE THY DESTRUCTION; repentance is hid from mine eyes.  

Whether Christ's descent to hell be written in the scriptures, or no.  So agreeable is this doctrine to the christian faith, & so comfortable to all the godly, that few would refuse it, except such as are waspishlie wedded to their own fancies; if it might appear where this is written in the scriptures. The which desire of religious minds, whiles I labour to satisfy, I must forewarn them, how easy it is for contentious spirits to frustrate the strength of all that God saith, if they may be suffered with diverse significations, & figurative interpretations, to elude when they list, the words of the holy ghost, & decline the literal & proper sense of the divine oracles as their pleasures. This rule therefore must be held throughout the scriptures, that in mysteries of religion, we divert not from the native & proper significations of the words, but when the letter impugneth the grounds of christian faith & charity. Otherwise we shall leave nothing sound & sure in the word of God; if we may avoid all things by figures: that please not our humours. 
August. de doctri. Christiana. lib. 3. cap. 10.  To this lesson, (saith Austen) whereby we take heed not to interpret a figurative speech, as if it were proper; we must add an other, that we take not a proper speech, as if it were figurative. First then we must show the mean, how to find out whether the speech be figurative or proper. And this is the way to discern them; 
Ibidem.  ut quicquid in sermone divino, neque ad morum honestatem, neque ad fidei veritatem proprie referri potest, figuratum esse cognoseas; that whatsoever in the divine scripture CANNOT PROPERLY be referred to the honesty of manners, or to the verity of faith, thou mayst be sure it is FIGURATIVE. So long then as the proper sense of the scriptures may stand with the Analogy of faith, and direction of charity; we offer violence to the word of God, if we wrist it to a figurative understanding.  
From this rule, (which must be observed throughout the body of the scripture,) if we do not rashly slide; it is no hard matter to show where Christ's descent to hell is expressly recorded in the scriptures. The words are well known, & often alleged, if men were not disposed to pervert, or elude them with their enigmatical & allegorical constructions. 
u Psal. 16. Acts. 2 The words are plain enough if we wrist them not from their proper sense.  Thou WILL'T NOT FORSAKE MY SOUL IN HELL, nor suffer thine holy one to see corruption. If Christ's soul in hell were assisted with the glorious power and presence of God; ergo Christ's soul WAS in hell. And THERE it could not be, without DESCENDING THITHER. The descent then of Christ's soul into hell, when it was severed from the body, is apparently witnessed in the scriptures, howsoever the divers conceits of men do diversly expound it. To take the SOUL for the CARCASE; & HELL for the GRAVE, (as some do) if it be not a wrested exposition, I am sure it is not the proper interpretation of the words; and therefore in mysteries of faith by no means to be admitted. To let the soul retain her true signification, and by hell to mean paradise (where others defend the soul of Christ was all the time, that his body lay in the grave;) if it be not a misconstruction, it is no literal exposition of the place, and in my judgement a very strange kind of figure it is, to express Christ's ascent into Paradise, by his descent into hell; & so to expound the words of the creed, that we draw them to a clean contrary sense. If therefore we lean forcing & wresting the words of the holy ghost, & let their proper & true signification stand, as well the words, as the circumstances will exactly prove that the soul of Christ after death DESCENDED INTO HELL. That this was performed after Christ was dead, and consequently when his soul was severed from his body, there can be no question, as I have showed before; for that Christ saith, his flesh 
Psal. 16.  SHALL LIE DOWN (or take rest in the tabernacle of his grave) IN HOPE that God WILL NOT FORSAKE HIS SOUL IN HELL; and in this hope Christ died: this assistance was therefore given him after death. That his soul must be taken properly for that part, which after death saw the power and presence of God not forsaking him, as well the separation of the body, 
The soul must not be taken for the body, though man may be signified by either.  as fruition of God's assistance do plainly prove. Whiles we live, the body or soul may rightly import the whole man; but after death it is more than absurd to take the soul for the body, or the body for the soul: yea in men here living, we must take heed that in matters of doctrine we mistake not the one for the other. In matters of fact, to note the person by either part, can be no danger; but in their attributes and properties, to confound them, is to leave nothing certain in christian religion. Tertullian saith truly. 
y Tertullian. de carne Christi. cap. 13.  Certe perversissimum, ut carnem nominantes animam intelligamus; & animam significantes, carnem interpretemur. Omnia periclitabuntur aliter accipi, quam sunt; & amittere quod sunt, dum aliter accipiuntur: si aliter, quam sunt, cognominantur. Fides nominum salus est proprietatum. It is most perverse, that the flesh being named, we should understand the soul, or the soul being signified, we should interpret it for the flesh. All things shall be in danger to be otherwise taken than they are, and to lose that they are, whiles they are mistaken, if we call them by other names then their own. The distinction of their names is the preservation of their properties. And yet in these words the case is cleèrer. For here are both parts expressed and distinguished as well by their NATURES, and PLACES, as by their NAMES. Christ's soul was not forsaken in hell, but enjoyed the glorious assistance of God, even there, where God forsaketh all others: Christ's flesh lying dead without sense in the grave, was there preserved from all corruption. For David, saith Peter, 
Acts. 2.  spoke of Christ's resurrection, that his SOUL was not forsaken, (or left) in hell, nor his FLESH saw corruption. 
a Tertullian. de carne Christi. cap. 13  Quum dividit species, carnem & animam, duo oftendit, saith Tertullian. When (the scripture) divideth the kinds, as the soul and the flesh, it noteth two distinct things. Since than Peter doth not only so report, but so interpret David's words, that he spoke of Christ's soul and Christ's flesh; it is evident they must be two distinct and different things, both in David's prediction, and in Peter's application.  
Again in these words is not comprised the general state of the dead common to Christ with all other, 
The circumstances prove the words must be properly taken.  but a special prerogative verified in none, but in the true Messiah and Saviour of the world. For neither of these was ever accomplished in any, but in Christ. Then as no flesh in the sepulchre was ever free from corruption, but only Christ's; so no soul in hell was ever supported and assisted by God, and not forsaken, but only Christ's. If by hell, we understand Paradise; it was no privilege to be there not forsaken, but rather a childish absurdity to think that any soul might there be forsaken; and so no cause for Christ so strongly to hope, and so greatly to rejoice, that HIS SOUL should not be forsaken, where it was impossible, that any soul should be forsaken: but this is rather a just ground of exceeding joy, if where all souls were forsaken of God, as in hell they are; there Christ's soul should not be forsaken, but assisted with the might and majesty of God, to break the force, and tread the power of hell under his feet. And this proveth Christ's resurrection more strongly, (for which cause David spoke it) then if we apply the name of hell to the state of Paradise. For if Christ did rise again without corruption, because his soul was not forsaken of God in Paradise; then all the souls that rise not in like manner, are forsaken of God, though they still remain in the rest and comfort of Paradise; which is a palpable falsity, if not impiety. But if neither the grave could corrupt his flesh, nor hell detain his soul; what better assurance could be brought of his resurrection, then that neither death could dissolve his body into dust, nor hell prevail against his soul. And this I take to be S. Peter's reason when he saith to the jews: 
Acts. ●.  jesus of Nazareth have ye taken by the hands of the wicked, & crucified, and slain: whom God raised again, BREAKING THE SORROWS OF DEATH, in as much as it was IMPOSSIBLE he should BE HELD THERE OF. God made way for Christ to rise again by BREAKING THE SORROWS OF DEATH before him, that they should not hinder him. Christ's body lying dead in the grave, & lacking sense could have no sorrow. In Paradise a place of rest & joy, if his soul were there, much less may we imagine any sorrow. Since then the sepulchre hath no SENSE where Christ's flesh lay; & Paradise hath NO SORROW; the SORROWS OF DEATH must needs be referred to the pains of hell, which were all loosed and dissolved before Christ, because IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE THEY SHOULD TAKE HOLD OF HIM.  
[But Peter, they will say, nameth the SORROWS OF DEATH, and not of hell:] as if the name of death did not extend, as well to the 
Apoc. 2  SECOND DEATH, which is hell, as to the first, 
20.  which is the dissolution of nature? 
21.  and THE SORROWS OF THE FIRST DEATH Christ apparently suffered, 
Death is either the first or the second  as much as any man; and they ended with death, they dured not after death. But in Peter's words the sorrows of death were broken at Christ's resurrection. God 
d acts. 3  raised him up, losing the sorrows (or pains) of death. Wherefore the SORROWS OF THE SECOND DEATH must necessarily be understood; & those were all broken and dissolved before Christ, by reason his soul was not forsaken in hell, but united unto God, & aided by the mighty hand of God, to tread upon all the power of the adversary, & in his own person to triumph over Satan, and all the strength of the kingdom of darkness.  

The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which S. Luke expresseth Dauids meaning doth always note hell in the new testament  Lastly howsoever some presumers on their Hebrew may wrangle with the word Sheôl in David's speech, thou wilt not forsake my soul in hell: yet the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, by which S. Luke expresseth David's meaning, doth properly import in the new testament the place of the damned. I remit poets & Pagans using that word after their profane imagination, to the alleagers; in what sense the Evangelists and Apostles take it, will soon appear by their writings. 
e Matth. 16  Upon this Rock (saith Christ) will I build my church, & the gates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (of hell) shall not prevail against it. The church doth not assure the godly, that they shall not die; but, that the gates of the 
f revelat. ●●  second death shall not hurt them. When the merciless rich man died & was buried, as we read in the gospel of S. Luke, the scripture saith 
g Luke. 16  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, & being in hell, in TORMENTS, he lift up his eyes, and saw Abraham a far off, & Lazarus in his bosom. I hope the soul of this rich man, was neither in the grave, nor in paradise, but plainly IN HELL, even in the 
h Ibidem. ver. 23  PLACE OF TORMENTS, where no mercy can be showed, nor release hoped for; and that place & state of the damned S. Luke calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and our Saviour expressing it, maketh the rich man most truly to say; 
i Ibidem. ver. 24  I AM TORMENTED IN THIS FLAME; S. john in his Revelation noting the coherence of death and hell in the destruction of the wicked, saith. 
k Revel. 6.  Behold, a pale horse, and his name, that sat thereon was death, & (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) HELL FOLLOWED AFTER HIM, and power was given THEM over the fourth part of the earth. After death followeth none other death, but HELL, which is the second death, and that as it cometh AFTER the death of the body; so is it distinguished from the death of the body, because it killeth the soul for ever; and that S. john calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. He doth the like in the 20. chap. of the same book. The 
l revelat. 20  sea (saith he) gave up her dead, which were in her, & death & (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) HELL delivered up her dead, that were in them, and death & (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) HELL were cast into the lake of fire, this is the second death. When our saviour then saith, I have the keys of death, 
m Revel. ●  (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) & of hell, he doth not only mean the graves of dead bodies are subjecteth to his power, but the place and pains of damned souls are likewise at his disposition. And when Paul saith; 
n 1. Corinth. 15  O death, where is thy sting (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) ò hell where is thy victory? he teacheth us that God hath given us the victory over DEATH AND HELL, through our Lord jesus Christ. That victory Christ could not make us partakers of, except he had first triumphed over them both in his own person. And that victory Christ did foresee and foreshow, when he said to God, thou wilt not forsake my soul (g d =" fo") in hell; (or leave it to the power of hell;) but assist me there, and bring me thence with safety and victory.  

The church from the beginning hath confessed Christ's descent to hell.  If my collections were not allowed by the scriptures; the general faith and confession of all the fathers in all ages and countries, since the first foundation of Christ's church, should move men that are modest, not hastily to leap from the universal consent of all places, and persons grounding themselves on the manifest words of the sacred scriptures. To quote them all, were to increase another volume; I will therefore content myself with showing you, how soon it began, and how long it continued in the church of Christ, to be received and believed as a matter of faith. Thaddaeus' one of the 70. disciples, mentioned in the tenth of Luke, taught the citizens of Edessa, within ten years after Christ's death, amongst other points of faith, as Eusebius reporteth, 
Euseb. ecclesia●●●●stor, lib. 1 cap. 13.  Quomodo (Christus) crucifixus fuerit, & ad inferos descenderit, sepemque illam antea nunquam diruptam sciderit; resurrexerit etiam, ac mortuos qui à seculo dormierant, uná excitaverit; & quomodo solus quidem descenderit, multâ vero turbâ comitatus ad patrem ipsius ascenderit. How Christ was crucified, and descended into hell, and overthrew the wall, which was never before that time broken; and rose again, and raised up with him those that had been dead long before; & how he descended alone, but ascended up to his father with a great multitude. This report by some men is counted fabulous, for that the letters sent to Christ and received from him by the ruler of that city, are no where remembered in the Evangelists: but by their leaves that reason is rather frivolous: for so much as S. john saith; 
p john. 22  There are also many other things, which jesus did, the which if they should be written every one, I suppose the world could not contain the books, that should be written. Since then this is no sure ground to reject a story, for that it is not contained in the scriptures, I see no cause either to prejudice the public and ancient records of the city of Edessa, remaining at that very time when this report was made; or to mistrust the credit of Eusebius, as if he had impudently forged the old monuments of that city, where he might so easily be reproved. His words are. 
q Euseb. ibid.  Habes harum rerum testimonium scriptis comprehensum, & ex Grammatophylacio urbis Edessae tunc regiae de sumptum. Name in ipsis publicis chartis, quae res priscas continent, ista ad hunc usque diem ex eo tempore seruata reperiuntur. Nihil autem impedit, quo minus literas ipsas, quae nobis ex Archivis desumptae, & e Syrorum lingua his verbis translatae sunt, audiamus▪ Thou hast the testimony of these things comprised in writing, and taken out of the chamber of Edessa, that then was a princely City. For in the public records, of things anciently passed, thus much is there extant TO THIS VERY DAY, preserved from the time wherein these things were done▪ And I think it best to set down the letters, which I myself COPIED out of the Authentic records, and TRANSLATED from the Syrian tongue in these words. How the report of a writer, that is not canonical, should have more credit than this hath, I know not. The records were ancient and public, and then extant to be viewed by every man, when Eusebius did exemplify them. If we discredit all antiquity and testimony which we see not with our own eyes; we must look to receive the like reward from our posterity. Ignatius that lived with, and after the Apostles, 
Ignatius 〈…〉.  in his Epistle to the Church of Trallis, confesseth the same Article, almost in the same words. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Christ descended into Hell alone, and returned (or rose again) with a great number, and broke down the rampiere that had stood from the beginning, and overthrew the mid-wall thereof. Athanasius present at the great council of Nice as a Clergy man, though not then a Bishop, in his short recapitulation of the Catholic faith, addeth this Article, as necessary to be believed of all Christians. 
r As●anas. in Symbolo.  Passus est pro salute nostra, descendit ad inferos, tertia die resurrexit a mortuis: haec est fides Catholica quam nisi quis firmiter fideliterque crediderit saluus esse non poterit. Christ suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead. This is the Catholic faith, which except a man do firmly and fastly believe he cannot be saved. Saint Austen doth so press it, that he pronounceth it infidelity to deny it. 
August. epist. 99  Secundum animam (Christum) apud inferos fuisse aperté scriptura declarat, & per Prophetam praemissa, & per Apostolicum intellectum satis exposita, qua dictum est, non derelinques animam meam in inferno. That Christ according to his soul was in hell, the Scripture plainly declareth, forespoken by the Prophet (David) and sufficiently expounded by the Apostles application, where it was said, Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell. 
t Ibidem.  Quis ergo nisi infidelis negaverit fuisse apud inferos Christum? Who then but an infidel will deny, that Christ was in Hell? Hilarius maketh it a necessary cause of our redemption. 
u Hilarius de trinitat. lib. 2,  Crux, mors, inferi, salus nostra est. Christ's Cross, death, and being in Hell, are the means of our salvation. For as he died that we might live, so he went to hell by Hilaries assertion, that we might go to heaven. 
x Ibid. lib 3.  Christus Dei filius moritur, sed omnis caro vivificatur in Christo. Dei filius in inferis est, sed homo refertur ad coelum. Christ the son of God dieth, but all flesh is quickened in Christ. The son of God is in Hell, but man is restored to Heaven. And lest we should think that Hilary dreamt of Christ's suffering hell pains on the Cross, as some have alleged him; his words are plain else where, that Christ's soul after death descended into hell. 
y Hilarius in Psal. 138.  Humanae istae lex necessitatis est, ut sepultis corporibus ad inferos animae descendant. Quam descensionem, Dominus ad consummationem veri hominis non recusavit. This is the law of man's misery, that their bodies go to the grave, their souls to hell: WHICH DESCENT the Lord did not refuse, to prove himself in every point to be a true man. This necessity was the wages of man's sin; the strength whereof could none abolish but only Christ. 
z Idem de trinit▪ lib. 4.  Hic unus est, ●duersantes nobis ini●●●icasque virtutes ligno passionis affigens, mortem in inferno perimens, spei nostrae fidem resurrectione confirmans, corruptionem humanae carnis gloria corporis sui perimens. Christ alone was he that fastened to the wood of his passion the powers which were adversaries and enemies to us; that vanquished death even in hell; that confirmed the steadfastness of our hope with his resurrection, and abolished the corruption of man's flesh with the glory of his body. Leo likewise. 
a Leo de resur. domini, serm. 1.  Resurrectio salvatoris, nec animam in inferno, nec carnem diu morata est in sepulchro; quoniam deitas, quae ab utraque suscepti hominis substantia non recessit, quod potestate divisit, potestate coniunxit. The resurrection of our Saviour neither stayed his soul long in hell, nor his flesh in the grave; because his Godhead which did not departed from either part of his manhood, mightily conjoined, what it mightily severed.  
But no man hath more pishilie, or more soundly delivered the full course, and cause of Christ's descent to Hell, than Fulgentius; which I must repeat at large, because every word is worth the marking. 
b Tulgentius de passione domini ad Trasim. lib. 3  Restabat ad plenum nostrae redemptionis effectum, ut illuc usque homo sine peccato. à Deo susceptus descenderet, quousque homo separatus à Deo peccati merito cecidisset: id est ad infernum, ubi solebat peccatoris anima torqueri, & ad sepulchrum, ubi consueverat peccatoris caro corrumpi: sic tamen, ut nec Christi caro in sepulchro corrumperetur, nec inferni doloribus anima torqueretur. Quoniam anima immunis à peccato non erat subdenda supplicio, & carnem sine peccato non debuit vitiare corruptio. Nam quia peceans homo meruit in seipso per supplicium dividi, quia maluit à Deo praevaricationis reatu disiungi, propterea factum est, ut peccatoris mors carnem peccati ad sepulchrum corrumpendam perduceret, animam inferno torquendam protinus manciparet. Vt autem peccator fuisset gratuito munere liberatus, factum est, ut mortens corporis, quam à Deo justo peccator homo pertulerat iusté, Deifilius a peccatore pateretur injust: & ad sepulchrum perveniret caro justi, quousque fuerat caro devoluta peccati: & usque ad infernum descenderet anima salvatoris, ubi peccatimerito torquebatur anima peccatoris. Hoc autem ideo factum est, ut per morientem temporaliter carnem justi, donaretur vita aeterna carni: & per descendentem ad infernum animam justi, dolores soluerentur inferni. It remained for the full effecting of our redemption, that man assumed of God without sin, should thither descend, whither man severed from God fell by desert of sin: that is, unto hell, where the soul of the sinner was wont to be tormented, and to the grave, where the flesh of the sinner was wont to be corrupted; yet so, that neither Christ's flesh should be corrupted in the grave, nor his soul be tormented with the pains of hell; because the soul free from sin was not to be subjecteth to that punishment, nor flesh clean from the contagion of sin should suffer corruption. In so much as man sinning deserved by punishment to be severed from himself, who by his transgression would needs be severed from God, therefore it was appointed that the death of the sinner should bring his sinful flesh to the grave, there to rot; and presently should send his soul to hell, there to be tormented. But when the sinner by the gift of (Gods) grace, was to be delivered; it was provided, that the son of God should unjustly suffer at the hands of sinners the death of the body, which sinful man had justly been wrapped in by the justice of God, and the flesh of the just should come to the grave, whither sinful flesh was tumbled: and that the SOUL OF OUR SAVIOUR SHOULD DESCEND TO HELL, WHERE THE SINFUL soul WAS TORMENTED FOR THE REWARD OF SIN. This was therefore done, that by the flesh of the just temporally dying, eternal life might be given to (our) flesh, and by the soul of the just descending to hell, the torments of hell might be abolished.  
Out of Fulgentius I observe two things; which if it please men to mark, they shall clear themselves from all absurdities touching Christ's descent to hell. The first is, THE PLACE, WHITHER he descended; the next is, THE CAUSE, WHY he descended. The place whither he descended was hell; whither the soul of man sinning against God was adjudged for the wages of his transgression. The cause of his descent, was to free all the faithful from the beginning of the world to the end thereof from coming thither. And in both these, the Scriptures and fathers do fully concur; though some ancient writers do serve, and strive about Christ's delivering some from hell, that were there at the time of his descent, as they suppose. Which variety and uncertainty of opinions concerning the state of the dead before Christ's coming hath very much entangled this question, and induced many men of learning and judgement otherwise, to reject. Christ's descent to hell as a fable, or to wrest it to an other sense, with new found expositions. Howbeit I see no cause, but the doctrine of the Scriptures confessed by all the fathers may stand very clear, whatsoever we resolve of this other assertion, touching the state of the righteous departed this life before Christ's death. I will therefore shortly discuss both the place and the cause, and so draw to an end.  
As for the place whither Christ descended, the Church of Rome greedily hunteth after it, to hear of her Purgatory; hoping, whence the souls of the righteous were by Christ delivered, there to make a stand for souls, not perfectly confessed and absolved in this life; that she may set to sale her prayers and pardons. But if she follow Christ descending, 
Christ descended to the place of the damned.  her devotion must reach to the place and pains of the damned, for thither Christ descended. And so by their leaves both Scriptures and fathers avouch. First the words are plain, and must be proper, as well in the 
c Act. 8.  Canon as in the 
d Symbol. apost  creed. Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell: and 
d Symbol. Apost  he descended into hell. Again the kingdom of Satan consisteth of these three; SIN, DEATH, and HELL: SIN REIGNING, whiles the body and soul are joined together; DEATH SEVERING them both, and TURNING the body to earth; HELL RECEIVING and TORMENTING the soul, till the day of judgement, when body and soul shall for ever be cast into hell fire. If these three be not abolished by Christ, Satan's kingdom is not destroyed by Christ; and specially if hell be not vanquished; no part of our salvation is performed. The work of sin is sweet, if the wages were not sour, which is hell fire. To raise our bodies from death, is no favour, if Hell be not overthrown; it were more easy for them to lie in dust, then to burn in hell. How hath Christ restored us to Heaven, if he have not yet freed us from Hell? Or brought us to God, if he have not yet taken us from Satan? Wherefore either Hell must be destroyed, or we are no way redeemed, And in all these, when I speak of Hell, I speak of the place of the damned. For if the fear of damnation continue, what hope of salvation can we conceive? But the Apostle saith plainly, that Christ through death 
e Heb 2.  DESTROYED HIM, that had power of death, even the DEVIL; and DELIVERED ALL them which for fear of death were all their life time subject to servitude. If the DEVIL be DESTROYED, 
To destroy the devil, and to deliver man.  than Hell is fully conquered; for whiles that retaineth force against the faithful, the Devil is in the height of his kingdom. Neither is death to be feared at all, but in respect of hell following after death. If then all the Saints here on earth be 
Heb. 2.  DELIVERED FROM THE FEAR OF DEATH, and 
g Luke ●●  from the hands of all that hate (them) to serve (God) without fear all the days of their life, in holiness and righteousness before him; it is evident that hell is spoiled of all right and claim to the members of Christ, by reason our head being there in our names, and for our sins, broke the strength of hell, abolished the power, and loosed the sorrows and pains thereof; that they should not take hold on him, nor ever after on any of his. For as he suffered and died, not for his own sake, but for ours; so he descended and loosed the sorrows of death and hell, not as provided for him, but for us. And since to our sins was due damnation, and no lesser or easier punishment; it was requisite that Christ should thither descend, and by dissolving the wages of our sin in his own person, thence deliver us; though not there tormented, yet thither adjudged, and so release us, not as being there, but from coming thither.  
Touching the place, Thaddaeus one of the seventy taught, as we heard out of Eusebius, that Christ descended into hell; 
Whither christ descended after death.  and broke the wall that was never before broken. From the dead many rose before Christ's death, and therefore the partition betwixt death and life was often broken by others, before Christ's resurrection; but from hell never returned any, but only Christ; by reason that wall was never broken, but by the Son of God. 
d Athanas de salutari aduento●● Christi.  Athanasius in like sort. In suae ad nostri similitudinem forma, nostram inibi depingens mortem, ut in ea resurrectionem pro nobis concinnaret, ex sepulchro quidem corpus, animam vero ex ORCO reducem faceret, ut in morte mortem dissolueret per exhibitionem animae, & per sepulchrum corporis in sepulchro, corruptionem aboleret; ex orco verò & sepulchro immortalitatem & incorruptionem ostendit, in forma nobis consimili viam nostram emensus, nostramque detentionem relaxans, & hoc ipsum eximij miraculi fuit. In his likeness to our nature (Christ) accomplishing our death, that in the same he might perform his resurrection for us ', brought his BODY OUT OF THE GRAVE, & his SOUL OUT OF HELL; that in death he might dissolve death by presenting his soul there, and by the burial of his body, he might abolish corruption in the grave. So that even from hell, and from the grave, he showed immortality (of the soul) and incorruption (of the body) treading the very way that we should have trod, in the likeness of our nature, and releasing of our detention. And this was a marvelous wonder. When Athanasius saith, that Christ in his human nature trodden the very same way of death that we should have done; his body and soul going to those very places whither ours should have gone; he doth not mean the place of rest, where the souls of the righteous were before Christ's coming; but the place whither the souls of men were condemned for the sin of their first father; which is not Paradise, nor Abraham's bosom, but the place of the damned, where the true death of the soul and wages of sin are by God's justice inflicted. Hear his own words. 
i Athanas. de incarnatione Christi.  Vbi corruptum fuerat humanum corpus, eó suum corpus protecit jesus: & ubitenebatur anima humana in morte, ibi exhibuit humanam suam animam, ut ipse invictus à morte, tanquam hominem se praesentem ostenderet, & solueret catenas mortis ut Deus; ut ubi seminata fuerat corruptio, inde exoriretur incorruptibilitas; & VBI REGNAVERAT MORS IN FORMA HUMANAE ANIMAE, ibi ipse ille mortalis praesens, immortalitatem exhiberet, atque ita NOS PARTICIPES redderet suae incorruptibilitatis, & immortalitatis per spem resurrectionis ex mortuis. Where the body of man used to rot, thither jesus cast his body: and WHERE THE SOUL OF MAN WAS HELD IN DEATH, there did he exhibit his human soul; that he being in no wise to be conquered by death, might both show himself there present as man; and yet break the chains of death as God; that where corruption was sowed, thence incorruption might rise (even from the grave;) & where death reigned over men's souls (which must needs be in hell) there he being present as a mortal man, might demonstrate his immortality, and so make us partakers, of his incorruption (in flesh,) and immortality (in soul) by the hope of resurrection from the dead.  
And because Hilarius and Fulgentius do so fully concur with Athanasius, 
Athanasius agreeth in this point with Hilary and Fulgentius.  that if we truly conceive the one, we shall easily understand the other; you shall see the same doctrine, which the other two follow, more fully delivered by Athanasius. 
k Athanas. ibid.  Quide Adae inobedientia quaestionem habuit, indicioque peracto duplicem paenam in sententia sua complexus erat, dum rei terrestri italoquitur, Terraes, & in terram reverteris, (at que ita pro decreto, domini corpus in terram abscedit;) animae dixit, morte morieris; atque hinc est, quod homo in duas partes discerpitur, et ut ad duo loca discedat, condemnatur. Ac proinde upos fuit illo ipso judice, qui hoc decretum tulerat, ut ipse per se sententiam solueret sub specie condennati, incondennatum se sincerumque a peccatis ostendens, ut hominem deo reconciliaret, hominemque totum in libertatem vindicaret. I am si mihi alium locum condemnationis praeter hos duos ostendere potestis, merito hominem dixeritis tripliciter dividi. Quod si tertium aliquem locum ostendere non potestis, PRAETER SEPULCHRUM ET INFERNUM, ex quibus plané ereptus est homo Christo assertore, per suam speciem cum nostri similitudine congruentem; cur igitur dicitis, deum nondum propitiatum esse? He that examined Adam's disobedience, and in the end of his judgement comprised in his sentence (against Adam) a double punishment; speaking thus to the terrestrial part (of man,) earth thou art, and to earth shalt thou return; and according to this decree, the Lords body was laid in earth; even he said to the soul, thou shalt die the death; and thereupon man (dying) is distracted in two parts, and condemned to two places. Insomuch that it was requisite, the very same judge, which pronounced this decree, should by himself dissolve this sentence in the show of a man condemned, but yet proving himself to be uncondemned, and clear from sin, that he might reconcile man to God, and reduce the whole man to liberty. Now if you can name me any other place, whereto man was condemned besides these two, rightly may you think man (after death) is to be divided into three (places;) but if you can show me no third place, besides the grave, (for the body) and hell, (for the soul,) from both which man is fully freed, Christ delivering him with like parts of himself answerable to our nature, how say you then, that God is not yet satisfied? The whole man in Adam was in such sort condemned for sin, that his body returned to corruption in the earth, and his soul departed to torments in hell, which is the death of the soul after this life. To the very same places whither man was condemned, & in the same parts of our nature, the son of GOD vouchsafed to descend, that by the lying of his body in the earth, our bodies might at the last day be raised out of the earth; and by the presence of his soul in hell, on which the force of hell could not fasten, our souls might for ever be delivered from coming thither.  
This condemnation of the body to the grave, and of the soul to hell for sin, is that 
l Hilar. in Psal. 138.  law of human necessity, which Hilary speaketh of, whereto the Lord jesus submitted himself; not that his flesh should see corruption, or his soul taste of damnation, but that by the presence of his body in the grave, & of his soul in hell he might show himself invincible to both, and so deliver us from both. 
m Hilar. de trinitat. lib. 3  The archangel's, powers, and principalities (in heaven) do with unceasing and everlasting voices glorify the son of God (saith Hilary) quia homo natus sit, mortem vicerit, portas Inferni fregerit, cohaereden sibi plebem acquisiverit, carnem in aeternitatis gloriam ex corruptione transtulerit; because he became man, vanquished death, broke the gates of hell, purchased unto himself a people to inherit with him, and translated his flesh from corruption to eternal glory. These two places the grave & hell, whereto sinners were adjudged to have their bodies in the one to be corrupted, their souls in the other to be tormented, Fulgentius doth expressly pursue; as his words before do plainly testify; and resolutely concludeth, that Christ's manhood for the full effecting of our redemption must SO FAR DESCEND, 
n Pulgen●. ut 〈◊〉.  quousque homo separatus à deo peccati merito cecidisset; HOW FAR MAN SEVERED FROM GOD, FEL BY THE DESERT OF SIN; THAT IS, TO HELL, WHERE THE SOUL OF THE SINNER USED TO BE TORMENTED, and to the grave where the FLESH OF THE SINNER used to putrefy. Now if any man think the soul of man severed from God, did not for the wages of sin deserve the place and pains of the damned, he had more need be catechized then confuted. For since without repentance men 
o Luke. 13.  perish in their sins; and 
p Ezech. 18  the soul that sinneth, that soul shall die; the death of the soul after this life is no where but in hell, where body & soul do perish everlastingly. With these some Saint Austen as touching the place. Si in illum Abrabae sinum Christum mortuum venisse sancta scriptura dixisset, 
q August. epi. 99  non nominato inferno eiusque doloribus; miror si quisquam ad inferos eum descendisse asserere auderet. Sed quia evidentia testimonia & infernum commemorant & dolores, nulla causa occurrit, cur illô credatur venisse salvator, nisi ut ab eius doloribus saluos faceret. If the holy Scripture had said, that Christ after his death came to Abraham's bosom, and not mentioned hell and the pains thereof, I marvel if any would have been so bold, as to have avouched that Christ descended into hell. But for that evident testimonies do name hell, and the pains (of hell) I yet see no cause, why our Saviour should be believed to have come thither, but to deliver from the pains thereof. Wherefore when the scriptures teach us, that Christ's soul was in hell; we must not by hell mean Abraham's bosom, or Paradise, but the very place of the damned, where the souls of sinners are tormented. For Christ to redeem man that was condemned for sin, descended as low, as man fell by the punishment of sin in this life or the next, and fet us back from the sentence of death pronounced against us, by presenting himself in our steed to the very places, that were prepared to revenge our transgressions: his flesh resisting the power of the grave, and his soul repressing and breaking the pains of hell, that neither should be able to hinder the speed of his resurrection, or weaken the work of our redemption.  
As the place whither Christ descended, is expressly named in the scriptures to be hell, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, where the wicked are everlastingly tormented; 
The end of Christ's descent to hell, was the destruction of Satan, and deliverance of man.  so the purpose of his descent is plainly professed in the same, to be the spoiling of Satan, and delivering of man from the power of hell. And these two are so linked together, that the one is always included in the other; Christ entering Satan's house to this end, that he might divide the spoils. First then let us see, what the scriptures say of man's deliverance from the hand of Satan; and afterward hear what some of the ancient writers have thereto added, or therein doubted. The promise made in the prophet Esay, that God 
Esay. 25  will destroy death for ever, and likewise in the prophet Osee; 
s Osee. 13  I will redeem them from the power of hell; I will deliver them from death; o death I will be thy death, o hell I will be thy destruction: was not peculiar to this or that age, nor proper to those that were already dead, or then borne when this was spoken; but general to all the faithful from the beginning to the end; whereby God assureth them, that 
t Osee. 13  hell shall be destroyed, and 
u Rom. 16  Satan trodden under feet, and 
x 1. Corinth. 15  death swallowed up in victory. Zachary john Baptistes' father is the best expositor of all these promises, when he saith. 
y Luke. 1  Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, because he hath visited, and redeemed his people. And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us, in the house of his servant David, (as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, which were from the beginning) even salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us. (Which was) the oath, that he swore to our father Abraham, that he would cause us; being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life. The salvation which God hath wrought for us in Christ, doth not free us from afflictions and troubles, since 
2. Tim. 3  all that will live godly in Christ jesus shall suffer persecution; but it bringeth us DELIVERANCE FROM OUR (ghostly) ENEMIES; & saveth us from the hand of all that hate (our souls); that being quieted from their power and fear, we should serve God in holiness all the time of our life. And albeit in this life, our eyes 
a Acts▪ 26  are opened, that we may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan, to God; and receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance amongst them, which are sanctified by faith in Christ: yet the fear of death is not taken from us, till we be assured, that hell is conquered; and no cause left why we should tremble at death, that now is an entrance to a better life.  
DELIVERANCE then, 
Deliverance was performed as well to the living and unborn, as to the dead.  FROM THE HAND OF ALL that hate us, (which Christ hath purchased for us,) hath in it not only remission of sins, and resurrection from death, but also the destruction of Satan: whereby God acquitteth us from the power of darkness, that is, from the fear of hell in this life, and from the danger thereof in the next, and fully translateth us into the kingdom of his dear son; and this deliverance belongeth to all the members of Christ without exception, as well living, as yet unborn. Christ (saith the Apostle) through death 
b Hebre. 2  destroyed him, that had power of death, even the devil, and DELIVERED ALL THEM, which for fear of death were all their life long subject to bondage. If ALL BE DELIVERED, that were oppressed with the fear of death, then surely the living must needs be discharged from the bondage of Satan; and redemption from the power of hell, which God promised unto his servants, was not proper to any that were in hell at the time of Christ's descent, but it was, and is extended to all the faithful before and after Christ's coming, that in this life they should be secured, & in the next saved from him, that had the power of death, and from the gates of hell. Fulgentius teacheth this doctrine as Catholic. 
c Fulgent. ad Trasimundum. lib. 3.  Sicut mortuus pro nobis, omnes nos sibi commori fecit; sic solutis doloribus inferni, omnes fideles ab ysdem doloribus liberavit. As (Christ) dying for us, made us all to die with him; so dissolving the pains of hell, he DELIVERED ALL THE FAITHFUL from the same. As all the godly, that ever were, are, or shall be, died in Christ's flesh unto sin; so all the faithful from the beginning of the world to the end thereof were delivered from the pains of hell, by the presence and power of Christ's soul breaking the strength, and losing the sorrows of death even in hell. And therefore he saith, Christ called himself free among the dead, 
d Ibidem.  ut ostenderet animam suam à peccato liberam, in infernum pro NOBIS PECCATORIBUS DESCENDISSE, to show that his soul clecre from sin descended into hell FOR US SINNERS. So that Christ descended to hell FOR ALL THE FAITHFUL, and FOR US SINNERS, to deliver them and us from the sorrows of the second death; and not for certain whom he found in hell, when he came thither.  
Hilarius joineth in the same confession, that Christ 
e De trinitat. 1. 4  killing death in hell, confirmed the faith OF OUR HOPE with his resurrection: 
f Ibidem. lib. 3  and breaking the gates of hell, purchased a people that should inherit with him. Athanasius every where treadeth the same steps; teaching us that Christ 
g Athanas. de salutari adventu Christi.  perfected his resurrection FOR US, and out of hell and the grave brought immortality and incorruption, releasing OUR DETENTION. And again, Christ 
h Idem de incarnate, Christi.  broke the chains of death as God, that where death reigned over men's souls, there he being present as a man might demonstrate immortality (in his soul) and so MAKE US PARTAKERS of his incorruption. And lastly, where death both of soul and body was inflicted on man for sin, the one in the grave, the other in hell; 
i Ibidem.  he that gave the judgement, dissolved the sentence in his own person, under the show of a man condemned; but in deed uncondemned, and free from sin, that he might reconcile MAN to God, and bring THE WHOLE MAN into liberty. FROM THE GRAVE THAN, AND FROM HELL MAN WAS FREED CHRIST DELIVERING HIM.  
And lest it should seem strange, 
We are delivered, not from being in hell but from coming thither.  that our souls were delivered from hell by Christ's descent thither, where they never were; S. Austen expounding David's words, 
k Psal. 85.  Thou hast delivered my soul from the nethermost hell, showeth that men may be delivered as well from DANGERS CONSEQVENT as PRESENT; and as well from that which is DESERVED, as from that which is INFLICTED. And first that Christ delivered OUR SOULS from hell by his coming thither (though we were not there) his words are plain. 
l August. in Psal. 85.  Est aliud (infernum) inferius, quò eunt mortui: unde voluit deus eruere ANIMAS NOSTRAS, etiam illuc mittendo filium suum. Propterea vox eius est in illo psalmo, non quoquam homine conijciente, sed Apostolo exponente, ubi ait: quoniam non dereliquisti animam meam in inferno. Ergo aut ipsius vox est hic, et eruisti animam mean ab inferno inferiori, aut nostra vox est per ipsum christum dominum nostrum, quia ideo ille pervenit usque ad infernum, ne NOS REMANEREMUS in inferno. There is a lower hell, whither the dead go; whence it pleased God to deliver OUR SOULS, by sending his son thither. Therefore those are Christ's words in the psalm, not by man's conjecture, but by the Apostles exposition, where he saith; thou hast not left my soul in hell. So that this verse, Thou hast delivered my soul from the nethermost hell, is either the voice of Christ in this psalm, or it is our voice in the person of Christ our Lord, because he therefore went to hell, LEST WE SHOULD ABIDE (for ever) IN HELL. And to prove this speech to be usual that we are delivered from the dangers & places in which we never were, but should have been, if we had not been saved thence; he addeth. 
m Ibidem▪  Recte dicis medico, liberasti me ab agritudine, non in quaian eras, sed in qua futurus eras. Mittendus erat (quis) in carcerem: venit alius defendit eum; gratias agens, quid dicit? eruisti animam meam de carcere. Suspendendus erat debtor; solutum est debitum pro eo; liberatus dicitur de suspendio. In his omnibus non orant, sed quia talibus meritis agebantur, ut, nisi subventum esset, ibi essent, inde se recte dicunt liberari, quò per liberatores suos non sunt permissi perduci. Thou sayest rightly to thy physician, you have delivered me from this sickness, not in which thou wast, but into which thou wast like to fall. A man is about to be cast into prison; another cometh and rescueth him. What saith he when he giveth thanks? you delivered me out of prison. A debtor was in danger to be hanged; the debt is paid for him, he is said to be delivered from hanging. In all these things, they were not; but because such were their deserts, that unless they had been helped, they had fallen into them, THEY RIGHTLY MAY SAY THEY WERE DELIVERED thence, WHITHER THEY WERE NOT SUFFERED TO COME, by those that delivered them. Tertullian declining to Montanisme in his book de anima, and defending the souls of all the faithful after Christ's coming to be kept, apud Inferos, in the region of hell till the day of judgement, save of martyrs, to whom only he opened Paradise, confesses the other side, which in deed were true christians, made this objection against him. 
n Tertullian. de anima. cap. 55  Sed in hoc, inquiunt, Christus inferos adijt, ne nos adiremus. Caeterum quod discrimen ethnicorum & christianorum, ficarcer mortuis idem? But to this end, they say, Christ went to hell, that we should not come thither. For what difference between the Ethnics and Christians, if after death they be both in one prison? So that in all ages this doctrine was preserved in the church, which the scriptures do warrant, that Christ by his death destroyed the devil, and delivered all the godly from the fear, not of the first death, which they cannot avoid, and need not to fear; but of the second death in hell, which is justly to be feared, and can no way be prevented, but by the power of that redemption, which we have in Christ jesus.  

Where the souls of the righteous were before Christ's coming, is nothing to this question.  [But all the fathers with one consent affirm, that Christ delivered the souls of the patriarchs & prophets out of hell, at his coming thither; and so spoiled Satan of those, that were in his present possession.] The doctrine of Christ's descending into hell to save all his members from coming thither, must not be confounded with this disputation, whether the souls of the prophets and patriarchs were before Christ's resurrection in hell or no; but what soever we determine or imagine of this later question, the other position standeth uncontrolled, both by Scriptures and fathers: yet for their sakes, that happily may stumble at this block, I will not refrain to speak what I think of this assertion; so as I be first allowed to say with saint Austen. 
o August. in psal. 85.  Quod dicimus fratres; hoc si non vobis tanquam certus exposuero, ne succenseatis. Homo enim sum, & quantum conceditur de scripturis sanctis, tantum audeo dicere, nihil ex me. Infernum nec ego expertus sum adhuc, nec vos; & fortassis alia via erit, & non per infernum erit. Incerta sunt enim haec. That which (in this question) I say brethren, if I can not avouch it as certain, you must not be offended. I am but a man, and what I am assured by the Scriptures, that I dare affirm, and of myself nothing. Hell neither I have yet experience of, neither you; and perchance there shall be another way, and by hell it shall not be. For these things are altogether uncertain. The things after this life God will not have particularly known unto us, whiles here we live; and therefore to make sudden resolutions of them, can have neither certainty nor safety; yet so much as the scriptures reveal, we must necessarily believe, and may boldly profess without any danger.  
Touching the state of the dead in the old Testament, I see a number of ancient writers incline to this conclusion, that the souls of the righteous before Christ's death and descent were in hell; 
The reason why the father's thought they were in hell.  but as the foundation of their opinion is very weak, so the consequents are plainly contradicted, both by Scriptures and fathers. This assertion first grew from the confession of the patriarchs and Prophets, that they must after this life, DESCEND TO SHEOL; which the Septuagint do always express by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and the Latin interpreter, by Infernus; whereupon the fathers both Greek and Latin supposed the saints in the old Testament departing hence DESCENDED TO HELL; But the signification of the word Sheôl is so manifestly mistaken, that it is now no great mastery to find the foil. When jacob saith, 
p Gen. 37.  I will go down TO SHEOL mourning to my son; and again, 
q Gen. 42.  You will bring my grey hairs with sorrow unto Sheôl; and likewise job; 
r job. 17.  Sheôl is my house; oh that thou wouldst hide me 
s job. 14.  in Sheôl till thine anger were passed; as also David, 
t Psal. 89.  what man liveth, that shall deliver his soul from the hand of Sheôl? And lastly 
u isaiah. 38.  Ezechias, I shall go to the gates of Sheôl: If by Sheôl in these places we understand hell, as some Greek and Latin interpreters and writers have done; we must needs confess the faithful dying in the former Testament descended into hell; but if we take Sheôl for the grave, where life endeth and the body lieth; then make they no kind of proof, that the souls of the godly before Christ's coming, were in hell, but only that their bodies were in the grave; of which there was never any question amongst christians or pagans.  
Now that Sheôl in the Scriptures noteth as well the grave where men's bodies putrefy, 
Sheôl signifieth as well the grave as hell.  as she place where the souls of the wicked are after this life detained and punished, to him that considereth the circumstances of these and other such places, will soon appear. The words of king Ezechiah at large are these. 
x Esay. 38.  I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of Sheôl, I am deprived of the residue of my years. I said, I shall not see the Lord in the land of the living; I shall see man no more amongst the inhabitants of the world. I have cut my life in sunder like a weaver. Here is a full description of death, not of hell; and lest we should dream, that both are linked together, in the end he saith; 
y Ibid. ver. 18. & 19  Sheôl can not confess unto thee, neither can death praise thee, nor they that descend into the pit, trust in thy truth; but the living, the living, he shall confess thee, as I do this day. It is manifest impiety to say that the souls of the Saints departed did neither CONFESS, NOR PRAISE GOD, nor TRVST IN HIS TRUTH: but in the grave where the body wanteth sense and life, this is most true, which Ezechias delivereth, and confirmed by the holy Ghost in diverse places of the Scriptures. 
z Psal. 6.  In death there is no remembrance of thee (saith David to God) and in Sheôl who shall confess (or praise) thee? The souls of just and perfect men did then most praise GOD, when they were loosed from the warfare of this life; therefore they were not in Sheôl; for in Sheôl none shall confess unto God, nor trust in his truth. 
a Psal. 1●5.  The dead praise not the Lord, nor all that go down into silence. DEATH, SILENCE, and SHEOL, are taken for one and the same thing; and in none of these is God praised, or confessed. And what can be plainer then that David saith in the 141. Psalm? 
b Psal. 141.  Our bones lie scattered at the mouth of Sheôl, as chips hewed on the earth. Their bones I trust lay not scattered at the mouth of hell, but at the mouth of their graves, where their bodies were buried. job in like manner; 
c job. 17.  though I hope, yet Sheôl must be mine house, I shall take up my bed in darkness. I shall say to corruption, thou art my father, and to the worm, thou art my mother, and my sister. Darkness, corruption, and the worm are the parts of Sheol; and these consume the body, they waste not the soul. Solomon shall seal up this inquisition, where he saith; 
d Eccles. ●.  All that thine hand is able to do, dispatch it in thy strength; for there is neither WORK, nor THOUGHT; nor KNOWLEDGE, nor WISDOM in SHEOL whither thou goest. If the souls of the righteous neither do, nor THINK, nor KNOW any thing, they be surely a sleep, and neither in joy nor pain; but if this be absurd and wicked to affirm either of hell, heaven, paradise, or of Abraham's bosom, then certainly SHEOL, where none of these things are, is THE GRAVE; and there it is evident, all these things are wanting. Since then without question Sheol signifieth as well the grave, where the body lieth dead and rotten, as the place where the souls of unjust and sinful men are kept and tormented; if in the words of the patriarchs and Prophets, confessing they must go to Sheôl, we understand the grave, which indeed they meant; there is no show in the scriptures, that the faithful before Christ's death went to hell, as some fathers have collected out of these and such like sayings of the godly before Christ's birth; but rather the places that mention their state after death, do evidently import the contrary.  

The Church of the jews thought the souls of the righteous to be in peace.  The book of Wisdom, though it be not Canonical; yet doth it show what opinion the Church of the jews had of the souls of the righteous departed this life; and how much some ancient writers were deceived in this their persuasion, that the spirits of the patriarchs and Prophets were in hell at the time of Christ's descent thither. 
c Sapient, ca 3.  The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them. They seemed in the eyes of the unwise to die, and their end was counted misery, and their departure hence destruction; but they are in peace. For though in the sight of men they were punished, yet their hope is full of immortality. They were nurtured in some few things, but they shall be rewarded in great things, for God tried them, and found them meet for himself. He proved them as gold in the furnace; and received them, as the fruits of a perfect offering. In the time of their visitation, they shall shine, and judge the Nations, and reign over peoples, and he that is Lord over them shall reign for ever. They that trusted in him, shall understand the truth, and the faithful shall remain in his favour; for grace and mercy is with his Saints, and a due regard had of his elect. The souls of the righteous, before Christ's coming were in peace, even in God's hand, received as a perfect offering. Grace and mercy was with them, and a special favour towards them, no torments did touch them. If this were hell, what greater joy and bliss could they have in Paradise? And this is in effect the very same, that David hoped for, when he said, 
f Psal. 19  God shall deliver my soul from the power of Sheôl; for he will receive me. Selah.  
And if this be not plain enough, our Saviour in his life time described Abraham to be 
g Luke 16. Christ himself placed the 〈◊〉 of the righteous far above hell in 〈◊〉.  far above the place of torment, and Lazarus in his bosom; and so huge a distance betwixt, that there was no passing from the one to the other; yea the thief was the same day that Christ died in Paradise; and yet our Saviour raised nor reduced none from Hell, by their own confession, till the third day, that he rose from the dead. If Abraham were not in hell, nor Lazarus, that lay in his bosom; if the rich man would have his five brethren warned, lest they came into that place of torment; how can it be true, that the Prophets, and patriarchs were in hell, when Christ descended, and not thence delivered, but by his resurrection? Saint Austin's collection upon Abraham's bosom, is worth the hearing. 
h August spi 9●  Addunt quidam hoc beneficium antiquis etiam Sanctis fuisse concessum, Abel, Seth, Noah, & domui eius, Abraham, Isaac, & jacob, alijsque Patriarchis & Prophetic, ut cum Dominus in infernum venisset, illis doloribus soluerentur. Sed quonam modo intelligatur Abraham, in cuius sinum pius ille pauper susceptus est, in illis doloribus fuisse, EGO QVIDEM NON VID●O: explicant fortasse qui possunt. Solos autem duos, id est Abraham & Lazarum in illo memorabilis quietis sinu fuisse, antequam Dominum in inferna descenderet; & de ipsis tantum duobus dictum fuisse illi diviti; Inter vos & nos chaos magnum firmatum est, ut ij qui volunt hinc transire ad vos non possint, neque inde huc transmeare; nescio utrum QVISQVAM SIT, CVINON VIDEATUR ABSURDUM. Porro si plures quam duo ibi erant, QVIS AUDEAT DICERE non ibi fuisse Patriarchas & Prophetas, quibus in Scriptures Dei justitiae pietatisque tam ensign testimonium perhibetur? Quid ergo is praestiterit, qui dolores soluit inferni, in quibus illi non fuerunt, nondum intelligo; praesertim quia ne ipsos quidem inferos uspiam Scripturarum locis in bono appellatos potui reperire. Quod si nusquam legitur, non utique sinus ille Abrahae, id est secretae cuiusdam quietis habitatio, aliqua pars inferorum esse credenda est; quanquam in his ipsis tanti magistri verbis, ubi ait dixisse Abraham, Inter nos & vos chaos magnum firmatum est, SATIS VT OPINOR APPARET, non esse quandam partem & quasi membrum inferorum tantae felicitatis sinum. Some add that this benefit was yielded unto the Saints of the old Testament, Abel, Seth, Noah and his family, Abraham, Isaac, and jacob, and to the rest of the patriarchs and Prophets, that when Christ came to hell, they were delivered from those pains there. But how Abraham, into whose bosom that godly poor. Lazarus was received, can be imagined to have been in these pains, I for my part do not see, let them DECLARE IT THAT CAN. But that only two, Abraham and Lazarus, were in that bosom of memorable rest, before the Lord descended to hell; and that it was said of these two only, betwixt you and us is a mighty gulf settled, (so that such as would go from hence to you, can not; nor any that would come from you to us,) I know not whether there be any man, to whom IT SEEMETH NOT ABSURD. And if there were more than two, WHO DARE SAY, the patriarchs and Prophets were not there, to whom the word of God giveth so great testimony of righteousness and godliness? What benefit he did them, by losing the pains of hell, in which they were not, I yet understand not; specially since I cannot find the name of Inferi (or hell) in any place of scripture used for any good. The which if it be no where in the divine authority to be read, then surely the bosom of Abraham which is an habitation of secret rest, is not to be thought any part of hell; albeit in the very words of so great a teacher (as Christ is) where he maketh Abraham say, betwixt you and us there is a mighty distance established, it is evident enough, as I think, that the bosom of so great happiness is no part nor member of hell.  
Saint Austen examineth the opinion of some ancient writer, 
The sum of S. Austin's collections out of the 16. of saint Luke.  that Christ descended to hell to deliver the patriarchs, prophets, and the righteous of the old testament thence, & not only refuseth, but after his manner mildly refuteth that fancy, which had possessed many of the fathers before him. Out of Christ's words in the 16. of Luke he deriveth two conclusions; one that abraham's bosom was a place OF REST AND HAPPINESS, or as the scripture speaketh, OF COMFORT; and consequently not of pain or torment, as was hell; the other, that BETWIXT THEM is AN HUGE DISTANCE, so that by no means Abraham's bosom can be taken to be ANY PART OR MEMBER OF HELL. Out of the principles of divinity he draweth two other positions, the first, that Abraham's bosom was not made for Lazarus only; which is so absurd, that he thinketh no man will be so foolish as to embrace it. Abraham's bosom must be open to the rest of his children, which did the works of their father Abraham, as well as to Lazarus; with God is no respect of persons; and 
i Mat. 8.  From the East and West shall come many, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac and jacob, in the kingdom of heaven, saith our Saviour. The second is, that if more besides Abraham and Lazarus were in that bosom of rest, the Prophets and patriarchs, must needs be there, who for fidelity and piety are commended by the witness of God's spirit, and placed in the foundation of the Church with the Apostles next the head corner stone, as 
k 2. Pet. ●.  HOLY MEN OF GOD, inspired and moved by the holy ghost. These deductions being sound and sure, whereof there can be no doubt, it is certain, Christ went not to hell to fetch the patriarchs and Prophets thence, for they were not there; but in Abraham's bosom, which was an habitation of REST, COMFORT and BLISS; so far distant from the place of torment, that by no means it could be a PART or MEMBER THEREOF.  
[But Austen himself saith, he doubteth not, but Christ delivered some from the pains of hell at his descent thither.] Saint Austen refelleth the received opinion of others before him, 
S. Austin's conjecture that some were delivered out of hell is very weak.  that Christ descended to hell, to deliver thence the patriarchs and Prophets that were there detained; and addeth, that because he then presently saw no cause why Christ should descend, but to save from the pains of hell; he doth not doubt, but Christ delivered some from thence. But when he cometh to make proof for this his opinion, he fainteth, and saith; the words of Peter, that Christ loosed the pains of hell, may be taken in that sense; and that Adam was then loosed, ALMOST the whole church consented. Howbeit both these proofs are no more than probable, & scant so much; and therefore they compel no man to receive S. Austin's conjectural inclination; but leave us at liberty, as well to examine his reasons, as to suspend our judgements, till we see stronger & better motives to induce our consent. For touching Peter's words, himself confesseth they may be referred to Christ. 
l August. epist. 99  Quod scriptum est in morte Christi factum, solutis doloribus inferni, vel ad ipsum potest intelligi pertinere, quod eos hactenus soluerit, hoc est irru os fecerit, ne ab eis ipse teneretur, praesertim quia sequitur, in quibus impossibile erat teneri EUM: vel si causa quaeritur cur venire volverit in infernum, ubi dolores illi essent, quibus omnino teneri non poterat; hoc quod scriptum est, solutis doloribus inferni, non in omnibus, sed IN QVIBUSDAM ACCIPI POTEST, quos ille dignos ista liberatione iudicabat. What the Scripture saith was performed in the death of Christ, THE PAINS OF HELL BEING LOOSED, may either be understood to pertain to Christ himself, that he loosed, that is, frustrated those pains from taking any hold of him; specially whereas it followeth (in the Text) OF WHICH PAINS IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE HE SHOULD BE HELD: or if we ask for the cause, why he would come to hell, where those pains were which could take no hold of him; these words (losing the pains of hell) may be taken not of all, but of some, whom he thought worthy to be delivered. Either way these words make nothing to S. Austin's supposition, that some were in the pains of hell, when Christ did thence deliver them. For if we apply them to Christ's person, which in deed S. Peter doth, they note that Christ broke before him the strength of hell, when he approached to his resurrection. If we refer them to man's deliverance thence, that Christ in our names and for our safety loosed the sorrows of hell; this will prove, we should have gone to hell, if Christ had not saved us thence; but that we were there, it no way proveth. For he delivered all his, as well living, and not then borne, as dead, from all the right and claim that hell had to them; and as we were delivered, not from being there, but from coming thither; so the dead might be acquitted and assured from the challenge that hell had to them, though they were then in rest, and in hope of Christ's coming to perform their expectation, and perfect their redemption from the power of hell.  
As for the consent of the whole church ALMOST, 
How the church might believe Adam's bands were loosed in hell by Christ's descent.  since Austen himself leadeth us to dislike the opinion of all the fathers ALMOST, that the souls of the righteous were in hell before Christ's descent thither; he openeth the way for us to ask how the church came, by that persuasion; whether by scripture, or by Tradition? Scripture there is none extant for Adam, more than for all other men. Tradition for things done in hell, where no man living was present, can none be pretended. The testimony, which Austen allegeth out of the book of Wisdom, maketh rather against that position, then for it. (Wisdom) 
Sapient. 10  kept the first man that was alone created, even the father of the world; and BROUGHT HIM OUT OF HIS SIN, and gave him power to govern all things. That wisdom brought Adam out of his sin, is here affirmed, but whether by chastisement and repentance in this life, or by deliverance out of hell after this life, since neither is specified, the first is rather to be received. For God both by punishing Adam's offence, and by offering him grace in the promised Scede, did make way for repentance; yea the whole life of Adam was nothing else but the meditation of his fall; but that Christ fet him from hell, when he descended thither, can by no rules of religion be warranted. Indeed Christ went to hell to lose the bands of Adam's sin; and so the church might well believe and profess. For the guilt of Adam's transgression, and root of Adam's corruption, brought us all to be justly condemned to hell, but that the death of Christ reconciled us again to God by the remission of our sins; and the personal descent of our Saviour loosed all the bands, and broke all, the chains of darkness that were provided for us; and so freed Adam and his offspring from the power and pains of hell. In this the whole church might consent, that Adam's sin was released, and Adam's bands loosed by Christ's descent to hell; but other tradition, what souls were in hell, and thence delivered at Christ's coming, as it was altogether unknown to men on earth, and consequently most uncertain, so is it rather presumptuous to define, then religious to believe.  
And lest I should seem to be led with the spirit of contradiction, to refuse both the tradition of the church, and opinion of the fathers, I will plainly show, what causeth me to consent to neither. 
From hell was no release, by the doctrine of our Saviour.  First in these secret and unknown things, no man's assertion is to be trusted without the witness of the scriptures; and forsomuch as is expressed unto us in the word of God, it rather crosseth, then favoureth this assertion of the fathers. Next the ancient writers here in do not only vary, one from another, but even from themselves; to manifest that they had no settled truth, but some conjectures, and those very slender in these hidden matters. Touching the souls of the righteous departed this life before Christ's death, to omit the place of the book of Wisdom already recited, which expressly gain saith this supposal of the fathers, that the souls of the just were both in hell and in torments: there is nothing exactly revealed unto us in the scriptures that are canonical, till we come to the xvi. of S. Luke's gospel, where our Saviour by the parabolical history of the wicked rich man and the godly Lazarus teacheth us, what became of them both after their deaths; and consequently what was the state of all the dead before his time; to wit, that they were either CARRIED BY ANGELS TO ABRAHAM'S BOSOM, or PUNISHED IN THE FLAMES OF HELL. These two places, as they be far distant the one from the other, both in SCITVATION and CONDITION, the one being full of comfort, the other of torment; so in this they agree, that there could be no ALTERATION in either. The rich man in hell could neither obtain any means to be refreshed, no not a drop of water to cool his heat; nor expect any time to be released. Our Saviour maketh Abraham to say to the rich man, which must needs be true, 
n Luke. 16  between you and us there is settled a great gulf, (or mighty distance,) so that they which would go from hence to you cannot, NEITHER CAN THEY COME FROM THENCE TO US. After this life there was no changing of places, and namely from hell there was no release. This our Saviour taught for a resolute truth in his life time; how then could the souls of the just be released and reduced from hell by his descent? If Abraham and Lazarus were not in hell, but in a place of rest and comfort far distant from hell, how then were all the righteous before Christ's time not only in hell, but in the sorrows and pains of hell? yea the son of God with his own mouth so often in the new testament expressing the fire of hell to be 
o Mark. 9●  unquenchable, and the worm there never to die, how dare we without any warrant of the word of God, first to bring all the souls of the righteous before Christ, from Abraham's bosom to hell, and then to deliver them thence without any witness of the holy scriptures? With one breath our Saviour doth thrice pronounce in the gospel of Mark that in hell, neither the fire quencheth, 
p Mark. 9  not the worm dieth; and presume we to quench the one, and kill the other without any scruple?  
[But the scripture saith, the souls of the patriarchs and Prophets were in hell; and there to leave them after Christ's descent, were everlastingly to condemn them.] The translators mistook the word Sheôl, calling that hell, which indeed was the grave, where the bodies of all the just both before and after Christ were laid; but the teacher of all truth, whose doctrine we by no means may distrust, placeth Abraham in rest, and maketh his bosom a receptacle for the souls of the righteous; and therefore we may strive about words if we list, but we must leave the spirits of just and perfect men before Christ's coming, that place, which Christ, teaching here on earth, assured us, was assigned them of God. And since by the doctrine of our saviour they were not in hell, it is more than manifest, he did not fetch them thence by his descending thither.  

The fathers vary touching the place of the souls departed before Christ's coming.  As for the supposal of the fathers, that Abraham, jacob, Samuel, and David, with the rest of the patriarchs and prophets were in hell; it were easy to show their varieties, & contrarieties, if I took pleasure to discover their weakness. S. Austen in his 99 Epistle to Euodius, and his 12. book de genesi ad literam. cap. 33. exactly contradicteth the opinion of 
q De anima. ca 55.  Tertullian, 
r In Psal. 48. concio. 13.  Basil, 
s In Eccle. cap. 9  Hierom, & 
t In Epistol. ad Rom. cap. 5.  Ambrose, that Abraham & the rest of the patriarchs and Prophets were in hell; & proveth that Abraham's bosom must not be thought to be any part or member of hell. In his 57 Epistle to Dardanus he saith, non faciledixerim; I cannot readily pronounce. In his 20. book de civitate dei. cap. 15. he saith, non absurd credividetur, antiquos etiam sanctos, apud inferos fuisse, it seemeth no absurdity to believe, that the Saints of the old testament were in hell; until the blood of Christ and his descent to those places did deliver them. And thus he either some times spared the credits of those that were before him, or else by writing he so profited, that where at first he doubted or yielded to others, at last he resolved the contrary upon the dew examining the words of our Saviour. Tertullian likewise in his book de anima saith, 
u Cap. 55.  Habes de paradiso à nobis libellum, quo constituimus, omnem animam apud inferos sequestrari in diem judicij. We have written a book touching paradise, where we defend that all souls are kept in hell until the day of judgement. And speaking namely of Abraham's bosom; 
x Idem. cap. 5●  Omnes ergo animae penes inferos, inquis? velis ac nolis, & supplicia iam illic & refrigeria, habes pauperem, & divivem. Cur enim non putes animam & puniri & foveri in inferis? Are all souls then in hell, you will ask? will you, nill you, you shall find there punishments, and refreshments; as in Lazarus, and the rich man. And why should you not think that the soul may be both tormented, and comforted in hell? and yet in his fourth book against Martion, he contradicteth that false position, and cometh soundly to the truth. 
y Idem contrae Martion. lib. 4  Aliud inferi, ut puto, aliud quoque sinus Abrahae. Name & magnum ait intercedere regiones istas profundum, & transitum utrinque prohibere. Sed nec allevasset dives oculos, & quidem de longinquo, nisi in superiora, & de altitudinis longinquo, per immensam illam distantiam sublimitatis & profunditatis. Eam itaque regionem sinum dico Abrahae, etsi non coelestem sublimiorem tamen Inferis. Hell is one thing, as I think; and Abraham's bosom is another. For (Abraham) sayeth a great depth is between these two regions, and suffereth none to pass to and fro. Neither could the rich man have lift up his eyes, but unto places above him, and far above him, by reason of the infinite distance betwixt that height, and that depth. That region then, I call Abraham's bosom, which though it be not heaven, yet is it higher than hell. Ambrose after the same manner, sometimes saith, that Abraham was, (
z In Epistol. ad Rom. cap 5  apud Inferos) in hell; sometimes again, that Lazarus 
a In Psal. 118 serm. 3  in Abrahae sinu recumbens, vitam carpebat aeternam: Lazarus lying in Abraham's bosom, enjoyed everlasting life; and hard it is, that eternal life should be in hell. In the one and the same chapter he alloweth the persuasion of the heathen, 
b Ambros. de bono mortis. ca 10.  quod animae liberatae de corporibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peterent, id est, locum qui non videtur, quem locum Latinè Infernum dicimus: that souls departed from their bodies did go to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, to an invisible place, which in latin is called hell; and also the assertion of true religion, that the 
b Ambros. de bono mortis. ca 10.  grave was the receptacle of the body only; 
b Ambros. de bono mortis. ca 10.  animarum autem superiora esse habitacula, scripturae testimonijs valde probatur; But the mansions of the souls are above, as may easily be proved by the testimonies of scripture. These are the habitations of which Christ said, there are 
c john. 14  many mansions with his father. But I take no delight in rehearsing their oversights, it will suffice that with one consent, 
The souls of the righteous were in Abraham's bosom by the confession of the fathers.  they make Abraham's bosom a receptacle for all the just; and the place of torment where the rich man was, a prison for the wicked; calling the one hell, and confessing the other to be the fruition of rest and happiness after this life.  

d Orig. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  They that depart this world by death are according to their deeds & deserts bestowed (saith Origen) alij in locum, qui dicitur Infernus, alij in sinum Abrahae, some to the place which is called hell, others to Abraham's bosom. 
e Hieron. in. Esay. cap. 65.  Omnes quipatrem habent Abraham, & virtutum eius similes esse meruerunt, requiescunt in sinu eius. All that have Abraham for their father, and obtained to be like him in virtues, rest in his bosom, saith jerom: 
f Ambros. in Psal. 38  justi in Abrahae sinurequiescere leguntur, quod in eius gratia, in eius requie in eius placiditate requiescunt, qui conformem ei fidem induerunt, et eandem in bonis operibus fecerunt voluntatem. The just (saith Ambrose,) are said to rest in Abraham's bosom, because they rest in like favour, in like ease, in like contentation, which put on like faith to Abraham, and followed his example in well doing. And therefore he speaketh else where to Abraham: 
g Idem de bono mortis cap. 12●  Expande sinus tuos, ut plures suscipias, quia plurimiin deum crediderunt. Open wide thy bosom to receive more, because many have believed in God. 
h Hilar. in Psal. 51.  Extendit david spes suas ad infinitam perennitatis aetatem, nec concluditur mortis occasu quum sciat sibi in Abrahae sinibus exemplopauperis Lazariesse vivendum. David stretcheth out his hope to infinite eternity, & endeth it not with the fall of death, knowing that he should live in Abraham's bosom, as did that poor Lazarus, saith Hilary. Neither David only, but all the faithful were, and still are kept in Abraham's bosom, as Hilary thinketh, until the day of judgement. 
i Idem in Psal. 120.  Exeuntes de corpore ad introitum illum regni caelestis, per custodian domini fideles omnes reseruabuntur: in sinu scilicet interim Abrahae collocati, quô adire impios interiectum chaos inhibet, quousque introeundi rursum in regnum caelorum tempus adveniat; All the faithful departing this life, shall be reserved in the Lords keeping, for that entrance into the kingdom of heaven, placed the mean while in Abraham's bosom, whither the gulf between will not suffer the wicked to come, till the time approach that (the godly) shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. This time of entering into the kingdom of heaven, he maketh to be the day of judgement. 
k Idem. in Psal. 2.  Excipit (impios) statim ultor infernus: & decedentes de corpore, si ita vixerunt, confestim de via justa peribunt. Testes nobis sunt evangelii dives et pauper, quorum unum angeli IN SEDIBUS BEATORUM, & in Abrahae sinu locaverunt, alium statim regio paenae suscepit. Nihil illic dilationis aut morae est. judicij enim dies, vel, beatitudinis retributio est aeternae, vel paenae: Tempus vero mortis habet interim vnunquemque suis legibus, dum ad judicium vnunquemque aut Abraham reseruat aut paena. Hell, as a revenger, presently taketh the wicked, and they leaving this body, according to their lives, do forthwith perish from the right way. The rich and poor man in the gospel, do serve us for witnesses, whereof the one was carried by the Angels, INTO THE SEATS OF THE BLESSED, & placed in Abraham's bosom; the other the region of punishment did straightway seize on. No delay or stay may there be looked for. The day of judgement bringeth with it the reward of eternal bliss, or pain: but the very time of death in the mean season subjecteth all men to these laws, that either Abraham or hell pains detaineth every soul unto judgement. These Fathers confess, that all the just, as well before Christ's resurrection as after, were and are still in Abraham's bosom; and there shall continue till the day of judgement. How then could either Abraham's bosom be in hell, or the Saints of the old testament be thence delivered by Christ's descent, since they remain still in Abraham's bosom, as these fathers writ; and so shall do, to the end of the world? If Abraham's bosom were in hell, being delivered from hell, they must needs be delivered likewise from Abraham's bosom. If they be still in Abraham's bosom, than were they never delivered thence; and that being in hell, as some fathers would have it, the just of both testaments are still in hell; and so none were delivered thence by Christ's descending thither.  
[But the calling up of Samuel by the Witch at Endor, proveth that Samuel & so the rest of the prophets were in hell. For she saw 
l 1. Samuel. ●8. Whether the soul of Samuel were in hell, or no.  him ascending up out of the earth, & he said to Saul 
l 1. Samuel. 18. Whether the soul of Samuel were in hell, or no.  To morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me. Now that Saul being a reprobate, and killing himself, should be in Abraham's bosom, it was not possible. Since than Samuel and Saul after death were both in one place, and that place was beneath in the earth, it is likelier that Samuel was in hell with Saul, till he were delivered thence, then that Saul was in Abraham's bosom with Samuel.] The raising up of Samuel after his death by the Witch, hath moved much question in the church of God, whether it were Samuel in deed that rose and spoke, or whether it were the devil transforming himself in to the likeness of Samuel, to drive Saul into despair. And albeit the matter may be largely disputed on either side, yet neither opinion will infer that samuel's soul was in hell; which is the point we have in hand. That it was not Samuel himself which appeared, 
Reasons to prove it was an illusion of the Devil.  but the Witches familiar spirit in his likeness; these reasons prevail with me. First, neither by Witches nor Devils could the souls of the saints be commanded, or disquieted from their places, where they are in rest and peace. secondly, we are assured, by the doctrine of our Saviour, that God will send none 
m Luke 16.  from the dead to instruct the living: yea all such conference is prohibited & pronounced 
n Deut. 18.  abominable by the law of God; not that the dead can arise or advise the living, but because the devil under that colour should not delude and abuse the people of God. thirdly, that which appeared received adoration at saul's hands, which the 
o Revel. ●●.  Angel refused at S. john's; and the soul of Samuel neither might, nor would have accepted. fourthly, Saul forsaken & rejected of God, could not after death rest in the same place with Samuel the elect and approved servant of God. lastly, the fathers do for the most part resolve, it was an illusion of Satan to strike Saul into desperation.  
Tertullian disputing against it very learnedly, saith. 
p Tertul. de anima. cap 57 Authorities to prove the same.  Ecce hody (Simonis haereticos) tanta praesumptio artis extollit, ut etiam Prophetarum animas ab inferis movere se spondeant. Et credo, quia mendacio possunt: nec enim pythonico tunc spiritui minus licuit animam Samuelis essingere, post deum mortuos consulente Saul. Absit alioquin ut animam cuiuslibet sancti nedum Prophetae à daemonio credamus extractam edocti, quod ipse Satanas transfiguretur in Angelum lucis, nedum in hominem lucis. Dubitavit, si forte tunc Prophetam se Dei asseverare, & utique Sauli, in quo ipse morabatur: ne putes alium fuisse qui phantasma administrabat, alium qui commendabat, sed eundem spiritum & in pseudoprophetide & in Apostata facile mentiri, quod fecerat credi: & ideo per quem visurum se credidit, vidit: quia per quem vidit & credidit. 
q Ibid.  Nulli autem animae omnino inferos patere, satis dominus in argumento illo pauperis requiescentis, & divitis ingemiscentis ex persona Abrahae sanxit, non posse relegari renunciatorem dispositionis infernae, quod vel tunc licere potuisset, ut Mosi & Prophotis crederetur. Even at this day the followers of Simon (Magus) are so puffed up with the presumption of their art, that they promise to raise from hell the souls of the Prophets. And I think they can easily bely themselves; for so did the familiar spirit (of the witch at Endor) resemble the soul of Samuel, when Saul rejected of God, consulted the dead. Otherwise, GOD FORBIDDEN WE SHOULD BELIEVE, that the soul of any Saint, much less of a Prophet, could be raised by the Devil; since we are taught that Satan is often transfigured into an Angel of light, much more into a man of light. Perchance (the Devil) did doubt to avouch himself to be the Prophet of God, and that to Saul, whom he already possessed; lest you should think it was any other which commended the apparition, than he that procured it; but even the same spirit both in the false Prophetess, and to the Apostata (Saul) easily belied that which he had made to be believed. And therefore by whom (Saul) believed he should see (the ghost of Samuel) by him he saw it; because by whom he saw it, to him he gave credit. And to teach us that no soul may rise from the dead, the lord doth sufficiently determine by the person of Abraham in that argument of the poor man in rest, & the rich man in torment, that none can return to report the state of things in hell, which then might have been done, to get the more authority to Moses and the Prophets. The book of questions under the name of justine Martyr being of good antiquity, if it be not his; saith. 
r Respons. ad quaest. 52.  Caetera omnia ab ipsa Pythonissa facta sunt, Daemonis operâ, praestigijs eorum oculos deludentis, qui videbant cum qui Samuel non erat. Veritas autem dictorum a Deo fuit, qui permisit Daemoni, ut in forma Samuelis Pythonissae appareret, & res futuras praemonstraret. Et quoniam Samuelem Saul non audierat, dum amissionem regni praediceret illi, sed post divinam sententiam ei regnum adimentem, per hariolos imperium retinere satagebat, indignum eum duxit Deus, ut ei ventura significaret per homines sibi adhaerentes. All the rest the witch did by the operation of the Devil, deluding their eyes, which saw one that was not Samuel. But the truth of that which was spoken, was of God, who permitted the Devil both to appear to the witch in the shape of Samuel, and to foretell the event of things to come. For in that Saul would not give eare to Samuel, prophesying unto him the loss of his kingdom, but sought to retain it by the help of witches, God counted him unworthy to understand what should come to pass by any servants of his. Theodorete in his questions upon the first book of Kings, doth reject this opinion, that the witch raised up Samuel, not as false only, but as impious also. His words are. 
s Theodoret. questionum in lib 1. Regum quaest. 62  Quomodo oportet intelligere do ventriloqua? Nonnulli dicunt eam veré retulisse Samuelem. Nonnulli autem hoc refellerunt. Ego quidem PRIMUM EXISTIMO ESSE IMPIUM Existimo enim mulieres necromanticas ne quamlibet quidem reducere animam, tantum abest, ut prophetae, & tanti prophetae. Est enim perspicuum, quod in aliquo alio loco degunt animae expectantes resurrectionem corporum. EST ERGO VALDE IMPIUM credere ventriloquam habere vim tantam. What shall we say concerning the witch? Some think she truly raised up Samuel; Some others refel it. I think the first to be a WICKED imagination. For I resolve that witches can raise no man's soul, much less the soul of a prophet, and of so great a prophet. It is evident that the souls (of the dead) are in a place besides this world, expecting the resurrection of their bodies. It is therefore VERY IMPIOUS to believe that a witch hath so great power. And where Theodoret allegeth a place of the Chronicles to prove, 
t Ibidem.  Quod ipse deus universorum, efformata ut voluit specie Samuelis, protulit sententiam, & minime per adversarios protulit sententiam; That God himself framing the shape of Samuel as pleased him, pronounced the sentence, and did not give that judgement by his adversaries: there are no such words in the Text as he quoteth. For he citeth them thus: 
u Idem. quaest. 62  Et mortuus est Saul in suis iniquitatibus, in quibus peccavit domino super eloquium domini propterea quod ipsum non custodivit, & quod interrogavit Saul in ventriloqua, ut exquireret, ET RESPONDIT SAMVEL PROPHETA, & non exquisivit in domino, & occidit eum. Saul died in his sins, in which he sinned against the Lord, as touching the word of the lord which he performed not, & also in that Saul consulted the witch, to know what success he should have. And Samuel the prophet answered him, & Saul sought not the lord, & he slew him. These words, AND SAMVEL THE PROPHET ANSWERED HIM, are not in the book of 
x Vide lib. 1. Paralip. cap. 10. ver. 13. ● 14.  Chronicles; and therefore Theodoret's foundation being false, his conclusion that God spoke these words, and not the devil, is no way justifiable. Besides, if God had said, that Saul and his sons after death should be with (God;) as he that spoke to Saul said they should be with him; God had promised unto Saul ETERNAL LIFE after his departure hence; which is a plain contrariety to the words of the Scripture, that saith; 
y 1. Paral. ca 10. verse. 13.  SAUL DIED IN HIS SINS. The first part then of Theodoret's resolution, that a witch could not raise the soul of Samuel, is sound and true divinity; the second, that God made a shape of Samuel, and thereby answered Saul, is not proved by any scripture, though it be so supposed by Theodoret.  
S. Austen disputing the matter on both sides, though he no way yield that the witch was able to raise up souls; yet he saith, 
z Ad Simplician. lib. 2. quaest. 3.  Non est absurdum credere, ex aliqua dispensatione divinae voluntatis permissum fuisse, ut non invitus, nec dominante aut subiugante magica potentia, sed volens & obtemperans occultae dispensationi dei, quae & pythonissam illam, & Saulem latebat, consentiret spiritus Prophetae sancti se ostendi aspectibus regis, divina cum sententia percussurus. It is no absurdity to think, that by some dispensation of the divine pleasure it was permitted, that the soul of the holy Prophet, not against his will, nor overruled or forced by any magical power, but willing and obeying the secret will of God, which was hid both from the witch, and from Saul, should show itself to the king's sight, to the end it might the more astonish him with the judgement of God. And albeit he make this possible, yet he inclineth rather to this opinion as the easier, and likelier, that the whole was but the deceit and work of Satan. 
a Ibidem.  Quanquam in hoc facto, potest esse alius FACILIOR intellectus & EXPEDITIOR exitus, ut non vere spiritum Samuelis excipatum à sua requie credamus, sed aliquod phantasma, et imaginariam illusionem diaboli machinationibus factam, quam propterea scriptura nomine Samuelis appellat, quia solent imagines, rerum earum nominibus appellari, quarum imagines sunt. Although in this fact, there may be another more easier understanding, and freer from (all) difficulties, if we believe that the soul of Samuel indeed was not raised from his rest, but that it was a phantasm, and illusion wrought by the craft of Satan; which the scripture therefore calleth by the name of Samuel, because resemblances are wont to be called by the names of those things which they resemble. The self same word for word he 
b Ad octo Dulcitij quaestione. quest. 6  repeateth in his answer to the questions which Dulcitius proposed unto him; and albeit in these places he sway indifferently betwixt both, or incline faintly to the one; yet in his books De doctrina Christiana he calleth it a Sacrilegious representation of samuel's image. 
c De doct. Christiana. li. 2. ca 23  Non enim quia imago Samuelis mortui Sauliregi vera praenunciarit, propterea talia sacrilegia, quibus imago illa praesentata est, minus execranda sunt. Neither, because the image of dead Samuel foretold truth to king Saul, are such SACRILEGIES, BY WHICH THAT IMAGE WAS showed, the less to be DETESTED.  
But if it were the soul of Samuel that appeared, and no illusion of the devil presenting himself in the habit of Samuel, 
Neither opinion proveth that samuel's soul was in hell.  the story no way convinceth that Samuel was in hell. The witch said, I saw gods ascending out of the earth; but her sight is no good proof, where the souls of the just are, or whence they come, the devil might easily delude her, and make her believe, he came out of the earth, that came from another place. Again if the body of Samuel were taken up for his soul to appear in; that was raised out of the earth, though the soul of Samuel came from Abraham's bosom; & so he necessarily must rise out of the earth, if his body rose withal, as we all shall at the general resurrection. And where the image of Samuel said to Saul, 
d 1. Sam. 1●.  To morrow thou and thy sons shall be with us; he did not mean their souls should be in the same receptacles after death, but as Austen saith: 
e Ad Simply. lib. 2. quaest. 3  Mortuus mortem vivo praenunciabat. He that was dead, foreshowed the death of him that lived; 
e Ad Simply. lib. 2. quaest. 3  ut non ad aequalitatem felicitatis sed ad parem conditionem mortis referatur: That it should be referred to the like condition of death, & not to the fruition of the same felicity. For if we so take the words, Thou shalt be to morrow with me, veique falsum est; it is certainly false, saith Austen. Magno quip interuallo post mortem separari bonos a malis in evangelio legimus cum dominus inter superbum illum divitem, cum iam apud inferos tormenta pateretur, & illum, qui ad eius ianuam ulcero sus iacebat, iam in requie constitutum, magnum chaos interiectum testetur. That the good are after death separated from the bad by a mighty distance, we read in the Gospel, where the Lord witnesseth, that there is a great gulf interiected between the proud rich man, when he was tormented in hell, and the poor Lazare now in rest, which lay full of sores at the rich man's gate. And so whether we take it to be the soul of Samuel that spoke to Saul, or a Magical illusion of Satan transforming himself into the shape of Samuel, neither way proveth that Samuel was in hell; howbeit I rather embrace the reasons that are extant in the 
g Quaest ex veter. testimento. quaest 27.  questions of the old testament under the name of S. Austen, cited in the Canon law, which though they be not Austin's, are very ancient. 
h Caus. 26. quest. ●. § 14. nec mirum.  Indignum facinus aestimo, si secundum verba historiae commodetur assensus. Quomodo enim fieri poterat, ut arte magica attraheretur vir & nativitate sanctus, & vitae operibus justus? Aut si non attractus est, consensit: quod utrumque de viro justo credere absurdum est. Porro hoc est praestigium Satanae, quo, ut plurimos fallat, etiambonos in potestate se habere consingit. Historicus mentem Saul, & habitum Samuelis descripsit, ea quae dicta & visa sunt exponens, praetermittens si vera an falsa sint. Quid enim ait? Audience in quo habitu esset excitatus, intellexit, hunc esse Samuelem. Quid intellexerit retulit, & quia non bene intellexit, contra scripturam, alium adoravit quam deum, & putans Samuelem adoravit diabolum, ut fructum fallaciae suae haberet Satanas. Si enim vere Samuel illi apparuisset non utique vir justus permisisset se adorari, qui praedicaverat deum solum adorandum. Et quomodo homo dei, qui cum Abraham in refrigerio erat dicebat ad virum pestilentiae, dignum ardore gehennae, eras mecum eris? His duobus titulis subtilitatem fallaciae suae prodidit improvidus Satan, quia & adorari se permisit sub habitu & nomine Samuelis contra legem: & virum peccatis pressum, cum magna distantia peccatorum & justorum sit, cum Samuele iustissimo futurum mentitus est. Ad eum enim transmigravit (Saul) quem adoravit. I take it to be a wicked act, if we acknowledge the story according to the words. For how could it be that a man holy in birth, and just in life should be drawn (from the place of his rest) by the power of a witch? If he were not drawn (against his will) he consented (to come;) both which are absurd to believe of so just a person. And this is the sleight of Satan, that to deceive the more, he maketh as if the just were in his hands. The story doth describe the mind of Saul, and the show of Samuel, expressing what was seen and said, but pretermitting how true or false either was. For what saith it? Saul hearing in what habit (the spirit) was raised, understood it to be Samuel. It reporteth what (Saul) conceived, and because he conceived amiss, he adored another then God, against the scripture; and thinking it to be Samuel, worshipped the Devil, that Satan might reap the fruit of his fallacy. For if Samuel had indeed appeared unto him, the just person would never have suffered himself to be worshipped, which preached God alone to be worshipped. And how did the man of god, that was with Abraham in rest, say to that pestilent man, worthy of hell fire, to morrow thou shalt be with me? By these two ways Satan afore he was ware betrayed his fraudulent subtlety, because he suffered himself to be worshipped under the habit and name of Samuel, against (Gods) law; and lied, that Saul laden with sin should after death be with righteous Samuel, whereas there is a great distance betwixt the just and unjust (after this life;) and Saul went hence to him, whom he worshipped.  
[If the fathers so much vary and dissent from themselves, and from others, why do I press their testimony touching Christ's descent to hell?] I press them no further than they accord with the words of the scripture, and with the grounds of faith, & wherein they all concur with one consent. When they serve aside, 
jurge not the fathers but agreeing with the scriptures and with themselves.  or part asunder, I dissemble it not; wishing the reader, as not to regard their private opinions without good proof, so not to reject their general confession in matters of faith agreeing with the scriptures, without better demonstration than I yet see made for the contrary. That the devil was destroyed, and man delivered by Christ's death from the fear of death, 
Heb 2.  is no supposal of mine or theirs, but the manifest conclusion of the holy ghost. That Christ 
k Colos 2.  in his own person spoiled powers and principalities, and openly triumphed over them, that 
l 1. Cor. 15.  death and hell might be swallowed up in victory, is not man's imagination, but the Apostles resolution. That Christ's 
m Acts 2.  soul was in hell, and there not 
m Acts 2.  forsaken, if David's prediction, and Peter's application were not plain enough, S. Luke's interpretation is so pregnant, that without wrong to the word, it can not be pared. Lay these together, and see what they lack of Christ's soul descending into hell. His being there must needs infer his descending thither. And yet lest some scrupulous person should stick at the phrase of Christ's DESCENDING INTO HELL, I think S. Paul hath words equivalent to them. 
n Ephes. 4.  Ascending on high he led captivity captive. That he ascended, what is it, but that he FIRST DESCENDED into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended, is even the same that ascended above all the heavens, that he might fill al. If hell be any where, there can be no doubt but it must be in the lower parts of the earth. From the earth upward is heaven, where hell can not be. Christ then DESCENDED into the lower parts of the earth, and thence led captivity captive, that he might fill all (places) with his presence. Christ's sepulchre was in the higher parts of the earth, 
o Mat. 27.  hewn out in a rock, and thence he might lead the death of the body captive, but not the devil, that was ruler over death, and had a challenge to the souls of men that came not near their graves. Since then ascending from the lower parts of the earth, he lead captive, all the powers, that held man in bondage; and those chiefly were the powers of hell, which had interest into the soul of man by reason of sin; it must needs be that Christ descended to those parts of the earth, where man's captivity was strongest, which is in hell: and thence freed him by his presence, and led those captives, that ruled over him, as conqueror of all the power of the devil and darkness, whose prisoner man was, before he was redeemed. Again, he first descended to the lowest, and then ascended to the highest, that he might fill all places with his presence. If he descended not to hell, how filled he that place, where he never was, except with the brightness of his divine glory, which is every where present without descending or ascending? But the Apostle saith he descended to the lowest, and ascended to the highest, that he might fill all (places) with the presence of his manhood, all knees in heaven, earth, and hell bowing unto the exaltation of his human nature.  
And if the lower parts of the earth, whither Christ descended to lead captivity captive, 
Christ's desce●●ding into the deep, and into hell are all one.  be not low enough to show the situation of hell; Saint Paul hath plainer words of Christ's descending as low as might be; when he writeth to the Romans in this wise. 
p Rom. 10  Say not in thine heart, who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above,) or who shall DESCEND INTO THE DEEP? (that is, to bring Christ back from the dead.) Christ dying DESCENDED INTO THE DEEP, as rising from the dead, he ascended into heaven. Now the deep is so low, that no place can be lower; yea hell itself, and the prison of Devils is known by that name in the new Testament. When the spirits, that possessed the mad man amongst the Gadarens, were to be cast out by Christ, 
q Luke. 8  they besought him, that he would not command them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to depart into the deep. In the Revelation of Saint john, hell is called, 
r Revelat 9 verse 1●8.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the pit of the deep, and the Devil is there named 
Ibidem. ver. 11  the Angel, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of the deep: yea the very place, where the Devil is shut up, is expressed by that word; 
Revel. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 20.  I saw an Angel (saith Saint john) come down from heaven, having 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the key of the deep, and a great chain in his hand. And he took the dragon that old serpent, which is called the devil, and bound him, and cast him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the deep, 
Christ descended into the bottomless deep.  & shut him up. If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be a bottomless deep, than which can nothing be deeper; if in the scriptures it properly signify the very dungeon of hell, where the devils are kept; the Apostle then avouching that Christ, when he died, DESCENDED 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, INTO THE BOTTOMLESS DEEP, doth clearly confirm that he descended into hell. As therefore, if we ask who can descend into the deep, or ascend into heaven, we reverse Christ's being among the dead and his sitting at the right hand of God in the heavens, so if we confess them both to be verified in Christ (& but in Christ they never were nor ever shallbe verified of any man) we must no more deny that he descended into the bottomless pit, which is hell, then that he ascended into the heavens; both are necessary parts of our redemption, & evident proofs of his mighty operation. We must be freed from hell, before we can be placed in heaven; and if Christ have omitted either, he hath performed neither.  
What marvel then, if the ancient fathers with one consent, make Christ's descent to hell, 
The descent to hell after death, a part of our redemption.  a material point of our redemption, and press it as an appendix to faith; since it hath so good ground, and just proof in the scriptures, howsoever they or we doubt, where the souls of the righteous were before Christ's suffering. 
t De Trinitat. lib. 2  Crux, mors, inferi, salus nostra est, saith Hilary; The cross, death, and descent (of Christ) to hell are our salvation. 
Athanas. de salutari adue●mu Christi.  Divinitas neque corpus in monumento, neque animam in inferno destituit, hoc est enim, quod dictum est per prophetam non relinques animam meam apud inferos, neque dabis sanctum tuum videre corruptionem. Quoc●rcain ANIMA quidem CHRISTI MORS DEVICTA EST, resurrectioque ab inferis deprompta, & spiritibus annunciata est: in corpore vero dei corruptio abolita est, et incorruptibilitas é sepulchro emicuit. (Christ's) deity neither forsook his body in the sepulchre, nor his soul in hell. For that is the meaning of the Prophet, when he saith; Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, nor suffer thine holy one to see corruption. Wherefore in THE SOUL OF CHRIST DEATH WAS CONQVERED, and the rerurrection from hell performed, and signified to the spirits, (that rose with him:) In the body of (him that was) God, corruption was abolished, & incorruption shined out of the grave. Yea Austen himself putteth great difference betwixt the certainly of Christ's descent to hell, and the uncertainty of delivering of some souls thence, which he found there, as he imagineth. 
x August. epist. 99  Teneamus firmissimé Quod fides habet fundatissimâ auctoritate firmata, quia Christus mortuus est secundum scripturas, et caetera quae de illo testante veritate conscripta sunt: in quibus etiam hoc est, quod apud Inferos fuit, solutis eorum doloribus, quibus eum erat impossibile teneri. Let us hold most firmly, that which the faith containeth, confirmed with most assured authority, that Christ died according to the scriptures; & the rest that is written of him by the testimony of the truth, amongst the which this is also to be numbered, that he was in hell, dissolving the pains thereof. Of which it was impossible he should be held. Thus far doth Austen urge the very articles of our faith confirmed by the scriptures, & that maketh him infer, 
y Ibidem.  who then but an infidel will deny that Christ was in hell? But when he cometh to the second point of delivering some from hell, that were in the pains thereof, he tempereth his stile and saith, 
z Ibidem▪  à quibus recte intelligitur soluisse & liberasse, quos voluit; from which pains Christ may well be conceived, to have loosed and delivered whom he would; & that which Peter saith, losing the sorrows of hell, 
a Ibidem▪  accipi potest in quibusdam, may be understood of some, whom he thought worthy to be delivered. For which since there can be no sure proof brought out of the word of truth, we shall do best to give ear to his own advise in the like case. 
b August. 〈…〉  Ergo fratres sive illud sive istud sit, hîc me scrutatorem verbi dei, non temerarium affirmatorem teneatis. Therefore brethren whether this or that be it, here take me as a searcher of the word of God, and not as a rash affirmer.  

Christ delivered the bodies of some saints, from the power of hell▪ that is, he raised them from death.  All the defence that may be made out of the Scriptures, that Christ delivered some of the saints out of the present possession and power of hell; is that which is written in the gospel of Saint Matthew, touching the bodies of the saints rising from death. When jesus yielded up the ghost; 
c Matth. 27  Behold the vail of the temple rend in twain, and the earth did quake, and the stones did cleave; and the graves did open themselves, and many bodies of the Saints, which slept, arose; and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city and appeared to many. The death of the body, as it is part of the wages of sin; so is it the 
d Esay. 33  gate of hell; and the Devil is said in the scriptures to have the 
Hebre. 2  power thereof. So that howsoever the souls of the just were in the hands of God, and at rest in Abraham's bosom, their bodies lying dead in the grave, & rotten with corruption were within Satan's walk; and when Christ raised them out of their sepulchres to an happy life, he took them from the power of darkness; and translated them into the kingdom of light. 
f 1. Corinth. 15  Death is an enemy, though the last that shall be destroyed; and 
g revelat. 20  death, as well as hell, shall be cast into the lake of fire; and therefore Christ took the keys both of 
h Revel. 1.  death, and of hell; 
i 1. Corinth. 15  and by his rising from the dead insulted against both; o death, where is thy sting? o hell, where is thy victory? It is the force of sin that killeth the body; and likewise the force of sin that rotteth the body; sin being the strength of hell against body and soul. As than our souls are freed from the power of hell, when our sins are remitted; so our bodies are delivered from the handfast of hell, when corruption, the consequent of sin, is abolished. In this sense it may be said, that Christ delivered some from the power of hell, that is, their bodies from the sepulchres where they lay turned into dust. For by death and corruption the sinful flesh of man is till the resurrection subjecteth to the range of Satan, he being the 
k Ephes. 2  Prince of the air, and 
l Ephes. 6  governor of darkness, and 
m Hebre. 2  ruler of death.  
Saint Austen doubteth, 
Whether the bodies of the the saints, that rose with christ slept again or no.  whether those bodies of the saints were wholly freed from corruption; or lay down again in death after they had given witness to Christ's resurrection. 
n August. epist. 99  Scio quibusdam videri, morte domini Christi iam talem resurrectionem praestitam justis, qualis nobis in fine promittitur; Qui utique si non iterum repositis corporibus dormierunt, videndum est quemadmodum Christus intelligatur primogenitus a mortuis si eum in illa resurrectione tot praecesserunt. I know (saith Austen) some think, that at the death of the Lord Christ the same kind of resurrection was performed to the just, which is promised to us in the end of the world: but if they slept not again, by laying down their bodies, we must look how Christ can be understood to be the first borne of the dead, if so many went before him in that resurrection. But his reasons are of no such force, as to persuade, that the bodies of the saints, which rose with Christ, slept again in their graves, and returned to corruption; yea that would somewhat impeach the power of Christ's resurrection, if it were able to raise them to life, but not preserve them in life; and the whole fact will seem rather an apparition, than a true resurrection. His first objection is answered in the text itself. For the saints did not rise before Christ, but after Christ; and so still Christ was the first borne from the dead. The words of the text are; 
o Matth. 27●  many bodies of the saints, which slept arose; and came out of the graves AFTER HIS RESURRECTION. Now to think that they rose presently upon his death, & stayed alive in their graves till he was risen, is a vain imagination, and a way rather to punish them with a wearisome life, then to prefer them to a comfortable resurrection. His second reason hath some more show, but it is not sufficient to conclude his intention. 
p August. ●●pistola. 99●  It seemeth hard (saith he) that David should not be in that resurrection of the just, if it were eternal, of whose seed Christ is so often commended to us with so great honour and evidence. And if David rose with them, Peter's proof unto the jews is very weak, when he saith, 
q Acts. 2  David is dead and buried; and his sepulchre remaineth with us unto this day. For if David's body were risen before the speaking of those words, his sepulchre was empty; and concluded nothing for Peter's purpose. For answer hereto, the holy Ghost had no meaning by Peter's mouth to prove that David lay then in his grave, 
David saw corruption though he were then risen from corruption, but Christ's flesh never putrefied  when those words were spoken; but only that David saw corruption, as his sepulchre remaining to that day convinced; wherein his body was buried above a thousand years before Christ's coming, and consequently must needs be turned into dust many hundreds before Peter spoke the word. His prediction therefore, that God would not suffer his holy one to see corruption, could no way pertain to himself, but must be verified in some other, which was Christ; and so Peter's argument was very sound and clear; whether David's ashes were then in his sepulchre or no. Peter's other allegation, that 
r Acts. 2. ver. 34  David is not ascended into heaven, doth not hinder, but David might be translated into Paradise, with the rest of the saints, that rose from the dead, when Christ did; but it is a just probation, that David's body was not then ascended, when Christ sat in his human flesh at the right hand of God; which expresseth the power and glory, whereunto the body of Christ was exalted by his ascension into heaven. So that here Austen hath some hold to prove, that David did not ascend in body, when Christ did; or at least not to heaven, whither Christ ascended; because in plain words Peter saith, David is not ascended into heaven; but either the bodies of the saints slept again, when they had given testimony to Christ's resurrection; or they were placed in Paradise, and there expect the number of their brethren, which shall be raised out of the dust; or lastly David was none of those, that were raised to bear witness of Christ's resurrection; but only such were chosen, as were known to the persons then living in Jerusalem. Whatsoever it was, 
s August. de genesi ad literam li. 8. cap. ●.  melius est dubitare de occultis, quam litigare de incertis: It is better (as Austen saith) to doubt of things (unknown and) hide, then to strive about things uncertain. The last reason of S. Austen, that 
t Hebre. 11.  God so provided for us, that the fathers of the old testament without us, should not be perfect; proveth not, that all the saints in Paradise lack their bodies; for than we must deny that Henoch was 
u Hebre. 11  translated, not to see death; and that Elias was 
x 4. Regum. 2  taken up by a whirlwind into heaven; as also that he was 
y Matth. 1●  seen on the mount talking with Christ, which are directly affirmed by the scriptures; but it will make some proof, that they have not the same perfection of joy and bliss, which they shall have, when all the members of Christ are received into glory.  
There remaineth one objection, which must be eased, before I end. And that is, Christ said to the thief which confessed him on the cross: 
z Luke. 23  This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise; how then could Christ's soul be three days in hell, except we grant it might be in many places at once? S. Austen laboureth in his 57 epistle to remove this stumbling block; and after some turns and wrenches, he thus concludeth. 
a August. epist. 57  Est autem sensus multo expeditior, & ab his omnibus ambiguita●●bus liber, si non secundum id quod homo erat, sed secundum id quod deus erat, Christus dixisse accipiatur: hody mecum eris in paradiso. Homo quip Christus, illo die secundum carnem in sepulchro, secundum animam in inferno futurus erat. Deus vero idem ipse Christus ubique semper est. The far easier understanding, and free from all these ambiguities is; if we take Christ to speak those words, This day shalt thou be WITH ME in Paradise, not of his manhood, but of his Godhead. For the man Christ was that day in the grave according to his flesh, and in hell as touching his soul; but the same Christ as God is always every where. And though this answer please that learned Father best, that Christ should speak of the thieves soul, and his divine presence in Paradise, yet we have no warrant in the word of God so to fasten Christ's soul unto hell for the time of his death, that it might not be in Paradise before it descended into hell; and he first show himself to the saints to their unspeakable comfort, before he went to subject the powers or darkness under his yoke. That he 
b Rom. 10  descended into the deep, must be received, because it is avouched by the apostle; but what time he went, or how long he stayed, as also what manner of triumph he brought thence, cannot be limited by any mortal man; In all these cases I think it safest to particularise nothing, which is not defined in the word of God: there may be likelihoods, but the consciences of the faithful must not be enforced, except to certainties. This is that I thought fit to be said touching Christ's descent to hell; urging the force and fruit of his going thither, or appearing there, to subject the whole strength and kingdom of Satan unto himself, and to acquit all his members from coming thither; but the time or manner of his descending, I dare not determine, lest I should avert you from truth to fables.  
far surer is the former doctrine, teaching the redemption of mankind by the death of Christ to be all-sufficient and everlasting, wherein the scriptures being evident and the Father's consonant, I shall need no more words; I will therefore close them both with the confession of Fulgentius, who lived 500 years after Christ, and so commend you to God. 
c Fulgens. de incarnate, & gratia dom. nostri 〈◊〉 christi. ca 8.  Deus verus & viws, imo deus veritas et vita aeterna, nisi idem verus homo fieret, mortem gustare non posset. Et idem homo qui mortem gustavit, siverus deus & vita aeterna non esset mortem vincere non valeret. Excepto illo, qui sic homo est ut idem sit deus, quis est homo qui destruxerit mortem, aut quis eruet animam svam de manu inferi? mors autem filii dei, quam SOLA CARNE suscepit VTRAMQVE IN NOBIS MORTEM, animae scilicet carnisque destruxit, & resurrectio carnis eius, gratiam nobis & spiritualis & corporalis resurrectionis attribuit, ut prius justificati per fidem mortis & resurrectionis filii dei, resuscitemur ab infidelitatis morte, & post primam resurrectionem scilicet animarum, quae nobis in fide collocata est, etiam istacarne, in qua nunc vistimus, resurgamus, nunquam denuo morituri. The true and living God, yea the God that is truth itself, and life everlasting, if he were not also true man, could not have tasted death, and that man which tasted death, except he had been likewise the true God, and eternal life, he could not have conquered death. Saving he that was both God and man, what man could have destroyed death, or delivered his own soul from the power of hell? But the death of the son of God WHICH HE SUFFERED IN HIS FLESH ONLY, destroyed both deaths in us, as well of soul as body; and the resurrection of his flesh gave us the grace both of a spiritual and corporal resurrection, that being first justified by faith in the death and resurrection of the son of God, we might be raised from the death of infidelity; and after the first resurrection which is of the soul, (from sin,) given us by faith, we may also rise in this flesh, in which we now live, never to die any more. 
d Pulgent. de passione domini ad Trasim. lib. 3.  Cum SOLA MORERETUR ET RESUSCITARETUR IN CHRISTO propter unitatem personae dei & hominis, filius dei dicitur mortuus. Totum igitur HOMINEM cum suis infirmitatibus sine peccato dei filius accepit; in tota traditus idem Christus, SECUNDUM SOLAM CARNEM MORTWS, Totus Christus secundum solam animam ad infernum descendit. Humanitas ergo vera filii dei, nec tota fuit in sepulchro, nec tota in inferno, sed in sepulchro secundum carnem Christus mortuus iacuit, & secundum animam ad infernum Christus descendit. Secundum divinitatem vero suam, quae nec loco tenetur, nec fine concluditur, totus fuit in sepulchro cum carne, totus in inferno cum anima. Aciper hoc plenus fuit ubique Christus, quia non est deus ab humanitate, quam susceperat separatus, qui & in anima fuit, ut solutis infernidolosuus AB INFERNO VICTRIX REDIRET, & in carne suafuit, ut celeri resurrectione corrumpi non posset. Whereas ONLY THE FLESH died, and was raised again in Christ, yet for the unity of the person, being God and man; the son of God is said to have died. The whole nature of man then with our infirmities, the son of God took unto him for our sakes, but without sin: in the whole nature the same Christ being delivered, DIED ACCORDING TO THE FLESH ONLY, and whole Christ descended into hell according to the soul only. So that the true manhood of the son of God, was neither wholly in the sepulchre, nor wholly in hell, but in the sepulchre Christ lay dead in his true flesh; and in his soul Christ descended into hell. But as touching his divinity, which is neither comprehended in place, nor measured with end, whole Christ was in the grave with his flesh, and whole Christ in hell with his soul. And thereby whole Christ was every where: because his Godhead was not severed from his manhood; but was with his soul, that dissolving the sorrows of hell, it might return conqueror from hell; and with his flesh, that speedily rising, it might not see corruption.  
The dark places of Peter, that Christ by his 
e 1. Pet. 3.  spirit preached unto the spirits (that are now) in prison, which in the days of Noah were disobedient whiles the Ark was preparing: and likewise that 
f ●. Pet. 4.  the Gospel was preached unto the dead; I omit as nothing pertinent to Christ's descent to hell; the first being verified in the time, and by the mouth of No; and the second performed by the preaching of the Apostles, as Saint Austen long since observed; who saith of the first, 
g August. epist. 99  Considera ne fortè totum illud quod de conclusis incarcere spiritibus, qui in diebus Noe non crediderant, Petrus Apostolus dicit, omnino ad inferos non pertineat, sed ad illa potius tempora, quorum formam ad haec tempora transtulit: Take heed least happily all that which Peter speaketh of spirits closed in prison, which believed not in the days of Noah, do not at all pertain to hell, but rather to those times which Peter compareth with our age: and of the second, 
h Ibidem.  Quod Petrus dicit, propter hoc & mortuis Euangelizatum est, ut iudicentur secundum homines in carne, vinant autem secundum deum spiritu, non cogit apud inferos intelligi. Propterea ènim in hac vita & mortuis Euangelizatum est, idest, infidelibus & iniquis, ut cum crediderint, iudicentur secundum homines in carne, hoc est, in diversis tribulationibus & in ipsa morte carnis. That which Peter saith; (to this purpose was the Gospel preached unto the dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit;) hath no necessity to be applied to hell. For the Gospel is preached in this life to the dead, that is to the infidels and sinners, that when they believe they might be judged in the flesh after the manner of men, by diverse troubles, and even by the death of the flesh. This I repeat the rather, because some late writers have borrowed Saint Austin's exposition, and suppressed Saint Austin's name; as if they were the first that ever looked into the truth of these places. Other reasons there are, but they are not worth the ripping up; I will therefore trouble you no further.  
To the father that spared not his own son, but gave him for us all; to the son that laid down his life for us, and redeemed us with his precious blood; to the holy Ghost which sealeth the sufferings and comforts of Christ in our hearts; even to the king everlasting, immortal, invisible, and God only wise, be honour and glory, for ever and ever. Amen.   

The Conclusion to the Reader, for the cleared of certain objections made against the doctrine before handled.  
I Promised thee (Christian reader) in the preface of this book, to give thee a task in the conclusion how rashly & weakly the doctrine, which thou hast now read, was confuted, before it was printed, by one that professeth 
a Pag ●●  He could not forbear but employ his talon to clear the holy cause (as he calleth it) from all the corrupt fancies and vain imaginations of men: which, God willing, I mean now to perform. Thou must not look that I will waste time and paper to settle a giddy head, or stop a running rounge; but when by some particulars I have made it appear how unfit he is to be refuted, or so much as regarded by me; I will leave him to the depth of his follies. For though he point plainly to my sermons, in directing his treatise: 
b pag ●8●  contrary to certain errors publicly preached in London, and sticketh not to 
c Pag. 89.  name me; yet because he flieth from the state of the chief Question which I impugned, and taketh the pains to over skip all my authorities with silence, if not with contempt, and in reporting my reasons forgetteth and dissembleth what pleaseth himself, as also in the defence of his holy cause he roveth as he listeth, neither keeping himself to any order, nor bringing any matter of moment, but confusedly pouring out the hasty resolutions of his own brains, spiced every where with ignorant & absurd positions: neither my leisure nor my liking suffer me to seek him out, that hath so far lost himself, nor to vouchsafe him an answer, that so proudly despiseth all authority and antiquity, which sorteth not with his fancy. I will therefore show thee (good Reader) some examples of his insolent rejecting the Fathers, of his forgetful or wilful altering my reasons, of his impertinent proving that which is not questioned, and skipping that which should be proved, of his erroneous and dangerous assertions, of his intolerable ignorance in the tongue, whereof he so much vaunteth, and then leave thee to God, if thou loathe not the reading, as I did the writing before thou come to the end.  
Where I took for my text, these words of S. Paul, 
a Galat 6.  God forbidden that I should rejoice but in the cross of our Lord jesus Christ, whereby the world is crucified to me and I to the world. This confuter would bear men in hand, that I mistook my text, & forced a false conclusion from it. 
b Pag 31.  This (saith he) is not only an objection, but even a foundation and principal ground of this error, but so mistaken and forced as nothing may be more. My reason he maketh to be this; Christ's soul was not crucified but only his body; therefore Christ's body only suffered, and not his soul. By this (gentle reader) it may plainly be perceived, how well this gainsaier observed my proofs. I drew no reason from these words, but proposing them for my theme, took occasion from them to lay down; first the contents of Christ's cross, how far it extended; and then the effects of Christ's cross, how much it performed, which is the general method of the whole treatise. In the contents of Christ's cross my words are these. Rightly then may the Cross note all manner of miseries, forsomuch as our Saviour going from the garden to the grave suffered all sorts of afflictions; 
Vide pag. 4.  which I before specifying amongst others named these, shame, reproach, and all sorts of deadly pains, besides heaviness of heart, and agony of mind, which oppressed him in the garden; and this I made no different signification, but rather a participation of the cross of Christ. When I came to Christ's sufferings on the Tree, as Peter speaketh, I used these plain words: the rest (of his torments) which went before, not being excluded as superfluous, but continued and increased by that sharp &. extreme martyrdom which he suffered on the Crosse. Did I then make any such conclusion out of these words of Paul as you imagine, Sir confuter? or did rather your wit & memory so slenderly serve you, that you could not conceive or carry away the main method of my sermons, distinctly laid down at my first entrance into this matter? But as you begin with my Theme, so you continue with the whole discourse, mistaking, forgetting, perverting and maiming all that I alleged or concluded.  
Nevertheless you take it to be clear, 
d Pag. ●●.  that this text was mistaken by me, for the Apostle here speaketh not of the personal sufferings of Christ, but of the godly, which they suffer for Christ's truth sake. To dim ties twy light is clearer than Sun shine; and to a man of your understanding falsehood may be clearer than truth; but know you Sir H. I. that I mistook not my text. For albeit the CROSS be some times taken for the afflictions of the godly; yet THE CROSS OF CHRIST is nowhere in the scriptures so taken. Again though we be 
e 2. Cor. 17. vers 30.  permitted and 
f jacob. 1. ver. 2.  commanded to rejoice in our afflictions, yet to make it a thing detestable to rejoice in any thing else, as the Apostle here doth, by saying, God forbidden that I should rejoice but in the Cross of Christ; hath no ground in divinity. Himself saith else where; 
g 2. Cor. 11.  Of such a man (as was taken up into Paradise) will I rejoice; of myself I will not rejoice, except it be of mine infirmities. Our Saviour saith to his Disciples, 
h Luke. 10.  Rejoice rather because your names are written in heaven. But of Christ crucified, it is piety and duty to say, God forbidden that we should rejoice but in the Cross of Christ. For as to the Corinth's the Apostle refuseth 
i 1. Cor.  all knowledge save of Christ, and him crucified: so here he renounceth all rejoicing save in the Cross of Christ, that is in Christ crucified. This to be the full and plain meaning of the Apostle in this place is to me as clear as day light, and I hope will so seem to thee (Christian Reader) if thou mark the words of Saint Paul in the 12. verse of this very Chapter, where he chargeth the false Apostles with urging Circumcision, because they would avoid persecution for the cross of Christ: 
Gala. 6. v●. 12  They constrain you (saith he) to be circumcised, only because they would not suffer persecution for the Cross of Christ; protesting the contrary for himself in these words, but God forbidden that I should rejoice but in the Cross of Christ, WHERE BY THE WORLD IS CRUCIFIED TO ME, AND ●● TO THE WORLD: Meaning he doth not only refuse the favours, but despise the terrors of the world for the cross of Christ. In the first part of this comparison betwixt himself and those that flattered the jews with teaching circumcision for fear of affliction, put your interpretation to that words of the Apostle, and see how absurdly it matcheth with them. They constrain you to be circumcised, only because they would not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ, that is as you expound it, because they would not suffer persecution for" the afflictions of the godly. Hath this exposition either sense or reason in it? Or else is it evident that the Apostle here meaneth by the cross of Christ, the slander & shame of Christ's suffering on the Cross, which the jews so abhorred, that they pursued all that preached or believed it? Then consequently Paul's rejoicing in nothing but in the cross of Christ contrary to their course must needs import, that he rejoiced in nothing so much as in that shameful death which the Saviour of the world endured on the cross; and to that and he saith in the former Chapter, where he more largely handleth this matter; 
Gal. 5. ver. ●1.  If I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? Then is the slander of the cross abolished; meaning there was none other cause why the jews hated and persecuted him, but for preaching Christ crucified, to be the true and only mean of our salvation, without circumcision or whatsoever ceremonies of the law.  
As the text is clear with the sense which I followed, so the fathers concur with the same. Christ (saith Austen) 
Tracked in Iohan. ●●.  chose that kind of death to hang on the cross, that a Christian might say, far be it from me to rejoice but in the cross of Christ. chrysostom upon this place, 
a Chrysost. ●● ●● Galat● ●  what is the reason (saith he) that Paul so rejoiceth in Christ's cross? because Christ for my sake took the shape of a servant, and for my sake endured that he suffered. Adding farther. 
a Chrysost. ●● Galat● ●  Anon est gloriandum, quum ille dominus, quiverus est deus, non erubescit pro nobis crucem subire? Have we not good cause to rejoice when that Lord, which is true God, was not ashamed to endure the cross for us? Paul doth 
b jerom in Galat. 6  not rejoice (saith Ierom) in his own righteousness or knowledge, but in the faith of the cross, by which all my sins are pardoned me. Christ 
c Beda. in Galat. 6  bearing his cross on his shoulders, (saith Bede) commendeth it, that Paul might say, be it far from me to rejoice but in the cross of Christ. He was despised in the eyes of the wicked for that, wherein the hearts of the Saints should rejoice. I state somewhat longer (gentle Reader) on this point; for that, as it had been a childish oversight in me at the very first entrance to mistake the meaning of my text; so it is more than a malapert trick in him unjustly to challenge me for it; but I may the better content myself with it, since this Refuter sticketh not to use all the Fathers with like disdain, whereof I will give thee an example or two, that thou mayest see the headiness of this hasty writer.  
In the contents of Christ's cross, I observed out of, 
d Vide pag ●  Augustine, 
d Vide pag ●  jerom, and 
d Vide pag ●  Bernard that no violence of death wrested Christ's soul from him, as it doth ours; but when he saw his time, he even at an instant laid it down of himself, no pains hastening his death. 
e Page ●●  This is a paradox in Nature (saith this Controller) and contrary to scripture which saith, he was like us in all things sin only excepted. You might give the learned and ancient Father's better words Sir trister, what soever you do me; your wits are too weak to refute their resolution. For where like a P●ncée, you pray you know not what, they ground themselves on the plain and express wordee of the scriptures. 
〈…〉  No man (saith our Saviour) taketh (my soul) from me, but I lay it down of myself: I have power to lay it down, and have power to take it again. How think you Sir; could any violence or pains of death take Christ's soul from him; or had he power to lay it down when and as he would, which no man else ever had or shall have? you reply, he was" like us in all things, sin only excepted. Such proofs became well your person. Was he like us in his birth? can we lie in the grave without corruption, as he lay? or raise ourselves from death as he did? Read more for shame and write less, till you be better advised, or better instructed. Upon these words of Christ, I have power to lay down my soul, and have power to take it again, Chrysostom writeth thus; 
g Homili. 69 In johannem.  utrumque nowm fuit & praeter communem consuetudinem. Potestatem habeo ponendi eam: hoc est, ego solus potestatem habeo, quae vobis non est. Both these (powers) were strange and above the common course of men. I have power to lay down my soul, that is, I ALONE have this power, which you have not. If you deny this that Chrysostom saith, remember what God himself saith: 
h Luke. 12.  o fool this night shall they fetch away thy soul from thee, which Christ saith none could do from him, because he had power by his father's appointment to lay it down of himself.  
In like sort, when I showed not mine own opinion, but the judgements of the ancient fathers as well for the causes that might be of Christ's 
i Vide pag. 19  agony in the garden, as for the meaning of his 
k Vide pag. 34  complaint on the cross, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me; observe (gentle Reader) I pray thee, how absurdly he roleth from the one to the other, & how insolently he rejecteth all the fathers, for that they uphold not his humour of hell pains to be the ground of both. I alleged jerom and Chrysostom, that Christ on the cross cited the beginning of the 22. Psalm, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me, that the jews might know they had fulfilled the words of the prophet David in that psalm foreshowing" the passion of Christ. His answer is, 
l Pag 66  this sense is most absurd. To Athanasius, Augustine, and Leo, that Christ spoke those words in the person of his church, which then suffered in him and with him, he saith, 
m Pag. 67  This is no less absurd than the former, there is no reason or likelihood for it. When I brought jerom," Ambrose, Austen, and Bede, that in the garden Christ might sorrow for the rejection of the jews, who would pull the vengeance of God on their own heads, to the utter destruction of their whole nation by putting him to death, this Confuter foolishly and forgetfully maketh this an interpretation of Christ's complaint on the cross, and addeth; 
n Pag 68  This is more fond and absurd than the other. So when among other causes" of Christ's agony in the garden that might be, (for I took upon me to determine none) being six in number, I brought this for one out of Ambrose, that Christ sorrowed for us, was SAD for us, and GRIEVED for us, he LAMENTED OUR WOUNDS, not his, OUR WEAKNESS, not his own death, 
o Pag. 68  This in effect (saith he) is nothing but what we affirm, howbeit this ought not to have any place here; 
p Pag. 69.  how could these words hang together, when he meaneth to tell his father how zealous he is for his glory, to say; My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? There is no fashion in them thus signifying. What you speak boldly but erroneously of the son of God; 
q Pag. 55.  It cannot be strange if often times Christ fell amazed, confounded and forgetful of himself for fear and grief, I may truly and justly say of you; it is not strange to see you amazed, confounded and forgetful in your writing. What I spoke of Christ's agony in the garden, you apply to his complaint on the cross, and sale, the words will not hang together. Góod Sir awake out,, of your sleep, and learn at least to understand before you answer.  
As this presumer euerie where with disdain casteth away the judgements of the fathers which I produce, & preferreth his own peevish conceit before them all; so when he reporteth my reasons, he either ignorantly mistaketh them, or purposely perverteth them, that they may the less encumber him. In the effects of Christ's cross I noted out of the Apostle to the Hebrues three properties of the true propitiatory sacrifice which took away the sin of the world; 
Vide page. 18  It was a bodily, a bloody, and a deadly sacrifice, and amongst many reasons to confirm the same, I brought these two, which the confuter after his forgetful manner roveth at. The first in effect was this. The true sacrifice for sin, which the Redeemer should offer, was shadowed and foreshowed by the sacrifices which God commanded and accepted in the old testament: but the sacrifices of the patriarchs and of the faithful appointed by Moses foreshowed and figured a bodily, bloody, and deadly sacrifice, and no pains of hell; therefore the true sacrifice for sin was made by the body, blood and death of the Redeemer, and not by the pains of hell suffered in his soul. The second this; As the sacrifices of the law prefigured what the Saviour of the world should do for the abolishing of sin; so the sacraments of the new testament confirm and scale that performed in the person of Christ jesus, which was the true propitiation for our sins, and price of our redemption: but the sacraments of the new testament, and specially the lords supper, declare and confirm unto us the body of Christ given for us unto death, and his blood shed for the remission of our sins; therefore this was the true propitiation for our sins, and price of our redemption, and not the pains of hell suffered in the soul of Christ, as some imagine. To the first the Confuter answereth; 
r Page. 11.  The proposition is false taking it generally. The carnal sacrifices of the jews signified that which they were apt to signify, but not any further. The sacrifices of beasts could not prefigure the personal union of God and man, nor the reasonable and immortal soul of Christ, nor his resurrection, all which were necessary points in the meritorious sacrifice. secondly he denieth the assumption. 
s Page. 12.  For certain of the jews sacrifices set forth the sufferings of the soul of Christ also. As the escape Goat in the 16. of Leviticus, which was a sin offering, though it were sent away free and untouched. To the reason drawn from the Sacraments, he saith, 
s Pag. 14.  We are to answer as we did before. These are bodily and earthly Elements, and therefore fit to set forth bodily and apparent effects in Christ; they can not set out the spiritual and invisible effects in him. And yet the ceremony of breaking the bread, which is to show that Christ's body was broken for us, can not belong properly to the body, but to the soul. These I trust are your words; now hear my reply. I had no such proposition as you frame to yourself, that either the sacrifices of the law, or Sacraments of the Gospel, were figures of our whole and absolute redemption, which is (as you expound it) of all the fruits and causes of our redemption. This is your evasion, not my proposition; I told you that as God had promised, so the faithful believed, that his own son should be the Seed of the woman, and by his death and blood should purge their sins. To continue this promise and confirm the faith of all before and under the law, God appointed bloody sacrifices, as continual remembrances and figures, not of the person, nor of the function of Christ; but of the Sacrifice, by which he should abolish sin; to wit, by his body slain, and his blood shed, which the carnal sacrifices were fittest to resemble, since God would not have the blood of any man, but of his own son shed for remission of sins. My proposition then speaketh of the true sacrifice for sin, and avoucheth that to be the true sacrifice for sin, which was shadowed and figured by the death and blood of those beasts, that God commanded to be offered unto him. This proposition you do not deny, for you grant, 
t pag. ●1. 52  The jews sacrifices signified what they were apt to teach, and signify: but they were apt and ordained of GOD to teach the jews, that, by the death and blood of the Messiah, they should be redeemed and saved from their sins; ergo they were apt and ordained of God to figure and shadow the true propitiatory sacrifice. And so the patriarchs and Prophets believed and expected, whose faith and hope could neither be vain nor frustrate, since they were thereto directed by Gods own appointment.  
This proposition, be you Christian or jew, you may not deny; and therefore you do well to deny the assumption, and to affirm that certain sacrifices of the jews, as namely the escape Goat in the 16. of Leviticus did signify the immortal soul of Christ, which was 
f Page. 12:  a sacrifice for sin, and did properly bear our sins, and suffer for our sins. But Sir, if a man ask you how you prove that the scape Goat signified the soul of Christ, what have you to say? Because both Goats (say you) are a sacrifice for sin, as the Text speaketh. You abuse the Text, and deceive yourself. The words are. Aaron 
g levit. 16 verse. 5.  shall take of the assembly of the children of Israel two he Goats for a sin offering, that is to make a sin offering of one of them, on which the lords lot shall fall; So follow the words in the 8. verse of that chapter. Aaron shall cast lots over the two he Goats, one lot for the Lord▪ and another lot for the escape Goat. And Aaron shall offer the Goat on which the Lord's lot shall fall, and MAKE HIM A SIN OFFERING. The taking of the Goats from the people doth not make them sacrifices for sin, but the offering them unto the Lord by the Priest: so that though two were taken, yet lots were cast which of them should he the sin offering, and which of them the scape Goat, which consequently was no sin offering, because that was made a sin offering, on which the Lord's lot fell. And so if the escape Goat did signify the soul of Christ, as you affirm more boldly then wisely, than was not the soul of Christ a sin offering, neither did it suffer for sin, if your own example may be trusted. Howbeit what the escape Goat signified, I am not so forward to pronounce as you be, though I have better warrant so to do than you have. For cyril, or as some think, Origen writing upon that place of Leviticus 〈◊〉 
h In Leuit. lib. ●  If all the people of God were holy, there should not be two lots cast upon the Goats, one to be offered to the Lord, the other to be sent to the desert; but there should be one lot, and one offering to the Lord alone. But now where in the number of them that come to the Lord, some belong to the Lord, some deserve to be cast away, and severed from the lords offering; therefore part of the sacrifice which the people bring, to wit one of the Goats, is offered to the Lord, the other is cast off, and sent into the Desert. Ambrose in the like sense. 
i Lib. 1. epist▪ 4.  As of two found in the field one istaken, the other forsaken; so are there two Goats, one fit for sacrifice, the other to be sent away into the Desert. He served for no use, neither might he be eaten or tasted of by the children of the Priests▪ Beda joineth with them. 
k In Leuit. ca 1.  If all the people were holy, there should not be two lots upon the Goats, but one lot, and one offering; now when many are called and few chosen, part of the people's sacrifice is offered to the Lord, the other part is cast away. Or else this may be understood of jesus and Barrabas, that one of them, which was the lords lot, even jesus was slain; the other accursed caitiff was sent into the jews Desert, bearing the sins of the people that cried, Crucify him. So that the scape Goat by the judgement of these fathers signified the reprobate among the people; and not the soul of Christ; as you boldly avouch. But did it signify the soul of Christ; what gain you by that? The escape Goat was neither done to death, nor made any sin offering, as you falsely suppose, but was separated from the Lords offering, and let go free and untouched. Then by your own similitude the soul of Christ neither died any death, as you after falsely and absurdly conclude, that the soul of Christ died, and was crucified; neither was it any part of the offering for sin to GOD, which you so much endeavour to prove. Such is your understanding, that by your own examples, you overthrow your own positions, whiles you labour to establish them with faint conceits of your own devising.  
[But in the burnt offering or holocaust prescribed, Levi. 6 you find more help than in the escape Goat, to prove that Christ soul suffered for our sins as well as his body.] If you mean that Christ's soul suffered the pains of hell, I would feign see how you prove that out of the holocaust or burnt offering. If you think the name of fire doth somewhat relieve you, remember, Sir, besides the sundry references that fire hath in the scripture, the 
l levit. 7. ver. 2.  holocaust was first slain, and after burnt; and therefore unless you will fasten the fire of affliction as you call it, to Christ's body or soul after his death, the burning of the dead sacrifice by fire will little further your purpose. Again, in one and the same fire was the holocaust consumed. If this therefore touch the death and passion of Christ, his body and soul must jointly suffer one and the same kind of affliction; which is the thing you so much impugn. And since by your own position the bodies of beasts 
m pag. 11  could not" prefigure the immortal and reasonable soul of Christ, how cometh it now to pass that the body of the holocaust after death shall signify as well the soul as the body of Christ? Can you thus plant and pluck up with a touch? It is no way denied or doubted by me, that the soul of Christ was afflicted and tormented with sorrow and pain all the time of his passion; which this Trister so much laboureth to prove; and therefore if the holocaust did signify the whole manhood of Christ suffering for our sins, it could not prejudice any thing, that I did or do teach, as anon thou shalt (gentle Reader) more plainly perceive; but yet why the burning of the holocaust should signify Christ's affliction on the Cross, either in body or soul, I see no proof made by this Confuter; and why it should not resemble Christ's afflictions before death, these two reasons move me. First it was burnt after it was dead; next it was wholly consumed by fire; neither of which can accord with Christ's sufferings or the cross: but by the burning of that sacrifice, I take rather the acceptation of Christ's death, or his incorruption after death to be signified. For that part of each sacrifice which God reserved for himself, and received to himself, was always burnt with fire; and the Hebrew word, HOLAH, which the Scripture useth for the holocaust, signifieth 
n Gen. 8. Exod. 29. levit. ●.  that which ascendeth up to God (by fire;) whence God is often said in the scriptures, when he accepteth an holocaust, to smell a sweet savour. Which words saint Paul apply to the death of Christ in saying, Christ gave himself for us to be a sacrifice unto God of a sweet smelling savour, that is well pleasing and acceptable unto God. So likewise because the fire consumed in the holocaust all that was subject to corruption, the holocaust may signify Christ's incorruption after death. This sense S. Austen approveth, when he saith. 
o August. in. psal. 50.  Sic levetur holocaustum ut absorbeatur mors in victoriam; Let the holocaust so ascend that death be swallowed up in victory. And again, 
p August. in psal. 65.  Quando totum consumitur igne divino, holocaustum dicitur. Totum moùm consumat ignis tuus, nihil inde remaneat mihi, totum sit tibi. Hoc erit in resurrectione mortuorum, quando mortale hoc induerit immortalitem. Cum absorbet ignis divinus mortem nostram, holocaustum est. When the whole sacrifice is consumed with heavenly sire, it is called an holocaust. Let thy fire (ò Lord) consume me wholly, let nothing thereof remain mine, let the whole be thine: this shall be in the resurrection of the dead, when this mortality putteth on immortality. When God's fire consumeth our Death, then is it an holocaust. And other kind of holocaust is mentioned by Saint Austen, which I mislike not. 
q Idem. in psal. 49.  Holocaustum est totum igne consumptum. Est quidam ignis flagrantissimae charitatis; totus exardescat igne divini amoris, qui vult offerre Deo holocaustum. An holocaust is when the whole is consumed with fire. There is a fire of most fervent charity, he must wholly burn with the fire of the love of God, which will offer to God an holocaust. No man ever burned with this fire comparable to Christ jesus; whose love towards God and man flamed, as unto death, so after death, most fervently. So that touching the holocaust the Confuter presumeth but proveth nothing; and yet if his supposal were granted, it weakeneth not the force of my reason, since by the bodily and bloody sacrifice shadowed in the law, I do not exclude the torments on the cross imparted to the soul, or rather wholly discerned by the soul of Christ, but only the pains of hell which were never figured by any sacrifice, nor scaled by any Sacrament of the old or new testament, though now they be made the principal part of our redemption, which indeed was purchased by the death and blood of Christ jesus.  
In avoiding the reason which I drew from the Sacraments of the new testament, and namely from the lords Supper, in the length of six lines (Sir refuter) you contradict the definition and institution of that Sacrament, as also the plain resolution of S. Paul, and the principles of natural reason. The Sacraments (you say) are earthly elements, they cannot set out spiritual and invisible effects in Christ. I had thought Sacraments by their nature had been visible signs of invisible graces, which definition is so common in the schools, that no smatterer in divinity besides you is ignorant of it. 
q Chysost. in Mat. homil. 83.  Si tu incorporeus esses, nudè dona ipsa incorporea tibi tradidisset, quoniam vero corpori coniuncta est anima, in sensibilibus intelligibilia tibi traduntur. If thou hadst been without a body, God would have given thee his spiritual gifts uncovered; but because thy soul is joined with thy body, in sensible things are delivered thee spiritual (or invisible) graces. 
r In Psal. 77.  Where all the Sacraments were common, (saith Augustine) Grace which is the virtue of the Sacraments, was not common to all. 
s Ambros. de sacramentis. lib. 6. cap 1.  In the Lord's Supper, that there should be no horror of blood, & yet the grace of Redemption might remain, for a resemblance thou receivest the Sacrament, but thou obtainest the grace & virtue of (Christ's) true nature. So that if those earthly elements of water, bread and wine, did not set out and exhibit the spiritual and invisible effects in Christ, they were no Sacraments. [But the 
t Pag. 14.  Ceremony of breaking bread (say you) cannot properly belong to the body, but to the soul.] In the first institution of his Supper did not Christ break the bread, and deliver it saying, Take eat, this is my body? If breaking belong to the bread, then breaking belongeth properly to the body of Christ; for the bread was ordained to show forth the body of Christ, & that S. Paul noteth in express words. 
t 1. Cor. 10.  The bread which we break, is it not the Communion of the body of Christ? But Christ's body (you say) was not properly broken; because the scripture saith 
u john. 19  not a bone of him shallbe broken. A speculation fit for such a divine as you are; had Christ's body nothing in it but bones? Had he not as well flesh as bones? 
x Luke. 24.  A spirit, saith our saviour, hath not flesh & bones, as you see me have. Then if Christ's flesh were rend & torn with whips, with nails, with a spear, as it certainly was, though his bones were whole, his body was properly & truly broken. For the cutting or tearing of the flesh, is the breaking of the flesh, and from a part the whole may and doth properly take his denomination. And therefore Paul spoke truly and properly when he thus expresseth the words of Christ's institution, 
y 1. Cor. 11.  This is my body, which is broken for you. Neither doth he in that word vary from Christ's institution, but he rather teacheth us, that as the bread is broken, and the wine powered out in the Lord's supper; so was the flesh of the Lords body given to be broken & torn on the cross for us, & his blood likewise shed for the remission of our sins. 
z Pag. 10.  The nails & spear, (you grant) did pierce him, but in no sort can that be called breaking or bruising in pieces, as the word in Esay doth plainly signify. Wherefore the meaning is the torments of his soul did bruise and break him in pieces. Your Hebrew, your Greek, & your Philosophy, came all out of one forge, they are so like. You can not find that Christ's flesh was broken and bruised on the Cross by grievous stripes and wounds, but you have spied, that his soul was broken in pieces and that properly. If one of the Prentices before whom you were wont to talk, should ask you into how many pieces it was broken, your head would ache to shape him a wise answer. [But the word DACHA which Esay useth doth plainly (you say) signify to break in pieces.] Doth it always and ever signify properly to break into pieces? How can it then be applied to the soul, but improperly and by a figurative kind of speech? A Moole hill with you is a Mountain. The word doth signify to tread under foot, to bruise, to oppress, to humble. When David saith the enemy 
a Psal. 143. ve. 3.  hath cast my life down to the ground; Will you say he hath broken my life in pieces? When job saith, 
b job. 19 ver. 2.  How long will ye vex my soul, and afflict me with your words, will you add, and break me in pieces with your words? When jeremy saith of the men of judah. 
c jer. 44. ver. 10.  They are not humbled unto this day; Will you phrase it, and say, They are not broken in pieces to this day?  
In the power of Christ's death to prove the blood of our saviour to be the true price of our redemption, and that as well of our souls as of our bodies; I alleged the words of Peter 
d 1. Pet. 1.  You were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ; and of the souls in heaven saying unto Christ, 
e Revel. 5.  Thou wast killed, & hast redeemed us to God by thy blood; when their bodies were rotten in the earth. Hence I reasoned, if our souls be not redeemed from death by the blood of christ, our bodies have in this life no benefit of redemption, I mean from death; for we die as do infidels, and our bodies rot in the grave as theirs do till the day of resurrection. But S. Peter saith, we are redeemed, not we shall be; and the saints say to Christ when their bodies lie in the dust, Thou hast redeemed us by thy blood; ergo that redemption which we have in this life, must be referred to our souls; and our bodies must expect the general day of redemption in the end of the world. To this our Confuter replieth, 
f Pag. 23.  What a paradox, yea what impiety is this? Have our bodies no good at all by Christ's death, no more than the bodies of infidels; because we die still as well as they? Good Sir remember, Redemption from death is the point which I urged; that our bodies in this life have not, no more than the bodies of Infidels have, but must expect it. And therefore if our Souls be not redeemed by the blood of Christ from Sin & death, we have presently no redemption by the blood of Christ, but must stay for the time of our resurrection before we shall have it. Which is contrary to the words both of Peter and of the Souls in heaven, that say to Christ when their bodies be rotten in earth, Thou hast redeemed us by thy blood. Here thou tell us of the justification, mortification, and sanctification of our bodies, as also of the expectation of glory, which our bodies shall have, and think to make a great conquest of the words, NO GOOD AT ALL; but pull in your horns. Besides that my meaning is very plain, whatsoever the words were, which I might use, which I do not acknowledge to be these that you bring, but that our bodies have no benefit of Redemption from death; mark well the condition annexed to the proposition, If our souls be not redeemed by the death and blood of Christ; and then all these absurdities which you thought to fasten on me, fall full on your own head. For if our souls be not redeemed by the blood of Christ, our bodies have utterly no good, even no good at all by the death of Christ. [They have you say justification, mortification, sanctification, & hope of resurrection; besides the lawful possession of earthly things.] Have our bodies these things of themselves, or from our souls first justified, mortified; sanctified and assured of life? I trust you dare not say that our bodies have any of these, but for and from the Soul. Then if the soul be not redeemed by the death of Christ, the body can have none of these, and consequently my words are sound and good; & yours, if you stand to them against the condition annexed to mine, are profane and false. [But I altar my words, you will say, to my best advantage, when I see your objections to prevent that danger.] It had been fittest for you to have stayed the printing of mine own words, and then you might have charged me with them, and not be repelled as a forgetter or misconstruer of them, or to have gotten you a copy of that which I deliveerd out that very summer to men of great honour and learning, a year and more before I ever heard or thought of your pamphlet, because I found so many humorous heads misconceaning and misreporting my words. But your haste was such; you could not; or your skill, you would not stay the sight of mine own words, lest they should trouble you more than you were ware: and therefore out of your own ill conceived, and worse digested Rhapsodies, you frame objections as pleaseth yourself, which either were not mine, or not so proposed by me. And that maketh me pursue no more of your answers, by reason I spend more time in recalling you to the truth of my words, then in refelling your exceptions, which have neither weight nor witness, more than the buzzing of your own brain. Let us therefore view how well you behave yourself in your own proofs, which you cannot forget or mistake.  
In proposing the question, and pursuing the proofs; there is some hope (christian Reader) the holiness of the confuters cause will lead him to go plainly & soundly to work. Thus therefore he beginneth. 
g Pag. 1.  The whole controversy hath in it two points. 

1. That Christ suffered for us the wrath of God.  
2. That, after his death on the cross, he went not into hell in his soul.   Now then for the former, thus we say and constantly avow: Christ jesus did suffer in his whole manhood for the redemption and satisfaction of our sins: yea he suffered properly and immediately in his soul and not in his flesh only. Therefore he suffered for us the wrath of God. This consequent is manifest and cannot be denied. The antecedent or first part of the former general reason is denied and confidently rejected yet how falsely by God's help shall easily appear. Touching the first part of this controversy; were you awaked or a sleep (Sir refuter) when I preached of these things, that you so constantly avow this was the question, whether Christ suffered for us the wrath of God or no? if you were present and not a sleep, it is too much boldness to outface the world in print, that this was the position which I impugned. There were too many witnesses there, for me to deny, or you to bely, the question; you know it well enough, but you cannot tell how to prove that which I then reproved, and therefore you shrink from that, and dally with general and doubtful terms, which according as they are expounded, may either make with you, or against you. The question proposed by me, was, whether it could be proved by the scriptures, or by necessary consequent from them, that Christ in his soul suffered the true pains of hell such as the damned do suffer, and we should have suffered, had we not been redeemed by him? I added, if we took the pains of hell metaphorically for great and extreme sorrows and pains, as David and jonas did, she speech might be tolerated; but if we took them properly for the very same which the damned do and shall suffer in hell, as there is no proof for it, so there is no truth in it. To this you say nothing, and so to all wise men make a confession that you cannot justify that, which I then disallowed. Ye be come since to tell us that certainly Christ suffered the wrath of God for us; which if it be granted you, I do not see what it can help your cause, or hurt mine. For the wrath of God extendeth to all pains and punishments as well corporal as spiritual, in this life and the next, be they temporal or eternal. So that no pain or punishment small or great could befall the body or soul of Christ, but it must needs proceed from the wrath of God. Wherefore your idle discourse of 32. leaves, in which you labour to prove that Christ suffered the wrath of God for sin, might well have been spared. Three lines directly to the purpose had been more worth than so many leaves thus wastefully spent. But in the end you conclude like a Clerk, Christ suffered the wrath of God, 
h Pag. 33.  which we affirm is equal to hell itself, and all the torments thereof. What you affirm I little regard; what you can prove is that I intent. And out of this proposition Christ suffered for us the wrath of God for sin, you shall never conclude; Ergo he suffered the true pains of hell. Were your proposition general shall Christ suffered all the wrath of God for sin, that is the whole wrath of God and every part thereof due to sin, you might well conclude; Ergo he suffered the true pains of hell; for hell indeed as it is the last, so is it the greatest effect of God's wrath against sin; but from an indefinite proposition as yours is, which may signify the WHOLE or SOME PART of GOD'S WRATH due to sin, you shall never infer what part you list, as here you do.  
Will you, to make your consequent good, amend your antecedent and make it general; that Christ suffered the whole wrath of God, & every part thereof due to sin? Then hear good Sir, mine answer. That proposition, besides that it no way followeth upon your first antecedent; Christ suffered properly and immediately in his soul, therefore he suffered the whole wrath of God and every part thereof due to sin: besides I say that there is no coherence, no consequence betwixt these two propositions; the later of them, that Christ suffered the whole wrath of God due to sin, and every part thereof, is most impious and blasphemous. For so neither utter desperation, nor final rejection, nor eternal damnation are excepted, but Christ did and must suffer them all; since they are parts, yea the chiefest parts and effects of God's wrath against sin. This is far from your meaning, as you often protest. Truly I believe it; charity leads me to think, though you be somewhat foolish in this cause, that yet you are not so devilish as to fasten these things on the son of God. But you must also be so wise as to see, that if your antecedent be general these will follow, whether you mean them or no: if your antecedent be not general, but indefinite, as, Christ suffered the wrath of God due to sin, that is some parts and effects of God's wrath due to sin, you shall never make choice in your conclusion which parts he suffered, as namely the true pains of hell & of the damned. Now choose which you will, either the invalidity of your argument, or the impiety of your antecedent; the one will prove you to lack learning, that you see not the difference; the other that you want christianity, if you should not with mouth disclaim, and with heart detest that horrible blasphemy.  
You will pretend I know, your conclusion is not general: no more indeed is it; your words are, therefore Christ suffered for us the wrath of God; but this conclusion being indefinite, and very doubtful, will do you no good in the fortifying of your cause. For Christ may suffer the wrath of God in his body, yea in his soul he may suffer it, and yet not the pains of the damned, or of hell: but because you make this the main foundation of your whole matter, let us look somewhat better into it. You labour to prove by a long process that Christ suffered the wrath of God for sin. First then what mean you by the wrath of God? I hope you do not mean any inward affection or perturbation in God, but as you expound yourself 
i Pag. 37.  the very effects of his just wrath; you should say, of his justice and power punishing" sin. And this warning (gentle Reader) if thou be simple I must give thee, (for the learned know it of themselves,) that when thou readest in the scriptures, or hearest me reason of the wrath of God, thou do not imagine that God is moved with any inward mutation, but the punishment ordained for sin by the justice of God, or inflicted on us when we have sinned by the hand of God, (whatsoever mean it please him to use) is called the wrath God. Ambrose saith well; 
k In cap. ●. ●● Rom.  Ira est non ei qui judicat, sed illi qui judicatur; It is no wrath to God that judgeth, but to him that is is judged. 
l Greg. moral. lib. 20. cap. 24  Quia culpas percutit irasci dicitur, saith Gregory; God is said to be angry, because he punisheth our sins. And so Austen. 
m August. de civitate dei. lib 15. cap. 25  Ira de●non perturbatio animi eius est, sed judicium quo irrogatur pana peccato. The wrath of God is no affection of mind in him, but his judgement whereby punishment is inflicted for sin. The conclusion is; 
n August. in Psal. 78.  nomine irae intelligitur vindicta iniquitatis, by the name of (Gods) wrath is understood the punishment of iniquity. It is then evident that by the name of (Gods) wrath, throughout the scriptures, is understood the vengeance or punishment prepared or inflicted for the sins of men. Now what particular punishments God hath provided for sin as well in this life, as the next, to chastise and revenge both the bodies and souls of sinners, would ask long time to rehearse. The greatest and foarest are these judgements, which are executed on the wicked, in the world to come; to wit, rejection from the kingdom of God, and condemnation to hell fire, where not only darkness amazeth the eyes, and remembrance of sin committed afflicteth the conscience, but an intolerable flame of fire tormenteth both soul and body for ever. These terrible judgements of GOD against sin the Scriptures publish and denounce to men in this life, that if the love of heaven do not win them to obedience, the fear of hell should hold them from resisting and contemning God. The greatest torment that in this life can befall a sinner is desperation; when the soul of man, convinced in herself by the number of her heinous ofsences, loseth all hope of life to come, and casteth her eyes wholly on the fearful torments of hell prepared for her; the continual thought and fright whereof do so amaze and afflict the comfortless soul, that she sinking under the burden feeleth in herself the horror of hell before she come to it. So that the loss of heaven, and fear of hell may torment wicked and desperate persons in this life; but the execution thereof, after this life, shall breed an other manner of astonishment and torment, than they can yet conceive. If the thought of these judgements and punishments, ordained by God's power and justice for sinners, so afflict men, what shall the sight do? If the fear of hell be so intolerable, what shall the flame be? when therefore you say (Sir Refuter) Christ suffered for us the wrath of God; we must not content ourselves with that general word, you must tell us in particular what parts and effects of GOD'S wrath Christ endured, before you can avouch that which he suffered, to be equal to hell and all the torments thereof. Did he suffer hell fire either in soul, or in body? the damned shall suffer it in both. Did he find or fear himself to be excluded from the kingdom of God? the damned do see themselves shut out for ever. If he neither felt nor feared the MIST, the WORM, the FIRE of hell, nor so much as DOUBTED the LOSS of God's kingdom, what torments equal to hell can you name us? [The wrath of God you will say, is equal to hell and all the torments thereof]. The wrath of God is hell, and so are all the torments of hell; yea they are the sharpest effects of God's wrath against sin. And therefore never play with generalities and ambiguities, but express plainly what other effects of God's wrath you mean. For since the loss of heaven, the darkness, worm, and fire of hell, and the fear of both be the greatest and sorest judgements of God against sin, that are decreed by his justice, revealed by his word, and executed by his power, in this life or the next: we plainly and truly say you can name us none other effects of God's wrath equal to these. If then it be heinous impiety to say, Christ suffered these, and none other are equal to these, take back your lavishing untruth, that Christ suffered the effects of God's wrath, equal to hell and all the torments thereof; for my part I see neither sense nor reason in it.  
[But it shallbe soundly and evidently proved.] Will you prove you know not what? Tell first what effects of gods wrath you mean, and then on with your proofs. Your meaning may be such as you shall never prove. It may be such as we will easily grant. For touching your words which you take for the castle of your cause, Christ suffered for us the wrath of God; know you good Sir, Christ suffered nothing at his Passion either in body or soul, were it little or great, but it was an effect of God's wrath punishing Sin, or as you delight to speak, it was the wrath of God. Well, if you be so loath to express your mind, for fear you bewray your cause, let us hear your proofs; 
o Pag: 4  Thus we say and constantly avow: Christ jesus did suffer in his whole manhood for the Redemption and satisfaction of our Sins; yea he suffered properly and immediately in his soul and not in his flesh only: As you have begun so you will go on; talking is your profession, you did yourself wrong when you came to writing. This Antecedent as you utter it, (your meaning is secret to yourself) doth neither good nor hurt to the Question. That christ suffered in his whole manhood for the Redemption of our Sins is a thing by me never doubted, nor denied; the doubt is, what he suffered in his whole manhood; and what in each part of his manhood; for that he suffered all that he suffered in his whole manhood yourself do disclaim in the next page, when you say, 
p Pag: 5.  This grievous Passion was in his soul properly and immediately, seeing then his body was not touched with any smart. And when I gave six causes that might be of Christ's agony in the garden, did I so much as pretend that any of them then touched his body, when he was affected with this passion of mind? And except this be your meaning, that Christ suffered some things for our Redemption in his whole manhood, and some things properly and immediately in his Soul, your Antecedent hath a flat contradiction in itself. For if he suffered all, that he suffered, in his whole manhood, how could he suffer any thing properly and immediately in his soul? which is the second part of your own Antecedent. And if that be the drift of your general reason, about which you spend 32. leaves, you may sit down and begin again a new pamphlet, that shall have some more certainty than this hath. For here you rove, neither expressing, nor indeed knowing what you would have; only you hide yourself in this general phrase, that Christ suffered the wrath of God for sin; but unless you specify" what he suffered, I do not mean to brabble with you, or with any other, about general and uncertain speeches. What he suffered more than the scriptures express, (for I faithfully believe all that is there written) I do not easily admit you, or any other such presumer, to deliver upon your credits; when you declare what you mean, and prove that you say, you shall soon have an answer.  
[Christ (you say) 
i Pag. ●●  assumed not our nature, nor any part of it, but ONLY to suffer in it properly and immediately, even for the very purchasing of our redemption thereby. Otherwise he had no need to assume both, but either the one part or the other.] See what it is (good Reader) for a man to lose himself in the wilderness of his own wit. To prove that Christ suffered both in body and soul, which is a thing by no man denied (for the question is, what he suffered, and not whether soul and body were joined in Christ's sufferings?) this Refuter leapeth over head and ears into absurdities, not only against divinity, but even against nature, and the very law of our first creation. 
Pag. 16.  That the son of God had no END nor PURPOSE" in taking our nature unto his in the unity of person, but ONLY to suffer for our sins, 
Pag. 17.  is a bold and lewd oversight;" his end and purpose in taking our nature was not only to suffer for us, but to do all that for us, which in his life time, and after his death, by his resurrection, ascension, and mediation he did, doth, and will do for us. By his own mouth he revealed to us his father's will from heaven; by his example of life he taught us all perfection of holiness; by his rising he swallowed up our death; by his intercession we receive all the gifts and graces of God, which we have or shall have; by his sitting in heaven with our flesh, he giveth us assurance that our mortal bodies shall be changed, like to his glorious body; yea the very union of our nature to his is an effectual mean to make us one with him, as he is one with God. Had Christ not been man, we could have had no interest in the fullness of his obedience, in the riches of his graces, in the Communion of his spirit, in the fellowship of his glory, which are the helps, supports, and means of our salvation, as well as his suffering for us: and man he could not be without a soul and a body; neither part joined with his divine nature was sufficient to make him a man. By the law of our first creation we are men consisting of bodies and souls; and therefore Christ as our head must have both, NOT ONLY TO SUFFER FOR SIN, but also to quicken, sanctify, and glorify both our souls and bodies that he may perfit our salvation, and bring us to GOD, without rejecting or excluding either part of our nature. Yea so advised you are, Sir Refuter, in your reasons, that by your own assertion you conclude Christ's flesh to be needless for our Redemption: for thus you say; 
q Pag. 18.  This suffering (of the soul by her body which is natural and by sympathy only) PROPERLY DID NOT MAKE TO OUR REDEMPTION. What is suffering, good Sir, in your learning? The receiving of the blows, or the feeling of the pain? If you beat or cut a dead carcase, that hath neither life nor sense, will you say it suffereth? I think not. There must then be life and sense in the body, before it can suffer or feel any pain. Now, life and sense, pertain they to the body or else to the soul? If you knew not before, as by the unlearned discourse it seemeth you did not, Saint Austen shall teach you; except you will scorn him in this point, as you do in others. 
m August. de civitate dei. lib. 21. cap. 3●  Si diligentius consideremus, dolour, qui dicitur corporis, magis ad animam pertinet. Animae enim est dolère, non corporis, etiam quando ei dolendi causa existit a corpore, cum in eo loco dolet, ubi laeditur corpus. Sicut ergo dicimus corpora sentientia & corpora viventia cum ab anima fit corporis sensus & vita; ita et corpora dicimus dolentia, cum dolor corporis nisi ab anima esse non possit. If we well consider, the pain which is called bodily pain, belongeth rather to the soul. The soul feeleth the pain, not the body even when the cause of pain cometh from the body, and the soul grieveth in the place where the body is hurt; As than we say bodies are living and feeling, when the life and sense of the body is by the soul; so say we bodies full of pain, when the pain of the body cannot be felt but by the soul. And so again; 
s Idem de civitate dei. lib. 14. cap. 15  Dolores qui dicuntur carnis animae sunt in carne & ex carne; dolour carnis tantummodo offensio est animae ex carne. The pains which are called bodily pains, are the pains of the soul in the body and by the body. For bodily pain is nothing else but the grief of the soul by the body. Whereof Divines may not doubt, since natural reason and experience teacheth, that as the soul seethe by the eyes, and heareth by the ears of the body; so the soul feeleth pain and offence by every part of the body, when it is wounded or wronged. If this suffering of Christ's soul, by communion with his body, did not properly make to our Redemption, which are your" own words; then neither the stripes, wounds, nor death of Christ did any way make to our redemption; since of all these violences offered to Christ's body, the flesh itself had not the feeling but only the soul of Christ by communion with her body, or as you term it, by Sympathy. Yea farther, by your own rule, the flesh of Christ was peerless in the work of our Redemption, for so much as his flesh could not properly and immediately feel any pain; but of force must leave the feeling of all that was suffered to the soul; and so whiles you talk so much of the proper and immediate suffering of Christ's soul, you have clean excluded all the sufferings of Christ, which the scripture expresseth, as not making properly to our redemption.  
[But 
t Pag. 19  instead of a false argument of mine, you will return a reason better grounded, and of certain truth; which is this; Whereby Adam first, and we ever since do most properly commit sin, by the same hath Christ our second Adam made satisfaction for our sin. But Adam first, and we ever since most properly commit sin in our souls, our bodies being but the instruments of our souls, and following the soul's direction and will. Therefore Christ in his soul chiefly and most properly made satisfaction for us.] Thou shalt perceive (christian reader) by the answer to this argument, how ill I spend the time in pursuing this Trifler, which neither can tell what he would have, nor what he should prove, nor whether his own reasons make with him or against him. I made no such argument as here he pretendeth; the effect of my reason was this. 
Vide page. 104  The flesh of Christ must be as able to redeem us as adam's was to condemn us: but we inherit pollution and condemnation from Adam's flesh; wherefore the flesh of Christ must both quicken and cleanse us. The Mayor is evident, unless we make the devil more able to destroy us by an other, than God is able to save us by himself. The Minor is clear, without intermeddling with the question, whence souls be derived. I utterly refused to ground any reason upon that difficulty; I used David's words, in sin my mother conceived me, and as Ambrose saith, 
u In Apologia David. ca 11.  prius incipit in homine macula quam vita; pollution (which is original) beginneth in man before he hath life. Now the soul is the life of the body. Then if pollution cleave to the flesh before life come, and consequently before the soul come, whence soever it cometh; it is evident that Adam's flesh defileth and so condemneth us. As for my conclusion that Christ's flesh must quicken and cleanse us, if the premises would not support it, which they fully do; the Scriptures will maintain it. 
x john 6.  He that eateth my flesh (saith our Saviour) and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. I am that bread of life. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever, and the bread that I will give, is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. My reeason standing good, Sir Refuter, let us look a little to yours, that you say is so well grounded, and of certain truth. How prove you your first proposition, In which part Adam did first Sin, by that part Christ must satisfy for sin? Satisfaction for Sin the Scripture acknowledgeth none but by death; because the judge in prohibiting Adam to transgress threatened death: 
y Gene. 2.  In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death: and the Apostle saith plainly; 
z Hebrews 9  Christ is the mediator of the new testament, that THROUGH DEATH, which was for the REDEMPTION of the transgressions in the former Testament, they which were called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. If nothing might satisfy for sin but death; then consequently the Soul of Christ which could not die, could not pay the satisfaction for our Sins, howsoever Adam did, and we still do sin, most properly with our Souls. This is but a straw in your way; for you stiffly, but absurdly, if not impiously defend, that Christ died the death of the Soul; 
Vide page 79.  yet because the Scriptures and Fathers with one consent avouch the contrary, yea S. Austen is so peremptory therein that he asketh, QVIS AUDEAT DICERE, WHO DARE AFFIRM IT? you shall give me leave to tell you that the Apostle denieth your Mayor, till you can make it good, not by your own unlearned frenzy, but by good testimony of Scripture, that Christ did die the death of the Soul. Now by your assumption, that Adam most properly committed sin in his soul; If you mean that Adam's soul was the agent, his body the Instrument which the soul used as in all sins, so in this; that indeed is most true, but directly repugnant to your conclusion. Put that for your Minor, that Adam's soul transgressed the commandment with her body and by her body; the conclusion than followeth in spite of your heart; ergo in satisfying for sin the Soul of Christ must be punished with her body & by her body; which is the thing you labour to overthrow with all the wits you have. Mean you otherwise that Adam broke the Commandment of God, not by his body properly, but by his soul? Then is your assumption a manifest contradiction to the fact of Adam. For with his ears he heard the persuasion of the woman, with his eyes he liked the forbidden fruit, with his hand he took it, with his mouth he did eat it, which was the fact that God precisely did prohibit. God did not say to Adam thou shalt not like it, or desire it, which the soul of Adam did, but thou SHALT NOT EAT THEREOF, which could not be performed but by the hand and mouth of Adam: and therefore Adam transgressed the commandment not by his soul, but by his body, even as in murder, theft, & adultery, these facts men commit by their bodies and not by their souls.  
[But in that and all other sins brought to effect, the soul, you will say, is the principal agent, the body is but the Instrument.] I grant it willingly; and thence I conclude, ergo in the satisfaction for sin, the soul must be the principal patiented and dolent, and the body by God's justice must be the instrument of her pain. And here mark I pray thee (Christian Reader) whether this one argument do not utterly overthrow all that this idle discourser hath done, and would do in this whole pamphlet. For nothing is more proportionable to God's justice, then to join them in pain, that were joined in sin; and to retain the same order in punishing, which they kept in offending. But all provocations and pleasures of sins the soul takes from her body, all acts of sin she committeth by her body: therefore the justice of God both temporally and eternally punisheth the soul by the body; that as it hath been the Instrument of her pleasure, so it shall be of her pain. And if GOD observe this course as well in his temporal as eternal vengeance on the sins of men, why then should not the sufferings of Christ's soul by his body be truly and properly a satisfaction for sin, which this great Doctor a little before said, 
Pag. 18.  made not properly to our Redemption?  
For thy better instruction, gentle Reader, and my discharge, that the soul taketh her occasions to sin, useth her delights in sin, and performeth her attempts of sin, with and by the body, give me leave in this point to be somewhat the longer. 
z Cyprian in prolog de nativitate Christi  Caro est officina spiritus, qui in ea et per eam, quaecunque affectaverit, peragit & consummate. The flesh (saith Cyprian) is the forge of the soul, which in that and by that acteth and performeth, whatsoever it affecteth. 
a Hier. contra jovin. lib. 2  Per quinque sensus, quasi per quasdam fenestras vitiorum ad animam est introitus. By the five senses of the body (saith Jerome) as it were by certain windows, vices (or sins) have their entrance into the soul. 
b Tertullian. de resurrect. carnis.  Nusquam animasine carne est quamdivest in carne; NIHIL NON cum ILLA AGIT, sine qua non est; siquidem in carne, & cum carne, & per carnem agitur ab anima, quod agitur in cord. The soul (saith Tertullian) is no where without the flesh, as long as it is in the flesh. SHE DOTH NOTHING WITHOUT THAT, without which she is not. Even that which is done in the heart, the soul doth in her flesh, with her flesh, and by her flesh: Yea he presseth it farther and saith; 
c Ibidem.  A deó non sola anima transigit vitam, ut nec cogitatus licet solos, licet non ad effectum per carnem deductos, auferamus a collegio carnis. Et sine opere et sine effectu cogitatus, carnis est actus. Negent factorum societatem, cui negare non possunt cogitatorum. Et si anima est, quae agit & impellit in omnia, carnis obsequium est. So far it is that the soul alone doth perform this life, that the VERY THOUGHTS IN THEMSELVES, never brought to effect, we take not from the fellowship of the flesh. Yea the very thought WITHOUT ACT, WITHOUT EFFECT, IS A DEED of the flesh. Let them now deny that to be the soul's companion in works, which they cannot deny to be her companion in thoughts. For though it be the soul, that moveth and leadeth to all things, yet the flesh addeth her service. And lest it should seem strange that he affirmeth, he pointeth to the words of our Saviour, 
d Matth. 15.  out of the heart come. evil thoughts. How true this is that Tertullian here voucheth thou shalt soon perceive (gentle Reader) if thou behold men in SLEEP, in FRENZIES, in LETHARGIES, in APOPLEXIES; where the substance of the soul is no way touched or decayed; but only the Instruments of her body, which she useth in perceiving, remembering, understanding any thing, are distempered, or obstructed. The experience hereof, is so easy and evident even to the simplest among men, that I shall need to spend no more words to the learned. Tertullia's conclusion is this. 
Ibidem de resurrect carnis.  deum non licet aut iniustum judicem credi, aut inertem; iniustum, si sociam bonorum operum a praemiis arceat; inertem, si sociam malorum a suppliciis secernat. Non sit particeps in sententia caro, si non fuerit & in causa. Non possunt ergo separari in mercede, quas opera coniung it. We may not think God to be an injurious, or a negligent judge: injurious, if he exclude the (souls) companion in good works from (the souls) reward; negligent, if he excuse the (souls) partner in evil, from the (souls) punishments. Let the flesh have no part in the sentence, if it had no part in the cause. They cannot be severed in wages, that were joined in work. If Tertullia's assumption be true, that in this life the soul can neither work, speak, perceive, desire, nor think good or evil without the Instruments of her body; (excepting always God's power to inspire what pleaseth him; for he that framed the soul can alter and change it at his liking, by the immediate working of his spirit;) if Tertullia's conclusion be true, that God the righteous judge of the world in his everlasting reward of obedience, & likewise in his eternal vengeance for sin will join and couple both body and soul together; then apparently NO SUFFERINGS ARE SO FIT in THE PERSON OF THE REDEEMER FOR THE SATISFACTION of sin, as those WHICH ARE COMMON TO DOTH PARTS OF MAN, & namely which the soul suffereth from her body & by her body; which overthroweth all the Confuters unsalted and unsettled discourse of the souls proper and immediate suffering in the person of Christ jesus.  
Do I then deny that the soul hath any sufferings in this life and the next, which come not by the body? By no means. For though those conjoined sufferings be most answerable to sins committed; yet the soul hath some proper punishments in this life, as sorrow and fear, when the body hath no hurt, from which Christ was not free as appeareth by his Agony: and so in the next the souls of the wicked have grief and remorse besides the pain of fire. The remembrance of sin shall not a little torment the wicked, but perpetually afflict and gnaw their consciences as a worm that never dieth. The loss of God's favour and kingdom shall not a little grieve them, when they see others received into that eternal joy and bliss, and themselves excluded. 
f Chrysost. in Genes. homil. 33.  Gehenna gravius est a dei benevolentia excidere; to fall from God's favour (saith chrysostom) is more grievous than hell itself; and again, 
g Chrysost. in Mat. homil. 24  Ego illius gloriae amissionem multo amarius quam ipsius gehennae supplicium esse dico. Intoler abilis quidem res est gehenna: quis nesciat & supplicium illud horribile? tamen si mill quis ponat gehennas, nihil tale dicturus est quale est a beatae illius gloriae honore repelli. The loss of that (everlasting) glory I say is far bitterer than the torments of hell itself. Hell is an intolerable thing, and an horrible punishment: who knoweth it not? Yet if a man would put a thousand hells he shall say no such thing as this is, to be repelled from the honour of that blessed glory. Neither of these two could be in the person of our Saviour, much less the pain of hell fire; no nor so much as the fear or doubt, that any of these should or could light upon him; which amazeth and driveth the wicked to desperation in this life, and often afrighteth the godly, when they behold and consider the horror of their own sins, and the dreadful power of the judge. But this fear could not possess the soul of our Saviour, being always most assured of God's favour, and certainly knowing, not only the counsel and decree of his father, that anointed and sent him to save his people from their sins; but chiefly the conjunction of his human nature with his divine, in the unity of his person, which neither sin, nor death, nor devil, nor hell could infringe or frustrate: And touching the fear of hell torments, which this discourser would feign hide under the name of God's wrath, hear (Christian Reader) what an ancient father or two say. Cyrill examining the cause of Christ's tears and prayers in the garden, and of his words, my soul is sorrowful unto death; repelleth the fear of hell to be the cause thereof with some indignation. 
Cyrill. thesauri. lib. 10. ca 3.  Sed infernum timuit, inquiunt: mirum est quod haec audeant dicere. But he feared hell, they say: It is a marvelous thing that they dare so say. And when others affirmed, 
m Idem de recta side ad reginas lib 2 de sacerdotio Christi.  congruit ipsi mortem formidare, periculum suspicari, flere in tentationibus, et opus habere alterius manu ut servetur, & ad haec discere obedientiam ex iis quae tentando passus est; It was fit for Christ to fear death, to suspect danger, to weep in temptations, to have need of another to save him, and to learn obedience by those temptations which he suffered, Cyrill replieth; hoc est absurdè & loqui & sentire, this is an ABSURD BOTH SPEECH AND THOUGHT. His own opinion is this. 
n Ibidem  Igitur nos eramus in illo, tanquam in secundo generis principio, cum clamore valido, & non sine lachrymis adorantes, & aboleri mortis imperium, roborarique vitam olim naturae donatam precantes. Therefore we were in Christ, as in the second root of our nature, worshipping with strong cries & tears, & praying the empery of death might be abolished, and the life which was given to man at the first strengthened. 
o Athanas. contra Arrianos. serm. 4.  Athanasius in like manner. 
o Athanas. contra Arrianos. sermo 4.  Quî (quaeso) non absurdum impiumque, hunc dicere mortem aut infernum exhor●uisse, ad cuius conspectum janitores inferorum metu se contraxerunt? How I pray you can it be but ABSURD and IMPIOUS to say that (Christ) feared death or hell, at the sight of whom the keepers of hell for fear shrunk away? Hilary having cited Christ's prayer in the garden, and his complaint on the Cross, and his commending his soul into his father's hands, as proofs brought by others of Christ's fear at the time of his passion, saith; 
p Hilarius de Trinitate lib: 10:  hoc legens, & non intelligens, aut piè tacuisses, aut etiam religio se intelligentiam eius orasses: non magis per impudentem assertionem stulto furore veritatis incapax vagaveris. Anne tibi metuere infernum chaos, & torrentes flammas, & omnem paenarum ultricium abyssum credendus est, dicens latroni in cruse, Amen dico tibi, hody mecum eris in Paradiso? Reading this and not understanding it, thou shouldest either with piety hold thy peace, or religiously pray for the right understanding thereof, and not with an impudent assertion wander in a foolish madness, as uncapable of the truth. Wilt thou believe Christ feared hell gulf, and those burning flames and depth of penal vengeance, when as he told the thief on the Cross, verily I say to thee, this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise? What would these fathers have said to these that defend Christ suffered the very same torments of hell which the damned do, when they are so earnest against such as imagined Christ might have some fear of hell?  
In that which is past I have given thee a view (Christian an Reader) how scornfully this Confuter rejecteth the judgements of the ancient fathers by me alleged touching the causes of Christ's agony in the garden, and his complaint on the Cross; as likewise how forgetfullie he changeth, or purposely maimeth my reasons, that he may the better avoid them: and thirdly how uncertain his propositions, and how lame his conclusions are, that he maketh for his own side, yea often such as overthrow his own assertion; Thou shalt hear now some of his special reasons, as he calleth them; but as the truth is, some of his special absurdities, and impieties: wherein I will be no longer then of force I must be; I take little pleasure in raking such an unclean sink.  
The first is: 
k Pag. 34.  Christ suffered the pains and sorrows for sin which we should. This proposition (Sir confuter) if you take it indefinitely as it lieth; proveth nothing for you: you may do well to go to the University again, whence you came afore you were wise, and there learn to put quantity to your propositions, that we may know when you speak of any thing, whether you mean ALL or SOME: for if you mean here, that Christ suffered ALL that we should, this proposition is an horrible blasphemy: then Christ suffered the LOSS of God's GRACE, SPIRIT, FAVOUR, LIFE, and KINGDOM, for so should we; then he was plunged into final desperation, irrevocable malediction, and eternal condemnation; for so should we. [You are far from that frenzy, you will say.] I hope so too; neither do I charge you with it; but if your proposition be general you cannot avoid it; and therefore, after your lose and trifling manner, you set down a doubtful assertion, that may serve for all, or for part of that which we should have suffered. If you mean but part, than your proposition proveth no such thing, as you intent. For you would feign from hence infer, that Christ suffered the pains of hell, which were due to us; & if he suffered but part of that which we should, a wise Christian will suppose any part, rather than the pains of hell; howbeit the Apostle teacheth me to say that 
l 1 Cor. 15.  Christ died for our Sins according to the Scriptures, and that death was the death of the Cross, 
m Phil. 2.  He humbled himself & became obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross. [That is no sufficient answer, you will say; because on the Cross 
n isaiah. 53.  He sustained our sorrows, as Esaie said he should.] The words of Esaie are not, as you would feign have them, he bore ALL our sorrows, for than he must have sorrowed for the loss of god's grace, favour & kingdom, as I said before; but the prophet saith, he bore our sorrows, which may receive a double construction, and either of them very religious and christian. The first, whatsoever he felt or suffered it was ours, not his own, that is for our sakes, and for our Sins. This the Prophet in the words following confirmeth, He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities. The next is, he sustained our sorrows that is such weakness, faintness, & weariness, as are incident to our nature; and that the Prophet confesseth in the words before, He is a man full of sorrows, and hath experience of infirmities, even of such as naturally offend & afflict us. But when the scripture faileth you, you fly to similitudes of your own making, and where Paul saith, 
o 1 Timot ●  Christ gave himself a ransom for all; you say, 
p Pag. 3●  the Scripture speaking here after the common use, and custom of redeeming captives taken in war doth mean that Christ paid for us THE SAME PRICE which else we should have paid. First who told you that the Scripture speaketh here after the common use of Enemies, since in our Salvation the son of God interposed himself as a mediator with his father, to answer what the justice of God would require at the hands of his son, for the pardoning of a servant, that had offended? You and your friends cannot abide to hear, that the enemy who had us in captivity should have any price for our deliverance; you condemn that as a Manicheisme; and do you now for an advantage urge that the enemy must have a price for his captive? secondly the price that we should have paid was eternal condemnation of body and soul into hell fire. If Christ paid the same, look well lest with seeking help from an enemy, you light not on open blasphemy. lastly to join with you in your own similitude, is it not the common use in wars to redeem captivity with money? The Captive himself is tied to perpetual imprisonment or servitude; he that will ransom a prisoner is not bound to be a Prisoner himself, but to yield such recompense in money or otherwise, as the conqueror shall demand. So that even by your own comparison, it is evident, the son of GOD in redeeming us was not tied to our captivity, but might yield his Father a greater recompense for our absolution, than our condemnation would have amounted unto.  
Your second special folly (Sir Confuter) is grounded upon the words of Saint Paul. 
Page .35.  Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us. Whence you reason; It is vain and senseless to think that the Apostle speaketh here of two several kinds of curses. And if Christ sustained any curse for us, what curse could it be? not the curse of the law? or what was it? not the curse of God? If you ask to learn, you may be soon taught. If you ask to brag, you may be soon cooled. The curse of God upon the sin of man proceedeth from the wrath of God against the sin of man; howbeit God curseth not only sinners, but other his creatures, with whom he is not angry, but only because they should not serve the pride and lusts of the wicked. When Adam transgressed▪ God cursed the earth for his sin in saying, 
p Genes, 3  Cursed is the earth for thy sake, thorns and thistles shall it bring thee. For not only the souls and bodies of the wicked are cursed and consumed with plagues resting in them, and on them; but all that they take in hand, and all that belongeth to them is accursed like wise. 
q Deutero. 2●  If thou wilt not (saith Moses) obey the voice of the Lord thy God to do all his commandments, than all these curses shall come upon thee and overtake thee. Cursed shall thy basket be, and thy store. Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. The Lord will send upon thee cursing in all that which thou settest thine hand to do, until thou be destroyed and perish, because of the wickedness of thy works. The rest of GOD'S curses there numbered unto the end of that Chapter, and laid upon body and soul, wife and children, goods and lands, life and death of such as transgress; peruse (gentle Reader) at thy leisure, and thou shalt easily see, how far the curse of GOD in this life pursueth sinners; besides the horrible torments of the next life kept in store for them. So that as I did in the wrath of God, I must in the curse of God ask you (Sir Confuter) whether you mean that Christ suffered for us the whole curse of the law, or part thereof? if you answer the whole; look in that place which I now cited, how many kinds of curses there be reckoned, which never touched our Saviour; besides the grand curse which closeth up all, and continueth for ever; 
r Matth. 25  Depart from me ye CURSED into everlasting fire. If you say a part; then prove you nothing with your hot and sharp spurs as you think, when you say; what curse could it be? not the curse of the law? or what else? not the curse of God? Christ suffered a part of that curse, which God by his own mouth laid on Adam and all his posterity for sin. 
s Rom. 5.  By one man sin entered into the world (saith Paul) and by sin death. he also suffered other parts of the curse, which GOD by his 
t Deut. 28  law threatened unto sinners, to wit 
u verse 20. 3●.  shame and TROUBLE, 
x 33.  WRONG and VIOLENCE, 
y 48.  CAPTIVITY and MISERY, 
y 48.  THIRST and NAKEDNESS, 
z 65.  GRIEF and pain of body and mind. Besides, the very kind of death, to which he submitted himself was accursed by special words in the law, 
a Galat. 3  accursed is every one that hangeth on the Tree. Now to verify the words of S. Paul, that Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law due to our sins, being made a curse for us; it sufficeth that the son of God, being equal with his Father in glory and majesty, vouchsafed to undergo not all the parts of our curse, but some parts thereof. God's everlasting curse which is most due to sin, I hope you will free him from. God's spiritual curse, by which he depriveth the wicked of his truth, of his grace and other gifts of his spirit, you must likewise clear the son of GOD from. He cannot be subjecteth to that part of God's curse without apparent impiety. Take from him truth, you make him a liar; take from him grace you charge him with a reprobate mind; take from him the Spirit of GOD, you give place to Satan to work in him as in the children of unbelief. I trust (Sir Refuter) you be neither so wicked as to think, neither so desperate as to defend, that the son of God might suffer any of these curses. Then have you boldly, but falsely and lewdly concluded out of S. Paul, that he putteth 
b Pag. 40.  a part of the just curse of the law, thereby meaning the whole. Are you so well acquainted with Saint Paul's mind, that of your own head, to uphold your humorous fancy, you will urge his meaning without his words, to support a manifest falsity? The whole curse of the law containeth infatuation of mind, obduration of heart, desperation, damnation; and what not? did Paul mean, that Christ was made these things for us? or could he have redeemed us, if in these things he had been yoked with us? But that I think (Sir Refuter,) you sin of ignorance, not meaning to maintain these blasphemies, and yet including them within the largeness of your words, through the weakness of your wit, I must by the duty which I own to God, and his truth, have given you other terms, than now I do; but I had rather fatherly warn you to take heed of these toys in time, lest they bring the whole curse of God upon your own soule, which you would so feign fasten on Christ's.  
Notwithstanding your folly thus to presume without all proof upon the Apostles meaning besides his words, you have a good conceit of yourself, & like a proper man you say, I urge then, 
c Pag 37.  let it be noted▪ Christ is said to be made a curse for us; and before I showed this curse was God's curse And again. 
d Pag. 36.  The Scripture itself affirmeth, he did all that for us: therefore who dareth deny it? Who either man or Angel shall presume to say nay? You have urged it, I have noted it, and so have many wise and good men more; and will you hear what I conceive? Truly this; you have more need of Physic to cure your brains, then of labour to rebate your arguments. So many, and those special reasons, so proudly proposed, so weakly performed, so falsely concluded, did I never read as long as I have lived. Thou wilt think perchance (christian Reader) I speak this to disgrace the encounterer, and so to prejudice his cause with thee; mine heart God knoweth; but if thou be not of the same mind with me before I end with his special reasons, as he calleth them, I much deceive myself; specially if thou thyself be intelligent and indifferent.  
I hope, though I vaunt not, as he doth, there can be no doubt, but the curse of God for sin containeth these parts which I propose; to wit, the external, corporal, spiritual, & eternal plagues and punishments, wherewith God pursueth the wicked that rebel against him. I count it as clear, that neither the eternal, nor the true spiritual curse of God could take hold on the soul of our Saviour. For as the greatest blessings that God giveth us in this life, after he hath by mercy pardoned our sins, are the faith of his truth, to direct us, the strength of his grace, to assist us, the earnest of his spirit to persuade our hearts of his fatherly clemency to us, and to inflame us again with the love of his name, hope of his promises, and desire of his kingdom; so the greatest curse for sin, that in this life may befall men, is to have his holy spirit taken from them, with all his graces and gifts, that any way tend to salvation, and to be given over into a reprobate sense, that with blindness and hardness of heart, they may run headlong to their own destruction. With these impieties and blasphemies, I trust no Christian will burden the soul of our Saviour; and yet these are the true spiritual curses of God against sin. If then the soul of Christ were always 
e john. ●.  full of grace and truth, and the abundance of his spirit such, that 
e john. ●.  we all receive of his fullness; If in the perfection of his holiness, innocency and obedience there could be no defect; nor any fear or doubt in that steadfast assurance of faith, hope and love, which our Saviour always retained; how could he being so fully and perpetually blessed of God, be also truly accursed of him? The curse of God is not in words, but in deeds. Then evidently saint Paul's meaning is and must be, that Christ, voluntarily undertaking some part of the curse due to our sins, (for the whole he could not undertake without reprobation and damnation;) not only discharged us of the whole, but gave us the blessing of God promised to Abraham. And to this end I brought the testimonies of saint Austen, chrysostom, and others, fully confirming that I said: to which you reply, as your custom is; 
f Pag: 35:  It is vain and senseless to think that the Apostle here speaketh of two several kinds of curses. Indeed it is vain and fruitless to reason with him, that preferreth his ignorant imagination, before the judgements of all the learned, and ancient fathers in Christ's church; but Sir, your follies will stick fast by you, when their expositions shall pass with all wise men for currant and good.  
You quarrel as your manner is, with those parts of the curse, which I say Christ endured. For where I proposed a SHAMEFUL, WRONGFUL & PAINFUL death to be that part of the curse, which Christ suffered for us; you skirre at every one of these; And of the first you say: 
g Pag. 38.  Will any man of common reason affirm that (to be openly hanged on a tree) was all the curse that Christ bore for us? Nothing but the shame of the world, because it was an ignominious death? Whether you account saint Austen, and saint chrysostom, men of common reason I know not; The Church this 1200. years hath taken them for reverend and learned fathers. You add, It is more than absurd so to say. judge thou (Christian reader) whether this Prater be well in his wits, that in his frenzy thus reproacheth, not only the fathers of Christ's church, but even the Prophets and Apostles themselves, as men more than absurd, and not of common reason. Moses from God's mouth threateneth such as transgress the law, that God will send them 
h Deut. 28. vers 20.  trouble and shame, and will make them a 
i & ver. 37.  wonder, a proverb, and a common talk among all people. Esay foreshowing Christ's sufferings, reckoneth this not for one of the least: 
k Esay. 53.  He was despised, rejected & numbered among sinners; we did judge him plagued and smitten of God, and turned our faces from him. David in the person of Christ, complaining of the wrongs received at the time of his passion; putteth this as the first and the chiefest, 
l Psal. 22.  I am (as) a worm and not a man; a shame of men, and the contempt of the people. All they that see me have me in derision; they make a mow, and nod the head, saying, he trusted in God, let him deliver him, let him save him. They gape upon me with their mouths. Saint Paul himself urgeth as much the shame, as the pain of the cross; 
m Heb. ●2.  Look to jesus the author and finisher of your faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross and despised the SHAME. He endured such contradiction of sinners lest you should faint in your minds. How often doth God threaten shame and confusion of face to those that fall from him? How earnestly doth David every where pray against it? How truly doth Daniel make this confession to god? 
n Daniel. ●.  O Lord to us belongeth OPEN SHAME because we have sinned against thee; the CURSE is powered upon us written in the law of Moses; because of our sins, jerusalem and thy people are a REPROACH to all about us. If the scriptures were not clear, that shame and reproach is a chief part of God's curse against sin, how many wise men and good men choose death before shame? What generous nature doth not more decline slandering then wounding? In common reason to which you appeal, how can it be less wrong or grief, to whip the soul with reproaches, than the body with scourges? verily our Saviour who best knoweth the weight of both, giveth like reward to both: 
o Matt. 5.  Blessed are you when men revile you, and speak all manner of evil against you for my sake, falsely; rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven.  
As you shuffle with the shame, which our Saviour suffered on the Cross, so you do with his death; affirming that Death may 
p Pag. 45.  in no sort here be called a curse, because death to the godly is no 
q Pag 44 Vide pag. 92  curse properly, nor punishment of sin, but a benefit and advantage. You are too young a Doctor to control Saint Austen, whose words I have alleged in the Treatise at large. His resolution is, that when Paul saith, Christ was made a curse for us, he meant Christ died for us. Idem est mortuus quod maledictus, quoniam mors ipsa ex maledicto est. It is all one to say, Christ died for us, and he was accursed for us; because death came from the curse. This you deny; for that the godly after death go to heaven, which is rather a benefit then a curse to them. Good Sir, it is no benefit of death itself, but Christ's blessing after death, that departing this life, we go to heaven. Did you encourage men to die, since of force for sin dwelling in their bodies they must die; it were well said, that death is rest from their labours, and an entrance into bliss, for so Christ hath provided for his, when they go hence: but if you will reason what death is in itself, you must resolve it to be a part of Gods curse inflicted on Adam for sin, and from him naturally derived to all his posterity; from which though our souls be exempted, and our bodies shall be restored▪ yet it remaineth to this day a part of Adam's punishment, which can not be avoided, though it must not be feared, because Christ hath overthrown the force and fear thereof with his death. 
r Rom 5.  By one man (saith Paul meaning Adam) sin entered into the world, and by sin death. I hope it entered not as a blessing; God doth not use to bless sin: but it entered as a part of the wages of sin, or curse for sin, and so it doth and shall continue, to the end. 
s 1. Cor. 15  The last enemy that shall be destroyed (saith Paul) is death; when this mortal hath put on immortality, then is death swallowed up in victory; till then the sting of death is sin. If the death of the body be an enemy and must be destroyed by Christ's second coming, then is it no blessing; for those shall increase, when he appeareth in glory. 
t Rom 8.  If Christ be in you (saith Paul) the spirit is life for righteousness sake, the body is dead because of sin. If sin be the cause of death yet seizing on our bodies, it can be no blessing, that riseth from so bad a cause; neither could the resurrection of our bodies, which Christ hath promised, and we expect at the last day, be so great a joy as it is; if the corruption of our bodies in the mean time were a blessing. God's blessings be not contrary one to the other. S. Austen learnedly resolveth this question in this sort. 
u August. de civitate dei. lib. 13. cap. 5.  Boni benè moriuntur, quamuis mors sit malum. The godly die well, though death be evil. 
August. contra Faustum. lib. 14. cap 3.  Mors hominis ex poena peccati est, quia ex peccato factum est ut moriatur. The death of man's body cometh from the punishment of sin, because sin brought it to pass, that man dieth. This conclusion in exact words Prosper collecteth out of saint Austen. 
y Prosper in sentent. ex August. 〈…〉  Mors etiam piorum poena peccati est. The corporal death even of the godly is the punishment of sin. This collection to be true, S. Austen himself confirmeth. 
z August. de civitate dei lib. 13. cap. 4.  Si vero quom movet, cur velipsam patiantur, si & ipsa poenapeccati est, quorum per gratiam reatus aboletur tam ista quaestio in alio nostro opere, quod inscripsimus de Baptismo paruulorum tractata ac soluta est. If it move any man, why they, whose sin is abolished by grace, do yet suffer the death of the body, if that death be a punishment of sin, that Question I have handled and resolved in another work of mine, entitled of the baptism of infants. The effect of his resolution here is this. 
* Ibidem.  Per ineffabilem dei misericordiam & ipsa poena vitiorum transit in arma virtutis, & sit meritum justi, etiam supplicium peccatoris, NON QVIA MORS BONUM ALIQVOD FACTA EST, QVAE ANTEA MALUM FVIT, sed tantam deus fidei praestitit gratiam ut mors instrumentum fieret, per quod transiretur in vitam. By the unspeakable mercy of God, the very wages of vice becometh an instrument of virtue, and the punishment of a sinner is made the merit of the righteous: not that death, WHICH BEFORE WAS EVIL, IS NOW BECOME ANY GOOD THING, but God hath showed so great favour to our faith, that death is the way or mean by which we shall pass to life. And so concludeth, that 
y Ibidem cap. 5  Pie fideliterque tolerando auget meritum patientiae, non aufert vocabulum poenae; By enduring (the death of the body) religiously and faithfully the merit of patience is increased, but the name of the punishment is not altered. And if death were now no part of the punishment of our sins, but a gain to the godly as you would have it, by what means I pray you came it so to be? Not by the resurrection of Christ conquering death, and changing the nature of it? Then till Christ was risen, death was a punishment to the faithful themselves; and consequently when Christ died for our sins, he took upon him a part of our curse, which after he turned, as you say, into a blessing. 
z Chrysost. in gen. Homil. 29.  Primus parens propter transgressionem mortis poenam intulit, verum superceniens Christus haec omnia abstulit. Neque enim mors, ultra mors est, sed nomen tantum habet mortis. Our first parent by his transgression brought in the punishment of death: But Christ coming after took all away. For death is no longer death, but hath only the name of death, 
a August. de civitate dei. lib. 10. cap. 24.  Ipsam mortem, quamuis esset poena peccati, pro nobis tamen sine peccato Christus per soluit. Death itself, (saith Austen) though it were the punishment of sin, yet Christ that was without sin undertook it for our sakes▪ And so for any thing you have yet said, or shall ever be able to say, Saint Austin's assertion, which I cited before, standeth good; that because the death of the body was a part of the curse inflicted upon Adam's sin, Christ undertaking that part of the curse for us, that is, dying in his body, loosed us from the whole curse of the law.  
Against Chrysostom's judgement, that not only death, but the very kind of death which Christ died, was accursed by the very words of the law, saying, accursed is he that hangeth on a tree▪ you reply: 
b Pag. 38.  Not every one that is hanged is cursed: for many innocents and martyrs are hanged, who are most blessed; but every one that is justly hanged is accursed, and so was Christ here 
c Pag. 39  condemned by the just sentence of the law to pay his debts, for whom he had willingly and advisedly undertaken. And so indeed he bore the true curse of the law. Chrysostoms' judgement is as I reported it. 
d Chrysost. in demonstrat. quod Christus sit deus. tom. 5.  Crux signum erat mortis maledictae, mortis omnium diffamatissimae. Hoc enim solum mortis genus maledictioni erat obnoxium. The cross was a sign of a cursed death, of a death most infamous. This only kind of death was subjecteth to the curse. And again. 
e Idem in epist. ad philip. Ier. 7.  Non quaevis mors isti similis est, ista namque omnium videbatur esse probrosissima, ista plena dedecore, ista maledicta. Propterea judaei satagebant eum ista morte interimere, ut sinemo abstineret ab eo quod esset occisus, abstineret tamen vel ideo, quod hoc pacto esset occisus. Not every death was like to this. This seemed most reproachful, most shameful and accursed. Therefore the jews laboured to put him to this kind of death, that if no man would refuse him because he was killed, at least yet they should forsake him, for that he died this vild kind of death. The kind of death which christ submitted himself unto was a shameful, & a cursed kind of death; as for the cause of christs death, Chrysostom was far from thinking Christ was justly hanged; he saith Christ thus honoured his father, 
f Ibidem.  Non coactus, nec invitus sed & hoc ex suae ipsius virtute; not constrained, nor unwilling, but of his own virtue or humility. And the Apostle warranteth Chrysostoms' speech, for he saith: 
g Phil. 2.  Christ humbled himself, and was obedient to the death, even to the death of the cross. But what warranteth your speech that 
h Pag. 39  Christ was hanged on the tree by the just sentence of the law? I had thought he had suffered the 
i 1. Pet. 3.  just for the unjust; and having no sin had been willingly, and by no sentence of the law, hanged on a tree. 
k Pag▪ 39  Is it wrong (you ask) for the law to lay the penalty on the surety, when the debtor cannot discharge it? But if it be mere and true justice, and no wrong, than was Christ by the just sentence of the law hanged on the tree, and so he bore indeed the true curse of the law. 
l Pag. 42.  For though God always loved and embraced Christ in regard of his own innocent person, yet in another regard of our person, which he sustained, we may say God HATED him, God CURSED him. 
m Ibidem.  Yea he took our person on him, and so became by our sins, SINFUL, DEFILED, HATEFUL, & ACCURSED. Is this the holiness of your cause you have in hand, Sir refuter▪ with a simple similitude against the scriptures, against the faith, against the fathers, against the consciences of gods people, openly to pronounce the eternal and everlasting son of God SINFUL, DEFILED, HATEFUL, & accursed of his father, for that he took upon him the punishment of our sins? Your similitude had need be sound, that shall bear the weight of these words; if you fail, can you tell how deeply you come within the just sentence of god's law, for opening your irreligious mouth against God, and his son? but thereof anon.  
In the mean while, because with scorning Chrysostom, you make way to your unholy conceit, that Christ being truly accursed in soul for the guilt of man's sin 
n Pag. 35.  was justly hanged by the sentence of the law, and say it is VAIN and SENSELESS to think the Apostle speaketh there of two kinds of curses (as Chrysostom affirmeth) but rather that 
o Pag. 40  hanging on a tree is set down as a part for the whole execution of God's just curse, and argueth the whole to be on Christ, let us see whether you, or Chrysostom, he deceived. 
p Galat ●  As many as are of the works of God's law, are under the curse, (saith Paul;) for it is written, Cursed is every man that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them. We shall agree I hope that this is God's curse, both temporal and eternal, laid on the bodies and souls of sinners, for transgressing any part of God's commandements, proposed in his law; and to this all that have sinned are subjecteth, because it is the GENERAL curse, EXECUTED by God himself upon ALL sin committed, either in deed, word, or thought. 
q Galat. 3  From this curse (saith Paul) Christ hath redeemed us, being made a curse for us, as it is written, Cursed is every one, that hangeth on a tree. If this be all one with the other, than every man that transgressed God's law in thought, word, or deed, was by the sentence of the law to be hanged on a tree. Show that sentence in the law, and Chrysostom shall yield unto you; if you cannot, then hanging on a tree is no necessary part of the general curse of God upon all sinners, and consequently being no part of it, it is not all one with it, neither can it argue the whole to have been in Christ. [How standeth the Apostles reason then that Christ was made a curse?] where in sin there are two things, the committing of it, and the revenging of it by God or man in this life or the next; and magistrates had under Moses, as they have under Christ, power given them from above 
r Rom. 13.  as God's ministers to take vengeance (in this life) on him that doth evil; the Apostle knowing that Christ, though he committed no sin, was yet content to bear the punishment due to sin in his body on the tree; and by his smart to abolish our fault; citeth a place out of Moses, where the judicial and corporal punishment of a man by death is not only called a curse, but counted a satisfaction for sin, which being suffered the law had ended his form upon the sufferer. And so concludeth that Christ receiving a judicial, and corporal punishment of death for our sin, not only therein suffered the curse, but satisfied the force of the law, & by that curse of his suffering redeemed us from the curse of our transgressing. The place cited out of Moses is this; 
Deuter. 21  if a man have committed an offence worthy of death, and is (by the law) to die, and thou hang him on a tree: his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but thou shalt bury him the same day; for the curse of God is (already laid or executed) on him that is hanged. This most apparently was a public punishment executed by the magistrate upon the body of the offender; and because by his open and shameful death, which Moses rightly calleth the curse of God, he had satisfied the sentence of the judicial law, God commandeth no farther reproach to be offered his body, in suffering it to hang in all men's eyes any longer, but to be buried the same day; For that by his death the curse of God ceased. The difference between these two curses is soon perceived. Every sin received the first curse, whereof Paul spoke before; few crimes received the judgement of this second kind of curse which was to be hanged. The first was inflicted by God himself: the second was executed by the magistrate. The first touched body and soul, in this life and the next; the second ended with the death of the body. The first was committing of sin, the second was suffering for sin. And therefore Chrysostom's exposition is very true, when he saith; 
Chrysost. in ca 3. ad Galat.  The people were obnoxious to another curse, which was this; Cursed is every one, that continueth not in that which is written in the book of the law, for there was not one of them that had fulfilled the whole Law; but Christ instead of that, took upon him another curse, which said, cursed is every one that hangeth on the tree. He that should take away the first curse, must not be subject to the same, but undertake an other in place thereof, and by that dissolve the first. As if one being adjudged to die (for some crime) an other, no way guilty of the same, but willing to die for him, should deliver him from the punishment: So did Christ; not being subject to the curse of transgression, instead thereof he took an other curse, and dissolved the curse that lay on them.  
[Before a man can be accursed by his death, he must, you say, be justly hanged; for many Innocents and martyrs are hanged who are most blessed.] Innocentes and martyrs, be their souls never so blessed, may bear in their bodies a shameful death, as Christ did in his▪ and that is a kind of corporal curse, though by men unjustly inflicted, even as death in the godly is a remnant of God's curse upon sin, though their souls be blessed before and after death. Yea the word KALAL whence the Hebrews derive that which with them signifieth a curse, noteth also to make wild and contemptible, as if shame, reproach, and contempt were the greatest outward curse, that could befall any man in this life. The cause why we suffer it, shall make it just or unjust; but we must call things by those names, which GOD first allotted them. Now death, shame, wrong, reproach, and such like, God ordained at first to be punishments of sin, and so parts of the curse due to sin. If we suffer at men's hands for piety, that which God appointed to be the wages of iniquity, so we be patiented and willing to abide the trial, which is righteous with God, though injurious from men, the name is not altered, but the reward increased. Yea God it is, that causeth judgement to begin at his own house oftentimes, by the hands of persecutors; he doth us right, when men do us wrong; and dealeth not with us according to our sins in the greatest wrongs that can be done us. Therefore martyrs and innocents may do well to remember, that God hath cause enough, though man have none; and so submit themselves as worthy of worse from God's hands. But none of these things may be said of our Saviour, who alone among all the children of men wanted sin, and suffered wrong; and therefore his punishments with God were just, not by his deserving, but by his desiring to suffer for man. How then cometh it to pass, that martyrs, which are sinners before God, are unjustly hanged, because they deserve no such thing at men's hands; and Christ who was most innocent before men, and most righteous before God, you will needs have to be justly hanged?  
[The surety (you say) by his suretyship is a debtor to the creditor and to the law; and so Christ, though most innocent in himself, yet was he justly hanged, as our surety, by the just sentence of the law.] You mistake, Sir Confuter, as well the sentence of the law, as the suretyship of Christ. For though man's law permit, which is the rule of charity, that men should bear each others burdens, and undertake one for an other in money matters, and such like things which God leaveth in each man's will and power; yet tell me I pray, what law, Gods or man's, permitteth a murderer or like offender to be spared, and an other, that is willing, to be hanged in his steed? I think man's law will allow you no such suretyship, I am sure God's law will not. 
u Ezech. 18  As I live, saith the Lord, the soul that sinneth, that soul shall die. The wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. He shall have then no sureties to die for him, much less shall his surety be compelled to die by the sentence of the law. Their money men may give away; but their lives they may not, till God call for them; and if not their lives, much less their souls by any sentence of the law. The son of God did not by LAW, but by LOVE interpose himself to bear our sins; 
x john 3.  So God loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Yea 
y Galat. 2  the son of God loved us, and gave himself for us, not by any obligation to the law, for he was above the law, and could not be bound by the law; and we were condemned by the sentence of the law, and not put to find sureties. The eternal wisdom and counsel of God then out of his inestimable love towards us, without the law, and before the law decreed, as to create us, so to redeem us, by Christ his son. And the son not as debtor to any, nor for any, but of his good will and favour toward us, offered himself to suffer for us whatsoever the justice of his father would impose. Wherein he became not a Surety bound to the law; but a Mediator to God, and a Redeemer of man. Sureties that stand bound and must pay the debt, may not look to be Mediators; and he that redeemeth a prisoner from the enemy is not bound, but content so to do. And that the death of Christ should be paid as a debt to the law whereto Christ was bound, is to me a strange position. I took Christ's sufferings all this while for a voluntary oblation to God, and not for a due obligation to the law, and himself to be a mediator, not a debtor; his death I reckoned to be a richer offer, than man could owe, and a greater price than the law could exact. And therefore the new testament of mercy, grace, and glory was made by his blood, which are other manner of purchases, than the due payment of man's debt. How could that be due unto the law, which overthrew the law? Sinners, such as we are, were to die by the law; but that the son of God should die for us, what law did or could require that at his hands? you shall do well therefore to leave these dangerous discourses, and learn to say with the scripture and fathers, that love, not law; desire, not debt; mercy, not necessity brought the son of God from his throne in heaven, to his cross on earth.  
[Such was the sentence of the law, you will say, that without death he could not redeem us.] Nay such was his love, you should say, that even with his death he would redeem us. 
z Greg. moral. lib. 20. cap. 2●.  Cum posset nobis etiam non moriendo succurrere, subvenire tamen moriendo hominibus voluit: quia nos videlicet minus amasset nisi & vulnera nostra susciperet, nec vim suae dilectionis nobis ostenderet, nisi hoc quod a nobis tolleret, ad tempus ipse sustineret. Passibiles quip mortalesque nos reperit, & qui nos existere fecit ex nihilo, revocare etiam sine sua morte potuit à passione. Sed ut quanta esset virtus Compassionis ostenderet, fieri pro nobis dignatus est, quod esse nos voluit, ut in semetipso temporaliter mortem susciperet, quam á nobis in perpetuum fugaret. Christ when he might have succoured us without dying, would rather help man by dying (saith Gregory:) because he had loved us less, if he had not taken to himself our wounds, neither had he showed us the strength of his love, unless he had for a time sustained that, from which he delivered us. He found us miserable and mortal; yet he that made us of nothing might have recalled us from our misery without his own death. But that he might declare how great the virtue of Compassion is, he vouchsafed to be that, which he appointed us to be, that receiving a temporal death in himself, he might chase it from us for ever. 
a August. de Trinitate lib. 13. cap. 10  Those (saith Austen) that ask, did GOD so want means to deliver men from the misery of this mortality, that he would have his only begotten son to be made a mortal man, and to suffer death; It is not enough so to refute that we show this way to be good and agreeable to the divine excellency, whereby God vouchsafed to deliver us by the Mediator of God and man Christ jesus, verum etiam ut ostendamus NON ALIUM MODUM POSSIBILEM DEO DEFVISSE, cuius potestati cuncta aequaliter sub jacent, sed sanandae nostrae miseriae convenientiorem alium modum non fuisse, nec esse oportuisse; but also that we show God WANTED NOT OTHER MEANS, to whose power all things are subject, but that neither there was, nor could be a more convenient way to heal our misery. For what was so needful to raise up our hope, and to free men's minds from despairing immortality, being already dejected by the condition of their mortality, as to make evident show unto us, how much God esteemed us, and how much he loved us? whereof what plainer or perfecter proof could be made, then that the son of God, remaining that he was, would take from us & for us that which he was not, and vouchsafe to be amongst us: and first without any desert of his to bear our miseries, and upon us, then believing how greatly God loved us, and hoping where afore we despaired, to bestow without all merit of ours, yea when we deserved evil at his hands, the gifts of his grace, with bounty no way provoked by us. And so Ambrose. 
b Ambros. de fide resurrect  By one man's death the world was redeemed. Christ might, if he would, have refrained from death; but he neither refused death as unprofitable, neither could he have saved us any better way then by dying. So that no legal necessity, much less judicial severity, brought Christ to his Cross, but to teach us obedience to God by his example, to demonstrato his love to us by refusing nothing for our sakes, and to declare his own power, whose weakness was stronger than all his and our enemies, and to strengthen our patience, and give us comfort in all the troubles of this life, he chose the painful and shameful death of the Cross, and there showed so perfect a pattern of obedience, innocence, patience, that the Angels themselves did admire it.  
So far you make Christ surety for us that in taking 
c Pag. 4●.  our person on him, he became by our sin sinful, defiled, hateful and accoursed. Similitudes, if you suck nothing from them but that which is agreeable to the truth, in teaching may be tolerated; in concluding they will halt. That Christ is 
d Hebre. 7  a surety, we find it once mentioned in the scriptures; but not to the law to pay our debts, but 
d Hebre. 7  of a better testament, even of the new covenant of grace established in his blood, whereof he is also the mediator & priest. Now he died for us, not as a surety bound to the law, but as a mediator to God for us, he interposed himself of his own accord, to yield such recompense unto his father, as he should be pleased to accept for us. If you will needs use similitudes, use rather the similitude of a mediator, and Redeemer, which the scriptures often call him, then of a surety; thereby to bind him not only to suffer the pains of hell in our steed, but also to defile him with our sins and make him hateful to God by our curse. No similitudes can prove Christ in taking our person on him to be SINFUL, DEFILED, HATEFUL, and ACCURSED; and therefore your unclean mouth, and uncleaner heart, that thus speak, and think of the son of God, are worthier of castigation, then of refutation. I know you will pretend the Apostles words, 
2. Cor. 5  God made him sin for us that knew no sin; but howsoever some late writers turn sin into sinner, and thence give cause of these and the like speeches, the church of God from the beginning hath warily declined such irreverent words, and yet plainly confess the truth. That God MADE HIM SIN, hath two good and approved senses; one that he made him a sacrifice for sin, and so the cleanser of sin, and no way defiled by our sin: the other, that he punished our sins in him, and used him as he doth sinners. 
f Aug. de verbis do. secund. johan. serm. 48  They that know (saith Austen) the scriptures of the old testament, acknowledge this that I say. Not once, but often and very often it is found; Sacrifices for sins, are called sins. Then him that knew no sin God made sin for us, that is a sacrifice for sin. Christ was made sin in that he was offered to abolish sin. And again, 
g Idem de verbis Apostoli. serm. 7.  peccatum vocabatur in lege sacrificium pro peccato, assidue lex hoc commemorat, non semel, non iterum, sed saepissime. Tale peccatum erat Christus. Peccatum non habebat, & peccatum erat; peccatum erat, quia sacrificium pro peccato. The sacrifice for sin is in the law called sin. The law still so useth the word, not once, nor twice, but very often. Such a sin was Christ, he had no sin, and yet he was sin. He was sin, because he was the sacrifice for sin. So Ambrose. 
h Ambros in 2. Corinth. ca 5  Because Christ was offered for sin, worthily is he said to be made sin, because in the law the sacrifice that is offered for sin is called sin. This way if you construe S. Paul's words, they conclude directly against your irreligious supposition. For if Christ when he took us into his body, did cleanse our sins by the offering of himself; he became not defiled by our sins. He did not cleanse us that was defiled by us. Howsoever you take those words; 
i Heb. ●  Such an high priest it became us to have (saith the Apostle) as was holy, harmless, UNDEFILED, SEPARATE from sinners. If the Priest were defiled, the sacrifice could not be accepted. If Christ were separate from sinners, than was he not polluted by sinners. He took our sins unto him, not to draw any pollution from them, but to make the purgation of them. He that could cleanse us from our sins, how much more could he keep himself from being defiled with our sins? If we follow the other sense of S. Paul's words, that Christ was made sin for us, that is the punishment of our sin, we must take heed that we bring him not within the guiltiness of our sins, as we do within the punishment of our sins. 
k August. 〈◊〉 Faustum. lib. 1● cap. 4  Suscepit Christus sine reatu supplicium nostrum, ut inde solueret reatum nostrum, & siviret etiam supplicium nostrum. Christ undertook (saith Austen) our punishment without our guilt, that so he might remit our guilt, and end our pain. 
l Cyprian de passion's Christi.  Christ (saith Cyprian) endured by Moses and his own Apostle to be called a curse, and sin, pro similitudine poenae, non culpae, for the likeness of the pain, not of the fault. 
m Bernard in cantic. serm 2●  Dilexit (nos Christus) dulciter, sapienter, fortiter. Dulce nempe dixerim, quod carnem induit; cautum, quod culpam cavit: fort, quod mortem sustinuit. Christ (saith Bernard, loved us sweetly, wisely, strongly. Sweetly in that he took our flesh; wisely, in that he shunned our guiltiness; strongly, in that he suffered death for us. If Christ took the pain, but not the guilt of our sins, how came he to be defiled by our sins? It must needs be either in joining and uniting himself unto us, or in answering and suffering for us. Our union with Christ doth sanctify us, it defileth not him. We are as near joined to Christ now reigning in heaven, as we were to Christ suffering on the Crosse. As we died with him then in the body of his flesh, 
n Ephes. 2.  so we sit together with him in heavenly things. But our union and communion now, though we be sinful and mortal, doth no way defile him, no more did it then, when he suffered for us. If you say our sins were imputed unto him, when he was crucified for them; that increaseth the perfection of his love, it argueth not any pollution of his soul. To die for wicked men, did not touch him with any taint of our sins, but 
o Rom. 5.  GOD (saith the Apostle) setteth out his love towards us in this, that whiles we were yet sinners Christ died for us. The just therefore did die for the unjust, and was no partner of our injustice; he that saved us from our sins, did not defile himself with them. And where all this is grounded upon a simple similitude, that a surety by undertaking for a debtor, maketh the debt his own, though he never borrowed the money; it is easily and truly answered, that Christ did not undertake we should not sin, nor that we should pay the debt which we did owe; but when we had sinned, and were able no way to answer the justice of GOD, but by our everlasting destruction of body and soul; it pleased the son of God to interpose himself, and no way bound to us, or for us, to entreat his father that in his own person he might make recompense for our sins; and so as a Mediator allowed of God, he took our nature: and freely, not indebted; willingly, not constrained; 
Ephes. 5.  He gave himself for us a sacrifice of a sweet savour unto God. As if the whole people of any land rebelling against their King, and being subdued and ready to be destroyed, the kings son (loath to see his father's kingdom dispeopled, and so many wretched men, women, and children put to fire and sword) should importune his father at his request to be gracious unto them, and to lay on him, though he be his only son, what chastisement the father in his wisdom and justice shall think fit for the repressing of the like outrage hereafter: may any of those subjects without extreme ingratitude, and intolerable contumely reproach the King's son, when he suffereth for their sakes, that he is guilty of their treason, and both DEFILED with it, and HATEFUL for it? I will not apply, because it will press you too far; but as mine own persuasion is, that no such sinful and hateful words have, or should be used in the Church of God to the dishonour of his son; so my counsel to the sober and wise reader, is, to stop his ears, and shut his eyes against such defiled and accursed speeches.  
You proceed to another proof, and where the Apostle saith, Christ spoilt Principalities & powers, and made a show of them openly, triumphing over them; upon these words you infer. 
q Pag 45.  These principalities are the devils; therefore it is certain Christ FELT THEM to be the very instruments that WROUGHT THE VERY EFFECTS of God's wrath UPON HIM. This is the first place where you specify any effect of God's wrath against Christ's soul (for you will have the soul of Christ properly and immediately to suffer the effects of God's wrath;) and that you prove learnedly and wisely like yourself. The devils have nothing to do with the souls of men, but either to tempt them to work in them, or to torment them. To tempt is to try how fast the saints stand in the fear and love of God. And for that cause the wisdom of god hath from the beginning suffered all his saints, his own son not excepted to be tempted of satan. For Christ could not be tempted by the corruption of his heart as we are, but by Satan's voice, or by Satan's members. Of us james saith 
r James. ●  Every man is tempted, when he is enticed and drawn away by his own concupiscence. Concupiscence there was none in Christ. He had no law in his flesh rebelling against the law of his mind, as we have; It is in us the rage of original sin from which he was free, and therefore he could not be tempted but by the ear, as he was in the desert by satan himself, & by Satan's members all the time of his abode on earth. In the hearts of men when the devil prevaileth with temptation there he worketh, leading such as consent and yield unto him into all wickedness, even with greediness: So 
s 〈◊〉. 2.  he worketh in the children of disobedience, as the Apostle testifieth. This can have no place in Christ, because 
t Pet. 2.  he did no sin, neither was there any guile found in his mouth. 
u 〈◊〉 3.  He that committeth sin (saith saint john) is of the devil, and for this purpose appeared the son of God, that he might dissolve the works of the devil. Then since inward temptation by the heart Christ could have none, and outward temptation by the mouths & hands of the wicked is no effect of God's wrath, but rather a trial of God's gifts and graces bestowed on us; It remaineth that if Christ felt the devils as the very instruments that wrong he the very effects of God's wrath upon him, that is upon his soul, (for that part of Christ you say must properly and immediately feel the wrath of God) it resteth I say by your own words the Christ FELT the devils TORMENTING HIS SOUL. And indeed for so much as in executing the true pains of hell, and of the damned, God hath none other instruments but devils, you cannot defend that Christ suffered the pains of hell, but you must grant that Christ felt the devils, as instruments executing those pains on his soul. Now the body of man they may torment with touching, as they did jobs; the soul they can not, but by possessing it. For they can not work but where they are, and therefore they must possess the soul which they torment. Is not here (Christian Reader) an wholesome clerk, and an holy cause, that concludeth Christ's soul was possessed and tormented of devils on the Cross? And the proof is as ridiculous, as the position is impious. Christ 
x Philip ●.  spoiled principalities and powers, and openly triumphed over them, ergo (say you) he" felt them the instruments of God's wrath, by tormenting his soul. If your learning and Logic serve you so well, you may proceed Doctor in dotage when you will. For my part (christian Reader) I will give none other answer to these lewd and wicked absurdities, but that which jacob said to Simeon and Levi; 
y Gen 49.  Into their secret my soul shall not come. To strengthen thee, thou mayest remember, what Peter said of Christ. 
z Acts. 10.  God anointed jesus of Nazareth with the holy ghost, & with power to heal all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him; or else what Christ said of himself, 
a john. 14  The prince of this world cometh, and hath nought in me; or at lest what the devils themselves said to Christ; 
b Matt. 8.  jesus the son of God WHAT HAVE WE TO DO WITH THEE? Art thou come to torment us before the time? And so in the Gospel of saint Luke, the 
c Luke 8  soul spirit when he saw jesus cried out, what have I to do with thee, jesus the son of God most high? I beseech thee torment me not.  
[But perchance I mistake him.] would God there were so much grace in him, as to revoke it, or refuse it; I would gladly confess mine error in mistaking his words: but what if he go on from bad to worse? What if he heapeth up reasons as he thinketh, but indeed trifles void of sense and reason to confirm the same? 
c Pag. 45  This reason will prove the same (saith he) taken from the less to the more. 
d Pag. 46.  Thus do the members of Christ suffer. Therefore of necessity Christ our head suffered the like. Yea to the Hebrues he showeth a reason which can never be refuted by the wit of man. 
e Pag. 47  Christ succoured us not, but wherein he had experience of our temptations and infirimities: but he succoureth us even in these our temptations of feeling the terrors of God and the sorrows of hell. Therefore he himself had experience of the same. 
f Pa. 48. & 49  Add hereunto that of all absurdities, this is the greatest, that mere men should suffer more deeply and bitterly then Christ did. You have more words than wit (Sir Confuter) that propose these childish arguments for invincible reasons. Yourself shall see the weakness of them. 
g Pag. 46.  What soever the members of Christ, say you, did or shall suffer, of necessity Christ our head suffered the like. Mean you in body? or in soul? or in both? If in body, than Christ had his eyes put out, for so had Samson; he was swallowed up by a whale, for so was jonas; he was cast into a burning furnace, for so were Sidrac, Mishac, and Abednego; he was stoned to death, for so were Naboth, Steven, and others. You mean not in body; mean you then in soul? Inward assaults of error, lust and sin Christ never had. He was free from all conflicts of heart, that rise in us from the root or remorse of sin; that increase with weakness of faith, want of grace, and quenching of God's spirit. The terrors of mind which we feel through conscience of our unworthiness, ignorance of God's counsel, and distrust of God's favour he never felt: his faith admitted no doubting, his love excluded all fearing, his hope rejected all despairing. So that how you should make a falser proposition, and more repugnant to the Apostles words which you allege then this which you have made, I by no means can conceive. He was tempted in all things a like except sin. Then neither the roots, parts, nor fruits of sin must be in him. But the Apostle that excepteth sin, excepteth all sinful adherentes. The punishment of sin which proceedeth from the justice of GOD, and is no sin, that Christ might and did bear; but in no wise those terrors and fears of conscience which proceed from sin, and augment sin, as doubting, distrusting, despairing, in which GOD revengeth sin with sin; these must be far from Christ, unless we will wrap him within the snares of our sins. The fear of God's Majesty armed with mighty power to revenge sin, is profitable to keep us from sin; therein Christ may communicate with us, though not to that end, for he could not sin; but fearing, doubting, or distrusting that God will for our manifold sins cast us from his presence, and condemn us to hell, cometh in us from the guiltiness of conscience and weakness of faith and hope, which in Christ neither had, nor could have any place.  
[But 
i Pag. 47.  the Apostle (you say) showeth a reason, which can never be refuted by the wit of man. Christ succoured us not, but wherein he had experience of our temptations.] Are those words in the Apostle? No (you will say) but collected from the Apostles words, where he saith 
k Heb. ●.  In that Christ suffered being tempted he can help those that are tempted. Hence you conclude upon your own warrant, that Christ can secure us in no temptation but whereof himself had first experience; and this you proclaim to be irrefutable. Such lips such lettuce; such doctors such divinity. Your collection, Sir Refuter, is not only far different from the Apostles words, but evidently repugnant to the christian faith and truth. The Apostle giveth not here the cause why Christ is able to help us in our miseries and necessities, for he is able in that he is God to do what he will; but he showeth that our high Priest is 
l Heb. 2. 2 ●7  faithful and merciful, that is willing and ready to hear us, and help us in all our afflictions and troubles, for so much as in his own person he would feel our temptations and infirmities, that he might be the better able to help us in having more compassion on us. And this is that the Apostle saith in the fourth chapter of this Epistle: 
m Heb. ●.  We have not an high Priest, which can not be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all things (or throughlie) tempted alike except sin. So that his sufferings made him the more merciful and faithful; because he knoweth best as well our natural infirmities, as our manifold miseries.  
This for the sense of the Apostle, now to the truth of your collection. CHRIST SUCCOURETH US NOT, but wherein he hath felt the same. Mean you Christ is not able or not willing? For you say, he succoureth us not. To say he is not able, is blasphemy; because he is God, and God I hope can secure us in all our miseries, without suffering those things which we do. To say he will not (though the Apostles word be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he is able) is as false in itself, and as injurious to Christ. For then Christ will never help any man that is sick, because he never felt any disease of body, nor any whose bones are broken, because his were whole: nor any Martyr that burneth in fire, because he died on the cross; ● the blind, deaf, dumb, lame, and a thousand such like Christ will never hear, nor help, because he suffered not the same. [You speak of ghostly temptations, you will say, not of bodily afflictions.] Saint Paul speaketh of both, and Christ had experience of both; and therefore if your collection be false and absurd in the one, it will never be sound and assured in the other. But come to your own pitch. Will Christ deliver no man from blindness and hardness of heart, because he never endured either? Will he not aid us to repress the lusts of our flesh, because he never was tempted with them? Will he not help our unbelief, because his faith was always strong? Will he not save any from desperation, because he never despaired? Will he not cure frenzy, and fury, because he was never out of his wits? Neither did he, nor will he cast out Devils, because himself was not possessed? Is this the reason that cannot be refuted by man's wit which every child may presently control? In deed you speak truer than you are ware of, if your devise may be received. For you do not stick to defile Christ with our sins, to astonish and amaze all the parts and powers of his mind, to torment him with Devils, and in the end to adjudge him to the death of the soul, which hath in it blindness and hardness of heart, infidelity, and what not? Yea it is with you: 
n Pag. 48.  of all absurdities the greatest, that mere men, although they be reprobates, should suffer more deeply than Christ did, 
o Pag. 83  For God's justice, say you, should be as severe on Christ, as on any reprobate, and yet they suffer reprobation, desperation, damnation.  
From hence you go to another of your holy mysteries; and as if you had not done the Lord of glory wrong enough with these irreverent and irreligious speeches, you take from him in his passion at your pleasure, not only his virtues & graces, but even his sense, memory & understanding, & leave him often times when you list yourselves, 
p Pag. 45.  amazed, astonished, and forgetful of himself for fear, yea so distempered, disturbed, distracted, 
q Pag. 53.  overwhelmed & ALL CONFOUNDED in his whole humanity, both in all the powers of his soul and senses of his body, that he knew not what he said or did. God grant, (Sir Refuter) you be well in your wits, that deprive the Saviour of the world when you will, of all sense, memory, & understanding. [The evangelists, you will say, in express words affirm that Christ in the garden was 
r Mark. 14.  astonished 
s Math. 26.  & grievously perplexed.] Have you the skill, when the scriptures say, that Christ began to be astonished and perplexed, to stretch the beginning to the highest degree of all astonishment that may light on the Reprobate in this life, or the damned in the next? when the holy ghost toucheth a natural infirmity common to Christ with all the godly in the like cases, doth your conscience serve you to make of that not only a general and total distemper, but an Infernal confusion of all the powers of his soul, and senses of his body? had you consulted S. jerom, he would have taught you an other lesson. 
t jerom. in Matth. ca 26●  Dominus ut veritatem probaret assumpti hominis, veré quidem contristatus est; sed ne passio in animo eius dominaretur per propassionem caepit contristari. Aliud est enim contristari, aliud incipere contristari, & The Lord to show himself a true man, was sorrowful in very deed, not that any passion overswaied his mind, but he began to be touched with the affection of sorrow. It is one thing to be sorrowful, and an other to begin to be sorrowful; his sorrow was not for any fear to suffer, since he came of purpose to suffer, and reproved Peter as too fearful, but for that most wretched judas, and the weakness of all his Apostles, and the rejection of the whole nation of the jews, and the miserable destruction of jerusalem. And if heretics do interpret this sorrow of heart, not for our saviours affection towards them that should perish, but for a perturbation of mind, let them answer me, how they expound that which Ezechiel speaketh in the person of God, and in all these things thou didst make me sorrowful. Saint Jerome saith, the words enforce no more, then that Christ began to be sorrowful and perplexed, and if any man stretch them farther he giveth him the note of an heretic; and though I refrain that word because I hope you do it of ignorance and not of malice, yet I cannot excuse you from a dangerous error, and that in four special points. First you mistake the cause whence this fear arose; secondly you extend it farther than in truth you should; thirdly you continue it longer than with any warrant you may; and fourthly by pretence thereof you challenge Christ's prayers in the garden not only with want of good memory, but with flat repugnancy to the known will of God; which is evident sin,  
Concerning the first I am resolved, as in the treatise before I have specified, 
Vide pag. 17  that the cause of Christ's agony, could not proceed, but from his submission to the majesty of God sitting in judgement, or from his compassion on man's misery, or from both. You will have it proceed from 
u Pag. 80  the intolerable horrors of Gods fiery wrath equal to hell; And where Cain said, The horror of my sin is heavier than I can bear, you doubt not but 
x Pag. 81.  Christ as touching the vehemency of the pain, was as sharply touched even as the Reprobates themselves, yea if it may be, more extraordinarily. You that are so well acquainted with the horrors of the Reprobate for their sins, that you dare attribute them to Christ, can you tell what they are? is it speculation that you speak of, or experience; that you dare thus subject the son of God to the same terrors and horrors of conscience, which namely Cain as you say, and other reprobates have felt? I pray you, Sir, in so weighty matters as may amount to heresy and open blasphemy, play not with general terms, so as neither you understand yourself, nor any man else can conceive your meaning. The terrors of the wicked in this life we can conjecture, you can perhaps lively describe them, but for aught that we learn by the scriptures they are such, as without horrible impiety you cannot ascribe unto the Saviour of the world. Remorse of sin committed, vexing and gnawing the conscience, is the first of their pains, which suffereth them night nor day to take any test. secondly, the fear that God, whom they have despised, hath likewise rejected them and is become their enemy, and therefore from him they look for nothing, but the just vengeance of their sins both in this life and the next, so pursueth them, that they tremble and sly when no man followeth them. thirdly the grief to foresee themselves excluded from the fellowship of that joy and bliss, which is provided for the saints of GOD, which Chrysostom saith is far more bitter than the pain of hell, doth make them sink for sorrow. lastly the continual terror of that dreadful judgement which shall be pronounced, of that horrible confusion which then shall overwhelm them; and of those eternal and intolerable flames of fire in which they shall burn; the very terror I say and horror thereof doth so afflict and torment them, as if they presently felt it. More words may be used, and perhaps more vehement to amplify their pain; but these are the parts and causes of that fear and horror, which pursueth the wicked for their heinous offences. Can any of these, (Sir Refuter,) be applied to Christ? Dare you but offer so much as the mention of the least of them to be found in the son of GOD? I think you bore not; I hope you will not. What meaneth then this matching of Christ with Cain? yea this touching of Christ deeper than any of the Reprobate? In horror and pain you say, 
y Pag. 77.  Christ was like them who be separated in deed from the grace and love of God, yet himself never separated, but always most entirely beloved. The horror and pain, which the Reprobate here feel, riseth from the remorse of their own conscience, and from the distrust and fear of their own hearts; which pursueth them even in this life before judgement. The execution of his terrible vengeance indeed God hath reserved to the next life. The greatest terror that the Apostle noteth in the wicked here in this world is, 
z Hebre. 10  a fearful expectation of judgement and of burning fire which shall devour the adversaries. What horror then like the reprobate could the conscience of Christ feel, that had no remorse, distrust, or fear of any such thing as they have, but was assured and secured of God's everlasting favour, and love in the highest degree? was there pain without horror and fear in the soul of Christ? if you mean the pain that is consequent to our natural affections, as to sorrow and fear, you say nothing to the purpose. Saint john saith 
a 1. john. 4  timor habet poenam; Fear hath in it pain, and so hath sorrow, even as hope hath joy; 
b Rom. 12.  Rejoice in hope; but this is not the pain which the Reprobate feel, much less which the damned suffer; I trust their pain is more than a natural oppressing and afflicting of the heart with human fear and sorrow. And therefore if I conceive any thing, you miss the truth very much, Sir Confuter, when you say that Christ was touched in horror and pain as deeply as the Reprobates are; and yet your conceit reacheth farther. For you defend that he suffered as much as the damned in hell, which is more than the reprobates do in earth, howsoever to show your learning you make hell and heaven here on earth. For myself (Christian Reader) whence I think, the astonishment of Christ in the garden might rise, thou hast it in the treatise before, I shall not need to repeat it again.  
In like manner you extend Christ's agony too far; for where it was an agony of mind, which did not bereave him neither of sense, memory, nor understanding, you have brought us a farthel of phrases, to express that all the senses of his body, and all the powers of his soul were amazed, astonished, distempered, disturbed, distracted, forgetful, overwhelmed, and all confounded; and you think you never have words enough to express your folly, in dreaming of the greatest astonishment that may be, because the scripture saith, he began to beastonished. But Sir, how prove you this you say? as in fears and sorrows there be divers degrees; so are there likewise in astonishments. To be astonished is to join fear with admiration, which draweth the mind so wholly to think on some special thing above our reach, that during the time we turn not ourselves to any other cogitation. Even as the eye, if it be bend intentivelie to behold any thing, for that present it discerneth nothing else: So fareth it with the soul, if she wholly addict herself to think on any matter, she is amused; if it be more than she conceiveth, or more fearful than she well endureth, she is amazed, or astonished; but not of necessity so, that she looseth either sense or memory; only for that time she converteth neither to any other object. The present beholding of the divine majesty sitting in judgement; and of his justice armed with infinite power to revenge the sins of men, might justly astonish the human soul of Christ; seeing the rewithal how mightily God was provoked by the manifold and wilful transgressions of men; but this religious astonishment, though it might for a season suspend all other thoughts in our Saviour, yet is there no need it should deprive him of understanding, sense or memory. When Paul saith 
c Philip. 2  work your salvation with fear and trembling, doth he mean they should want memory or understanding? When Moses received the law from God, 
d Hebre. 1●  so terrible was the sight that he said, I tremble and quake. Was Moses 〈◊〉 void of sense or reason at that present? 
e Psal. 119.  An horrible terror (saith David) hath taken me for the ungodly that forsake thy law. Was David for their sakes besides himself, and all confounded in body and soul, as you speak here of Christ? Our whole conversation should be as Paul professeth of himself, when he saith, I 
f 1 Cor. 2  was among you with much trembling and fear. Should therefore Christians be always besides themselves? [
g Page 61.  Christ often prayed unto his Father, you say, and then presented himself before the Majesty of God; and yet we do not read that ever he was vexed, terrified, and amazed in so doing.] Sir Refuter, if your understanding and memory be not lost, I told you that the human nature of Christ presented itself before the majesty of God in judgement, there to suffer man everlastingly to perish, whom he dear loved, or to undertake in his own person that burden, which the justice of God, displeased with our sins, should lay upon him. And if you do not think this a cause sufficient for the manhood of Christ to fear and tremble, yea for the time to be astonished at the number of our sins, and terror of God's vengeance, provided for our eternal destruction both of body and soul, you be so deep in your hellish pains, that your wits and senses are confounded. Absurdities and contrarieties are so rife with you, that you think other men can hardly avoid them; but first understand your own, and then you shall the better charge others.  
After you have spent the whole strength of your small eloquence and less intelligence, to infer and amplify the most 
h Pag. 73.  wonderful and piteous agonies, fears, sorrows, miseries, outcries, tears, astonishment, forgetfulness, and confusion of the powers of nature with which the sense of God's wrath afflicted, distracted, amazed, overwhelmed, and all confounded our Saviour in his whole humanity; You suddenly, even in the twinkling of an eye free him from all, and set him clear, as if all this had been but a dream. For upon Christ's speaking of these words, 
i Matth. 26.  Father, if it be possible let this cup pass from me; you infer, 
k Page .57  if Christ had thus prayed advisedly and with good memory, against the known will of God he had sinned. And in the words presently following without stay or pause between, yet not my will, but thine be done, you imagine that Christ, 
l Pag. 71.  as it were coming suddenly to himself quickly controlled his former words. And thus when it pleaseth you, you put the son of God into 
m Pag. 73  a wonderful and piteous confusion and forgetfulness of all the powers and parts of his body and soul; and lest you should be convinced of a manifest, and irreligious untruth, in the very nick of the next word, which Christ spoke with the same breath, you restore him to his perfect senses, and discharge him from your hellish confusion and pains. But good Sir, if it were so unsupportable and intolerable a burden, and confusion as you dream of, how came our Saviour to be so lightly and quickly rid of it, as if there had been no such thing? was that heavy and fiery wrath of GOD against our sins equal to hell so soon quenched? or was the son of God no longer able to endure it? 
n Pag 48.  Of all absurdities (your self being judge, for it is your position) this is the greatest, that mere men should suffer more deeply then Christ. Then if Cain endured this all his life long, if Saul and judas had no intermission of their pain, if the damned in hell, (from whom you fetch your pattern) do everlastingly suffer it, how cometh it to pass, that after you have so hotly stirred for it, you are so soon weary of it? will you make us believe, that Christ's obedience and patience was tried with a touch of this hellish pain, and so an end? or will you return it as often as please you? and if this cup did so quickly pass from our Saviour, how did he then pray against the known will of God; which is an other of your foundations, when as, in the uttering of these words, the cup did pass from him, by your own confession? In like sort to excuse Christ from sin, 
o Pag. 50  in praying against the will of his Father, you cast him into a wonderful confusion and forgetfulness of all the powers of his soul, and senses of his body: and in the same page, for an other advantage, you avouch that in that prayer, Christ 
p Pag. 59  PERFECTLY KNEW the dominion of death should not hold him. Were all the powers of his soul overwhelmed and all confounded, and yet did he even in that whole confusion of sense, memory, and understanding PERFECTLY KNOW the dominion of death should not hold him? can a man have his knowledge and memory all confounded and overwhelmed, and yet retain PERFECT KNOWLEDGE? could Christ forget his father's will in that prayer through astonishment, and in the speaking of the words remember he prayed amiss, and in the next word quickly correct himself? Surely these be conceits answerable to your cause; and devices fit for your divinity; But (Sir Refuter,) let pass your dreams, and show us your proofs, that Christ prayed against the known will of his father, which you make the groundwork of this confusion: and when you have so done, then prove that your hellish pain was the cause of this astonishment. Many things might astonish our Saviour for the time, besides the pains of hell; and in that astonishment, if Christ had spoken he knew not what (which I believe not) as 
q Lucae. 9  Peter did when he saw his glory in the mountain, it had been a defect in nature, and no contempt of God's counsel, much less such an infernal confusion as you describe.  
[It is manifest (you say) that Christ 
r Pag. 59  in plain words prayed contrary to Gods known will:] It is more manifest that you know not what you say. How could he pray against his Father's will that prayed expressly with this condition, 
s Lucae. 22.  o Father IF thou WILL'T take away this cup from me. [That is a correction after the prayer (you will say) and no condition in the prayer.] Are you so captious against Christ, that you will not supply one Evangelist with an other? 
t Mat. 26.  Luke and 
t Mat. 26.  Matthew put a plain condition unto the prayer of Christ; the one saying, father if thou wilt; the other, father if it be possible, that is to stand with thy will, and man's salvation. And though Mark omit the condition in the tenor of the prayer, yet doth he fully express his meaning to be all one with the rest. For thus he saith of our Saviour, 
u Mark. 14.  he fell down on the ground, and prayed that IF IT WERE POSSIBLE, that hour might pass from him. So that all three Evangelists concur, that Christ prayed not only with a reservation of his father's will, but annexed that condition unto his prayer; and therefore in all men's eyes save yours, he prayed not in plain words contrary to Gods known will. And this erroneous and contumelious position you set down to the world, as the chiefest fortress of your hellish pains, wherein you plainly wrest the scriptures from their express words. [Butler S. john, you will say, reporteth Christ's 〈◊〉 to be simply made, 
x john. 1●  Father, save me from this hour.] Saint john speaketh of an other time and place; and his words import a deliberation of two parts proposed by our Saviour, with his resolution in the end; what shall I say? Father deliver me from this hour; that is, shall I say deliver me from this hour? but therefore came I into this hour. Father glorify thy name. Chrysostom thus expoundeth Christ's words: 
y Chrysost. in joan. Homil. 66  NON DICO libera me ex hac hora, sed pater glorifica nomen tuum. I SAY NOT, deliver me from this hour, but father glorify thy name. And so doth Epiphanius. 
Epiphan. lib. 2 Haerel 69.  Quid dicam pater? serva me ex hac hora, hoc inquit dicam? at propterea veni in hanc horam. What shall I say? Father save me from this hour? shall I say so? but therefore came I into this hour. But what better expositor can we have then Saint Paul, who plainly saith that Christ in making this prayer was heard, & 
z Hebre. 5.  delivered from that he feared. He prayed not against the known will of God, whose prayers God heard and performed. And where you fly to this hellish confusion to save Christ from sin; by pretending to clear him from sin, you charge him rather with sin. For the prayer which is not made in faith is sin. Now can the heart be assured it shall receive that it asketh at God's hands, if it be neither directed to ask according to the will of God, nor prepared to ask with that devotion which is fit for God? So that when you make Christ to triple his prayers with vehement tears and cries, & still repugnant to the will of God, you challenge the son of God with open sin, from which you would seem to excuse him. And as for your double relapse into the same astonishment still, when Christ was twice clear from it, it is a foolish device of your idle brains, as if the Lord no sooner returned to his prayers, but your hellish confusion did wait at his heels, to interrupt and overwhelm him; and within six words again to leave him. If your cause be holy, jest not thus profanely with the son of God, nor bereave him of his wits, when you think good. If it were a necessary effect of God's wrath, then after it lighted on our Saviour in the garden, it must continue till man was redeemed, and God's wrath appeased, which was not done but by the death of Christ. And therefore make your choice: either let the wrath of God cease in the garden, when Christ ended his prayers; or if that still continued to the death, let also this astonishment still continue, or at least be no necessary effect of God's wrath. One of these you must take, take which you will; the rest will serve to subvert your tower of Babel.  
[I do you wrong, you will say, to call your opinion the tower of Confusion;] you do yourself wrong (Sir Refuter) in the chiefest point of Christian religion to leave the faith confessed by the whole Church of Christ for these 1500. years, and to walk in such ambiguities, and absurdities as yourself do not understand. For I pray you, Sir, this wonderful confusion and astonishment in all powers of the soul, and senses of the body, is it a necessary consequent to the wrath of GOD, or no? If it be, 
Pag. 54.  (for you say, Christ could not but sink, and be confounded under that burden) how cometh it to pass, that the reprobate and desperate, feeling the sense of GOD'S wrath upon them, do not lose their wits, and senses as Christ by your assertion did? will you affirm they are astonished and all confounded as Christ was? then if you excuse Christ from sin, in disliking and declining his Fathers known will, because he was astonished; you must likewise excuse all the wicked and Reprobate from their sins, after they once feel the sense of God's wrath, because they cannot but be astonished and confounded under that burden? Again, could Christ not sin, whiles he felt the wrath of God upon him, because he was astonished? Ergo neither could he merit all that while, and so neither his obedience, patience, humility, nor charity could have any place, or use, so long as the sense of GOD'S wrath dured. Have you not devised us a goodly sense of God's wrath, that shall exclude Christ jesus from the exercise of all his graces, virtues. and merits? This palpable absurdity you think to skip, (Sir Refuter,) but your wit is too weak, or your cause not good; it will not be. [
a Page .57.  If a man in distress fall a sleep, say you, or be astonished with some violent blow on the head, in such an one there is no decay of faith, nor of obedience, nor of patience, nor of love; even so in Christ there was no defect of grace, but an infirmity of nature.] Was Christ a sleep or in a swoon? astonished you think, he was. Was he so astonished that his senses were taken from him? did he not walk? did he not speak? did he not pray? why then compare you this to a sleep or a swoon; whereas in Christ was neither? and though you plainly fail in your comparison; yet, were it so, as you would have it, for your life you cannot avoid my conclusion. For a man in a sleep or a swoon, though he lose not the habit of faith and patience, obedience and love, yet hath he no use of them for that time; much less doth he serve God with them. But Christ jesus by all his sufferings must merit, which a man a sleep or amazed cannot do, And therefore remember, (Sir Refuter) this reason amongst the rest is yet unanswered; and I think will somewhat trouble your brains before it be answered. All that Christ suffered for our Redemption was, and must be, meritorious with God. But the suffering of hell pains, which astonish and confound all the powers of the soul, and senses of the body, neither was, nor could be meritorious with God; Christ therefore did not suffer such hellish pains as did confound and astonish all the powers of his soul and senses of his body. And thus, by your amazed position, you have wholly confounded your own opinion.  
Thou hast heard (good Reader) a number of the Refuters special follies; I have some few more to trouble thee with, and so I will leave him to his holy cause, and thee to the mercies of God. To show himself learned as well in the Greek tongue, as in philosophy, he undertaketh an other reason that I made, and sporteth himself somewhat handsomely with it. Out of the fift to the Hebrews where the Apostle saith, 
b Hebre. 5  Christ in the days of his flesh did offer up prayers and supplications with strong cries and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared, or delivered from his fear; I collected two things. First that Christ in his prayers made in the garden (for to those the Apostle pointeth) did but fear, and not as then suffer that he feared. The next, he was delivered from his fear; and consequently never came to suffer that from which he was delivered. This Confuter replieth, as he thinketh, very soundly, and very sufficiently. Thou shalt hear the whole. My reason he maketh to be this. 
c Pag. 74.  That wherein Christ was heard and delivered from by prayer, he feared but felt not. But Christ was heard and delivered by prayer from the wrath which he feared, therefore he felt it not. His answer is. 
d Ibidem.  Nay even therefore he felt it. We deny therefore the first proposition. For he was in some sense of it, when he prayed against it, and was heard. He had then some foretaste but the extremity came after, which he before feared. And finally he being in all this was heard (as the very word (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) seemeth to import) and delivered from it, that is at least, not before he had felt it. Again very the fearing of God's wrath is a true feeling, I say not a full feeling, but a true feeling: but it is granted that now in this Agony he feared the wrath of God: Therefore he truly felt it. Therefore the Question is granted. You wrote this in the morning, Sir Refuter, when you were fresh and fasting, it is so short and sharp; but be like it was dark, or your eyes were dull you could not see neither what I said, nor what yourself say. 
Vide Pag. 29.  The force of my reason consisted in this, that where fear goeth before suffering, and is no longer called fear when suffering cometh; if Christ at the time of his prayers in the garden were delivered from his fear, much more from any suffering of that he feared. And since by your own positions you affirm he feared in his agony the pains of hell; I concluded he suffered them not. Let us now see how you impugn this reason. You first change suffering into seeling, and because the soul in all her affections hath a kind of feeling, you infer, nay therefore Christ felt it. Your manner is too shroud yourself with general and ambiguous words that may signify any thing, and then you show your learning in speaking you know not what. But use the word suffering which I did, or take feeling for suffering, in which sense it may stand; and then see how absurdly and falsely you take my reason at this rebound. For than you must say. Fearing is a kind of feeling, Christ feared the pains of hell, ergo Christ suffered them; and so by your logic whosoever feareth captivity or death, is a captive, and dead; and he that feareth to lose his purse, hath lost it; yea he that feareth to offend God, doth offend him; and he that feareth to be an heretic, is an heretic. I thought though your divinity had not, yet your Philosophy could have served you to understand; that 
e Cicero: Tuscul. quaest. lib. 4  metus est mali impendentis, aegritudo praesentis; fear is of an evil approaching; grief or pain, of an evil present. If you scorn philosophers, whom for the propriety of words, you prefer before all the divines in the world, as anon shall appear; Lactantius telleth you, that of 
f Lactant: de vero cultu. li. 6. ca 14  Desire, joy, fear and sorrow, the two first (desire and joy) are for good things approaching or present: the two last (fear and sorrow) for evil likewise approaching or present. S. Ambrose will teach you that, 
g Ambros. de jacob et beata vita li 1. ca 2.  ante dolorem est. timor, post dolorem tristitia: fear is before grief or pain; after pain followeth heaviness. And likewise Gregory, 
h Gregor. moral. li. 9 cap. 39  In his vitae tormentis, timor dolorem habet, dolour timorem non habet, quia nequa quam mentem metus cruciat, cum pati iam caeperit, quod metuebat. In the torments in this life fear hath some grief, but grief hath no fear; because fear doth not afflict the mind, when a man once suffereth that, which he feared. This were enough to make my argument good, but it hath yet more strength from the Apostles words: Christ praying in the garden was heard from his fear; that is was delivered from his fear. Now is a man delivered from his fear by suffering that he feared? So we jest with men, when we will give them their deserts, and let them stand no longer in suspense; but God so jested not with his son, as to rid him from his fear, by present punishment. God therefore heard Christ's prayer and delivered him from his fear, when as yet he did not suffer it; and being delivered from it in the garden, how came he to suffer it more extremely on the Cross? For you say, 
i Pag. 74.  Christ was in some sense of it, when he prayed against it, he had then some fortaste of it, but the extremity came after, which he before feared. Sir confuter, if you can jest & gibe thus with the Apostles words, I must leave you as lacking both conscience & common sense; & so will all that be godly. Christ praying in the garden was delivered from his fear, saith Paul; that is say you, after he had suffered on the" Cross, the extremity of that which he before feared. So then for Christ to be delivered, from that he feared, was (by your construction) to suffer the extremity of that he feared. Will you that God send you such deliverance in the time of need, that so profanely play with the deliverance of his son? [He was delivered you will say, from the continuance of it?] No (good Sir) Christ never feared the pains of hell should continue on him after death; it is horrible blasphemy so to think; & unto death you say they continued. How was he then delivered from his fear? or have you so soon forgotten your own words, if you regard not mine? 
k Pag. 5●.  It is absurd to say he prayed in fear against that which he perfectly knew should never come unto him, namely that the Dominion of Death should hold him. If the dominion of death should not hold his body, much less should hell hold his soul.  
[But the Greek word, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, you say, seemeth to import a deliverance after Christ was in that he feared: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
l Pag. 63.  He was heard being in it.] As is your divinity, Sir confuter, so is your Greek. For if Christ were heard; then God did hear him; & so if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joined to the passive of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signify that Christ was heard being in the pains of hell; then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, joined to the Active, and referred to God, must likewise import that God being in the same pains did hear him. Have you not brought us a learned observation out of your Greek store, that God which heard, and Christ that was heard, were both in the pains of hell? But indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to hearken unto, as we do when we bend our ear to another's speech; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is hearkened unto or heard. The word is five times used in the new testament, but in the Septuagint nothing more frequent to signify that we hearken to God's voice when we obey him, and God harkneth to our voice, when he granteth our prayers. Fear not saith the Angel to Zacharie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, thy prayer is heard, 
m Lucae. ●●●  thy wise Elizabeth shall bring thee a son, 
n Act: 100LS  So the Angel to Cornelius, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy prayer is heard 
o 1 Cor: 14  with strange tongues will I speak to this people, saith the Lord, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and neither so will they hearken unto me. The wise man in like manner, 
p Eccles. 3●  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he that hearkeneth unto the Lord, giveth rest to his mother. And the Septuagint, When thou prayest, saith Eliphas in the book of job, 
q Iob. 22:  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, God will hear thee, 
r Psal. 55  Early, saith David to God, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, shalt thou hear my voice. So in Esaie, 
s Esa. 59  the ear of the Lord is not shut, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to hear. Infinite examples might be brought to the same end, but these are sufficient to convince your ignorant mistaking of the Greek tongue; yet the Question you say is granted. 
t Pag. 74.  For fearing is a true feeling, and if Christ feared the wrath of God, ergo he felt it. You reckon a pace when you reckon alone, but when you come for allowance you will lack a fair deal of your reckoning. If fearing wore suffering, which is most absurd; if there were no kind of fear, but your amazed and all confounded fear, as there be more other kinds of fears; if there were no more parts of the wrath of God, but hell pains, as there be sundry more; if no man might fear but for himself, as in charity we may, and in duty we ought to fear for others, and Christ in love might and did for us; then had you some hope, that he which granteth the one, would admit the other: but if this be all you can say, that fear is a kind of feeling, I am as far from granting the Question, as I was in the first beginning. For though you dally with doubtful words, and think it enough to catch here and there at a likelihood, my course is not so. Indeed out of these words I reasoned upon your own principles: and supposing it for the time to be true which on this place some avouch, that Christ feared the pains of hell, I concluded, if Christ were delivered from fearing, he was certainly delivered from suffering the pains of hell. And before you answer the argument, you triumph as if the Question were granted. But Sir remember it is the suffering of hell pains that we talk of, and not of a Metaphorical kind of feeling; which you substitute in steed thereof. Again all the effects of God's wrath Christ did not feel, nor fear, as namely, neither reprobation, nor desperation, nor eternal damnation, which is the chiefest and sharpest effect of God's just wrath against sin. Some parts thereof if he did fear, and so in affection feel, how doth it follow he felt or feared hell pains? thirdly, he did sustain as well our person, as our cause; he had not only compassion on us, but conjunction with us; and in that respect as our head he might worthily fear the everlasting destruction of his body, if he did not interpose himself, and avert God's wrath from them, by healing them with his own stripes, and bearing their sins in his own body. fourthly he might fear the power of God's wrath, able to punish even the body of Christ with far more smart, than his human flesh was able to endure. lastly, he might carefully shun and decline both our sin and the wages of our sin, which is eternal death with a religious fear, as content to redeem us, but not to destroy both himself and us.  
And this cometh nearest the signification of the Greek word there used, which is no confused or amazed fear, such as you would cunningly convey under the name of a 
u Pag 74.  perplexed fear, but a careful and diligent regard to beware and decline that, which we mislike or doubt. And therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not only one that feareth God by taking good care not to displease him, but a circumspect and wary man in other things; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is circumspection and wariness in private or public affairs, as well as Religion to God. Now because the bolder men are, the sooner they adventure on any thing, and the more fearful, the more heed they take what they do; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by consequent signifieth an inclination rather to fear, than presumption; but it is less than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which is the usual word in Greek for fear, as may plainly be proved by Plutarch in his Treatise of Moral virtue; where, noting how men cover vicious affections under the names of virtues, he saith, 
Plutarch. de virtute moral.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; They call blushing reverence; mirth gladness, and fear wariness, Euripides in the person of Eteocles king of Thebes, saith, 
y Euripid. in Phaeniss.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Circumspect care is the most profitable Goddess. And where you quote the 23. of the Acts for proof of your conceit, the place is rather against you then with you. For when the Council dissented about Paul, and some tumult began to arise, the 
Acts. 23.  Tribune doubting least some hurt might happen unto Paul then his prisoner, prevented it, and sent his soldiers to take him a way from the midst of the throng. This fear of the tribune was for another man, not for himself, neither was a perplexed or amazed fear, but a doubt forecasting the worst, and preventing it. So is it written of Noah, that being admonished by God of the flood which should come upon the world, by saith 
a Heb. 11.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, fearing, declining and preventing (what God had threatened to others) he made ready the Ark, for the saving of his household. This could be no distrust full fear, what should befall him and his house; for his faith is commended by the Apostle in preparing the Ark, for the safety of himself and his children; but he shunned that which he saw would light on others; and that the scripture there calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The rest that may concern Christ's prayer in the garden, or might occasion that agony which there he showed, thou hast (gentle Reader) in the 
a Vide pag. 17  treatise before; which I will not here resume, lest I weary thee with over much tediousness.  
For a farewell to his special reasons, the Confuter hath reserved matters of most special moment to the last: and because they are weighty and need good proof, he hath searched the bottom of his study, and showeth us here the depth as well of his reading, as understanding. Out of the Epistle to the Hebrues he citeth these words; 
b Heb. 2.  Christ through death abolished him that had the power of death, that is the Devil. From hence he reasoneth thus. 
c Pag. 77  Surely the word DEATH hath the same meaning in both places: very fond it were to take it here otherwise. Now it is questionless, in this latter place, death signifieth the death of the soul, the torments and sorrows of the damned, which are separated from the life of God: of which death the Devil is said to have the power and execution. Therefore in the former place death signifieth so to, even the death of the soul, that is the torments and sorrows due to the damned, and 
d Pag. 75.  consequently Christ suffered the death of the soul. And because this reason will seem altogether unreasonable and harsh in the ears of some, to say the least of it, let them soberly consider it, and it is most true and evident: Or if this will not persuade men to believe that Christ died the death of the soul, 
e Pag. 7●  men living being surprised with grievous sorrows and pains, will say (as Terence witnesseth, occidi, perij, interij) they die, they perish. So likewise the death of the soul sometimes may be understood and that most sitlie for the pains and sufferings of God's wrath, 
f Pag. 77.  which always accompany them that are separated from the grace and love of God. And if Terence be not authority sufficient, Saint Peter against whom lieth no exception, 
g Pag. 78.  saith, that Christ in his suffering for us was done to death in the flesh, but made alive by the spirit. And in the Scripture whensoever the flesh and the spirit are opposed together, 
h Pag. 75.  the flesh is always Christ's whole humanity, I say not his body only, but his soul also. From hence now it followeth, that Christ's soul also died, and was crucified according to the death and crucifying, which souls are subject unto, and capable of. I have (Christian Reader) neither perverted the reasons, nor pared the authorities, on which this Confuter groundeth his conclusion, that Christ died the death of the soul, and that Christ's soul was also crucified as well as his body; I have only set them together, that thou mayest with one view behold both the deepness and soundness of this upstart writer; and in thy secret and upright judgement, is it not patience enough to hear and endure a two legged creature to talk in this sort without all learning, religion or discretion, controlling all the fathers as fools, for thinking otherwise then he doth, commanding the Scriptures pretor-like, to serve his ignorant and lewd assertions, and esteeming none to be sober or considerate, except they confess his shameful absurdities to be most true and evident? But I have not learned nor used to give reviling speeches, the Lord reprove his folly. Though it be not worth the answering, yet for their sakes that be simple, I will not refuse to speak to it, and to let them see what difference there is betwixt truth and error.  
Your main reason (Sir Refuter) is this, in these words of the Apostle, Christ through death abolished the devil that had power of death. This word DEATH (say you) hath the same meaning in both places, the proof you make for it is this, very fond it were to take it here otherwise. Your assumption is, but death in the latter place questionless signifieth the death of the soul; Therefore Christ died the death of the soul. It were as easy for me to say, it is not so; as for you to say, it is so; but that course which you hold is but prating of every thing, it is no proving of any thing. How many kinds of death there are, we shall better learn by the grave father Saint Austen, then by the young lovers in Terence: 
i August. serm. ●29.  Dicitur mors prima, dicitur & secunda. Primae mortis duae sunt parts, una qua peccatrix anima per culpam discessit a creatore suo: altera qua indicante Deo exclusa est per poenam à corpore suo. Mors autem secunda ipsa est corporis & animae punitio sempiterna. There is a first death and a second Death. Of the first death there be two parts: one, when the sinful soul by offending departed from her Creator; the other whereby the soul for her punishment was excluded from her body by God's justice. The second death is the everlasting torment of body and soul. The same parts and kinds of death are often repeated by him in his 13. book de civitate Dei; as namely, 
k August. de civitate dei. lib. 13. cap. ●.  Mors animae fit cum eam deserit Deus, sicut corporis cum id deserit anima. Ergo utriusque rei, id est totius hominis mors est, cum anima à Deo deserta deserit corpus. Ita enim nec ipsa vixit ex deo, nec corpus ex ipsa. Huiusmodi autem totius hominis mortem illa sequitur quam secundam mortem divinorum eloquiorum appellat authoritas. Nam illa poena ultima & sempiterna recte mors animae dicitur. The death of the soul is, when God forsaketh her, as the death of the body is, when the soul forsaketh the body. So the death of both, that is of the whole man is when the soul forsaken of God forsaketh her body. For so neither she liveth by God, nor the body by her. This death of the whole man, that other death followeth; which the divine scriptures call the second death, for that last and everlasting punishment is rightly called the death of the soul. Here are three kinds of death; sin which separateth us from God, bodily death, which separateth the soul from the body, and eternal damnation which tormenteth body and soul for ever. In the Apostles words to the Hebrues, that Christ through death abolished the devil that had power of death; you will by no means have the death of the body intended; that is a benefit and gain to the godly. Then of sin and eternal damnation the devil must be said to have power, and indeed so he hath. For he is the persuader and leader to sin, and the executioner and tormentor in damnation. And so by your divinity Christ must sin, and be everlastingly condemned to hell fire, before he can abolish the Devil that hath power of both these. For he must abolish him, by the same kind of death, whereof he hath power. Look, Sir Refuter, what an wholesome exposition of the Apostles words you have made us, which the devil himself durst not adventure, it is so blasphemous. God forbidden you will say, this should be any part of your meaning. But if such be your ignorant rashness, that you will so expound scriptures, as these consequents shall necessary follow, you must leave writing, and fall to learning an other while, till you be able to foresee what may justly be inferred upon your positions. Deaths of the soul there are none mentioned in any Scripture, or father, but sin and eternal damnation. Leave the pathetical, hyperbolical & metaphorical phrases of Terence, to boys in the Grammar school, speak at least like a divine, though you be none. If your cause be so holy a truth as you talk of, it hath both foundation and approbation in the Scriptures. You shall not need to run to heathen Poets to prove that the Saviour of the world died the death of the soul. What the death of the soul is, what consequentes it hath, and what main and most sufficient reasons there are, why Christ neither did, nor might die the death of the soul, thou hast (good Reader) before in the Treatise itself: if this fumbler either will skip them, or can not answer them, I must not repeat them as often as he will neglect them. 
Vide pag. 73.  Yet to ease thee of going back, I will here give thee the effect thereof.  
The life and death of the soul is in many hundred places learnedly and truly vouched and proved by Saint Austen, 
l August. in johan. tract. 47.  Mori carni tuae est amittere vitam suam; mori animae tuae est amittere vitam suam. Vita carnis tuae anima tua, vitae animae tuae Deus tuus. Quomodo moritur caro amissa anima, quae vita eius est; sic moritur anima amisso Deo, qui vita est eius. For thy body to die, is to lose his life; and for thy soul to die, is to lose her life. The life of thy body is thy soul. The life of thy soul is thy God. As the body dieth when the soul is departed, which is his life; so the soul dieth when God is departed which is her life. And again. 
m August. de verbis Apost. serm. 30.  Quomodo ergo mortua est anima de qua vivit corpus? Audi ergo & disce▪ corpus hominis creatura Dei est, & anima hominis creatura dei est. De anima deus vivificat carnem, ipsam autem animam vivificat de seipso, non de seipsa. Vita ergo corporis anima est, vita animae Deus est: moritur corpus cum recedit anima, moritur ergo anima si recedit Deus. Carnem iacentem sine anima vides; animam miseram sine Deo videre non potes? Crede ergo, adhibe oculos fidei. How dieth the soul then by which the body liveth? Hearken and learn. The body of man is the creature of God, & so is the soul. By the soul God giveth life to the flesh, but the soul herself God quickeneth by himself, and not by herself. The life of the body than is the soul, the life of the soul is God. The body dieth when the soul departeth, ergo the soul dieth if God depart from her. Thou seest the flesh lying dead without a soul, and canst thou not see the soul wretched without God? Believe then, and open the eyes of faith. And speaking of the particular consequents to the life and death of the soul, the same father saith: 
n August. in johan. tract. 19  Quomodo cum anima est in corpore, praestat illi vigorem, decorem, mobilitatem; Sic cum vita eius Deus est in ipsa, praestat illi sapientiam, pietatem, justitiam, charitatem; veniente itaque verbo & audientibus infuso resurgit anima à morte sua ad vitam suam, hoc est ab iniquitate, ab insipientia, ab impietate, ad Deum suum qui est illi sapientia, justitia, charitas. As when the soul is in the body, she giveth vigour, comeliness and motion to the body; so when God her life is in the soul, he giveth her wisdom, piety, righteousness and charity. The word (of God) then sounding and infused to the hearers, the soul riseth from her death to her life, that is from iniquity, folly, and impiety, to her God, who is to her wisdom, righteousness, and charity. If this were not plain enough; the Scriptures themselves are so evident, that no man can mistake the life of the soul, except he will purposely blind himself, lest he should come to the knowledge of the truth. For the son of God is 
o john. 1.  life, and coming down from heaven, 
p john. 6.  gave life to the world, 
q john. 5.  quickening whom he would 
r john. 7.  with the waters of life, that is by the 
s Rom. ●.  spirit of life, yea 
t john 6.  whosoever believeth, and 
u john 15  abideth in him, hath life and beareth fruit in him. For the just shall 
x Galat. 3.  live by faith, and he that dwelleth in 
y 1. john 4.  love, dwelleth in God, and God in him, for God is love. So that not only Christ is our life, 
z 1. john. 5.  and he that hath the son hath life, but 
a Colos. 3.  with him, and in him, always was, and always will be, the 
b Revel. 22.  fountain of life, which never did nor can dry up; how then could Christ die the death of the soul, whose soul was personally united, unto the word that was life in itself? And if the grace and spirit of God in us, make us live by God, and in God; if faith and love knit men to the life of God; how could the soul of Christ always full of grace and truth, always full of faith and love, and of the holy Ghost, be dead?  
[But this Refuter meaneth another death of the soul.] What his meaning is, is not material, but whether he mean truth or no. If he will frame us a monster in christian religion, what have I to do with that, but to detest it? There is another death after this life, mentioned both in scriptures and fathers, which is the second death. But I hope this Confuter will eat and sleep upon the cause before he wrap our Saviour within everlasting damnation. That is, a death in deed from which God bless and save us all. They must needs be good Christians that labour to bring Christ's soul within the compass of the second death. 
c August in psa. 43.  Haec mortalitas est umbra mortis; vera mors est damnatio cum Diabolo. Our death is here but a shadow of death; the true death indeed is damnation with the devil, saith Austen. And again 
d Idem in johan. tract. 43  Quid est istamors? Est relictio corporis, depositio sarcinae gravis: mors secunda, mors aeterna, mors gehennarum, mors damnationis cum Diabolo, ipsa est vera mors: What is this death? It is the leaving of the body, and the laying down of an heavier burden; for the second death, the death that is eternal, the death of hell, the death of condemnation with the Devil, that is the true death. Which of these two deaths of the souls, you will have the soul of Christ subjecteth unto, you must tell us, (Sir Refuter,) if you will needs have him die the death of the soul; and the choice is so good, that take which you will, you incur heinous and horrible blasphemy. I wish you to be better advised, then to proceed to the defence of so wilful a frenzy. As for new deaths of the soul▪, you have no commission to invent any; show what scripture or Father spoke it before you, or you must give the godly leave to think you no fit founder of a new faith. S. Austen was of opinion that no Christian durst avouch that Christ died the death of the soul, 
e Idem epist. 99  Nam quod jesus anima mortificatus fuerat, quis audcat dicere, cum mors animae non sit nisi peccatum, a quo ille omnino immunis fuit? That Christ was dead in soul WHO DARES AFFIRM IT, whereas the death of the soul (in this life) is nothing but sin, from which he was altogether free? you not only avouch it, but you think no man sober that will not consent to it. But you did well to prophesy of this conceit of yours, that it would seem harsh and altogether unreasonable in the ears of some, to say the least of it; In the ears of all that be wise and learned it will sound worse, for it is a flat repugnancy not only to all the Fathere, but even to the christian faith, that Christ died as well in soul as in body; and as mean a man as I am, I think I shall be able to make that good which I say. For if the soul of Christ were always perfectly united unto life, fully possessed of life, and abundantly able to give life, tell me I pray you how it may stand with the truth of the scriptures, that the same soul was for any time dead? you may even as well defend that Christ sinned, as that his soul died, for the death of the soul is sin in this life, and damnation in the next. 
f Aug. epist. 99  Certe anima Christi nulla mortificata peccato vel damnatione punita est, quibus duabus causis mors animae intelligi potest: Surely the soul of Christ was dead with no sin, nor punished with any damnation, which are the two ways that the death of the soul may be possibly conceived.  
[The death of the soul, say you, 
g Pag. 77.  may be understood, & that most fitly, for the pains and sufferings of God's wrath, which always as company them that are separated from the grace and love of God. This death of the soul ye affirm Christ suffered; yet he himself never separated, but most entirely beloved, yea most 
h Pag. 42  holy, most innocent, and most blessed.] You contradict, (Sir Refuter,) not only the scriptures and fathers, but even yourself in one and the same sentence, and reel like a man whose brains are not steady. 
i Ambros. de fide resurrect.  Secundum scripturas triplicem esse mortem accepimus. una est cum morimur peccato, deo vivimus. Beata mors quae a mortali nos separat, immortali conseruat. Alia mors est vitae excessus cum anima nexu corporis liberatur. Tertia mors est de qua dictum est, anima quae peccaverit, ipsa morietur. Ea morte non solum caro sed etiam anima moritur; haec mors non est perfunctio huius vitae, sed lapsus erroris. By the scriptures (saith Ambrose) we learn there is a triple death. One when we die to sin and live to God. This is a blessed death, which severeth us from that which is mortal, and joineth us to that which is immortal. The second is the departure out of this life, when the soul is delivered from the bands of her body. The third death is that of which it is written; the soul that sinneth, shall die; this death dieth not only the flesh, but the soul also; for it is not the ending of this life, but the running into error. 
k Ibidem.  The first is the life of the soul, and the death of sin; which is spiritual. The second is the ceasing of this life which is NATURAL; the third is not only sin but destruction, which is PENAL. Which of these agreeth to Christ, Ambrose himself will tell you. 
l Ibidem▪  Quid est Christus nisi mors corporis, spiritus vitae? What is Christ but the death of the body, and the Spirit of life? Then Christ died not the death of the soul, for the spirit of life cannot die, unless you will make life itself to be death. Yea, they which in this world die the death of the soul are separated from Christ, for did they abide in him, they should abide in life; he is 
m john. 14  the way, the truth, and (not only living, but) life itself; This testimony our Saviour giveth of himself, 
n john. ●●  Verily, verily I say unto you, he that believeth in me hath eternal life. If they cannot die the death of the soul, which believe in Christ, how much less can Christ himself die that death? And here, (Sir Refuter) you broach so gross and palpable an error, that women and children will deride you. For if the torments of hell and pains of the damned do always accompany them that are separated from the grace and love of God, how many hundred thousand thousands of all sorts, sexes, and ages in all kingdoms and countries should be disturbed, distracted, and confounded in all the powers of their souls and senses of their body? where are the 
o Rom. ●●  riches of God's bounteousness, patience and long suffering which the Apostle so highly commendeth, as leading unto repentance? How could Abraham with any truth say to the rich man in hell; 
p Lucae. 16.  Son remember thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things and Lazarus pains; where if your position be true, the pains of Lazarus could not be comparable to the torments and pains that ALWAYS ACCOMPANY the wicked? I assure thee (christian Reader) a man could not with fewer and foolisher words than these, more cross the whole tenor of the scriptures. For the wicked here in this life abound with all wealth, ease, and prosperity, insomuch that many of the godly have been and still are offended with it. Read the 72. Psalm, and see whether these intolerable and horrible fears, sorrows, pains, and torments of hell and the damned, do always accompany them here in this life. 
q Psal. 7●  My feet were almost gone (saith David) when I saw the peace of the wicked. There are no bands in their death, they are lusty and strong, they are not in trouble, nor plagued with other men, their eyes stand out for fastness, they have more than their heart can wish. Lo these are the wicked, yet PROSPER THEY ALWAY, and increase in riches. This was too hard for me till I went into the sanctuary of God, than I understood their end. So that God 
r Rom. 9  with much patience suffereth the vessels of wrath prepared unto destruction, who according to their hard and impenitent hearts, 
s Rom. 2  heap up wrath upon themselves against the day of the declaration of the just judgement of God, whose sudden destruction is then nearest, when they shall say 
t 1. Thessa. 5  peace and safety.  
And what marvel you cross the scriptures in confounding the wrath of God to come with the wrath of God present in this life; when you do not see your own words to be contrary one to the other? For if Christ died the death of the soul, which is 
u Ephes. 2  an alienation from the life of God, how was he never separated, but always entirely beloved and most blessed? If he were never separated from the life of God, how came he to die the death of the soul, which must needs be a separation for the time from God, unless you can match light and darkness, death and life together, and make the one to be the other, and both to cleave to God himself? But what cannot you do, that can make the pains of the damned, and torments of hell the only true and perfectly accepted sacrifice to God? These are your words. 
x Page .68.  Such a sorrow indeed of a broken and contrite heart is the only true and perfectly accepted sacrifice to God, and is in effect nothing but what we affirm. You affirm that Christ died the death of the soul, which you interpret to be such 
y Pag. 77.  pains and sufferings of God's wrath, as always accompany them that are separated from the grace and love of God: You affirm that Christ suffered 
z Pag. 73.  wonderful and piteous astonishment, forgetfulness and confusion of the powers of nature, even of 
a Pag. 53.  all the powers of his soul and senses of his body, yea he 
b Pag. 45.  felt the very devils as the instruments, that wrought the very effects of God's wrath upon him; and though the 
c Pag. 80.  wicked oftentimes find far more intolerable horror of their sins then any other, yet you doubt not, but 
d Pag. 81.  Christ as touching the vehemency of pain, was as sharply touched even as the Reprobate themselves, yea, if it may be, more extraordinarily. All this you affirm, and by your own words, all this is the ONLY TRUE, and perfectly accepted sacrifice to God. So than whosoever feeleth not all this, hath no broken nor contrite heart, nor any longer than he feeleth these hellish torments in his soul. And if this be the ONLY TRUE sacrifice to God, I will not ask what shall become of the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, but how unhappy are the godly that at any time are free from the pains of the damned, and from the torments of hell, since the suffering thereof is the ONLY TRUE and perfectly accepted sacrifice to God? 
e 2. Corin. 7  Godly sorrow, saith the Apostle, causeth repentance unto salvation; those words please you not; such 
f Pag. 45 in margin.  hellish sorrows, and intolerable horrors as the Reprobate themselves feel, yea as the damned do suffer, this say you is the ONIY TRUE and accepted sacrifice to God. You must have other sacrifices, and those accepted, before you come to heaven; or else the Reprobate and damned will be there as soon as you: God send you his grace, and grant your wits and senses be not distempered and distracted; you talk so much of hellish pains, and torments executed by devils, as the only true sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart.  
The Apostles words, whereon you first grounded this odious" assertion, have no such intention, as you imagine. By death Christ conquered him that had power of death that is the Devil. Ask the simplest child that is catechized in your charge, if you have any, what death Christ died for us, and he will answer you out of his creed, Christ was crucified, dead, and buried; and that is the death which the Scriptures describe and deliver. 
g 1 Corin, 15.  I delivered unto you (saith Paul) that which I received, how that Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptutes; what death if we ask the Apostle, he will answer the death of the Crosse. For 
h 1. Cor. 1  we preach (saith he) Christ crucified; and I esteemed not to know any thing among you but Christ jesus and him crucified. Christ crucified then, that is by his death on the cross, destroyed him that had power of death. [Of what death, you ask, hath the devil power?] as well of the second death which Christ could not suffer; as of the first which he did suffer. [Christ, you will say, could deliver us from no death, but from the very same which he suffered himself.] If so you say, 
i 1. Cor. ●.  or so would say, it is no less than heresy, or blasphemy. He delivered us from everlasting death, which he neither did, nor could suffer. If you say he delivered us not from everlasting death, it is open heresy; if you say Christ suffered everlasting death, it is blasphemy. Yet hath the devil power of both deaths, as well temporal as eternal. What power, you ask, hath the devil of this death which our bodies die? 
k Sapient. 1.  God made not that death, but by the 
l Sapi. 2.  envy of the Devil it came into the world. He was the first procurer of it by persuading sin, and still rejoiceth in it as the very gate to hell. 
m Esa. 38  I shall go (said Ezechiah) to the gate of hell, which was the death of his body; that way the wicked pass to hell. Yea the Apostle calleth the corruption of our bodies the sting of sin, wherewith the devil pierced us; 
n 1. Corin. 15.  when this corruption hath put on incorruption, o death where is thy sting?  
For the exposition of the Apostles words, I may either say with 
o August. de pecc. merit. & remiss. li 2● c. 32  S, Austen▪ Ipse Dominus mori voluit, ut, quemadmodum de illo scriptum est, per mortem evacuaret eum qui ptoestatem habebat mortis, id est Diabolum, & liberaret eos qui timore mortis per totam vitam rei erant servitutis. Hoc Testimonio satis illud monstratur, & mortem istam corporis principe atque authore Diabolo, hoc est ex peccato accidisse, quod ille persuasit. Neque enim ob aliud potestatem habere mortis verissime diceretur. The Lord himself would die, that as it is written of him, by death he might destroy him that had power of death, even the devil, and deliver them which for fear of death were all their life long subject to servitude. By this testimony it is sufficiently proved that this very death of our bodies came from the Devil as the Author and chief doer thereof; that is from the sin which he persuaded. He cannot for any other cause be said to have power of death, which here is most truly spoken. Ambrose, Chrysostom, and Cyril refer death throughout that sentence to the death of the body: In these words (say they) the Apostle 
p Ambros. in, Hebre. ca ●  noteth an admirable thing, that whereby the devil had power, thereby was he overthrown. The weapons which were his strength against the world, that is death, by that Christ struck him. Why tremble ye? why fear ye death? now death is not terrible, but acceptable as the end of labour and the beginning of rest. 
q Chrysost. in Hebre. ca ●  Chrysostom hath almost the same words. cyril very often expoundeth death in that place for the death of Christ's body. 
r Cyril de recta fide. lib. 1. ex Hebr. ca 2  The son of God was partaker of flesh and blood, that yielding his BODY to death, he by nature as God being life itself, might quicken it again: otherwise how had he abolished the empery of death, unless he had raised again his dead BODY. And again; 
s Idem de recta fide lib. 2.  Because it was above man's nature to abolish death, yea rather it was subdued of death, the son of God, that is life, took unto him man's nature subject to death, that death as a cruel beast invading his flesh should cease from his tyranny over us, that should thereby be abolished. If by death in the second place we understand the death of body and soul with Fulgentius, I am not against it, this being always remembered, that Christ died no death but the death of the body. 
t Fulgent de incarnate. & grat. christi. c. ●  Mors filii Dei, quam SOLA CARNE suscepit utramque in nobis mortem, animae scilicet carnisque destruxit. The death which the son of God suffered ONLY in his flesh, destroyed BOTH DEATHS in us, as well that of the soul, as that of the body.  
The Confuter having be stirred himself in his special and choice arguments, as thou hast heard (christian reader) & now drawing to an end, purposeth like a politic captain so to entrench himself, that no force shall fetch him out of his hold. And because words are the weapons that can endanger him; he taketh the ready way with them, to turn & wind them at his will, and so maketh any thing to be every thing, that nothing should hurt him. The scriptures affirm, that Christ crucified is the wisdom and power of God to all that be called, and that we are 
Rom. 5.  reconciled to God by the death of his son, and our sins redeemed, and the 
y Hebre. 2.  devil destroyed by the death of Christ jesus; as also that he 
y 1. Peter. 4  suffered for us in the flesh, yea he 
z 1. Peter. 3.  suffered for our sins being put to death in the flesh. And lest it should hence be collected, that Christ died not the death of the soul; but rather the death of his body was a sufficient price for the life of the world; the Refuter undertaketh this place of Saint Peter, that Christ was 
a 1. Peter. 3.  done to death in the flesh, and thence will prove, that the flesh comprehendeth body and soul, and that the soul of Christ 
b Pag. 79  DIED" and was crucified as well as the body. Reason or authority besides his own he bringeth none, but out of the hinder part of his head he giveth an observation, which, if he say the word, must needs prove sound and good; and this it is. 
c Pag. 78  Whensoever in scripture the flesh and the spirit are opposed together, the 
d Pag. 79  flesh is always Christ's whole humanity, as well his soul as his body. From whence it followeth that Christ's soul also died and was crucified. How prove you this note, (Sir Refuter?) had you said that wheresoever the flesh of Christ living is spoken of, there the flesh of a man endued with a human soul is intended; you had said well: for Christ was perfect man and perfect God, in one and the same person: but when you will stretch all the attributes of the body, and make them common to the soul, because Christ had a soul as well as a body, it is no true observation derived from the scripture, but a partial supposition intended to further your hellish sorrows. In the 26. of Matthew, when Christ telleth his disciples 
e Matth. 26.  that the spirit is ready, but the flesh weak, doth he take spirit there for the godhead, as if that were ready to suffer any thing, or for the soul which was willing, but that the flesh was weak? In the 24. of Luke when Christ saith, 
f Lucae. 24  a spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me have, had his soul flesh and bones, and those to be seen as his body had? To the Romans when Paul saith, 
g Rom. 1.  Christ our Lord was made o the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the son of God, touching the spirit of sanctification, by the resurrection from the dead; will you conclude that Christ's soul was made of the seed of David and came from David's loins as Christ's flesh did? The like he repeateth in the same Epistle: 
h Rom. ●  of the Israelites came Christ according to the flesh, which is God over all to be blessed for ever; whereof your observation fail not, Christ's soul must be kin to the jews as well as his flesh. Why then, when Peter saith, 
i 1. Pet. 3  Christ was put to death according to the flesh, but quickened by the spirit, do you make it so clear a case that the word flesh there compriseth both body and soul; and therefore by Peter's confession, Christ died in soul as well as in body? so when Paul saith; 
k 2. Corin. 13  Christ was crucified through infirmity, yet liveth through the power of God, what leadeth you to imagine, that his soul was crucified as well as his body? who did crucify him I pray you, God or the jews? Peter saith to the jews, 
l Acts. 2.  jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God, after you had taken with wicked hands, you have CRUCIFIED and slain. So again, 
m Acts, 3.  the holy and just one ye denied, and killed the Lord of life. And likewise. 
n Acts ●  By the name of jesus, whom ye have crucified, whom God raised again from the dead, doth this man here stand whole, who before was a cripple. If the jews then crucified and killed the Lord jesus, could they crucify and kill his soul? Are you so simple that you remember not the words of our Saviour, 
o Matt. 10  Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul? And you make it not an oversight; but a positive point of your holy truth, as you call it, that Christ's soul was crucified and died; and consequently that the jews directly against the words of Christ were able to kill and crucify the soul of Christ. Will you say that God crucified the soul of Christ, for what will you not say, that say Christ's soul was crucified & died? in what scripture shall we read that God crucified the soul, as the jews did the body of Christ? you would seem to conclude it out of the scriptures, which whensoever they speak of Christ crucified, they note the shameful and cruel death which the jews executed on him, not any thing that God did unto him. And out of that word, every where in the scriptures referred to the jews, to infer that God also crucified his soul, is as much madness as the former. If you fear not the pains of hell, because you are so well acquainted with them, fear at least the shame of the world, lest they deride you to scorn, as lacking that common understanding which boys in the streets, and apprentices in the shops have. But what if yourself, being be like amazed, and (as you say of Christ) all confounded in all the powers of your soul, and senses of your body, when you wrote in defence of your holy cause, do contradict yourself, and call your own assertion ABSURD and MOST FALSE, and that not ten or twelve leaves off, but in the very same place where you labour to justify this position, and proving and pronouncing it to be absurd and most false, you presently conclude it as a principle of your new faith? well, if it be not so, than I must confess I was a sleep when I thought you did so. But if it fall out to be true which I say, I hope (christian Reader) thou wilt think my time any way better employed then longer to reason with such a brainsick babbler.  
The words of Peter are; 
o 1. Pet. 3. ver. 18.  Christ hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, and was put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the spirit. Saint Austen writing upon this place observeth this for a sure rule to expound the whole. 
p Aug. epist. 99  In ear quip vivificatus est, in qua fuerat mortificatus. Christ was quickened in that very part, wherein he suffered death, or was put to death. This rule hath in it a mighty truth that may not be resisted. For if any part of Christ died, which was not again quickened, but still left dead, than that part suffered perpetual death; which is not only plainly false but openly blasphemous. Then must this stand for an undoubted ground; that whatsoever part of Christ was dead, the same must be quickened again, to avoid the eternal death of any part. And if any part of Christ needed not quickening or restoring to life, it never died; for quickening is here the restoring of life to that which was dead, and not the giving of life to that which had none before. Then if Christ's soul died, of force it must either be quickened again, or kept under eternal death; but to say that Christ's soul was quickened or made alive IS ABSURD AND MOST FALSE: Ergo to say that Christ's soul died IS ABSURD AND MOST FALSE. You will ask me how I prove the Minor or second part of this Argument? if Saint Austen did not help me to prove it, the Confuter will. Lo (Sir Refuter,) your own words in the very same place, take care I pray you, that I misrepeat them not, for if I hit them right, you will prove yourself as very a baby as ever sucked a bottle. 
q Page. 78 linea. 25.  BOTH THESE, say you, ARE ABSURD AND MOST FALSE, that Christ was made alïue either in his HUMAN SOUL, OR BY THE SAME. See and shame, if there be any grace, or sense in you, that going about purposely to prove that Christ's soul died and was crucified, you set this for a preface unto it, it is ABSURD and most FALSE that Christ was made alive in his human soul; which without any shift or colour, you do say & must say, before your conclusion can be true; except you will fly to this, that Christ's soul died in deed, but was never restored to life, or made alive again; which if we come to, I must proclaim you no longer foolish but blasphemous. Howbeit I hope you will rather see your folly, then fall to this frenzy; for my part, I wish you better counsel and more reading; and although you tell me of 
r Pag. 1.  errors, 
s Pag. 3  corrupt fancies and vain imaginations, 
t Pag. 54.  shameful questions, 
u Pag. 81.  toyish fables, 
x Pag. 68  fond, absurd, without sense or reason, when I do but repeat the judgements of the ancient and learned Fathers; yet I will bear them at your hand, and from my heart do pity your ignorance, for I hope it be but ignorance; howsoever you take upon you to control all as fond and absurd, that yield not to your humour.  
For the cleared of this place of Peter, wherein the Confuter hath so much overseen himself, I stand not upon the advantage of his words, but upon the sound and learned exposition of Saint Austen, whose antiquity and authority concurring with the truth of the scriptures doth please me, & I trust (christian reader) will content thee. 
y Aug. epist. 99  Christus spiritu vivificatus est, cum in passione esset carne mortificatus. Quid est enim, quod vivificatus est spiritu, nisi quod eadem Caro, qua sola fuerat mortificatus vivificante spiritu resurrexit? Nam quod anima fuerat mortificatus jesus, hoc est eo spiritu qui hominis est, quis audeat dicere, cum mors animae non sit nisi peccatum, a quo ille omnino immunis fuit? Certe anima Christi non solum immortalis, secundum naturam caeterarum, sed etiam nullo mortificata peccato, vel damnatione punita est, quibus duabus causis mors animae intelligi potest; & ideo non secundum ipsam dici potuit Christus vivificatus spiritu. In ea re quip vivificatus est, in qua fuerat mortificatus; ergo de carne dictum est. Ipsa evim revixit anima redeunte, quia ipsa erat mortua anima recedente. Mortificatus ergo carne dictus est, quia secundum solam carnem mortuus est, vivificatus autem spiritu quia spiritu operant, etiam ipsa caro vivificata surrexit. Christ was quickened by the spirit, when in his Passion he was put to death in his flesh. What meaneth it, that he was quickened by the spirit, but that the same flesh, in WHICH ONLY HE DIED, rose again by the quickening of the spirit? For that jesus DIED IN soul, I mean in his human spirit, WHO DARE AFFIRM IT, where as the death of the soul is nothing (in this life) but sin, from which he was wholly free? Surely the soul of Christ was not only immortal by nature, as others are, but neither died by sin nor was punished by any damnation, which are the two ways how the soul may possibly die. And therefore Christ could not be said to be quickened in soul by the spirit: for in that part was he quickened, in which he died. Therefore it was spoken (by Peter) of Christ's flesh. That revived when the soul returned, because that died, when the soul departed. Christ then is said to be done to death in his flesh, for that he died ONLY IN HIS FLESH, and to be quickened by the spirit, because that very flesh rose again being quickened by the working of the spirit. These learned and sound conclusions of S. Austen, are derectlie repugnant to your weak and false observations, Sir Refuter. Christ died in the flesh (saith Peter) that is saith Austen, in THE FLESH ONLY; for the soul of Christ died not, since the death of the soul is either sin in this life, or damnation in the next, both which were far from Christ. You tell us that Christ's soul not only died, but was also crucified; and all the proof you bring for it, besides Terence, is that Peter saith Christ died in the flesh. Now the flesh say you, signifieth as well the soul as the body, and so Christ died in both: but such proofs, if you use them often, will prove you to have a great deal less religion and learning, than you would seem to have.  
What death the Scriptures affirm Christ died for us, if you be now to seek at these years, it is pity your shoulders have been so long troubled with your head. Can there be fuller, or plainer words than those which the four Evangelists use in describing the death, burial, and resurrection of the body of our Saviour? Show but one such word in Scripture or father, that Christ's soul died at the time of his Passion, and take the cause. [
isaiah. 53.  He laid down his soul unto death, you will say;] You should have done well in your pamphlette at least to have laid that down for a show, and not upon your single word to have vouched so weighty a matter as the death of Christ's soul is; but you must be borne with, your wits are often not at home. What is meant by this that Christ laid down or yielded his Soul unto death, S. Austen largely disputeth in his 47 treatise upon S. john's Gospel. The effect is, when Christ laid down his soul unto death, his body died, and not his soul. 
a August. tract. 47. in johan.  Quid fecit Passio, quid fecit mors, nisi corpus ab anima separavit? Si enim mortuus est dominus, immo quia mortuus est Dominus (mortuus est enim pro nobis in cruse) sine dubio caro ipsius expiravit animam. Hoc est ergo ponere animam, quod est mori. Cum ergo exit anima a carne, et remanet caro sine anima, tunc homo ponere animam dicitur. Carni hoc tribue, caro ponit animam suam, & caro iterum sumit eam. Caro ponit animam suam expirando. Ipse Dominus Christus dictus est sola caro. Audeo dicere, et sola caro Christi dictus est Christus. Confiteris illud quod habet fides, in eum Christum te credere, qui crucifixus est & sepul●ns. Ergo sepultum Christum esse non negas, & tamen sola caro sepulta est. Ergo Christus erat etiam caro sine anima, quia non est sepulta nisi caro. Disce hoc etiam in Apostolicis verbis, Humiliavit scmetipsum factus obediens usque ad mortem. jam in morte SOLA CARO a judaeis est occisa, & tamen carne occisa Christus occisus est. Ita cum caro animam posuit, Christus animam posuit, & cum caro ut resurgeret animam sumpsit, Christus animam sumpsit. What did the Passion, what did the death of Christ, but separate his body from his soul? If the Lord died for us, yea rather because indeed the Lord did die for us: (for he died for us on the cross,) doubtless his flesh did breath out his soul. So that to lay down his soul and to die is all one. When the soul departeth from the flesh, & the flesh remaineth any soul, than a man is said to lay down his soul. Understand this of the flesh. for the flesh layeth down her soul, & taketh it again. the flesh layeth down her soul by breathing it forth. The Lord jesus is called his flesh alone. I dare be bold to avouch it, THE ONLY FLESH of Christ is called Christ. Thou confessest, as it is in thy Creed, that thou believest in that Christ, which was crucified & buried. Then thou acknowledgest Christ to be buried, & yet only his flesh was buried. Therefore flesh without a soul was Christ, because nothing of him but his flesh was buried. Learn the self same in the Apostles words, Christ humbled himself & was obedient unto Death. Now in his death ONLY HIS flesh was killed of the jews, and yet the flesh being slain, Christ was slain. So when the flesh laid down her soul, Christ laid down his soul, and when the flesh took her soul again to rise, Christ took his soul again. To men that do not wilfully blind themselves these words are clear enough, and they have for their warrant the full consent of Scriptures, Counsels, & Fathers, for 1400 years, without dissenting from it. 
b 1 Pet. 2●  Christ suffered for you, (saith Peter) leaving you an ensample that you should follow his steps, who himself bore our sins in his body on the Tree, that we being: dead to sin, should live in righteousness. Then when Christ died to sin, his body died on the tree, his soul lived in righteousness: So must we do, for so did he, when he left us an example how to follow his steps. Our souls must not die before we can resemble his death; they must live in righteousness as he did. 
c 2 Cor. 4  Every where (saith Paul) we bear about in our body the dying of the Lord jesus, that the life of jesus might also be made manifest in our bodies; which he thus expoundeth afterward. Therefore we faint not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is daily renewed. 
d Ibid. verse. 16  Then in our bodies we carry about the death of Christ, who for our example died in his body unto sin, that we should follow his steps. And why doubt we hereof, since the same apostle doth in as plain & express words, as might be spoken, testify, that Christ, when 
e Colos. ●.  we were enemies, reconciled US IN THE BODY OF HIS FLESH THROUGH DEATH; to make us holy, and without fault in his sight, grounded and established in faith, and not moved away from the hope of the Gospel? What could the heart of Paul invent, or his tongue utter more effectual than this, that Christ THROUGH DEATH IN THE BODY OF HIS FLESH reconcileth us to God and maketh us holy, and without fault in his sight? If you can quarrel with these words (Sir Refuter) you may do what you will with the Scriptures. No words will bind you, that take body for soul, life for death, faith for amazed fear, hope for intolerable horror, descending for ascending, and hell for heaven. What is this else but to make a confusion of all Religion, and give open defiance to the truth by taking one contrary for the other? You do not so, you will say. Leave so doing and these Questions will soon be determined. I prove there was always in Christ evidence of faith, assurance of hope, joy of love even in the midst of his pains on the cross: and you grant there was 
f Pag. 7.  not any the least diminution in Christ of his faith, patience or obedience to God, neither was Christ so much as touched with any wavering, much less fearing in his trust and confidence of God's love and protection towards him. How then can the 
g Pag. 77  horror of God's severe justice and wrath, like them that indeed be separated from the grace and love of God, be in Christ? Or how can the sorrows of the damned which are separated from the life of God be found in Christ? how could Christ suffer 
h pag. 46.  the same terrors of God's wrath and assaults of the Devil, yea far greater than the godly feel in their consciences, for want of faith, and fear of God's displeasure? What are these but plain contrarieties? Again in Christ, you say, 
i pag 57  was no defect of grace; how then could the soul of Christ replenished with the spirit of life, and living in all fullness of grace and truth, be dead? can you make one and the same part of Christ both alive and dead? So likewise if Christ had but 
k pag 64  feared to be utterly forsaken with the hatred of his Father, that indeed you say were desperation, which God forbidden. And yet you do not doubt but Christ was as 
l Pag. 49.  deeply touched with the 
m Pag. 70  unspeakable horror of God's 
n Pag 80.  severe wrath due to sin as the 
o Pag. 81  Reprobates themselves. A number of these hogepots you have made us; speaking of things which yourself cannot, or dare not express. Sometimes you would feign affirm it in general words, and when you come to particulars, you renounce it again. In the very case that gave us occasion of this rehearsal, when the Apostle saith, we are 
p Rom. 5●  reconciled to God by the death of his son, and explaining himself, saith the death that reconciled us to God, was the death which Christ suffered 
q Col. 5●  in the body of his flesh; Is it not as clear as day light, that the bodily death of Christ, which he suffered on the cross, is by the scriptures resolved to be the sufficient price of our redemption, and mean of our reconciliation to God, except you take the body of Christ for the soul of Christ, and the stripes and wounds of his flesh for the pains of hell? 
r 1. Pet. ●.  Ye were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, saith Peter. Can there be plainer words, that Christ's 
s Mat. 26.  blood shed for the remission of our sins is the perfect price of our redemption, without the death of the soul, or pains of hell, which you interpose? So likewise, when Peter saith 
t 1. Pet 2.  Christ bare our sins in his body on the Tree, in that he 
u 1. Pet. 3.  suffered once for sinners when he was put to death in his flesh; are you not forced to pervert these words for defence of your fancy, and to take the flesh for body and soul, that you may make the death of Christ to be common to both? [It is one thing, you will say, to take the flesh for the whole man, and another to take the body for the soul.] I know it right well, but the one will not serve your turn without the other. By a part to name or note the whole man, is no news in the Scriptures; but to ascribe the attributes of one part to the other, because the name of either part is sometimes taken for the whole, that is a general subverting of all the truth of the Scriptures. Saint Austen told you even now, that Christ's dead flesh is called Christ; will you therefore refer the properties of Christ's dead flesh unto his soul, and not think you take the way to dissolve as well the union as communion of two natures in Christ, and of the distinction of two parts in his manhood? The body indeed is more distinguished from the soul, than the name of flesh is, because the unregenerate part of the soul is in the Scriptures every where called flesh; but this hath no place in Christ, by reason no corruption of sin cleaned unto his soul, and therefore the name of flesh doth nowhere signify the soul in Christ, as it doth often in us; only by naming flesh in Christ, the scripture sometimes intendeth, that he disdained not the weakest and basest part of our nature, when he came to redeem us. And so Saint john saith, 
x john. 1.  The word was made flesh, meaning the true and eternal son of God, vouchsafed to take not only our reasonable and human soul unto him, but even our wild and mortal flesh into the unity of his person, and so became man, that he might restore man now fallen from God, and perished in his sins, to the favour and life of God again. But when the Scriptures say, that Christ died for our sins, the ancient fathers and Counsels with one consent apply that to the death of Christ's body on the Cross, and not to the death of the soul, or to any pains of hell. And though in the Treatise before I have cited such as sufficiently witness that doctrine to be sound and Catholic, yet will I not be grieved to let thee see (Christian Reader) that there was nothing more commonly, nor constantly professed in the Primitive Church, than the doctrine which I am now forced to defend against the rage and reproach of this slanderous impugner.  

z Athanasius de incarnate. verbi dei.  Post edita per facta divinitatis suae monumenta, reliquum iam erat, ut pro omnibus sacrificium offerret, pro omnibus templum suum morti tradens, quo omnes innoxios & liberos à veteri praevaricatione efficeret, seque declararet mortis victorem. Corpus igitur quod communem cum omnibus habebat naturam (corpus enim humanum & mortale erat) ad similitudinem sui generis mortem excepit; verbum enim quoniam mori non potuit, utpote immortal, corpus sibi sumpsit, quod mori poterat; illudque ut suum pro omnibus obtulit, ut ita pro omnibus, omnibus ipse corpore coniunctus, mortem patience, compesceret eum, qui mortis habebat imperium, hoc est Diabolum, & liberaret eos quotquot formidine mortis per omnem vitam obnoxiy erant seruituti. After Christ by his deeds had declared his divinity, it remained that he should OFFER A SACRIFICE FOR ALICE, yielding unto death the temple (of his body) for all, thereby to deliver and discharge all from the old transgression, and to declare himself the conqueror of death. His body therefore, which in nature was like all ours (for it was an human and mortal body) died in like manner as bodies do. For the son of God, because he could not die being immortal, took a body unto him that might die, and offered that as his own for all men, that so being joined in body to all, and suffering death for all, he might repress him that had power of death, even the Devil, and free those, that for fear of death were all their life long subjecteth to servitude. Epiphanius treadeth in the same steps. 
z Epipha. haeres. 69.  When the son of God (saith he) would suffer of his own good will for mankind, because his divinity could not suffer, being of itself impassable, he took 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, OUR BODY THAT MIGHT SUFFER, that therein he might yield to suffer, and admitted our sufferings, his Godhead being present in his flesh, the godhead suffereth not. For he that saith I am life, how can he die? But God remaining impassable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, suffers by his flesh, that his passion may be accounted to his deity, though it suffered not to the end our salvation should be from God. In his flesh was the suffering, lest we should have a passable God. Which indeed is impassable, imputing that suffering unto himself, according to his free choice, and not of any necessity. Ambrose in like sort. 
a Ambros. in Lucam. lib. 4 de dust. Christi in deseru●m  Laqueus contritus est, & nos liberati sumus. Non potuit melius conteri laqueus nisi praedam aliquam diabolo demonstrasset, ut dum ille festinaret ad praedam, suis laqueis ligaretur. Quae potuit esse praeda nisi corpus? Oportuit igitur hoc fraudem Diabolo fieri, ut susciperet corpus dominus jesus & corpus hoc corruptibile corpus infirmum, ut crufigeretur ex infirmitate Si enim fuisset corpus spirituale, non dixisset, spiritus promptus est, caro autem infirma. The snare is broken, and we are delivered. The snare could not be better broken, then by showing the devil some pray, that whiles he hastened to the pray, he might be wrapped in his own snares. What pray could there be beside the body (of man?) It was therefore requisite the devil should be thus deceived, that the Lord jesus should take a body unto him, even this corruptible & weak body of ours, that he might be crucified through infirmity. Had it been a spiritual body that he took, he would never have said, the spirit is ready, but the flesh is weak. 
a ●dé de incarn. sacrament. ca 5  The same Christ suffered, and suffered not; died and died not, rose again and did not rise; because he raised up his own body. For that which fell, that rose again; that which fell not needed not rise. He rose then according to the flesh, which being dead did rise again. Ergo also he died in our nature which he took unto him, and suffered in the body which he took, that we might believe he took a true body. To the unbeliever ask, Shall I believe God in flesh, God borne of a woman, God crucified, whipped, dead, wounded, buried? 
b August. de verbis domini secundum lohan serm. 42.  Austen answereth, thy God remaineth unchangeable; fear not, he perisheth not. Christ was borne of a woman, but in his flesh. He was an infant, but in his flesh. He sucked, increased, was nourished, and grew in age, but in his flesh. Wearied he slept but in his flesh. He hungered and thirsted▪ but in his flesh. He was taken, bound, whipped & mocked: yea he was CRUCIFIED AND KILLED, BUT IN HIS FLESH. Why art thou afraid? The word which was God remaineth for ever. He that despiseth this humbleness of God will never be cured from the deadly swelling of pride. The Lord jesus therefore by his flesh gave hope to our flesh. To be borne, and to die were here on earth common, to live for ever was not here. Christ found here our earthly wares, which were wild, and brought with him his heavenly, which were strange. If thou fear (his) death, love (his) resurrection. 
c August. in psal 148.  He came to the place of our pilgrimage to take that which aboundeth here, even mocks, whips, blows, spittings in his face, reproaches, hanging, the cross and death. These things abound in our region, to this entertainment he came. What hath he given thee here? Instruction, exhortation, and remission of sins. What hath he promised thee O mortal man? that thou shalt live for ever. Dost thou not believe it? Believe it, I say, believe it. It is more that he hath already done, then that he hath promised. It is more incredible, that the eternal died, then that the mortal shall live for ever. If God died for man, shall not man live with God? But can God die? He took from thee wherein to die for thee. THERE COULD NOT DIE BUT FLESH, THERE COULD NOT DIE BUT A MORTAL BODY. He clothed himself with that wherein he might die for thee; he will cloth thee, wherein thou shalt live with him. 
d Idem in ps. 70  In that (part) Christ died, in which thou shalt die: in that (part) Christ rose in which thou shalt rise. Thou wilt pardon me (Christian Reader) if among so much loathsome stuff of reprobate horrors, damned pains, and hellish torments, as this Confuter hath heaped together, I solace myself sometimes with the longer comfort of sound and sweet doctrine, so sincerely and sensibly delivered by the learned and ancient Fathers. I will allege one place more wherein thou shalt see the full consent of provincial and general Counsels, not to be gainsaid by any man that will bear the name of a Christian, and so shut up this point.  
cyril writing to Nestorius, to stay and suppress that false doctrine which he began then to spread; teacheth us very plainly how the son of God is said in the Scriptures to SUFFER, DIE, AND RISE AGAIN for us, and our salvation. 
e Cyril epist. 8 ad Nestorium.  So we say (the son of God) suffered and rose again; not that the son of GOD suffered in his own nature, either the stripes, or the boring of the nails, or the rest of the wounds, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Deity could not suffer by reason it is no bodily substance; but because THAT BODY, which he made his own, suffered these things, himself is said to suffer these things for us. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, He that could not suffer was then in his body which suffered. After the same manner we think of his dying. The son of God is by nature immortal, incorruptible, life and the giver of life; but because the body, which was his own, tasted death for all by the favour of God, as Paul speaketh, he himself is said to have suffered death for us, not that he had experience of death as touching his own nature, (it were a madness so to think, or say) but for that as I said even now, his flesh tasted death: So his flesh rising again, it is called his Resurrection, not that he fell to corruption, God forbid; but that his body rose again. When this stayed not the frenzy of Nestorius the heretic, but that he replied in swelling words, cyril called a Council at Alexandria, and there with one consent, they approved the truth, and sent it unto Nestorius to be confessed in these words amongst others; 
f Synodi. Alexand. anathematismus. 12.  If any man do not confess that the Son of GOD suffered in his flesh, was crucified in his flesh, and tasted death in his flesh, let him be accursed. Dilating this and the rest of their Articles in their synodal Epistle sent to Nestorius, they say, 
g Epistola Synodi Alexandrinae ad Nestorium inter Cyril. epist. 10.  We confess that the only begotten God, even the son borne of God his father, though he were impassable in his own nature, yet suffered he in his flesh for us according to the Scriptures; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; and was in his body that was crucified, accounting the sufferings of his own flesh as proper unto him, though he were without suffering; and by the grace of God tasted death for all, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, when he gave his own body unto death. This doctrine came to be scanned in the third general Council held at 
h Ephesin. council 11. Sell. 1.  Ephesus, and being there deliberately read, was word for word allowed of the whole Council, as agreeable to the Scriptures and the Nicene fathers. The like approbation it had, not only in the Council of Constantinople under Flwianus, but in the great council of 
i Concil. Chalcedon. act. 1.  Chalcedon, where the proceed of both these Counsels were a fresh examined, and the former words of Cyrill repeated and confirmed, with the full consent of that general Council, as most sound and catholic.  
So that he shall ill deserve the name of a christian▪ that after so many fathers, and Counsels, both Provincial and General, will begin to teach us a new faith, and tell us that the Scriptures mean Christ was crucified and died, as well in his soul, as in his body; since the whole Church with one assent hath ever so conceived and expounded the Scriptures, that Christ's crucifying and dying must be referred to his body; and consequently that the joint sufferings of Christ (the soul feeling what the body suffered) were most available for our redemption. For when they ascribe the crucifying and death of Christ to his body; they do not exclude the soul from the sense and feeling of the pain, which is a natural consequent to the conjunction with her body, but they show what part of Christ's manhood suffered the cross and death, that the Scriptures so much speak of, and whereby we are redeemed and reconciled unto God. One place repeated in the Council of Ephesus, may serve in steed of many, to declare their meaning. 
k Interrogatio & respon. in council. Ephesino propositae.  How can the Creator of all thnges, who is neither visible, palpable, nor mutable, sustain the Cross and death? We say the son of God sustained the Cross and death in his own flesh, that he might deliver us from death and corruption. He laid down his soul for us, not as an alien and stranger to the son of God, but unspeakably united unto him, as himself saith; I have power to lay down my soul, and I have power to take it again. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. It is proper to the soul to be pensive, to feel pain and grief, to departed from the body; as it is proper to the flesh to be wearied, to be crucified, to be raised again. So the violence was offered to the body, the sense whereof reached unto the soul; and these are the sufferings of the cross, and of death, which the Scriptures attribute to the son of God for our salvation; Insomuch that your long discourse of the proper and immediate suffering of Christ's soul for sin without and besides the body, may be hanged on the hedge, as discording both from the scriptures, and all the Catholic fathers, that either have privately testified the truth by their writings, or public confirmed it by their assemblies. And as for your hellish pains, when yourself can tell what they are, and make some better proof, than yet you have done, that they were, or might be in the soul of Christ, you shall receive further answer.  
These are the Refuters exquisite arguments, which he calleth his special reasons, being indeed rather so many monsters in Christian Religion, than matters to persuade any man were he never so simple, and but that a strange faith must needs have such strange grounds as these be, I should think he did rather expose this conceit of Hell pains, to be derided of the world, then to be believed, he euerie where so secondeth his bad cause with worse proofs; but where better food wanteth, Acorns are good meat, and black moors may be beautiful, when others be away. I would here make an end of his first part, but that as his manner is, when he hath stumbled absurdly a long while at hell he steppeth on the sudden as unhandsomelie to heaven. 
l Pag. 80.  Know therefore (saith he) hell, as we take it is even in this life found sometime, as heaven is likewise; for as 
m Pag. 81  touching material fire in hell, what a toyish fable is that? else I pray you how may the souls of the damned suffer by material fire, seeing they are spirits, and therefore with them and fire material there can be no communion. But let it be as it may be; the local hell of the damned we speak not of. You slack your hell pains (Sir Resuter) towards the end, as if all this while you had been too hot in them; and here you give three qualifications to them; or rather contradictions to your former speeches. Hell as you take it is SOMETIMES found in this life. But two leaves before you told us the 
n Page .77.  pains and sufferings of God's wrath, which are the hell that you say Christ suffered, ALWAYS accompany them that are separated from the grace & love of God; how cometh ALWAYS to be so quickly changed into SOMETIMES? were there fewer wicked when you spoke the last words, then when you spoke the first? or are you better advised; remembering what a gross absurdity it would be to cast all infidels and hypocrites, wicked and disobedient persons into hell torments all the time of this life before the judgement of God taketh hold of them? secondly, 
o Pag. 8●.  as there is heaven even in this life in some measure, even so, say you, there may be hell. You do not mean that here on earth are the very same joys and bliss that are in heaven, nor any way equal to them; if you did, it were a lewder absurdity than the former. For here 
p Luke 10  we rejoice, that our names are written in heaven; (as the Apostle teacheth us to do) 
q Rom. 5  we rejoice under the hope of the glory of God. 
r Rom 8.  Now hope that is seen, is not hope. For how can a man hope for that which he seethe (or possesseth?) but when we hope for that we see not, we do with patience abide for it. In this life 
s 2. Cor. 5  we walk by faith, not by sight; and whiles we dwell in the body, we are absent from the Lord. For though 
t 1. john. 5  we be now the sons of God, it appeareth not as yet what we shall be; 
u Colos 5  our life is hid with Christ in God; when Christ, who is our life shall appear, then shall we also appear with him in glory. If you therefore affirm of heaven as you do of hell, that the VERY SAME joys which are in heaven, or EQVALL with them are here sometime found on earth, it is a wicked error flatly repugning to the truth of God's promises, and to the very nature of our Christian faith and hope. (For 
Hebre. 11.  faith is the ground of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not yet appearing,) but if you mean that as we conceive HOPE of heavenly bliss, so we must needs REJOICE in it; this position is very true, but plainly opposite to your imagination of hell pains. For than must there in this life be no more felt of hell, but the FEAR thereof, and the grief arising from that fear; even as the HOPE of heaven maintaineth our joy. Now in Christ could neither the fear of hell possibly be found, nor any grief, or sorrow arising from any such fear, since there was in his soul no want of faith nor hope, no 
y Pag. 71.  not any the least diminution of either, as yourself confess; but as the Apostle saith, 
Hebre. 12.  FOR THE JOY THAT WAS SET BEFORE HIM he endured the (pain of the) cross, and despised the shame. And here you may see by your own comparison the folly of your own assertion. For if your hellish" sorrow 
a Pag: 68  be the only true and perfectly accepted sacrifice to God, (as you say) and 
b Hebre. 11.  without faith it is impossible to please God; which always hath hope, and consequently, 
c Psal. 51.  the joy of salvation annexed unto it, which you call heaven; then can no man please God, or offer any sacrifice to God, till he be both in hell and heaven at one and the same time; and the joys of heaven are so coupled with the pains of hell, that none of the faithful can be in the one without the other, but in both together. And thus have you brought heaven and hell not only to be euerie where, but by your corrupt conceits to be always linked together. lastly, the fire of hell doth somewhat trouble you, and therefore you labour" utterly to quench it; and ask, 
d Pag. 81.  what a toyish fable is that? but good Sir, if you would bring no more fables than I do, you might have spared not every leaf, but every line in this your unadvised pamphlet. I spoke not in my sermon one word either of material, or corporal fire in hell, but I urged the fire of hell to be a true created fire, and not any metaphorical flame, as you here dream: from which since the body and soul of Christ were both free, he did not suffer the true pains of hell, nor the same torments which the damned do in hell; and which we should have suffered, had we not been redeemed.  

c Pag. 80.  This (you say) is great iniquity, yea plain sophistry to amplify against you, and to make your most holy truth odious with the people only by the ambiguity of the word hell. Begin you now to find the sensible absurdity of your misshapen fancy? if you would have taken the name of hell metaphorically for great and exceeding pains, this question had been sooner calmed, and our Creed freed from your new found exposition. But to father your opinion upon the creed with more likelihood, where the word hell is properly taken, (though you now hatch us a new signification of hell out of Socrates,) you then urged as yourself in this present confutation do still urge, that Christ must have the 
f Pag. 28.  FULL WEIGHT AND BURDEN of our sins laid upon him, and 
g Pag. 34  suffer those sorrows and pains for sin, WHICH ELSE WE SHOULD; that his price WAS THE SAME which else we should have paid; that seeing it 
h pag. 37.  was possible for him to feel THE FULL SMART of our sins, yea ALL OUR SMART, and Gods strict justice so required, IT WAS SO, AND MU BE SO; as also, that 
i pag. 2  it is not proportionable with justice, that an easier punishment should satisfy for a greater sin, and 
k pag. 48  of all absurdities the greatest, that mere men should suffer more deeply than Christ did; and therefore, 
l Pag. 73.  Christ sustained even the sense of God's wrath DUE to our sins, and had the 
m Pag. 40.  WHOLE CURSE of God for sin executed on him, that is the 
n Pag 77.  DEATH OF THE SOUL and the 
n Pag 77.  TORMENTS and sorrows DUE TO THE DAMNED. Without any Sophistry Sir, what is the FULL BURDEN of our sins, and THE SAME PRICE which we should have paid, what is OUR FULL SMART yea ALL OUR SMART, and the WHOLE CURSE OF GOD; what is the DEATH of the soul, and the TORMENTS DUE TO THE DAMNED, but those very things which I by the warrant of God's word told the people were prepared and threatened to the wicked, and shall be executed on them in hell, as they should have been on us, if we had not been redeemed by the blood of Christ? you must recall all your reasons, and unsay all these positions before you can avoid that which I object. If Christ did, and must by God's justice suffer the WHOLE, the SAME, and ALL that was due to us for our sins; show me, good Sir, I pray you (for I confess it passeth my reach) how you can free him from the darkness, destruction, reprobation, malediction, worm or fire of hell? yea those words, if you look not well to them, and rebate them in time with some fresh writ, they will carry with them both the PLACE and PERPETVITY of hell; for both these were DUE to our sins, and are parts of God's CURSE, and should have been executed on us, as they shall be on the damned; and out of ALL, the WHOLE, and the SAME, how can you except any, but by an open Vray dire of dotage? [
o Pag 81.  The local hell of the damned you speak not of.] Speak of what you will; so long as your assertions, in full and plain terms infer and conclude so much; well your words may run without your wits; but I tell you truly what is the consequent of them, and leave those words, and then your most holy truth is left naked without show or shadow of proof. For these generals, the WHOLE, the SAME, and ALL give life, such as it is, to your childish reasons. Without them you cannot open your mouth to make one conclusion.  
But because hell fire so much crosseth your cause, that you would feign be rid of it, and burneth your fingers so fast, (Sir Refuter,) that you strive to cast water on it; give me leave a little to let you understand, it flameth more fiercely, then that you can quench it with the liquor of your mouth. And the rather for that in the ears of all men it is a most sensible reproof of your unsavoury position. For if Christ suffered not the fire of hell in body nor soul, then most apparently he suffered not the FULL burden of our sins, nor paid the SAME price which we should have paid, nor endured ALL our smart, nor felt the WHOLE curse of God, nor sustained the torments DUE to the DAMNED; and therefore the true kindling of this fire, is the utter quenching of your new devised hell pains. Know you therefore (Sir Refuter) that your metaphorical fire in hell is a fantastical error of yours; and you shall do well to tremble at the terrible judgement of God threatened in his word with more religion, then to cast off that fire as a toyish fable. I" shall not need to rehearse, how often it is denounced in the Scriptures, and in what vehement and constant manner; let us learn rather carefully to shun the place, then cunningly to shift the word, which they shall find to be no figure, that feel it. 
p Deutero. 32  A fire (saith God himself) is kindled in my wrath, and shall burn to the bottom of hell, it shall eat through the earth, and the depth thereof, and shall inflame the foundations of the hills. 
q Esa. 66  Behold, (saith Esay) the Lord will come with fire, that he may recompense his anger with wrath, and his indignation with the flame of fire, for the Lord shall judge with fire. The slain of the Lord shall be many, their Worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched. Which words our Saviour directly reffereth to hell. 
r Mark. 9  It is better to enter into life halting, then having two legs to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched, where their Worm dieth not, and the fire never goeth out. 
s Hebre. ●0  If we sin willingly (saith the Apostle to the Hebrues,) there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgement, and raging fire, which shall devour the adversaries. 
t judae. epist.  As Sodom and Gomorra and the cities about them are set forth for an ensample, and suffer the vengeance of eternal fire. 
u Apoc. 21.  The fearful and unbelieving, the abominable and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and Idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death; To whom the judge shall say, when they shall see the truth thereof before their eyes, 
x Matt. 25  Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his angels. 
y 2. Thessa. 1  For the Lord jesus shall show himself from heaven with the Angels of his power in flaming fire rendering vengeance to them which know not God, and obey not the Gospel. That the fire with which Christ shall appear to judge, shall be corporal and visible to all men's sights can be no question, it 
2. Pet. 3  shall dissolve the heavens, melt the elements, and burn up the earth with the works that are therein, as Peter affirmeth: and that the wicked shall everlastingly burn therein, all the Fathers with one consent acknowledge. 
August. de great. & lib. arbitr. cap. 3  Ignorance (saith Austen) of such as are not wilfully, but simply ignorant, shall excuse no man from burning in everlasting fire. For it is not said without cause: Christ shall come in flaming fire to render vengeance to those that know not God. 
b Hierony. in 2 Thessa. ca 1  Inflaming fire rendering vengeance; this (saith Jerome) Paul speaketh against them because they dreamt of the pain of conscience, and thought this impossible. If the flame by God's commandment did not so much as touch the three men (that were cast into it,) 
Ambros. in, 2. Thessa. ca 1  why by the same power should not fire be believed to be sharper to some, and easier to others? Christ shall come (saith Ambrose) with his heavenly army, and with fire as his minister to give vengeance on the Pagans which knew not God, and the jews which believed not the gospel of Christ, all which the fire shall burn, that they may be punished with everlasting destruction, always feeling it, and never failing in it, that the very pain which consumeth them, may ever renew them. And so chrysostom. 
d Chrysost. in 2. Thessa. ca 1  Think on this fire, and thou wilt count the pleasure of sin to be no pleasure. If the only sight of a dead man so quail our hearts, how much more hell, and the fire which cannot be quenched? because the very remembrance of it is able to draw us to do well, therefore God hath appointed the very threatening of it, as an wholesome medicine for our souls.  
Your sléevelesse objections against these and the like places, that if there be true fire in hell, why not a true worm as well, and much wood? And if this fire were prepared for Devils that are spirits, what communion hath fire with spirits? these trifles of yours I say, S. Austen hath long since fully considered, and learnedly refuted, and plainly resolved, that all these toys notwithstanding, the fire of hell is not only a TRUE fire, which were my words, but a CORPORAL fire that shall punish both men and devils; at which you so much wonder. 
e August. de civitate dei. lib. 21. cap. 9  Mitti in gehennam ignis, ubi vermis eorum non moritur, & ignis non extinguitur, non piguit uno loco eadem verbater dicere. Quem non terreat ista repetitio, & illius paenae comminatio tam vehemens ore divino? To be cast into hell fire, where their worm dieth not, and the fire quencheth not, Christ did not loath in one place, to repeat the same words thrice. Whom would not this repetition terrify, and the threatening of that pain so earnest by Christ's own mouth? Both these, the fire and the worm, such as would have them to belong to the pains of the soul, and not of the body, say; that fire may be here fitly taken for burning grief; as the Apostle speaketh, 
f 2. Corin ●1.  who is offended, and I burn not? the same kind of grief they think, may be understood by the worm; for so it is written, 
g Proverb. 25  As the worm wasteth wood, so doth grief the heart of man. On the other side those that doubt not, but in hell the body and soul shall be both punished, they affirm the body shall be afflicted with fire, the soul with a kind of sorrow, as it were with a worm. The which though it be MORE LIKELY, because it IS ABSURD, that in hell should want either pain of body or of soul; I rather believe that both PERTAIN TO THE BODY, then that neither; and that the scripture in these words suppresseth the grief of the soul, because it followeth as a consequent, though it be not expressed, that the body being so tormented, the soul must likewise be afflicted with an unfruitful repentance. For it is written in the books of the old Testament, 
Ecclesiast 7  the vengeance on the flesh of the wicked is fire and worm. Let every man choose what best pleaseth him, to attribute fire to the body, the worm to the soul, the one properly, the other figuratively; or both to the body properly. For I have afore sufficiently showed, that certain creatures live even in the fire in burning without consuming, in pain without death, by the marvelous power of the Almighty Creator; which to be possible whosoever denieth, knoweth not by whom all wonders are wrought. Let therefore every man choose of the twain, which he liketh best, whether he will refer the worm properly to the body, or to the soul, by a kind of translation of things corporal to spiritual, so that BY NO MEANS HE THINK the bodies in hell shall be such, that they shall not be touched with the pain of fire. 
i Idem de civitate dei lib. 21. cap. 10  here riseth another question, if the fire that shall afflict (in hell) be not incorporal, as the grief of the soul is, but CORPORAL AND HURTING WHERE IT TOUCHETH, that bodies may therein be tormented, how the wicked spirits shall be punished by the same? For the same fire is provided to punish both men and Devils as Christ saith, 
k Matth. 25.  Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels. Why should we not say that incorporal spirits may be afflicted by the pain of corporal fire, after a true but a marvelous manner, when as the spirits of men being also incorporal, may now be enclosed in the members of their bodies, and shall then be tied to the bands of their bodies without dissolution? therefore the spirits of Devils, or rather the spirits that are Devils, though they be incorporal, shall be FASTENED TO CORPORAL FIRE, thereby to be tormented after a strange and unspeakable manner: Fastened I say, to receive torment from the fire, not to give life to the fire. And hell itself which is called the lake burning with fire and brimstone, SHALL BE A CORPORAL FIRE, and shall torment the bodies of men with their souls, and the devils that are spirits without bodies feeling pain, but not giving life to those CORPORAL FIRES. The steps of Austen doth Gregory follow: 
l Greg moral li. 15 cap. 17.  Corporal fire to continue needeth corporal nourishment: but contrariwise the fire of hell (which is incorporal) and SHALL CORPORALLY BURN the wicked cast into it, is neither kindled with man's industry, nor fed with wood, but once created remaineth unquenchable, and needeth no kindling, and wanteth no burning. Therefore the Scriptures, to show that the reprobate burn within & without, say, they are devoured with fire, and made as an oven, that by fire they may be tormented in their bodies, and by grief burn in their minds. And though the word incorporeus be crept here into Gregory's text in stead of Corporeus, as appeareth by the comparison and words adjoining, (for it were no strange thing that a metaphorical fire should need no kindling of man, nor nourishing of wood; & how can an incorporal fire CORPORALLY burn the reprobate, which are the words presently following?) yet to put that out of doubt, his opinion is clear to the contrary in his Dialogues, where he saith: 
m Idem. dialog. lib. 4.  That the FIRE OF HELL IS CORPORAL, I have no doubt, in which it is certain bodies shall be tormented. And if the devil and his angels being incorporal shall be tormented with CORPORAL FIRE, what marvel if the souls before they receive their bodies feel corporal torments?  
Neither were they the first that made this resolution; that an actual and sensible fire shall torment the bodies & souls of the damned; the Church of Christ from the beginning believed the same. 
n Tertul. in apologetico versus sinem.  The profane Philosophers (saith Tertullian) know the difference of this common and that hid fire; so far distant is this which serveth man's use, from that which in God's judgement appeareth, whether it flash with thunder from heaven, or break through the earth by the tops of hills. For that consumeth not, what it burneth; but rather repaireth what it eateth, as the mountains ever burning do still continue, and he that is blasted from heaven liveth and turneth not to ashes. This is a testimony of that eternal fire, this is an example of that perpetual judgement, which maintaineth punishment. The hills burn and dure; how then shall the wicked and the enemies of God? Lactantius in like sort: 
o Lactant de divino praemio li. 7. ca 21.  The holy Scriptures teach us how the wicked shall be punished. Because they sinned in their bodies, they shall take their flesh again, that they may be punished in their bodies; yet that flesh which God will cloth man with, shall not be like this earthly flesh, but indissoluble and remaining for ever, that it may suffice for torment, and for everlasting fire. The nature of which fire is diverse from this which we use about the necessaries of this life. For that fire always liveth and burneth of itself without any nourishment. The same divine fire therefore with one and the same strength and power shall burn and continue the wicked, and shall yield itself everlasting maintenance, so as it shall only burn and torment without any decay to the body. Cyprian is often and earnest in this cause: 
p Cyprian. ad Demetrianun.  Cremabit addictos ardens semper gehenna, & vivacibus flammis vorax poena, nec erit unde habere torment a vel requiem possint aliquando, vel finem: Hell always burning shall broil them that are adjudged to it, and pain shall devour them, with continual flames; neither shall their torments have ease or end. And again, 
q Idem de laud martyrij.  Saeviens locus cui gehenna nomen est, eructantibus flammis per horrendam spissae caliginis noctem, saeva semper incendia camini fumantis expirat; globus ignium atratus obstruitur, & in varios poenae exitus relaxatur: The cruel place, which is called hell, casteth up fearful fires, like a burning chimney, the flames breaking through the horrible darkness of that thick missed; a whole globe of blackish fire standing and resolving into divers sorts of torments. 
r Idem de ascensione christi.  Stridorem illum Dentium flammae inextinguibiles agitabunt, immortales miseri vivent inter incendia, & inconsumptibiles flammae nudum corpus allambent: Unquenchable flames shall force that gnashing of teeth, immortal wretches shall live in the midst of fire, and flames never consuming shall wrap their naked bodies. Hell as chrysostom writeth, hath fire and darkness, but far worse than these which we are acquainted with. 
s Chrysost. in hebre ca 1. homilia. 1.  For if there be fire (saith he) how is there darkness? thou seest that fire is more grievous than this our fire, for it hath no light: if it be fire, how doth it burn for ever? thou seest it is worse than ours, for that is not to be quenched, and therefore is called unquenchable. Let us then think with ourselves how great a misery it is, to burn for ever, to be in darkness, to make continual lamentation, and to gnash the teeth and not to be regarded? if darkness alone do so terrify, and trouble our hearts, what shall it do when such griefs & flames of fire come with it?  
Minutius Felix in his dialogue betwixt an Ethnic and a Christian, cited by Lactantius in his first book De falsa religione cap. 11. saith: 
t Minutius Felix in Octavio.  As the lightnings touch men's bodies, but consume them not; and the flames of the hills Aetna & Veswius, and of other parts of the earth do burn & not waste; so that punishing fire (in hell) feedeth not upon the decays of their bodies that burn, but continueth without eating or wasting their bodies. The same comparison doth Pacianus, that died under Theodosius, make in his exhortation unto repentance against the novatians: 
u Pacianus in paraenesi ad poenitentiam.  Post animarum tempestiva supplicia rediviuis quoque perpetua corporibus poena servatur: After the due punishment of the souls, (of the wicked) a perpetual torment is prepared for their bodies that shall be restored to life. The force whereof you may conjecture by the things which are in this world. AEtna, Lisaniculus, and Veswius in Campania do cast out unceasing, flames of fire, and to manifest to us the perpetuity of that (terrible) judgement, they still break & waste, and yet never end. Sibylla whom 
x Lactantius lib. 7. ca 20.  Lactantius, 
x Eusebius de vita Constant.  Eusebius, and 
x August. de civitate Dei li. 18. ca 23.  Austen allege and allow as inspired by God, describeth the last judgement with these words: The earth cleaving shall lay open the dungeon of hell; all kings shall come before the Tribunal of God, and a flood of fire and brimstone shall fall from heaven (upon the wicked.) 
y Greg. in Ezechiel homil. 2.  Christus in suo tunc terrore videbitur, eíque ignis judicij in reproborum vindicta famulabitur, quia videlicet Ignis ille judicij, qui coelum, aerem, & terram concremat, peccatores involuit; quos proculdubio in poena suae damnationis confringit: Christ then shall be seen in his terror, and the fire of judgement shall serve him to revenge the Reprobate, by reason the very fire of judgement, which melteth the heavens, the air and the earth, wrappeth in sinners, whom doubtless it crusheth in the torment of their damnation. 
z Idem moral. li. 9 ca 39  Yea, the flame of hell shineth not to the Reprobate for their comfort, and yet giveth light for their punishment; that to the eyes of the damned though the fire of their torment shine with no brightness, yet it showeth for their further grief in what sort they are punished. How think you Sir Refuter, is it a TOYISH FABLE worthy of such contempt as you make it, or a point of Christian doctrine delivered by the Prophets and Apostles, and received by the Fathers in all ages in Christ's Church, that the FIRE of hell shallbe VISIBLE and SENSIBLE to the bodies of the wicked, and shall ETERNALLY and CORPORALLY punish the damned according to their deserts without quenching itself, or consuming them? And your foolish Philosophy that things corporal cannot work upon things spiritual, must give place to the power and will of the Almighty; by whose appointment we see in this life nothing more common, than that the soul which is spiritual, suffereth from her body all kinds of pains; and therefore it is as easy for God to make the soul feel fire in the next life without the body, as with the body; whose power if it please you to impugn, you must leave the name of a Christian, and get you some other profession. So then the pains which the damned feel, besides the grief of heaven lost, is FLAMING FIRE intolerably formenting both body and soul; and as 
a De ascensione Christi.  Cyprian observeth; Omni tormento atrocius desperatio condemnatos affliget: Desperation, which shall afflict the condemned worse than all their torments. To these if you subject the Son of God, you know what will follow; from these if you free him, as you needs must, then is the Question at an end: for in every man's sight, Christ did not suffer the pains of hell, nor the torments of the damned, which the scripture maketh to be these, & not those which you can neither express nor prove.  
From slender reasons you come (Sir Refuter) to slenderer authorities; and though you quote but few, and not one of them speaking one word to your purpose, yet before you produce them, you challenge them as unsufficient to testify in this, or any cause against your liking. For where they may not be judges, nor with you so much as witnesses of the Scriptures sense, (you so reject their expositions every where with pride & disdain) yet you in your wisdom take upon you to build upon the words of the holy Ghost, what absurdities and follies you list; and your best reason is, it were fond to think otherwise: but be more sober, if you will be ruled by me; it is the way to hazard your own wits, & not their credits to entertain them in this manner. [They speak not plainly, nor fully you say, because it was never in question in their time.] Touching the redemption of man by the death & blood of Christ jesus, they speak as plainly and fully as it is possible for men to speak; and keep exactly the form of wholesome doctrine delivered in the Scriptures; touching your hell pains they say nothing in deed, because it was never heard of in the Church of Christ in their times; but that Christ died NOT THE DEATH OF THE SOUL; and by the ONLY DEATH OF HIS BODY, and shedding of his blood sufficiently ransomed & redeemed us, this cannot be spoken in plainer and exacter terms, than they have proposed it and proved it. And therefore you and others shall do well not to make all the ancient & learned lights of Christ's Church so ignorant in their creed & Catechism, as not to know, how they were saved by the Cross & death of Christ, before your hellish pains of the damned were of late devised. Your better sifting of this matter, is the open wresting and forcing of the scriptures against their true, proper and perpetual sense, to serve your strange conceits. And as you do with the scriptures, you must be suffered to do with the Fathers which you produce, that is; to put them quite from their own meaning, & frame their words to your fancies, before any man can tell to what end you cite them.  
The first word you quote out of jerom, you falsify by putting maledictum to it, where jerom doth not so, but simply saith, WHAT WE should have suffered for our sins, that he suffered for us. The very next words that are his own, (for he interposeth a place of Scripture, that in his flesh Christ dissolved our enmity with God, and healed us with his stripes) are these. 
a Hierony in Esa. ca 53.  Ex quo perspicuum est, sicut corpus flagellatum & laceratum, ita animam verè doluisse pro nobis. Whereby it is evident, that as his body was whipped and torn, so his soul truly sorrowed for us. Here you must be permitted to add of your own, besides jeroms meaning, that this sorrow was your hellish sorrow, or else I cannot see why you cited jerom, except it were to falsify him. But how, and why Christ sorrowed for us, when jeroms own words were alleged by me, your answer was; this 
b Pag 68  is more fond and absurd than the other. Cyprians words you neither understand, nor like; he saith that Christ 
c Cyprian de passione christi.  taking our person and cause upon him said in our names, that he was forsaken: Quod pro eis voluisti intelligi qui deseri à Deo propter peccata meruerant, quorum reconciliationis causam agebas, which he would have to be understood of us (or for us) who deserved by our sins to be forsaken of God, whose reconciliation he then undertook. So S. Austen expounded those words of Christ, My God, my God why hast thou forsaken me? 
d August. in Psal. 21.  Illa vox membrorum ipsius vox erat, non capitis, that voice was the voice of his members, and not of the head; but you could not endure either Austen or my other father so to say, without controlment. [But Cyprian saith Christ endured like punishment to those that be sinners & accursed.] In part, not in all; otherwise he must have suffered eternal death of body and soul: and therefore expounding himself in the next sentence, he saith, 
e Cyprian. Ibidem.  In tantum infirmis compateris, ut nec crucifigi, nec mori, dum illi vivant & non pereant, nec erubescas nec formides. So far didst thou suffer with the weak, that thou didst neither shame to be crucified, nor fear to die, so they might live and not perish. Ambrose saith; With the sorrow of his soul Christ abolished the sorrow of our souls; Here you must have leave to bring in your hellish sorrows against Ambrose's mind, or else this is but lost labour: the causes of Christ's heaviness and sorrow when I repeated out of this very place of Ambrose, you rejected them as 
f Pag. 67.  fond and false, and now with the bare name of sorrow you think Ambrose dreamt of your hell pains. For shame read out the chapter, and leave these mistake.  
[But 
* In Lucae. ca 23. de commendatione spiritus.  Ambrose saith, the man (in Christ) now ready to die, by the separation of the Divinity, cried, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me.] A man dieth when his soul leaveth his body. Christ therefore ready to die the death of the body, which was left of the deity unto death, by withdrawing itself for a time, uttered these words. Death of the soul, or dereliction unto hell pains, there are none to be found in Ambrose, nor any words sounding that way, unless you pervert them at your pleasure. The words next going before are these: 
g Ambros. ibidem.  Gloriosa Dei professio, usque ad mortem se pro nostris descendisse peccatis, vel evidens manifestatio contestantis Dei secessionem Divinitatis & CORPORIS. It was a glorious profession of God, that he descended even unto death for our sins; or an evident manifestation of God witnessing the departure of his Divinity from HIS BODY, (when it died.) The next words of Ambrose why you allege I do not see, but to make up the number, which is very small, and less forcible. Who doubteth but Christ offered that, which he put on? He put on his body, & his body he offered. S. Paul will tell what Christ offered. 
h Hebre. 10.  We are sanctified by the offering of the body of jesus Christ once made. Your own author Saint Ambrose writing upon these words alleged by Paul, 
i Ambros. in Hebre. ca 10.  thou hast fitted me a body, saith; Hoc ex persona dicitur eius, qui CORPUS SUSCEPIT nostrae mortalitatis, ut pro nobis haberet quod offerret. This is spoken in his person, who put on our MORTAL BODY, that he might have what to offer for us. 
k Ibidem.  una quip oblatio corporis Christi perfectos facit sanctificatos quae remissionem integram facit peccatorum. The one OBLATION OF THE BODY OF CHRIST maketh perfect, such as be sanctified, and giveth full remission of sins. If you think Ambrose mistook the matter; hear Athanasius. 
l Athanas. de incarnatione verbi Dei.  A nobis simili corpore mutuato, eo quod omnes mortis corruptioni obnoxij essemus, pro omnibus IDIPSUM in mortem deditum patri suo SACRIFICAVIT, ut homines à morte ad vitam CORPORE suo, quod proprium sibi fecit, revocaret. IMMOLATIONE enim SVI CORPORIS & legi nobis in festa sinem posuit, & primordium vitae nobis renovauit spe resurrectionis nobis data. The son of God BORROWING FROM US a body LIKE OURS, because we all were subject to the corruption of Death did SACRIFICE THE SAME to his father by yielding it up unto Death, that BY THE BODY which he made his own he might recall men from Death to life. For by the OFFERING OF HIS BODY, he ended the law that oppressed us, and renewed the beginning of life unto us, giving us hope of Resurrection. Cyrill with the whole Synod of Alexandria, which I mentioned before, wrote thus to Nestorius. 
m Epistola Synodi Alexandrinae ad Nestorium.  Christ is made the mediator of God and man, and a reconciler of peace, offering himself to God, & to his father as a sweet smelling sacrifice, for he OFFERED HIS OWN BODY FOR US, to be a sweet savour. But of the true sacrifice for sin, which Christ offered, I have spoken enough before, as well in this conclusion, as in the Treatise. It must have the BODY, the BLOOD, and the DEATH of the offerer: none of which agree to the soul of Christ, though the body without a soul could be no reasonable sacrifice; & therefore I exclude not the soul whose obedience, innocence, & patience concurred to sanctify this sacrifice; but I note the parts of the sacrifice for sin by the Apostles doctrine were those, which I named, the blood and death of the Sacrificer; both which must needs be found in his body and not in his soul.  
From Ambrose you rove to Tertullian, & there you find that which I never doubted of. 
n Tertullian contra Praxeam.  The Son suffered, forsaken of his father. Haec vox est animae & corporis, id est hominis. This was the voice of soul & body, that is of man. Did you think the body could speak without the soul, before you read in Tertullian that this was the voice of both? If you did, you were deeply learned; if you did not, why do you bring it as a matter worth the hearing, that body and soul joined in speaking? But you help it over the stile with a false translation, & where Tertullian saith, this was the voice of soul & flesh, you english it, this is meant of the flesh and of the soul, to wit, as you expound" it, that both soul and body died forsaken of God. Take back, Sir Refuter, your false and unsavoury glozes that corrupt the text, Tertullian never heard, nor thought of the death of Christ's soul, nor of any such forsaking, as you imagine; he expoundeth himself without your additions, in the very same place, plain enough. 
p Tertullian adversus Praxeam in eodem loco.  Denique posuit spiritum, & statim obijt. Spiritu enim manente in carne, caro omnino mori non potest. Ita relinqui a patre fuit mori filio; silius igitur & moritur, & resuscitatur. Dicendo denique Christus mortuus est, id quod unctum est mortuum ostendit, id est, carnem, Christ laid aside his spirit, and PRESENTLY DIED. For his spirit remaining in his flesh, the FLESH by no means could DIE. So to be forsaken of the father, was for the son TO DIE. The son therefore died and was raised again. Then in saying Christ died, (Paul) showed that died which was anointed, even the flesh of Christ. Of the death of Christ's flesh Tertullian speaketh; which he saith, could not possibly be, so long as Christ's soul remained in his body. Christ then died no death of the soul whiles he lived, and breathed on the cross; but the death which he died was the laying aside of his soul, and leaving his body unto death. You end with Cyril that 
q Cyril de reota fide ad Theodosium.  Christ made his flesh a Redemption for our flesh, and his soul a Redemption for our souls. Cyril meaneth nothing less than that, which you would imply, that with the death of either part in himself, Christ redeemed each part in us; But Cyril knowing that Christ in his sufferings on the cross joined both parts together, the one to receive the violence and rage of the wicked, which was his body; & other to feel & endure the smart thereof with all obedience patience, which was his soul; saith truly that Christ joining both soul and body in suffering for us, redeemed both soul and body in saving us; which we acknowledge to be true without exception. For had not the soul of Christ been partner, yea chief patiented in those bodily sufferings of Christ, they could not have profited us; neither do we at any time otherwise speak or think of Christ's sufferings, but that the body was the instrument whereby the soul of Christ did admit and feel all those pains, wrongs, shames, wounds and whatsoever he endured on the cross, or before at their hands, which put him to death. But these pains and sorrows of Christ's soul, you say; MAKE NOT TO OUR REDEMPTION, and unless the soul properly and immediately (not from, or by her body) feel hellish pains and sorrows, such as the damned do, you make no reckoning of all that Christ otherwise suffered. And this is your error which you shroud under the name of a most holy truth, where indeed, if it be urged & followed, as you begin, it will fall out to be a most heinous contemning of all that Christ suffered for us; and a dangerous substituting of other devices, which Christ neither did nor could suffer, as you propose them.  
You end, Sir Refuter, as you began with egregious lies, that 
r Pag. 87.  not the most or the best, BUT ALL AND EVERY ONE, both churches and writers in the world, that are protestants, teach as you do, and that your 
s Pag. 89.  doctrine is public authorized by the laws of this Realm, as appeareth by the book of Homilies, where it is said, that Christ put himself between God's deserved wrath and our sin. But (Sir confuter) if you have this property of Midas that you can turn all Fathers, Churches, writers, and laws with touching them, to be of your opinion, you must have Midas ears too; unless you look better about you. Such an insolent and impudent speech would well become an alehouse, where no man should hear you; but in the face of the world to bray after this sort is tolerable in no man, but in you, that neither know what you say, nor see what you should prove, nor understand what maketh with you or against you. You no sooner read in any man new or old mention of God's wrath, or of death; but you strait fancy that he meaneth your hell pains, & the death of the soul; and so you play with the homilies allowed by the laws of this Realm. Where because you find that Christ interposed himself between the wrath of God & us, to avert it from us, you forthwith resolve, the Homilies teach your doctrine. But awake, Sir Refuter, and you shall see great difference betwixt the doctrine taught in the book of Homilies, and publicly approved by the laws of this Realm, your frenzies; that Christ DIED the DEATH of the SOUL; that the WHOLE CURSE of God was executed on Christ; that he was by our sins defiled, sinful, hateful, & accursed; that all the powers of his soul & senses of his body were overwhelmed, distracted, and all confounded, that he felt the very Devils to be instruments, executing the wrath of God upon him, that the sufferings of Christ's soul, by Sympathy as you call it, (that is from and by the body) make not to our redemption; that Christ's soul died and was crucified, where it is absurd and most false to say Christ was made alive either in his human soul, or by the same; these and an hundred such absurdities and impieties have no allowance in the books of Homilies, nor any thing sounding towards your hellish pains of the damned. The doctrine there taught is sound, true and plain, that we are redeemed by the death and blood of Christ jesus; that such was the just displeasure of God against our sins, that though he were his own son, that undertook the cause for us, the justice of God pursued him with most painful smart and anguish even unto death; and forced the weakness of his human flesh to cry, my God, my God why hast thou forsaken me. But you content not yourself with this; you must have him suffer the very pains of the damned in Hell, or nothing. His bodily death were it never so painful and sharp, you make light account of; 
s Pag. 58  the thieves crucified with Christ suffered, you say, as great bodily violence as he did; yea wicked & ungodly men endure with boldness & great joy far more exquisite & barbarous torments & sharper tortures, as touching the body, than Christ could endure, and therefore in plain words you say, 
t Pag 51  such folly in the son of God, be it far from you once to imagine, as that he should stagger, shrink or fail for any corporal torments whatsoever, forgetting what Ambrose writeth; 
u Ambros in Lucae ca, 22 de Tristitia Christi.  Neque enim habent fortitu linis laudem, qui stuporem magis vulnerum tulerunt, quam dolorem: it can have no praise of fortitude to be desperately confirmed, rather than patiently subjecteth unto pain of torments. And what Austen confesseth, 
x Aug. tractat. in johan. 36.  Nihil erat tunc IN CARNE INTOLERABILIUS, there was nothing more intolerable in the flesh then the cross of Christ▪ as likewise what Bernarde resolveth 
y Bernard. de passione Christi. cap. 5  Nec aliquo modo dubitandum, quin infirmitatem & exterminationem corporis incomparabilem sustinuerit; it must not be doubted, but Christ suffered incomparable weakness and torment of body. For this if you did strive, it were to be tolerated; for that which no father ever testified, nor scripture ever affirmed, when you show yourself so eager; you bewray your humour, you benefit not your cause.  
Thou hast heard christian Reader, what things I have misliked in the first part of this opponents pamphlet; but nothing more than this, that he wasteth so many words, and neither expresseth what he meaneth, nor proveth what he pretendeth. All that he hath said is this in effect; Christ suffered in soul the wrath and curse of God for our sin, or due to sin; but these are so general terms that in part they be true, in part they be false, and therefore he that walketh in these clouds, and descendeth not to particulars, meaneth to hide his head under the Covert of these generalities when need is; and out of these to fashion to himself such assertions as please best his humour. The way to come by a truth, is to specify the parts of God's wrath and curse, which they suppose Christ suffered, and then shall we in few words try whether those sufferings accord with the rules and grounds of the scriptures, or no. And this I foretell, because if he or any other for him be disposed to revive his cause, he must not bring a sack full of words for so weighty matters; but plainly and particularly declaring what he holdeth, and proving what he affirmeth, go directly to the point, and then by God's grace we shall soon try where truth standeth. But if any man will draw the ground of our redemption to general and ambiguous terms, which shall still increase contention to no purpose; I mean not to repel words with words; till they answer these proofs, I will not trouble myself with their empty phrases.  
In the second Question of Christ's descent to hell, I shall not hold thee long (gentle reader) because this babbler forgetting what I said, concerning the proof and purpose of Christ's descent to hell, runneth a new course to Pagans and Poets for help, to expound that article of our Creed; and there presumeth▪ himself to be so strong, that of the rest he doth prate without reason or remembrance. The end of Christ's descent to hell, I noted out of Athanasius, Fulgentius and others, and proved their speech conformable to the Scriptures; the places thou hast in the latter part of the treatise, I mean not to increase this close with needless repetitions. The Confuter, belike distracted and distempered with the cogitation and confusion of his hell pains, utterly mistaketh or forgetteth the whole. He supposeth Christ's descent to hell had none other purpose, but 
z Pag. 64.  to triumph and insult upon the thrice miserable and woeful wretches in their present unspeakable damnation, infinitely confounded already, & inferreth; Sure a very sorry triumph this were for the son of God which even among men were nothing but dishonourable; but if his brains be so brickle, that he can neither conceive, nor carry away what I said; I must not beat it into his head: that I then preached, is here now printed, let him refel it if he can. So when I made the subduing of hell and treading on Satan with all the power of darkness, a chief part of the glory of Chrits resurrection, this scorner in his foolish conceit mocketh at it, and saith 
a Pag. 54.  a worthy privilege surely, and very honourable. All men would think it a greater honour never to have come in hell at all. For his actual triumphing in hell all the world knoweth, 
Pag. 156.  is the most inglorious and vilest debasing. In sadness (Sir refuter) if these be your best exceptions against Christ's triumphing over hell, all the world will know, that you are a worthy man, to wear a wooden dagger. The Apostle made it a part of Christ's high exaltation, 
b Philip. 2.  that every knee, as well of things under the earth, as of things in heaven, should bow unto him, and every tongue confess that jesus Christ is the Lord; and do you think it a meet matter to be mocked and derided? Paul saith; Christ spoiled principalities and powers (of hell & darkness) and made a show of them openly, 
Coloss. 2.  and triumphed over them in his own person, (for so I must read till you show me better authority against it, than I have brought for it;) & yourself both see and sat, that 
c Pag. 156.  whiles Christ suffered and whiles he died, it was a miserable triumph, yea 
d Pag. 159.  a piteous triumph it was indeed, where himself remained in such woeful torments, where appeared no show of conquest, but rather of being conquered; & 
e pag. 156.  still he suffered till he gave up the ghost. What letteth them I pray you, since these words were not verified on the Cross, but they did take place in his resurrection, as I teach; and therein as by the effects it was most evident and apparent to the eyes of all men, he did spoil powers and principalities, & made a show of them openly, and triumphed over them in his own person? Doth the holy ghost attribute this as a great honour to the human nature of Christ, that 
f Ephes. 4.  ascending on high he led captivity captive, and do you make a merriment of it, appealing to the whole world for their censure on your side?  
Your strongest sort is this; 
g Pag. 163  There can be no commodity nor benefit to the godly by it. For what good is there so much as pretended? The general redemption of all Gods elect and chosen people was wrought and fully finished on the Cross, 
h Pag. 164.  what could his going down to hell add more? Is the subduing of hell powers, and the treading on all their force, and the restraining of all their fury, so small a matter with you, that it doth no good to the godly? He hath triumphed and spoiled them to free us from fear; and hath taken the 
i Revel. 1.  keys of death and of hell, into his own hands; to show that all power is given him in heaven, earth, & hell, and that he can restrain and 
k Revel. 20.  bind Satan at his will and pleasure. Is the performance and assurance of these things no commodity nor benefit to the godly? [The redemption of Gods elect, was (you say) fully finished on the Crosse.] Deserved and obtained it was on the Cross, and by the cross, but not there executed. There were our sins pardoned, and ourselves reconciled to God; but as Christ died for our sins, so he rose for our justification. His resurrection in that glorious manner, which I have mentioned in the treatise, & his ascension are necessary parts of our Salvation; and therefore use not the force of Christ's cross to exclude, but to induce the rest. For so doth the Apostle when he saith. 
l Philip. 2.  Christ humbled himself, & became obedient unto the death of the cross. Wherefore (that is even for that his humility & obedience) God hath highly exalted him & given him a name above every name; that at the name of jesus should every knee bow of things in heaven, in earth, & under the earth. So that his descending, rising, and ascending added nothing to the force of his death, but showed the fruit thereof; and tend all to our good, since we are presently secured from the power of hell and Satan, and shall be certainly raised and received to glory. Christ's death without his resurrection and ascension had been our confusion▪ and no redemption; for if sin had slain him without rising, it must needs have damned us without hoping: now in his Resurrection as every Enemy was most mighty, so was there most need he should be subdued. But hereof I have spoken so largely before that I shall not need to rehearse it again; with turning the page it may soon be seen.  
[But 
m Pag 148.  The Scriptures (you tell us,) are clearly against Christ's going to Hell. For this day (said Christ to the thief) thou shalt be with me in Paradise. 
n Page .150.  All this must needs be of his human soul verily without all question. There is none can consider herein his Deity. If any think his soul might go to hell first, and presently go thence to heaven yer night also, that is ridiculous and toyish.] You have so many toys in your head, Sir Refuter, that a coloured cap would well become it: when you come to a non plus in your proofs, than you cry, this is ridiculous and toyifh. Go like yourself, and look to the ridiculous toys that you bring us in every page almost. You would prove, forsooth, that the SCRIPTURES ARE CLEAR against Christ's being in hell at any time between his death, and his Resurrection; & for your warrant you bring his words to the thief on the cross; this day thou shalt be with me in Paradise; and at his death when he said; Father into thy hands I commend my spirit: And when the places conclude no such thing as you would have them, nor any thing near it; than you help it with outcries, and say; 
o Pag. 152.  There is no man of sense considering these circumstances that can judge otherwise. But will your wisdom remember that S. Austen in his 57 Epistle discussing this place of purpose, to day thou shalt be with me in Paradise; saith the word ME may very readily and easily be referred to Christ's Godhead, promising the thief Paradise that present day; and all the childish amplifications that you have brought us to the contrary, are not worth a nutshell to countervail S. Austin's judgement. But grant it were meant of Christ's soul; are you so perfect in the length of the way from hell to Paradise, and the weariness of Christ's soul in going to both, that you be sure he could not do both that day? You think belike Christ would not go thither, but to view the devils one by one, and call their names to see who were absent. You have forgotten that 
p Luke 8  with his presence, or with his word whiles he lived here on earth, he could torment the devils, and therefore if it pleased him but to show himself, who he was, whom they had so despitefully pursued by the hands and tongues of the wicked on the Cross; all hell must not only bend and bow unto him, but fear and fall before him. Again, what could hinder though he did not descend that day which he died, but he might so do the day that he rose; and even when he was to rise to lose all the strength of hell before him, and to let Satan see that his kingdom was overthrown by that death, at which he so much insulted and rejoiced? The time I do not determine, though I think it pertained rather to the glory of his resurrection, than otherwise; as I have in the treatise more at large expressed.  
[Was not his soul, you will ask IN HIS Father's hands, till the time of his Resurrection?] Who doubteth that? As if to subdue hell with the glory of his presence did not prove the hand of GOD to be rather mightily with him, than any way to leave him, and that to be true, which was forespoken by David in his person, 
q Psal. ●6.  Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell? [The hands of God, you think, signify here his joyful presence, and the possession of heaven.] Who told you so? Was David dying when he said; 
r Psal. 31.  Into thine hands I commend my spirit, thou hast redeemed me Lord God of truth? Was Zion not on earth but in heaven, when the Prophet saith of her; 
s isaiah. 6●.  Thou shalt be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal Diadem in the hand of thy God, it shall no more be said to thy land, Desolate, for thy land shall have an husband? Was the king of judah then in heaven, when God said of him, 
t jere. 22.  Though Coniah the son of jehoiakim king of judah were the Signet of my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence? God's hand signifieth his power, and protection; and could there greater favour, power, or protection be showed to the soul of Christ, then for God in raising him from the dead, not only to tread death, but even hell and Satan under his feet? Call you this a most inglorious and vile debasing▪ for the human nature of Christ, to have all power in heaven, and earth, (in which Hell also must be comprised,) to be delivered unto him; and to be made Lord over all, not only men, and Angels, but even enemies and devils? From this honour and power, whereof it is said; 
u 1. Cor. 15.  Thou hast subjecteth all things under his feet; may no creature in heaven, nor in hell be excepted? And therefore if this be a vile debasement, I know not what glory meaneth, The purpose then of Christ's descent to hell, giveth honour to him over all his enemies, and comfort to us against the power and terror of hell, which we see dissolved and spoiled by our head in our names, and for our sakes; for so much as being joined to him as 
x Ephes. 5.  members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones, hell hath now no more right to us then to him; since it is not possible but the head must be where the members are: And Christ himself 
y Mat. 25. Acts 9  hungereth, and thirsteth, and is naked, and sick, imprisoned, and persecuted, in every one of his members, even in the basest and lowest of them; and this no more impeacheth the all sufficient merit of Christ's Cross, than his resurrection from the dead doth the third day after his death, and all things finished on the Cross, needful to be suffered for our redemption; which in your frantic humour you seem to detest as 
a Pag. 156.  BLASPHEMOUS.  
[The proof that he went thither, you will say, is all; if that were once cleared, the rest would soon be accorded.] I may not for your pleasure (Sir Refuter) stand to rip up and repeat the things which were then delivered, and are now published; there you may look; If you like them not, give me some reason besides your own roving conceit, and it shall be soon answered. [It is no where written in the Scriptures you, will say.] Saint 
y Epist. 9●.  Austen judicially and resolutely telleth you, it is written in the Prophet David, and so expounded by Saint Peter; and of that judgement were all the Fathers of Christ's Church without exception. 
z Athanas. in Symbolo.  Athanasius saith it is a part of the Catholic faith, without believing the which we can not be saved. And sure the words be plain enough, if you leave wresting them from their right and true signification to serve your affections. What can be plainer, 
a Psal. 16.  Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, besides the Article of our creed, He descended into hell? Your answer is: 
b Act. 2.  This is evident that the word hell in our vulgar Creed is unfit, corrupt and stark nought. For this I affirm, it is only the Father's abusive speaking, and altering the usual and awncient sense of Hades, that hath bred this error of Christ's descending into hell. Their unapt and perilous translating into Latin, Inferi, and our naughty and corrupt translation in English, hell, hath confirmed the same. 
d Pag. 96.  And note here first it is a thing too rife with the Fathers, yea with some of the ancientest of them to alter and change the authentic use of words, whereby consequently it is easy for errors and gross mistake to creep in. As Chirotonia to signify ordination of Ministers, when it signifieth authentically the people's giving of voices in election: Kleros, to signify only the Clergy, when it signifieth all the flock. Even so truly the Greek fathers use Hades and the Latin Inferi, to signify hell properly and particularly, that is, the place of the damned 
e Pag. 97.  But this is a mere and plain abusion of these words, and specially of our word most in question, that is Hades. They have much altered and changed the authentic and true use thereof. You begin now to show yourself in your right hue. All the Greek and Latin fathers that ever were in the Church of Christ; all the English teachers that have been since this nation received the faith, never understood the signification of the word Hades, till you came of late to bring us news of Socrates fancy, and Cicero's divinity to correct the Creed; Ignatius, Clemens, Origen, Athanasius, Eusebius, Basil, Nazianzene, Epiphanius, chrysostom, Cyril, Eustathius, Theodotete, with a thousand more naturally borne Greeks; and many of them nothing inferior to Plato, or whom you can name, even for their eloquence in the Greek tongue, were they all ignorant of the word Hades, which boys in Grammar school do well understand? Or did they all conspire one after another to falsify the faith? Irenaeus, Tertullian, Cyprian, Lactantius, Jerome, Ambrose, Austen, Hilary, Prudentius, Prosper, Fulgentius, with infinite others great Scholars and pillars in the Church of GOD, had none of them the skill to know what Infernum or Inferi meant, till you sprang up to restore the Latin tongue to his original integrity? Or did they all concur purposely to corrupt the Creed? Which will you take from all these father's religion, or learning? If you leave them so much understanding as the boys have now in Paul's School, they could not mistake either Hades, or Inferi. And therefore you may talk thus long enough before you shall get any sober Reader to believe you. He must be as far infected with this frenzy as you yourself are, before this will any way sink into his head, that none of these understood their own natural language. [But they have mistaken other words, you say, as well as these; namely, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] In deed you, or they have grossly mistaken the one; the other is not, that I know in question, unless you take upon you so great a command in the Church of GOD, that no word may be used by any man without your consent. Doth any Father in expounding the Scriptures, put the Clergy for the people; as if the rest had no part in the Kingdom of Christ? but if they wanted a word to note them, that were called to the public service of Christ's church; and thought best to name them clerici, clerks; what have you to do with it? or what reason to speak against it; so long as the rest of God's people are not thereby deprived of their part in Gods heavenly inheritance? And what if they took this term from the scripture and derived the very word from the Apostles mouths? are you not well occupied to quarrel with them? Peter doth twice use that word for a part, or place in the public ministery and service of the church, with which the people did not meddle. 
a Acts. 1,  judas (saith Peter) was numbered with us, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and had his place in this ministery. So again to Simon Magus; 
b Acts, 8.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Thou hast no part nor lot in this business or function. Where Peter in both places calleth the charge of an Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not that judas, or the rest of the twelve were chosen by lots, but that he had a part with them in that function.  
As for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, I think there be more said, than you will be able to answer; you know where to find it. Can you prove that the Apostles did make elders with the people's voices, which you shall never be able to do, you had some reason to think the word might import some such thing; but where the word in his own nature is but to stretch out the hand, and it is certain by the scriptures the Apostles in ordaining elders did use imposition of hands, which is plainly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; (electing by voices they did not use for aught that can be proved;) what a malapert guest are you to say, It was a rife thing with the fathers, yea with the ancientest of them to alter & change the authentic use of words; because the Athenians in Demosthenes' time had a course in their public assemblies to give their consents to make laws and decrees with holding up their hands, which he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉? But you bite on the bridle I perceive, and so you must, till you learn to be more sober then to condemn so many learned and religious fathers of ignorance and corruption; which in such a companion as you are, might well be believed, in men of their religion and judgement can by no reason be mistrusted ●● is by the way, because you glance at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, though the rein you accuse not me that allege them, but the fathers themselves as corrupters of church discipline, and perverters of their own language; howbeit hades is now in question and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; and therefore say for hades what you can, or rather for yourself; since all wise men will hold you more than rash and presumptuous, if you condemn so many without great cause.  

Pag 97.  [The classical writers, you say, the masters of the Greek tongue do use HADES in proper sense only in general for the STATE OF THE DEAD, the WORLD OF THE DEAD, the WORLD OF SOULS DEPARTED, indifferently, and indefinitely, meaning as well those in eternal joys, as those in pains.] Labour you (Sir Refuter,) to bring into the creed the marrowbones of a Greek phrase, or an article of the christian faith? if you be so idle headed, that you strive to have a new phrase into the Creed, 
1. Corinth. 4  remember the kingdom of God is not in speech but in power. If you intend an article of the faith, pagans and Poets are no such classical masters, to be cited or followed in the mysteries of christian religion. What if it were true, which here as your manner is, you avouch with a brazen face, that Homer, Plato, & Plutarch did so use the word; is it therefore a consequent the scripture must so speak? how many hundred Greek words have with Pagans their general significations, which the holy ghost restraineth to express God's truth, and serve Gods will? The Greek words for Apostle, elder, Bishop, Deacon, Gospel, Scripture, faith, hope, repentance, sin, the law, conscience, concupiscence, and infinite such like, do they not with Pagans import one thing, with Christians an other thing, and that by the warrant of God's word? touching hell itself; with your classical writers, and masters of the Greek tongue, (I mean even Homer, Plato, and Plutarch) are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, taken for good and blessed spirits, yea for Gods, which the scriptures use only for devils? Plutarch's book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; of Socrates' spirit; which thing also Plato mentioneth in his Apology and dialogue De sapientia, meaneth not Socrates' Devil; neither doth Isocrates prescribe unto Demonicus by this rule, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that he should worship the devil, but rather God; and yet by that word the new testament and the Septuagint in the old intent only devils. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the masters of the Greek tongue is but a carper or reprehender, insomuch that most of Plato's scholars were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
Apud Athen.  and yet in the new testament this is the proper name for the devil. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch doth take for the air, and deriveth that word from cold; 
Plutarch. de primo frigido.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Tartarus is so termed from cold, whence hesiod calleth it the airy tartar; and he that shaketh and trembleth for cold, is said tartarizein. Yet your instructor maketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the tail and prison in hell, and saith, S. Peter when he telleth how God condemned the Angels, taketh all the words from Homer and HIS PROSE COMMENTARY. If he mean Eustathius the Christian Bishop, it is a foul oversigat; if he mean any other, he shall do well to prove, and not to presume that Peter read Homer and his prose commentary to express the punishment of Devils. Now if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have other significations and acceptions with the masters (as you make them) of the Greek tongue, & yet in the new testament are wholly & only referred to note hell and the devils thither adjudged; why may not the word HADES in like sort be taken from his profane use among the heathen writers, and be applied by the Evangelists and Apostles to signify hell? yea if the opinion which the pagan Poets, and profane Philosophers held of HADES were false and repugnant to the christian faith, how could the canonical writers of the new testament use the word, and not change the sense? dare you so much as dream, that the holy Ghost would canonize, the Poet's fables and the Philosopher's fancies of the world to come? or if you be so foolish, as to forget the difference between light and darkness, truth & falsehood, will any wise man entertain your poetical furies?  
[The Gentiles, (you will sat,) took HADES for the worlds of the dead, the world of souls departed: generally and indefinitely, were they in hell or in heaven, and this is no error, (you think,) against the faith.] But this is an open falsehood committed against your own classical writers; and if your cunning in the greek Poets be no profounder, the boys in Grammar schools will deride it. I pray you sir by your Greek Poets, Homer, hesiod, and others what is HADES originally, the name of a person, or of a place? I ask you none other question, but that which every child acquainted with your Poets can readily tell, which your masters of the Greek tongue, Plutarch, and Plato confess; which every speech that you, or your Instructor bringeth out of his Poets doth confirm. And here (christian Reader) I must pray thy patience and pardon, if I turn from the scriptures and fathers to the Poets and their fables; I have no desire to it, nor delight in it; but such is the insolence of these men grounded upon ignorance, that it may not be endured, and without some entering into these matters, it will not be displayed. I will say no more than I must needs, and omit what is not material.  
Homer the first and eldest of your classical writers imagineth that the three sons of Saturnus, whom he supposeth to be Gods, divided the government of the whole world between them; jupiter taking the sky and the air; Neptune the water, with her deeps and rivers: and Pluto the heart of the earth with all the dead of what sort soever. This third son of Saturn, and owner of the dead, is he that Homer and all the Poets call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 HADES; his name being diversly declined and inflected to serve their verse, but still the same person. Homer in the 15. of his Iliads maketh Neptune thus to speak. 
Homer Iliad. 15.  We are three brethren, the sons of Saturn by Rhea; jupiter and I, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; the third is HADES the ruler of those that lie (dead) in the earth. The whole was divided into three parts; my lot was to dwell always in the sea, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and HADES lot was to have the dark mist; and to jupiter fell by lot the large heaven with the sky and clouds. This HADES or God of the dead Homer calleth 
b Iliad. 5.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the god under the earth, and giveth him in the same book these properties, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; HADES implacable & fierce; & for that cause of all the gods the most odious to men. hesiod agreeth with Homer, that Rhea companying with Saturn brought him notable children.  

c Hesiod. in Theogonia,  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, even mighty HADES that dwelleth in houses under the earth and hath a cruel and merciless heart. The same Hades he maketh the governor of the dead, as Homer doth.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: 
Ibidem.   
HADES was afraid that is ruler of the dead under the earth. This is that hades which you so much talk of, to whose house your Poets make all the dead just & unjust, good and bad to come; and therefore the most of your authorities out of the Greek Poets and others have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, understanding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to show that the dead go or come to HADES HOUSE or dwelling.  
The rest of your classical writers and masters of the Greek tongue, both Plato and Plutarch allege and approve this fable of Homer. Plato in his dialogue of rhetoric called Gorgias, maketh Socrates thus to say; 
d Plato in Gorgia.  Hear then a very excellent tale which you will think a fable, but I a good lesson. That which I will say, I will speak to you for a truth. As Homer reporteth, jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto divided the government, after they received it of their father. There was a law touching men under Saturnus, and ever was and still is with the gods, that such men as led a just and holy life, when they departed hence should go to the Isles of the blessed, and there live in all happiness without any evil; and they that had been wicked and ungodly should go to the prison of punishment and vengeance which is called Tartarus. The judges of these matters, in Saturn's time, and in the beginning of jupiter's reign were the living of such as yet lived, and gave judgement the same day that each man should die, wherefore their judgement was corrupt. PLUTO then and the Guardians of the blessed islands going to jupiter told him, that there came unto them men to either place unmeet for that condition. To whom jupiter answered, I will see it redressed. The judgements are therefore now amiss, because they that are judged are covered round, for they are judged alive, and so many that have wicked souls are compassed with beauty, nobility, & riches, and many come to the place of judgement, & depose they lived honestly, and so the judges are astonished; as also the judges themselves are clogged, having their souls wrapped with their eyes, and ears, and the rest of their body. First therefore men must be kept from foreseeing the time of their death. Then they must be judged when they are naked from all these things, that is after death, and the judge likewise must be dead also, that he may be free from these lets, and with his soul he must view the soul of every man newly dead, forsaken of all his kind, & stripped of all worldly pomp, that the judgement may be sincere. And I foreseeing this before you, have appointed judges, two of my sons Minos & Rhadamanthus out of Asia, and a third which is Aeacus out of Europe. These when they are dead shall judge in an open mead in the meeting of three ways, whereof two shall lead, one to the Isles of the blessed, another to Tartarus. The souls of Asia shall be judged by Rhadamanthus, & those of Europe by Aeacus, to Minos will I give the prerogative to decide the doubts that shall arise in either place: that the judgement may be very even which shall send souls to their places. This is that which I have heard, & believe to be true, & by their speeches am persuaded there is some such thing. 
e Plutarch. de consolation ad Appollonium ad finem.  Thus far Plutarch citeth out of Plato the judges & places for the dead, & all this within Pluto's kingdom under the earth, which they call HADES: where as well the places, & pleasures for the good, as the prisons & punishments for the bad are in their conceit prepared & sètled. And this if you doubt, read either Ulysses descent to HADES described by Homer in the 11. book of his Odisseas, or Aeneas journey to hell, set forth by Virgil in the sixth book of his Aeneidos, or Dyonisius voyage to see Euripides, expressed by Aristophanes, 
f Aristophanes, in ranis  as also the like adventures of Hercules & Theseus mentioned by Euripides, 
g Euripides in Hercule furente.  & others, & you shall see THE WORLD OF THE DEAD, or THE WORLD OF SOULS, be they good or bad, to be in Pluto's kingdom, which the gréek Poets call HADES: & therefore unless the distemper of your brains make you weary of Christian religion, and incline you to Paganism, I do not see what reason moveth you to bring Homer's HADES to expound the Creed. And were you permitted so to do, what gain you by it? For Homer's HADES is the region under the earth, where the good are kept in pleasant fields, and the wicked in places of punishment, and this is evidently the hell of the Poets and Pagans, to which by your own classical & authentical exposition Christ did descend, if their HADES be received into the creed.  
[But Plato the wise Master taketh it sometime for heaven, as namely in his Phaedone, where speaking in the person of Socrates a little before his death he saith. The soul being an invisible thing goeth hence to another place like to itself, that is, to a noble, pure, and invisible, in HADES; in truth to a good and wise God, whither if God will my soul shall presently go.] Did you not propose Plato to be an expounder of the Creed, and prefer him as a wise master before all the fathers, because you think he fitteth your humour right. I could suffer him to have his praise; but in this case I must say of him as Tertullian doth, 
f Tertul. de anima.  Doleo bona fide Platonem omnium haereticorum condimentorium factum; Illius est enim & in Phaedone, quod animae hinc euntes sint illinc, & inde hinc; I am sorry in good sadness that Plato is become the Apothecary of all heresies. For it is his opinion even in his Thaedone, that souls go hence thither, and thence hither. Your wise Master's report of HADES and PLUTO, was the private opinion of Socrates against the common consent of Homer and all the poets, and against the received persuasion of the people. The conceit itself is full of pride, error, and paganish infidelity, absurdity, and blasphemy. And yet all this being very true, Plato's words import no such thing, as you imagine, that HADES is that heaven where God and his saints remain. And therefore, Sir Confuter, if you be weary as well of the Apostles, as of the fathers, and instead of Christ will have Plato to teach men the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; England (where God be thanked there is a religious, virtuous and wise prince, ruling with christian laws, and a number of learned and grave both Counsellors, Bishops, judges, and others that will endure no such profaneness) is no fit place for you to bring in Plato's heaven. If I prove not these exceptions which I take to your wise masters imagination, let me bear the shame; if I do, look you & your fellows how well you deserve of Christian religion to make the saints to rest, and Christ to reign either in Plato's heaven, or in Homer's hades.  
For the first it is evident; the Poets all with one consent placed HADES BELOW UNDER THE EARTH, and not above in the skies, nor in heaven. Homer and Hesiod you have heard. 
g Aristopha in Ranis.  Aristophanes maketh Dionysius desirous to see Euripides now dead, and therefore sendeth him to Hercules to learn the way, to whom professing that no man shall persuade him not to go to Euripides, Hercules replieth, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; wilt thou go TO HADES BELOW, to see him? where Pluto's kingdom is described answerable to the rest of the Poets. In Euripides the ghost of Polydore beginneth the first tragedy thus. 
h Eurip. in Hecuba.  Here am I come leaving the dens of the dead, and the gates of darkness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, where HADES hath his seat severed from the gods. Pindarus speaking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of the godly that are in HADES, saith, 
i Apud Plutarch de consolation ad Apollonium.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; to them the strength of the son doth lighten the NIGHT that is there BELOW. 
k Euripid: in Hercule furente  Euripides maketh Hercules after the murder of his wife, and children to say, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Dying I will go under the earth whence I came; Now whence Hercules came is expressed before 
l Ibidem.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 returning from the dark chambers of the queen of HADES BELOW. In like sort Sophocles maketh Ajax to say. 
m Sophocles in Aiace flagellifero.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the rest I will speak to the spirits BELOW IN HADES. So Hercules remembering his works, saith, with these arms I drew by force, that inexpugnable Monster 
n Sophocles in Trachin●●s.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the three headed whelp of HADES UNDER EARTH. Simonides showing how many ways men end their lives, some by sickness, some by war, some by sea, saith; such as are tamed or conquered in war 
o Simonides in vitam humanam  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, HADES sendeth under the black earth. 
p Orpheus' de deo.  Orpheus one of the eldest Masters of the Greek tongue without comparison, that lived in the time of the judges of Israel, as Suidas testifieth, and not so far infected with fables, as those Philosophers and Poets that came after him, describing the true God, that, as he saith, Moses wrote of, calleth him, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; the king of the heavens, of the earth, of the sea, AND OF HADES, before whom Devils do tremble, and the whole company of gods (or Angels) do fear. Where in old Greek and good divinity HADES is severed from heaven, sea, and earth, and consequently must be properly HELL. And so if you run over all the Poets, you shall find that with one general consent they placed Hades not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 below, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, under the earth. This was the opinion of the people. 
k Lucianus de luctu  The common people (saith Lucian) persuaded by Homer, Hesiodus, and the rest of the poets, and taking their poems for a law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, believe HADES to be a deep place under the earth; and that Pluto jupiter's brother reigneth over that gulf, the kingdom of the dead falling to him by lot, and he ordering how they shall live there below. The place was so called from the name of the person whom they supposed to be governor of it; otherwise HADES was the proper name of Pluto, as Plato himself confesseth in Cratylo, 
l Plato in Cratylo.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. As for HADES the most part of men seem to me to conceive by the name that which is dark, or which can not be seen, and fearing the name they call him PLUTO. And howsoever Socrates in that place, with a very false and fond reason goeth about to prove, that the name of HADES, as he thinketh was not thence derived but rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, from knowing all good things; which in deed is but a jest, and by no possibility can come within the compass of that word; yet both Plutarch, and the prose commentator upon Homer, neglect this utterly, and uphold that which Socrates refused. 
m Plutarch de primo frigido.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Hades and Acheron (saith Plutarch) have their names from (the air) that is not seen, nor hath any colour. And in his discourse, whether a secret and silent life be best, or no, Plutarch proposeth this etymology as truer & elder than Socrates fancy. 
n Plutarch de occult vivendo  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Men ACCORDING TO THE ANCIENT TRADITIONS OF THEIR FATHERS, thinking the sun to be Apollo, named him Delius, and Pythius. And the RULER of the contrary destiny (to life and light) whether he be a God, or a DEVIL, they termed HADES, being the MASTER of dark night, and dead sleep; for that when we depart hence, we go into an unknown and unseen place. So that Socrates derivation of Hades was both false and new, even as his opinion of HADES to be an eloquent and bountiful God; and his reason is worst of all, that because men return not back again after death, therefore 
o Plato in Cratylo.  HADES doth detain them with eloquent persuasions, and great rewards, which maketh him to be called Pluto. For the scripture assureth us, that men dead can not return again, though they were never so willing; and though God of his goodness bestoweth everlasting bliss on his Saints; yet the rest would feign be rid of their eternal misery, and can not; neither are they held in their state with fair promises, or large benefits, but by the unalterable rigour of God's justice. Eustathius upon Homer's words, that Achilles sent many a worthy soul to HADES, saith; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is a dark place under the earth, not to be seen, appointed for souls, and is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the privative, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to see, and is called also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and by contraction HADES. So when Homer bringeth in Hector's wife complaining of her misery and saying, 

p Iliad. 22  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Thou husband art gone to HADES house under the dens of the earth. Eustathius addeth; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. This is a place under the earth, and so hid from us. Therefore it is called Hades, that is an invisible air, which we can not see. And howsoever Socrates pleased himself in framing this heaven, as you call it, for himself, and a few others (for he admitteth none but Philosophers into it) 
o In dialog. Acaci & Me●nippi.  Lucian in his Dialogues of the dead, bitterly mocketh him, as being in Hell with all the rest; howsoever he dreamt of an heaven for himself after his departure hence.  
How Paganish, and not only ridiculous but blasphemous Plato's heaven is, appeareth by this, that Socrates maketh swans his fellow servants to Phoebus, 
p Plato in Phedone.  & imagineth they sing that day they die, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, FORESEEING THE GOOD THINGS THEY SHALL HAVE IN HADES. And further saith that when they perceive they must die, then chief and most of all they sing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; rejoicing that they SHALL GO TO GOD whose servants they are. And those words which Socrates spoke of Swans, foreseeing THE GOOD THINGS IN HADES, 
Pag. 9●.  you, Sir Confuter, in the abundance of your wit, note to prove HADES to be heaven. And to this heaven though Socrates admit Swans, yet he accepteth no men, but such as have been Philosophers, & those of the purest sort. As for such as use popular and civil virtues, as justice and temperance, gotten by care and continuance without Philosophy, his words are expressly these; 
q Plato in Phaedone.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. It is fit that such (souls) should return again into some such political and tame kind either of BEES, WASPS, or EMMETS, & after that into men again. But into the kindred of the Gods it is not lawful for any to come that hath not been a Philosopher, and very pure at his departing hence. Others that were slothful and filled their bellies, he saith must be turned into Asses, and such other beasts; and oppressors and wrong doers into Wolves, Kites and Hawks. Of these his plain resolution is 
r Ibidem.  that such souls wander, until by the earnest love of their bodily nature, which followeth them, they PUT ON BODIES again. And such bodies (of birds and beasts) they put on as resemble the manners of their former life. Here is a goodly world of souls to be brought out of Plato into the creed; and Socrates heaven, why you should fancy, I cannot guess, except it be, that none but very pure and precise persons shall come thither, to whom you would feign be the ringleader. But this is not all. In making HADES AND PLUTO, by which the Poets mean the devil, to be a wise and bountiful God, hath not your wise Master fitted his new heaven with an excellent head? Plutarch moveth the doubt whether HADES be a God or a DEVIL, that hath power over darkness and death: Homer & hesiod affirm, he dwelleth under the earth, and is implacable, cruel, and hated of men. Porphyry, no mean follower of Plato, concludeth PLUTO (which is all one with HADES as 
* In Cratylo.  Plato confesseth) to be the chief of all wicked spirits. Porphyries words are, 
s Citatur ab Eusebio de preparat. evangelica lib. 4. cap. 12.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. We do not without cause conjecture that all wicked spirits are under Serapis; being led so to think not only by his ceremonies, but because offerings to pacify, and sacrifices averting rage are done to PLUTO, as we have showed in our first book. Now Serapis is all one god with Pluto, and therefore he is the greatest prince of Devils, and one that giveth charms to drive away spirits. Lo, here is Socrates wise and bountiful god, HADES AND PLUTO, concluded by a great Platonic, to be the chief devil; whose judgement Eusebius followeth. And in deed considering his place where he dwelleth, his rage that he useth against men, for which he is so feared and hated of them, and his sacrifices in which he delighteth, as also his power over death and darkness, it is a clear case that Plato's HADES OR PLUTO is the great devil in hell; whose crafts and sleights, because he knew not as a Pagan, he hath promoted him to be a wise and liberal god; and you have learnedly cited this wise devise to make him ruler of your heaven, whither you send Christ and his Saints to live there for ever.  
Now were it granted unto you, that Pluto and HADES (which by the description of all your classical Poets is in deed the devil) were one of Plato's gods; are you so little acquainted either with Plato or with Paganism, that you presently conclude he is the true God of Heaven? Or that this invisible place must needs be the kingdom of God? Look but in the latter end of this book, which you allege for this very purpose: and there you shall see what pretty fancies Socrates hath of another invisible earth far above this, and waters likewise, and trees, and flowers, and fruits, and beasts, and men that live longer than we do here below, and without sickness; where also there are temples & woods, in which the gods dwell familiarly; 
t Plato in Phaedone circa finem.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, That to see that earth is the sight of the blessed. But what be these wicked fancies either to the creed or to Christian Religion? Seeing therefore your Greek Poets with one consent make HADES to be a god below under the earth; and put under his power as well the Elysian fields and seats for the just souls, as the prisons and dungeons for the unjust; and this fantastical conceit of Socrates touching a special place for himself and such Philosophers as he was, together with Swans, beasts, trees, flowers, fruits, as it was singular and secret to himself, so it was most absurd and wicked; you may by no means bring your Classical writers that were Pagans to expound the creed; much less must you bind the holy Ghost in the new Testament, to use the word HADES, as the infidels did; since the holy Ghost only knoweth and speaketh truth; and their imaginations of the dead, or as you speak of the world of souls, was not only false and foolish, but impious and blasphemous. And yet if you do admit them to be interpreters of the creed; which I utterly refuse for the causes I have told you; they make directly against you. For HADES with them was the Ruler or place of souls that were beneath under the earth, were they in rest or in pain; and that Christian Religion will assure you must needs be hell, howsoever to bear out your broken matter you begin half to doubt where hell is.  
[The authentic authors of the Greek tongue used hades for the place of the blessed souls (you say) and not properly for hell. So Leonidas cheered up his men not to fear such a blessed death; to sup in hell had been a cold comfort unto them.] You read nothing yourself belike, that you hit nothing right. In Plutarch whom you allege, this is no comfort given by Leonidas; but he seeing the Persians now in sight, as his men were dining; and in number so infinite above his, who were but an handful, willeth them to make short, and saith; So dine, as men that must sup in HADES; that is, care not for meat since death is so near; but prepare to fight for your Country. It showeth a resolution to die, but no consolation after death more than they knew before; which was, that in HADES were places as well for the good to rest, as for the bad to be punished; but both were below under earth, and in Pluto's kingdom, as the Gentiles supposed. Neither did Homer mean to make a new heaven, for such as Achilles slew, but to send them to the place where he thought all souls did abide; and therefore he put Achilles' soul in Pluto's region under the earth, as well as the rest of the Grecians and Troyans', that died in that Battle. And because your Proctor will needs have the words that Achilles' spirit spoke to Ulysses at his descent to hell, to be a dictionary for hades, what place it is, against which if the Creed had gone, it had been a scoff to all helas, and had hindered all the proceeding of the Gospel: Let us see whether his own dictionary will not return all his allegations upon his own head. If HADES in the creed must be the same place, where Achilles' spirit was, whither Ulysses descended, and where he saw and spoke with so many Ghosts, then apparently HADES must be the Poet's HELL. At Ulysses entrance Homer telling how the souls came about him saith, 

a Odiss. 11.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉:  The souls flocked together out of Erebus; now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the very place where the Poet's place Cerberus, and whence the same Poet saith, Hercules' 

b Iliad. 8.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉:  Was sent to fetch from Erebus the dog of HATEFUL HADES. Again Ulysses mother ask him how he came to that place, saith 

c Odiss. 11.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,  My son how camest thou under this dark mist? Of Ajax Ghost, who would not for anger speak to Ulysses, Homer saith, 

d Ibid.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉:  He went away to other souls in Erebus. There Ulysses saith he saw Sisyphus' 

e Ibid.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,  Suffering grievous torments, as also Titius and Tantalus to endure the like. There he saw 
f Ibid.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉:  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Hercules' strength a Ghost: for he himself was in joy with the immortal Gods. There Achilles spirit took so small comfort, that when Ulysses said, 
g Odiss 11.  There is none happier than thou Achilles; before, whiles thou livedst, we honoured thee as a God, and now art thou a great commander among the Dead; be not therefore so fadde; he replied, Praise not death to me Ulysses, I had rather serve any poor man (on earth) as his drudge, though he were scant able to live, then to reign here over all the dead. If the place be dark and deep 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: If Cerberus be there which the 
* Hesiod. in theogonia.  Poets make the very keeper of hell; if there be grievous and cruel punishments for such as deserve them, 
* Virgil. li 6.  if the best have there so little joy of the place, as Homer maketh Achilles' ghost here to confess, what place can this be but that hell, which all the Poets acknowledge; though in some part thereof there he worse punishments then in other?  
[This is not that Tartarus, you will say, which the Poets make the jail and Prison for the wicked.] What is that to the purpose, if some punishments in hell be worse than other? Look to those whom the Poet's place without the dungeon, and see whether they be in heaven or no? And because you and your friends talk so much of the world of Souls, and of heaven to be found in HADES, and INFERI; and yourself bring Virgil as one of your Classical authors to prove this matter, 
h Pag. 67.  Who though he were a Poet, and feigned many things, yet he spoke (you say) familiarly, and after the vulgar use, and for the substance of the matter uttered touching heaven and hell, the opinion of the world then: I must pray the Readers leave and patience, whiles I follow you in your own fantastical devise, though against mine own liking, to let the simple see what your world of souls, and your heaven is, even in those very writers, which you produce for this purpose; and whether they be fit things to be Precedents for the creed or no. In Pluto's kingdom under earth, whether Aeneas went to see his Father Anchises, 
i Aeneidos' 6.  Virgil your authentic author maketh besides Tartarus, 
k Pag. 101.  and your goodly Elysian fields the eternal habitation (as you call it) of the blessed, many lodgings. As first for 
l Aeneidos' 6.  sickness, care, weeping, poverty, labour, wars, discord, dreams, and death, besides for Centaurs, Briareus, Hydra, Chimaera, Gorgon, Harpies, and Geryon, and sundry other monsters. There wander the Ghosts whose bodies are not buried a hundred year before they can get over the foul and filthy river of Styx. The other side of Styx, is kept by Cerberus the Dog with three heads; where first are placed the souls of infants weeping and crying; then such as were unjustly condemned to death, next, such as being weary of their lives killed themselves, now willing to suffer poverty, or any pain on earth, so they might return to life again. In the fourth place are Lugentes Campi, the woeful fields of such as died for love; in the fift, Warriors and such as pursued each other with the sword, where Aeneas saw all the Grecians and Troyans' that died at the siege of Troy. Of all these places, where yet are no punishments, the Poet maketh Deiphobus to say to Aeneas, what cause driveth thee, 
Vt tristes sine fool domos, loca turbida adires,  To come to the woeful houses without sun, and loathsome placest? Then leadeth the left hand to Tartarus, which these men so much harp at, compassed with fiery Phlegeton, and there are the punishments of the wicked; then Pluto's palace, and on the right hand, Amaena vireta fortunatorum nemorum sedésque beatae, The sweet springs of the fortunate woods, and the blessed seats. Here is the heaven which this confuter allegeth out of Virgil, and here Aeneas found his father Anchises, in a green vale, viewing the souls that drank of the water of oblivion, and were to take new bodies on earth again. His words are, 

* Aeneidos' 6.  Animae quibus altera fato,  
Corpora debentur, Lethei ad fluminis undam  
Securos latices & long a oblivia potant.  The souls who by destiny are to take bodies the second time, do here at the River of Lethe drink the waters of utter forgetfulness, no way remembering whatsoever they saw or knew, either whiles they first lived, or during the time of their abode under earth. And because it seemed strange to Aeneas, that souls should come to take other bodies, though this be right Plato's fancy in his Phaedone, Anchises telleth his son the secrets of Plato's Purgatory, heaven, and resurrection, as Virgil conceived them, who was a great Platonist. When men die (saith he) all the infections of their bodies cannot presently be taken from their souls. 
Aeneidos ●.   
Ergo exercentur poenis, veterúmque malorum supplicia expendunt, Therefore the souls (of such as are curable, for the desperate and insanable, are cast into Tartarus, and never come thence by Plato's own words) are purged with pains▪ and abide the punishment of their former infection, some are hanged up to the wind, some are plunged under water, some are cleansed by fire: 
Quisque suos patimur manes, 
Aeneidos' 6:  exinde per amplum  
Mittimur Elysium, & pauci laeta aruatenemus,  
Donec longa dies perfecto temporis orb  
Concretam exemit labem, purúmque reliquit,  
Aethereum sensum, atque auraï simplicis ignem,  
Has omnes ubi mill rotam voluêre per annos,  
Letheum ad flwium Deus evocat agmine longo,  
Scilicet immemores supera ut convexa revisant,  
Rursus & incipiant in corpora velle reverti.  We every one of us suffer our cleansing, and after that we are sent out into the large Elysian fields, where but a few of us inhabit these pleasant places, until long time hath taken away the bodily infection, and leaveth the ethereal sense pure, and the vigour of the fiery and simple air. Then after a thousand years God calleth all these souls (thus purged and placed in the fortunate seats) to the flood of Lethe, that they may go to the earth again, with utter forgetfulness of all things, and begin to desire to return to new bodies. To these Elysian fields when Aeneas should come, the Poet maketh Sibylla say, 

Aeneidos' 16.  Ad genitorem imas Erebi descendit ad umbras;  Aeneas descendeth to his father, even to the souls below in Erebus: And that Erebus is one of the infernal Gods, as the Poets call them, can be no question. For when Dido minding to kill herself prepared Sacra iovi stygio, Sacrifices to the infernal jupiter, the Poet maketh her Priest to invocate, 
Aeneidos' 4.  Tercentum tonat ore deos Erebúmque Chaósque, Three hundred gods, and Erebus and Chaos.  
This is the world of Souls that Virgil delivered in his time; which he collected out of Plato; this is the heaven, that is contained in HADES and INFERI. judge thou Christian Reader, whether this be not the high way to Paganism, to tell us that this is the heaven, where the Saints of God are in rest, and whether Christ ascended. For my part, but that I think this confuter talketh of that he knoweth not, I must have proclaimed him for a Pagan; and therefore after he seeth it, if he persist to say that heaven is either Homer's HADES, or Virgil's INFERI, I may not spare to discharge the duty of a Christian man, to let the whole realm understand, that this is open infidelity, cloaked under the name of Purity. Plato's world of Souls where it altereth from this, is rather worse than better. For he saith, the souls of evil men are clogged with their bodily uncleaneness, and wander, 
n Plato in Phaedone.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, about tombs and graves, as it is said, and then put on the bodies of beasts, birds, or worms. And you, Sir Confuter, lighting on the first part of those words, openly falsify them, and lewdly misapply them. For in steed of (as it is said) you translate, (
Pag. 9●.  as it is commonly said) and by that word" COMMONLY of your own adding, and referred to the former words, where there is a manifest distinction or pause betwixt them, you bid the reader note that HADES is commonly called heaven. For thus you writ: Again, Plato saith of heaven, that it is an unseen estate, even HADES, as it is commonly called, which you will by the side to be noted; where Plato in that place speaketh not one word of heaven. But such is the misery of your cause, you must bely your authors, or else you will lack proofs for your humours. And touching the souls of all men that are borne, Plato holdeth their souls had bodies before, and stay in HADES, until the time come that they must have bodies again, and therefore all our knowledge here is but the remembering of that we knew before, when our souls were in other bodies; which is the opinion that Tertullian chargeth him with: His own words are, 
p Plato in Phaedone.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. There is an ancient assertion which we remember, that souls departing hence are there, and come hither again, and are new borne from the dead. And lest you should think he did not consent to it; he saith somewhat after, 
q Ibid.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. We are not deceived confessing all this; but there is in very truth a returning of souls to live again on earth; and of the dead spring the living. Consult you and your Instructor whether you will bring this HADES or world of souls into the creed; or whether the thief from the Cross ascended to this heaven, together with the soul of our Saviour. But if these be intolerable and abominable heresies to have souls pass from body to body; and Plato's HADES be nothing else but a continual chopping and changing of souls from life to death, and from death to life again, hale back your HADES from the creed, howsoever your helas will take pepper in the nose to see her follies refused.  
Cicero is your last authentic writer that you bring to prove Inferi to be heaven, out of whom you note three things. 
r Pag. 107.  First, that he utterly misliked the opinion of the old Latins, that thought the world of the dead was under the earth, and therefore gave this term INFERI, to signify the same: this he openly misliketh, that the damned souls were beneath in the earth, or at least in such kind of torments as many did imagine. How much more did he condemn them, that thought all the deceased souls were beneath, under, or in the earth? The blessed he thought rather, as Plato did, to ascend up to heaven. 
s Pag. 108.  Secondly, you note, That although he rejected the opinion of the former Latins, yet he retained the Latin phrase, as being now common and familiar everywhere; which rose of old from that opinion, thinking all the dead after this life to be infra, beneath. He had learned to think wiselier, but yet he spoke so, as the vulgar phrase had prevailed, according to Aristotle's rule; we must think as the wise do, but speak as the people do. Thirdly, Tully saith of this opinion followed great errors. If a man would hire you to speak against yourself, you cannot do it in plainer manner than here you do. You confess that Cicero was the first (for before him you bring none) that misliked the opinion of the old Latins (whose seat and tongue in Italy was then 1200. years old) that the world of the dead was under the earth, and to signify so much, they used the word Inferi; which had continued in the mouths of all men learned and unlearned, till Cicero's time, to express the state of the dead. Secondly, you say the phrase was so common and familiar every where for the world of the dead, that Cicero himself, though he thought otherwise durst not departed from the vulgar phrase which had so generally prevailed. Then by your own confession we have thus much, that Inferi for twelve hundred years in the mouths of all men ignorant, and learned among the Latins and Romans did signify the state of such souls as were under the earth. Now let Cicero say what he can to the contrary; his authority is no way so great that it should overwaigh so long and settled a consent. Great errors followed hereof Tully saith. And you affirm the like, but not so great as Tully himself maintained in rejecting that opinion. For he in some pride of his tongue and conceit of his wit brought▪ heaven and hell to be utterly nothing.  
That the old Latins thought all men after death to go under the earth I see no proof; I find rather the contrary confessed by your own author. He allegeth out of Ennius, 
t Tuscula. quaest li. 1.  Romulus in caelo cum dijs agit aewm, ut fama assentiens dixit Ennius. Romulus leadeth his life in heaven with the Gods, as Ennius approving the fame writeth. And again; Abijt ad Deos Hercules. Vetera iam ista, & religione omnium consecrata. Hercules is gone to the Gods. These things are ancient and sealed with the religious consent of all men. So that Cicero's words which you allege, cannot import that they thought so of all men, for than they must so have thought of Romulus and Hercules, which Cicero confesseth all men acknowledge to be in heaven; but they supposed so of most men; which amongst Pagans, as they were, was no such great error, as you would make it, nor any way so great as that which Cicero laboured to establish in place thereof. For he through the insolency of his opinion of himself, or inconstancy of his disposition, or both, would sometimes have an Inferi, or hell below; and sometimes he would have none. Examples whereof are evident in his writings. In his spleen against Antony, he saith; 
u Philippica. 14  Illi igitur impij, quos occidistis, distis etiam ad Inferos poenas parricidij luent: vos autom qui extremum spiritum in victoria effudistis, piorum estis locum et sedem consecuti. Those wicked, whom ye slew, shall IN HELL suffer the punishment of their parricide: you that lost your lives in obtaining the victory have obtained the place and seat of the blessed. In his bravery defending Cluentius, he cast it all off as a foolish fable. 
x Pro Cluentio.  Quid tandem illi mali mors attulit? nisi forte ineptijs ac fabulis ducimur, ut existimemus illum apud Inferos impiorum supplicia perferre, et actum esse praecipitem in sceleratorum sedem atque regionem: quae si falsa sunt, id quod omnes intelligunt, quid ei tandem aliud mors eripuit praeter doloris sensum? What harm could (Cluentius) do unto (Oppianicus condemned and banished for his lewdness) by killing him? unless we believe toys and fables to think he endured the punishment of the wicked in hell, and that he was cast headlong into the region and prison of the ungodly? which (conceits) if they be false, as all men may easily understand, what hurt could death do him, but take from him all sense of grief? To make a reason for his Client, that by killing his adversary, afflicted with penury and misery, he should rather do him a good turn, than a spite, he utterly rejecteth, as a fable, that the wicked have any punishments after this life; which in the former place against Antonius' soldiers he urged as vehemently for a truth.  
And though in this place he tax, as you say, the ignorance of the old Latins, yet in an other place, he commendeth their wisdom, for the self same position. 
y Oratio in Caulin 4.  Itaque ut aliqua in vita formido improbis esset posita, apud Inferos eiusmodi quaedam illi Antiqui supplicia impijs constituta esse volueruni, quod videlicet intelligebant his remetis non esse mortem ipsam pertime scendam. Therefore to terrify the wicked in this life, THOSE ANCIENT Fathers held there were some such punishments appointed IN HELL for the wicked, because they saw without them death was no way to be feared. And, Sir Refuter, are you a Christian, that think it worth the noting out of a profane Orator, that it is a foolish fable to think, the wicked are punished after this life in hell? Uphold you the proud and lewd conceit of a Pagan against the settled and revealed judgements of God by his word? dare you add of your own head (for your author hath no such word) 
z Pag. 106.  that the ignorance OF THE TRUTH began this opinion, that Inferiwere under the earth, and the terrors of hell also? I see your devise; you would have hell euerie where; and TORMENTS OF HELL you would have none, but such as Christ by your assertion suffered in his soul here on earth; and because you want good authority to countenance this matter, you read us a Lecture out of Cicero, that he thought so before you, and that he is a very authentic and Classical writer. But keep this lesson till you get none but Atheists and Infidels to be your hearers; they will thank you for it; Christian cares do abhor it; and will detest your profanes as much as they do Cicero's. For if there be no punishment in hell, sure there is no hell, and he that decreaseth the terror, decreaseth the truth of it: therefore the old Latins did not err. But your New Orator thinketh he may build and overturn hell and heaven at his pleasure.  
As he dealeth with hell, so doth he with heaven; sometimes he will have one, and sometimes he cannot tell whether there be any such habitation for souls or no. And the heaven which he would have, is a Mansion of his own making. Such authors you bring us to expound the Creed, and to outface all the Fathers, that they themselves cannot tell what they say. Where he purposely disputeth of the seat and sanctuary for the soul after death, he concludeth the whole discourse, as doubtfully as he began. 
a Tuscula. quaest. lib. 1. ad sinem.  Si supremus ille dies non extinctionem, sed commutationem affert loci, quid optabilius? sin autem perimit ac delet omninò; quid melius quàm in medijs vitae laboribus obdormiscere, et ita conniuc●tē somno sepeliri sempiterno? If the day of our death bring not a perishing but changing of places, what can be more to be wished for? But if it utterly quench and extinguish (body and soul) what can be more acceptable amidst the troubles of this life, then as it were winking to slumber, and shutting our eyes to fall into an everlasting sleep? 
Ibidem.  Habes somnum imaginem mortis, eamque, quotidie induis, & dubitas quin sensus in morte nullus sit, quum in eius simulachro videas esse nullum sensum? Thou hast sleep which thou daily triest, for an image of death; and doubtest thou but there is no sense in death, when thou findest no sense in sleep, which is the pattern of death? Now on the other side for Cicero's heaven, which you will needs bring into the Creed under the name of Inferi, he maketh it no reward of virtue, nor gift of grace to be bestowed where it pleaseth God; but he affirmeth there is a fiery air above, of which souls are made; and therefore as soon as the soul is loosed from the body, it flieth upward as fire doth, by a natural motion, unto the place, which is like to itself, and there stayeth, and is nourished with the self same things, with which the stars are nourished.  

Ibidem.  Quae quum constent, perspicuum debet esse, animos quum é corpore excesserint, sive illi sint spirabiles, sive ignei, sublime ferri: accedit ut eo facilius animus evadat ex hoc aere, quem saepe iam crassum appello, eumque perrumpat, quod nihil est animo velocius. Qui si permanet incorruptus, suique similis, necesse est ita feratur, ut penetret & dividat omne coelum hoc, in quo nubes, imbres, ventique coguntur. Quam regionem quum superauit animus, naturamque sui similem contigit, & agnovit, vinctus ex anima tenui, & ex ardore solis temperato ignibus insistit, et finem altius se efferendi facit. Quum enim sui similem & levitatem & calorem adeptus est, tanquam paribus examinatis ponderibus, nullam in partem movetur. Eáque ei demum naturalis est sedes, quum ad sui similem penetravit, in quo, nulla re egens, alitur & sustentatur, ijsdem rebus quibus astra sustentantur & aluntur. It is long and tedious (good reader) to be troubled with these profane follies; but because the confuter laboureth so much to have Cicero's world of souls and his heaven into the Creed, and in respect of him disgraceth all other writers as ignorant of the latin tongue, these words will plainly show thee, what an audacious, irreligious, and heathenish attempt that is; and how absurdly and lewdly he saith, Cicero had learned to think wiselyer than they, that said hell was below in the earth. For they delivered a truth, and this of Cicero's is a false, foolish and wicked fancy. The English of his words is in effect this. These things being certain, it ought to be a clear case, that our souls when they leave the body, whether they be of an airy or fiery nature, do move upward. A good help for the soul with more ease to pass and break through this gross air here below is this, that nothing is swifter than the soul. Which remaining uncorrupt, and always like itself, OF NECESSITY MU ASCEND, and pierce, and divide all THIS HEAVEN (or air) in which the clouds, winds, and rain engender. Which region when the soul hath once passed, and touched, and perceived a nature like to itself, mixed of a subtle air, and the temperate heat of the sun; in that fiery region, IT STAYETH, and maketh an end OF ASCENDING ANY HIGHER. For when it hath gotten like both heat and pureness (of the air) balanced as it were with equal weights, it moveth no way. AND THIS IS THE NATURAL SEAT OF THE SOUL, when it cometh to a like air to itself; in which needing nothing, IT IS NOURISHED and fed with THE self-same THINGS, WITH WHICH THE STARS ARE NOURISHED and sustained. Cicero's heaven is nothing but an heap of heathenish impieties. The first, that the substance of the soul consisteth of fire or air; the second, that of necessity it ascendeth upward as fire doth. The third, that when it cometh to a pure air and temperate heat of the sun, it stayeth there, and ascendeth no higher. The fourth, that this is the natural seat for the soul, and thence it moveth no way. The fift, that it is there nourished and sustained with the self same things, with which the stars are. The consequents to this heaven are most horrible. First that all souls by necessity of their nature being in this place, there are consequently none in HELL, nor none in heaven, and so both those places are utterly emptied by your eloquent Master. Next that, when the stars & skies shall be melted and dissolved with fire, then must the souls of all men be likewise dissolved, consisting of the same matter, which they do, and so utterly extinguish. Lastly, God's promises, and threats are all frustrate, if he can do his enemies no more hurt, nor his servants more good, than this heaven affordeth. And therefore if you bring the world of souls, or this heaven into the creed, I must refuse the Article for open and evident points of Infidelity, which I suppose, the Apostles, nor Apostolic men never meant, when they made the creed.  
Yet this place such as it is, Cicero, you say, called it Inferi. Sir if you leave lying, you must leave writing. For you can scant write a true word. Cicero doth nowhere call this place Inferi; but howsoever he had his private conceits as a Philosopher, yet when he spoke before the senate, or the people, he was forced to yield to such opinions, and to use such words as were commonly received with all men, and that is the direction which Aristotle giveth by the rule which you allege, that though we must learn to think as wise men do; yet we must be content to speak as the people do, not that by so speaking we must alter the nature and propriety of the words, which we use; but minding to advise or persuade the multitude, we must condescend as well to their vulgar phrases, as to their general and received opinions. And therefore as the people thought all men dying to descend under the earth to Inferi, so Cicero speaking in open place useth this same phrase, whatsoever he privately thought of the place where the dead were.  
From Pagans (Sir Refuter) you return to Christians, & whom before you accused for altering & changing the authentic use of words, you now allege as observing the true propriety of the same word, for which you did challenge them before. 
b Pag. 101.  Hereunto let us add (say you) that the latter learned writers even Christians have also espied and granted this propriety of the latin word Infernum or Inferi, as also of the Greek HADES. jerom saith, 
in Ose: ca 13.  Infernus is a place where the souls are included either in rest or in pains. The farther you go, the more you show, you understand neither Pagans nor Christians. The fault you found with the latin Fathers was, that they 
c Pag. 96.  use the word Inferi to signify hell properly and particularly, that is the place of the Damned: or else an other particular place under the earth a part of hell and not far from hell itself, where souls remained if not in pains, yet in prison, & far from the place of eternal blessedness & joy but this you affirm is a mere and plain abusion of the word. And within two leaves, when jerom saith the very same thing, which you misliked before, and called a mere and plain abusion of the word; you confess he espied the true propriety of the word Infernus. This is banding" of Balls in a tennis Court, and not any searching after a truth in the church of God. But when your learning reacheth no further, you must needs breathe out your ignorance, or bridle your tongue, which hath run so long on a voluntary, that you cannot tell when you be out, nor when you be in. jerom indeed was of opinion that before Christ's death the souls of all, as well good as bad, were shut up in a place within the earth; the good in rest and expectance of Christ's coming thither, by him to be delivered; the bad in pains and torments. This place common to both sorts, but which different effects, jerom calleth Infernus, which in our English tongue is hell. Of this place he saith. 
d in Ose. ca: 13  Infernus locus est in quo animaerecluduntur sive in refrigerio sive in poenis. Hell is a place in which souls are included, either in rest or in pain. Here you say jerom espied the propriety of the latin word Infernum or Inferi. Be it so since you will needs have it so. But Infernum in this place doth no way signify the kingdom of heaven; Ergo the true propriety of the word Infernum doth not signify the kingdom of heaven. The Mayor is your own. The Minor by God's grace I will prove even out of jerom. Mark well his words.  

Hiero. in epitaph Nepot. ad Heliodorum.  Quid simile Infernus & regna caelorum? What likeness have Infernus and the kingdom of heaven? you say Infernus is taken by Jerome for the kingdom of heaven; Jerome himself telleth you the one hath no likeness to the other. Are you not caught like a long beaked thing in your own grin? and because you shall perceive it is not a trick, but a truth that I press you with out of jerom, that INFERNUS by no means is the kingdom of God, and consequently must be properly hell, (except you will build new receptacles for souls after Christ's ascension where they may be, neither in hell nor in heaven,) you shall have more out of jerom touching the true proprieties of these words. 
e In Amos. ca 9  CERNE PROPRIETATES; AD INFERNUM DESCENDITUR, AD COELUM CONSCENDITUR. MARK THE PROPRIETIES (of these two words:) TO HELL MEN DESCEND, TO HEAVEN MEN ASCEND. And again, 
f In Ecclesiast. cap. 9  Nota ante adventum Christi, quamuis sanctos, omnes Inferni lege detentos. Porro quod sancti post resurrectionem domini nequaquam teneantur inferno testatur Apostolus dicens; melius est dissolui & esse cum Christo; Qut autem cum christo est, utique non tenetur in Inferno. Note that before Christ's coming all, even the saints themselves, were detained under the law of hell: but that after the resurrection of our Saviour they are not held in hell, the Apostle witnesseth when he saith; It is better to be dissolved and to be with Christ. And he that is with Christ certainly is not detained in hell. There is no shifting from the force of these words. Afore Christ's coming the saints were in Inferno, after his ascension they were not. For he that is with Christ is not in Inferno. Say if you dare that Infernus here is the kingdom of God. For then these absurdities will pursue you: That after Christ's ascension the saints are not in the kingdom of heaven, and he that is with Christ is not in the kingdom of Christ: wherefore maugre your beard, if you have any, Infernus with jerom is truly and properly hell, and in no wise the kingdom of heaven, as you imagine. Thus thrive you by your own authors, whom you produce to make the world believe that formerly HADES & INFERI did signify heaven: such heavens if you be wise, keep yourself from, neither profess to expound the creed by the Classical masters of the Greek tongue, being Poets & Pagans. What is to be thought of that opinion of the Fathers that the saints before Christ's coming were in Inferno, in hell, but free from fear or torment, though in some darkness, as also whence they took the ground of that assertion, I have showed in the end of the 
Vide pag. 189 et sequent.  treatise before as much as needed to this question; there with ease it may be perused,  
[They mistook, you will say, the word Infernum in the old testament, and thence grew their opinion, that the patriarchs and prophets before Christ's coming went to hell; but the scriptures had no such meaning; for neither the word Sheol with the Hebrues, nor the word Hades with the Septuagint had any such sense, to signify hell. And this a notable argument, that Hades signifieth the world of souls, or general state of the dead, were they in hell or in heaven.] We are all this while out of our proper element to sift heathen philosophers & Poets for the meaning of the creed, & a little smattering in the Greek tongue made the Refuter so arrogant, that he bid defiance to all the fathers both Greek and Latin, as unable to understand one poor word in the creed, which the church of Christ proposed to every child to learn, and to every catechist to know. But now we are returned to the scriptures again, (for Fathers they leave as corrupters of the old both faith and phrase) we shall go through with more ease, and end with more speed. That Sheol or Hades do signify heaven, either in the Scriptures of the old or new Testament, or with the Septuagint which are the translators of the Hebrew into Greek, I utterly deny; and no man living shall ever be able to make any proof thereof; on which issue I am content to join with any man that is learned and sober, for the hazard of either of our credits. If Sheol, and Hades in the scriptures never signify heaven, then can they not signify THE WORLD OF SOULS: for so much as there is no one place common to all souls departed this life, but some are in hell, and some in heaven; and for one word to signify both hell and heaven so far distant one from the other, and so much repugnant one to the other, is somewhat strange, except it could be strongly proved. Chaos did import the whole mass of heaven and earth before they were distinguished, but since they were severed, and settled by the wonderful wisdom and mighty power of God so far apart one from the other, and so much unlike one to the other, there are words in the scripture which note all that God made, but none that comprise heaven and hell, excluding the rest. S. Paul useth 
g Rom. 8.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the creature, and 
h Ephes. 1  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the making of the world, and our saviour useth 
i Matth. 12.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for this world and the next, where nothing is excepted; but that heaven and hell should come to be included in one word & the rest excluded, I see neither why, nor how it should be. For where words are common, some things must also be common, as needful to be expressed by those words; but to souls in heaven and hell no positive thing is common; all things are rather contrary. Their bodies they want in both places, because they are souls; otherwise their states be as repugnant in all points, as light and darkness, Christ and Belial, yea as heaven and hell in which they are; & therefore as light and darkness, faith and infidelity, truth and error have no common word to comprise them being contraries each to other; no more have heaven and hell as they are she rewards of the just and unjust; for so much as all things in either are directly repugnant each to other. Again that SHEOL or HADES may possibly signify heaven I utterly deny, because in heaven besides the souls of men, there are the elect angels of God, to whom if any man dare apply SHEOL or HADES, he must give me leave to think his judgement to be weak, and his faith unsound.  
[Sheol and Hades, you will say signify all that are dead in either place.] But you must remember, that both these words in the Scriptures do properly signify places and not person's. For though the ancient Greeks used the word HADES, first for a person, and then for the place which that person governed; yet the holy ghost (knowing that the person which the Pagans meant was in deed the Devil) useth the word for the place, and not for the person, except the text be figurative. In Sheol it was never doubted but that it always signified a place, and never any person. Now if neither Sheol nor Hades can signify both places, I mean heaven and hell, then can they not signify the world of souls; for they be dispersed in both those places.  
[It cannot be denied, you will say, but the old testament referreth Sheôl, as the Septuagint do Hades, both to the godly and to the wicked after death.] It is most true that Sheôl in Hebrew, and Hades in Greek are applied in the old Testament both to the good and bad; The Question is not to what men, but to which parts of men, good or bad, Sheol and Hades are referred. To the bodies of men, good and bad, lying dead in the grave they are sometimes applied; to the souls of the godly, as detained in either, they are never applied. Sheol and consequently HADES with the Septuagint, importeth the whole death that is due to sin, and every part thereof; but by no means heaven, where the souls of the saints are, nor any part of that bliss, which they possess. Since then as well the death of the body in this world, as the death of the soul in the next world were the wages of sin; Sheol and Hades do sometimes signify the general state of dead bodies, as when the Scripture describeth rottenness, silence, forgetfulness, senselessness, contempt, dishonour, and such like to be in Sheol. And the same word when it is referred to the souls of the wicked as there detained, or of the godly as thence delivered; for so much as the soul cannot be enclosed in the grave; of necessity the pit prepared for the souls of sinners must be, by all such texts of Scriptures, intended. But that Sheol or Hades should signify the world of Souls, as well in heaven as in Hell, neither hath this Refuter brought any Text or reason for it, neither will he ever be able to prove it. And howsoever one of late hath taken upon him to talk of those things, like one of the Titanes with big and bombasted terms; I, seeing nothing in that farthel of his but Riddles and railings, mean not to alter my course.  
Then touching the sense of Sheol in the old Testament, I take it to be clear, that it sometimes signifieth the grave or the state of dead bodies; but never the world of souls, which phrase the Refuter hath caught by the end, hoping at length to convey it into the Creed. But he must first show us where he findeth any such thing in the Scriptures, before we may suffer him to make it an Article of our faith. Against it every place is a proof; but for it none that I read, or they have yet alleged. They shift hands, and in steed of the world of souls they bring in the grave, or the state of dead bodies; which is but a vain flourish, to propose one thing, and to prove an other. And though you (Sir Refuter) go to varying of phrases which I think is your best skill; as, 
k Pag. 97.  The state of the dead, the world of the dead, the world of souls departed; yet I must let you understand there is great difference betwixt these speeches. Sheol may extend to their bodies whose souls do live in heaven: to their souls it cannot; and therefore you must not chop in the one for the other, as your instructor doth, who when he would prove the world of souls, falleth up above head and ears into the grave. The one you shall every where light on, of the other there is no mention. As when jacob said to his sons, 
l Genes. 42.  you will make my hoar hairs descend to Sheol with sorrow; and likewise when David said to Solomon, 
m 3. Reg. 2  thou shalt make (Shemeis) hoar hairs descend to Sheol with blood: are there white hairs or blood in the world of souls, as there are in the grave? this is the state of dead bodies, but not of souls departed. In the destruction of Core, Dathan and Abiran, the Scripture saith; 
n Numb. 16  the earth opened her mouth & swallowed them up, and their howsen, and they descended, and all that were with them alive to Sheol. Alive is both body and soul in every man's eye. For had those two been severed, they had been dead. Do the bodies of men descend to your world of souls? or is it plain that in this place must be meant by Sheol either hell which received both their bodies and souls that were in that rebellion against God; or at least the heart of the earth, which received them living, whereas other men die before they are committed to the earth? 
o Psal. 49.  like sheep (saith David) shall they be laid in Sheol. Are there sheep, or any resemblance of sheep in your world of souls; or doth David rather mean, that, as sheep are bound, and then slain, and cast on heaps, so shall the wicked be handled? now as many places in the scriptures as note Sheol to be below, cannot be referred to your world of souls; for they are as well on high in heaven, as below in hell. And therefore of force Sheol must in all those places either import hell which is below, or the grave which is lower than the earth whereon men do live. 
p Psal. 86.  Thou hast delivered my soul (saith David) from the lower Sheol. And Esaie of the King of Babel: 
q Esa. 14.  Sheol below was afraid at thy coming, and raised up her mighty men to meet thee, and to say unto thee, art thou also weakened, as well as we? is thy pride depressed to Sheol? This cannot be meant of the general and indefinite state of the dead nor of the world of souls, for many of them were on high in strength and joy; not in fear and weakness, as here they are described in Sheol. And therefore rufflle you and your abettour as long as you list with taunts and terms; fell cracks fray not such as be privy to your lame legs. Again, heaven is namely expressed, and opposed to Sheol; how can heaven be included in Sheol? 
r job. 11.  To the high heavens what wilt thou do? it is lower than Sheol, how wilt thou know it? Will your learning serve you to make the high heavens a part of the low Sheol? 
s Psal. 139  If I ascend to heaven, thou art there, (saith David to God,) if I lie down in Sheol, there art thou also. So God himself by Amos: 
t Amos. 9  If they dig to Sheol there shall my hand fetch them; if they ascend to heaven thence will I bring them down. And to the king of Babylon. 
u Esa. 14.  Thou saiedst in thine heart I will ascend to heaven, and climb above the height of the clouds: but thou shalt be plucked down to Sheol, even to the sides of the pit.  
To men of any mean capacity I think it be manifest, that ascending here cannot be descending; & consequently that heaven is no part of Sheol, but a place rather opposed against it; albeit your impudency be such that in the Creed you expound, he descended into hell, by the clean contrary, that is, he ascended into heaven. But what will not men of your face and fancy do? I hope all good men will beware of such expositians. We deride the Gloss of the Canon law for saying Statuimus, id est, abrogamus, we establish, that is, we abrogate. How ridiculous and audacious then is this presumption, to say Christ descended into hell, that is he ascended up to heaven; but hereof in the close when we have first cleared your fond conceits of SHEOL AND HADES. 
x Psal. 115.  The dead praise thee not (saith David to God) nor all that descend into silence. If the scriptures affirm as much of Sheol, how can Sheol be the world of souls? yea how can Sheol be heaven, where the soul's night and day, that is everlastingly, do nothing but praise God, and confess unto him the honour of his name? 
y Esa. 38.  Sheol (saith Esay) cannot confess unto thee, neither can such as descend unto the pit trust in thy truth. Yea (saith Solomon,) 
z Ecclesiast. 9  There is no work, thought, knowledge, nor wisdom in Sheol, whither thou goest. If Sheol be the world of souls, they be all a sleep, that neither do speak, nor think any thing. Small are their joys, and less are their pains, which they never so much as think of. So that neither hell, nor heaven, nor any part of your world of souls can be here understood by Sheol in salomon's words; but of mere force it must be the Grave where the body lieth void of sense, speech, action, or cogitation. The rest of the places of the old Testament where Sheol is named, concur with these; and import either the grave, which is common to the godly with the wicked; or else that pit which is prepared for the souls of the wicked, which can be none other place, but precisely and properly HELL. What texts they are of the law and the prophets, 
Vide pag. 147.  where Sheol is named, that cannot be reffered to the grave, I have in the treatise before specified and handled such of them, as I thought sufficient, especially receiving no answer to my reasons, but the sphingical perplexities of an high minded Master; whose words with me, though they be of the largest size, are but wind. And therefore I rest upon the same grounds and proofs, which I make before, and stand to justify, that in no place of the old or new testament, where SHEOL or HADES are named, their world of souls is, or can be understood; let them name me the places, I will presently send them by God's grace an answer.  
As for HADES (good Reader) by which word the Septuagint express the Hebrew SHEOL; in all these texts, where thou seest the word SHEOL, thou mayest assure thyself the Septuagint use HADES in steed thereof, and the very same reasons that serve for Sheol, serve for HADES in every point without exception: And that maketh me wholly to skip the handling of HADES in the Septuagint; and to refer the discussing thereof till I come to the places of the new Testament. Now the consequent of that I have alleged either here or before, is this; that by SHEOL and HADES in the old Testament must needs be meant either HELL, the GRAVE, or their WORLD OF SOULS, which they so much talk of; if no place in the old Testament do necessarily enforce their world of souls to be understood by either of these words, than it remaineth, that in what texts the grave may not be endured to be the meaning of either of these words, there we conceive the place of the damned must be intended in either of them. Peruse both the observations and allegations before, 
Vide pag. 147  and thou shalt see both the texts and the proofs, why the place of the damned must often be understood by Sheôl in the books of the law and the prophets. I hope thou wilt think it supersfluous for me to defend it, or enlarge it, before any man do particularly impugn it. So that whatsoever you prate (Sir Refuter) without weight or warrant touching Sheol, I count it lip labour; when you or your helpers bring any thing worth the regarding, you shall find me ready to receive it, or refute it; as the matter deserveth.  
Sheol then in the old Testament, and Hades in the Septuagint signifying sometimes the state of dead bodies which is the grave; sometimes the place of dead souls, which is hell; but never the world of souls, whereof some are in heaven; let us see what force HADES hath in the new testament; or whether it can thence be proved, that HADES importeth the world of souls. As the mysteries of God were more fully declared by the gospel, then by the law; so the kingdom of heaven was more precisely severed from the kingdom of Satan by Christ, then by Moses. What Moses darkelie shadowed under figures, that Christ revealed in plain words; and therefore hell fire, which is obscurely mentioned in the law and prophets, is often and openly named by the mouth of our Saviour; and HADES, which before extended to good and bad, is now by the writers of the new testament restrained to the place of the damned. So that Hades with them signifieth hell, and the powers thereof, and not the death of the body, much less the world of souls. Examples hereof I have given thee (gentle Reader) in the 
u Vide pag. 171  Treatise before; save that I then reasoned the death of the body was not signified by HADES, which now those devisers have changed into the WORLD OF SOULS. I must therefore now overrun all those places again, and show that the WORLD OF SOULS cannot be expressed by any of those places. Which I will with as much brenitie as I can, considering the wise Reader will soon be able to discern this new Camisadoe lately offered with the WORLD OF SOULS. The first place is, 
x Matt. 1●  Woe to thee Chorazin, and woe to thee Bethsaida, saith our Saviour: 
y Lucae. 10  And thou Capernaum exalted to heaven, shalt be brought down even to hell; it shall be easier for Sodom in the day of judgement then for thee. What is God's curse and threats to impenitent sinners? HELL, or the WORLD OF SOULS? and in the day of judgement, when their punishment shall be greater than the Sodomites, shall they go to hell fire, or to the WORLD OF SOULS? I pray you (Sir Refuter,) were are the Sodomites at this hour? in hell or in your WORLD OF SOULS? In hell I think. Saint Jude saith, 
z judae. epist.  They do sustain the punishments of everlasting fire. Is that your WORLD OF SOULS? if it be not, they shall certainly be where the Sodomites are, yea in worse case shall they be, and that I suppose must be in hell, and not in heaven. The second place is in the words of Christ to Peter, 
a Matth. 16  Upon this rock will I build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it, and I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. The WORLD OF SOULS doth not impugn the church, therefore it is no sign of God's favour, for that not to prevail against the church. Again, whatsoever prevail not, yet if hell prevail, what safety hath the church? Heresy and iniquity are the gates of hell fight against the church, as well as cruelty. 
b Hiero. in Matth. 16  Ego portas Inferni reor vitta atque peccata, vel certé haereticorum doctrinas, per quas illecti homines ducuntur ad Tartarum. Nemo itaque putet de morte dici, quòd apostoliconditioni mortis subiecti non fuerint, quorum martyria vides coruscare. I think (saith jerom,) the gates of hell to be vices and sins, or else heresies, by which men being enticed are led to hell. Let no man therefore imagine it is spoken of death, as if the Apostles were not subject thereto, whose martyrdoms thou findest so famous. 
c Hilarius. in Mat. cano▪ 16  Digna aedificatione illius Petra, quae infernas leges, & Tartari portas, & omnia mortis claustra dissolueret. It was a Rock (saith Hilary) worthy of Christ's building, which should dissolve the laws of hell, the gates of Tartarus, and all the Cloisters of death. So Origen, 
d Origenes in Matth. ca 16.  Portae inferorum dicentur etiam principatus ac potestates, adversus quas nobis est colluctatio. The gates of hell may the powers and principalities be called, against the which we have to strive. 
e Beda in Mat. 16.  Portas inferni haereticam pravitatem nominat, sive vitia & peccata, unde mors ad animam venit. The gates of hell Christ calleth Heresies, (saith Bede) or else vices and sins, by which the soul dieth. So Ambrose, 
f Ambros lib 6. in Lucae ca 8.  Quae autem sunt portae Inferni, nisi singula quaeque peccata? What are the gates of hell, but all kind of sins And Gregory; 
g Greg. in. Psal. 5 paenitentialem  Portae Inferni haereses sunt, quae quasi inferorum aditum pandunt. The gates of hell are heresies, which open as it were the passage to hell. The fift general council of Constantinople with one full consent alloweth the same. 
h Synod. 5. constantinop. Sessione. 8.  Portae inferni non praevalebunt adversus eam, id est haereticorum linguae mortiferae. The gates of hell that is the deadly tongues of heretics, shall not prevail against the church. You might have more, but these are enough. Here (Sir Refuter) you tell a long and a foolish tale of death out of your own head, as if Christ did promise his Apostles protection against the violence of Tyrants, but not against the rage of Satan; 
i Pag. 111.  To understand sins and errors as some of the ancient writers do, the circumstances of the text, you say, do seem not to bear it. Your ignorant humour is loath to have it so; otherwise the words of Christ, respect the truth of Peter's confession, that himself was Christ the son of the living God; against the which faith no policy, nor tyranny of Satan should prevail, and so by your leave the Fathers go directly to the meaning of the text; and you would wrest it to your private fancy, lest HADES should signify HELL; and yet at length upon advisement you 
k Pag. 113.  confess it may be here the GATES OF HELL, and that HADES is thus used sometimes, and namely in the last example out of the 16. of Luke. It is well then that in the 16. of Luke you yield HADES doth signify HELL, where the wicked are tormented, and did you deny it, the Scripture avoucheth it; the words are plain, 
l Lucae. 16.  I am tormented in this flame: & again, lest they come into this place of torment. Then HADES without any other addition noteth HELL, and when Christ saith, the rich man IN HADES LIFT up his eyes; he addeth this as a necessary consequent being in torments, to show that HADES is the place of torment, and not the WORLD OF SOULS.  
From thence you leap to the Revelation; and there, when Saint john saw 
m revelat. 6  one sitting on a pale horse whose name was death, and HADES followed after him, that is, say you, the world of the dead. 
n Pag. 116  It cannot be hell certainly, because hell slayeth none in that sort. Again, to say precisely that the fourth part of the world should go to hell, I take it to be a strange phrase in scripture. Here first is a plain proof, that death and HADES are two several things, the one following after the other. For nothing doth follow itself. The doubt is now what HADES importeth. The world of the dead, say you. The world of the" dead, if thereby you mean dead bodies, is all one with death; if you understand the world of souls, that hath two parts heaven and hell, which of these two did follow after death to destroy the fourth part of the earth? the kingdom of heaven is never proposed in the scriptures as a destroyer, but the devil hath his proper name in this book, 
m Apoca. 9  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the destroyer. Again, this vision S. john saw at the opening of the fourth Seal, but the world of souls in heaven was showed him in the opening of the fift Seal, which presently followeth in the next verse in these words. And when (the lamb) had opened the fift Seal, I saw (saith john) under the altar the souls of men slain for the word of God, 
Apoca. 6. vers 9  and for the testimony of the Lamb. The world of souls in heaven was seen in the opening of the fift seal; therefore that world of souls was not seen in the opening of the fourth Seal; but of force, if by HADES you will understand any world of souls, it must be of those that were in HELL. Howbeit because he did accompany death that was sent to destroy, I take it rather to be the power of the devil, that is there described; then any world of souls, as you dream. And that the devil destroyeth as well the body as the soul; if it be strange to you, you are a greater stranger in the Scriptures than you would seem to be. Who threw the house upon the heads of 
n job. 1 job. 2  jobs Children can you tell? or who smote job himself with that loathsome disease? [But the fourth part of the earth, you say, could not go to hell;] God grant no more than the fourth part go thither. Never read you, 
o Math. 22.  many called and few chosen? and 
p Rom: 9  though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the Sea, yet but a remnant shall be saved. And why might not the dragon as well devour the fourth part of the earth, as 
q Apoca. 12  draw down from heaven with his tail the third part of the stars? Or if there you take a certain number for an uncertain, which is S. john's manner of writing in this book, why not as well here as else where? these therefore are a couple of idle quarrels; if these be your best, you are more willing, then able to do harm. But by the same words in the same book, we shall better understand what is meant by HADES, then by your wandering and weak gloss. Death and HADES, 
Apoca. 20.  saith S. john were cast into the lake of fire. 
r Pag. 116.  It were absurd (you add) to say death and hell were cast into hell. True; but more absurd, and more blasphemous to say, that death and the world of souls shall be cast into the lake of fire. For than not only the Saints of God, but heaven itself should be cast into hell fire. Yet if we take the containing for the contained, which is the most usual phrase of the Scripture, as 
s Math. 11.  woe be to thee Chorazin, woe to thee Bethsaida, & thou Capernaum: as likewise 
t Math. 23.  jerusalem, jerusalem which killest the prophets; & it shall be easier for Tyrus & Sydon, with a thousand such every where occurrent; then is it an easy & true speech, that hell, to wit the powers of hell; even the devils themselves shall be cast into the lake of fire. And so doth Andrea's Bishop of Cesaria expound it, 
v Andrea's. Caes. in Apoca. ca 20.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wicked spirits the possessors of HADES, shall be cast into hell fire. And so Bede 
x Beda in apoca. ca 20.  Mors & Infernus missi sunt in stagnum ignis. Diabolum dicit et suos, quem supra in equo pallido sedentem Infernus sequebatur. Death & hell shall be cast into the lake of fire. He meaneth the devil & his, whom before sitting on a pale horse hell followed. As yet then HADES in the new Testament is not only a thing different from death, but even hell itself; and your world of souls in none of these texts can find any hold or help. Let us see the rest.  
That Christ triumphed over hell and Satan, & not over death only; the Apostle fully affirmeth when he saith; Christ 
y Colos. 2.  spoiled principalities & powers, made an open show of them, and triumphed over them in his own person; that likewise he hath the keys of hell and not of death only, S. john plainly showeth when 
z revelat. 3.  he saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit, and there binding & shutting up the devil. The same key of the bottomless pit was, in the 9 Chapter of the Revelation, given to the Star that slide from heaven. This key must Christ have, for he saith of himself that he 
a Reuelat: 3.  hath the key of David, which openeth and no man shutteth, which shutteth and no man openeth. Since than there are 
b Math. 16  keys not of heaven only which Christ committed to Peter and his fellow labourers; but of the 
c Reuelat: 20.  bottomless pit, where Satan lieth bound; which of force must be HELL; when Christ professeth in the first of the Revelation that he 
d Reuelat: 1  hath the keys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of death and of HADES; who seeth not that HADES there must signify hell itself, the key whereof is so expressly mentioned in that book? And so when the Apostle maketh two parts of Christ's conquest against death and hell, 
e 1 Corinth 15  o death where is thy sting? o HADES where is thy victory? what reason is there to exclude out of these words, Christ's victory over HELL, since the same Apostle witnesseth, that Christ had a glorious triumph against hell, and the word HADES in all the places of the new Testament, which we have yet viewed, inferreth hell? [The Apostle (you say) 
f Pag. 117.  speaketh not of the Damnation of the wicked; but of the resurrection of the dead.] And so do I; and therefore infer, that when the bodies of the saints shall be raised from death, whose souls be already saved from hell; then shall these words be openly verified, o death where is thy sting? o hell where is thy victory? For since by sin hell gate possession of both parts of man as well of his body as of his soul; the full deliverance of man must free both parts, and the full conquest over hell is the loss of both parts, which in the resurrection of the dead shall be performed and not afore; and therefore then is the time for all the faithful to thank God, for their full victory over DEATH AND HELL, and to say with the Apostle o death where is thy sting? o HELL where is thy victory? But what hath your world of souls to do with these words, or with any other; where HADES is named in the new testament? All these places serve fitly for hell, and the most of them necessarily; since either is expressed as a diverse thing from HADES, or not to be comprised in the name of HADES. But your world of souls is most absurd and false in every one of these, and can not stand with the circumstance of the text, the first of the Revelation only excepted, where though there be no words to impugn it, yet are there none to approve it. For is it any curse for Capernaum, to be brought to the world of souls, except you mean hell? Doth your world of souls impugn the Church of Christ? or destroy the fourth part of the earth? or shall it be cast into the lake of fire? And what victory shall the just have against the world of souls in the last day; since their own souls rejoice to receive their bodies; and against the souls of the wicked they neither may nor will insult? It therefore remaineth that though HADES with the Septuagint signify either BODILY DEATH or HELL; yet in the new Testament where HADES is described as a different thing from DEATH, and following AFTER DEATH, HADES of necessity, being NOT DEATH, must needs import HELL. Of the place in question, Thou wilt not leave my soul in HADES, I will yet say nothing, but will come to the words of the Creed, Christ descended to HADES, and search what must be the meaning of HADES in that article.  
What I take to be the meaning of Hades in the Creed, where it is said, Christ descended to HADES, as also what reasons lead me thereunto, thou hast, Christian Reader, in the former 
a Vide Pa. 171.  treatise, thou shalt with more ease find it there, than I repeat it here; how much this Confuter confesseth or resisteth, that must I now examine. When I object that in a short sum of the Christian faith made for the simple and common people, to repeat one thing twice were needless, and against the nature of the Creed: and to use a dark and hard phrase after a plain and easy, is unreasonable and absurd; he answereth, 
g Pag. 126.  It is true. I hold it unreasonable altogether in the short and vulgar Creed, appointed even for the common Christians, to use words dark and difficult. And when the same thing is by divers words expressed, the later ought to be the lighter and clearer. Therefore I fully grant, in the Creed specially, the phrase must be familiar, trivial, easy and plain. I urged three things to be observed in the expounding the Creed, the words to be proper and evident without figurative obscurity, the things to be different without idle repetition, and the order to be consequent without any confusion. The Confuter agreeth with me in all these; and he doubteth not but his exposition is such. Since than there be three expositions of that article, Christ descended to HADES; that is either to the GRAVE, or to HELL, or to the WORLD OF SOULS, which in Christ's case (you say) was HEAVEN; which of these three, Sir Refuter, cometh nearest to the nature of a short, easy, and orderly sum of a Creed? The first you like not, because it expresseth that in dark and hard circumlocution, which was familiarly and plainly said before, he was dead and buried. The question than resteth between the two last, which of the twain best expresseth the proper sense, 
Pag. 125.  and vulgar use of the word HADES. For the Apostles and apostolic men (you confess) did so write and speak, as the people than might best understand. If it be so, than your exposition, (Sir Refuter) is clean thrust out of doors. For neither with the ancient Masters of the Greek tongue, which were the Poets, nor with the Septuagint, nor with the writers of the new Testament, nor with the people of that time, in their understanding, did HADES ever signify the world of souls without any limitation of state, or place. Again that general and indefinite world of souls, without respect of hell or heaven, is no point nor part of the Christian faith. For faith touching Christ must not be general or ambiguous, but particular and certain. It is no faith, much less an article of the faith, to say, Christ's soul after death went some whither; the Creed must specify the place whither it went before it can be a matter of faith, that must be believed. And therefore HADES doth point out the particular place, as hell or heaven whither Christ's soul went after death, before any man may challenge it to be the true meaning of that article.  
If any do ask particularly whither is this? You answer, 
i Pag: 128:  namely into heaven: for whither should the Saints go else? This in deed is a familiar, trivial, easy, and plain exposition, Christ's soul DESCENDED down TO HADES; that is, it ASCENDED UP TO HEAVEN. And so by taking heaven for hell, and ascending up for descending down, you have quickly made an end of this matter. Why then go on with your wise Master, and make HADES, which is the chief Devil, to be God, and you have made a perfect exposition of the Creed, fit for such as attribute to Devils, what they should attribute unto God. Was this the plainest and easiest way for the apostolic men 〈◊〉 teach the people, Christ's soul ascended up to heaven, by saying he DESCENDED TO HADES? And did the people so best understand them? You that expound this by the clean contrary, and say they be best so understood, no marvel if you arrogate so much unto yourself in framing the Scriptures to your fancies; you may with little study prove a speedy expositor of the Scriptures. But, Sir, wise men that regard their faith more than your follies will ask; where you find descending for ascending, and Hades for heaven? If you pretend Plato, they will tell you, that to embrace a private conceit of Socrates against all the former Greeks, against the Septuagint, against the Evangelists, and Apostles, and evidently against all the fathers is not to expound an Article of the faith, but the next way to bring Paganism into the Creed; and that by so licentious and lewd a trade of open perverting the words of the Creed, and taking sour for sweet, cold for heat, evil for good, that nothing shall stand sound if this be admitted. [It is, you say, an Hebrew phrase. 
k Pag: 126  So jacob spoke, I will go down mourning to my Son unto Sheol, yet jacob thought not to go to hell to his son, but among the souls of the godly dead, that is to say, into heaven.] It hath been meetelie well told you, that Sheol never signifieth Heaven in all the Scriptures, but that jacob meant he would go mourning unto Sheol, that is to his Grave, refusing to take any comfort whiles he lived, since his son was dead. You like a tyrant over the Scriptures, will have what sense pleaseth you in every place; and than you say it is plain and common. In deed your ignorance and insolency is very plain and common; but the interpretations which you make of Scripture, be absurd and more than foolish. A man living may well be said to descend into his grave; living he standeth, dying he lieth down; and the face of the earth on which we are, is higher than the bowels of the earth where we lie buried; but of a soul ascending up to heaven, to say it descendeth to hell, is a phrase of your making, and fit for your faith; which is guided more by will then by truth. When you prove these two points, that HADES is HEAVEN in the Scriptures, and that DESCENDING IS ASCENDING, we will hearken to your exposition; till than we will leave it as a distemper of your unsettled brain.  
For the last exposition of the three which remaineth, I have showed thee (Christian reader) by the particular circumstances of the Scriptures, 
Vide pag. 170 & sequent.  that in the continual use of the new Testament HADES signifieth HELL, which is the place where the wicked after this life are in torments. I have also in the sermons before examined the words of David, 
l Psal. 16.  alleged and applied by 
m Act. 2.  Peter to Christ, Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, whence Peter concludeth Christ's soul was not left in hell; as likewise the words of Paul importing that Christ descended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the bottomless deep, which word throughout the new testament doth signify nothing but HELL; I have noted how anciently Christ's local descent to hell was preached in the church, even by one of the 
Luke. 10.  seventy disciples (that were conversant with Christ) & continued to this day with the full consent of the fathers, both Greek & Latin without exception, and by the whole church of Christ received; I must not iterate that which there is so lately written. The words are fair and plain, there is no danger nor difficulty in them, the end of Christ's descending thither being both honourable to him, and comfortable to us, as I have before delivered it. Lastly, I see no cause either in this Confuters ridiculous pamphlet, or in his abettors tempestuous and furious libel, why any man should dislike or distrust this exposition, as unfit for the words, or unsound for the faith of the Creed. To load thee with authorities were to make an other volume; thou shalt only see I have not devised it of mine own head, but that it hath both antiquity for it, and authority with it, and so I will make an end. Cyprian in his Sermon of Christ's passion; 
o Cyprian. de passio Christ. . Ipse dicit ad patrem, non derelinques animam meam in inferno, nec sines corrumpi carnem meam in sepulchro, quia ubi in praesentia illius, effractis inferis est captivata captivitas, praesentata victrice anima in praesentia patris ad corpus suum sive dilatione reversus est, Christ saith to his Father, Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, nor suffer my flesh to rot in the grave, because as soon as captivity was subdued, hell being broken up in his presence, and his triumphing soul presented to the sight of his Father, he without delay returned to his body. Arnobius writing upon the hundredth thirty and seventh Psalm; 
p Arnobius in psal. 1●7.  Postea vidit Inferos, & longè factus est non solum à coelis, sed & ab ipsa terra: Abyssi profunda descendens scidit, & quia indereverteretur ad superos, & quia a superis remearet ad coelos. Afterward Christ went to hell, and was far not only from heaven, but from the earth: descending he broke the bottomless deep, that he might thence return to life; and from thence to heaven. Lactantius in his verses of the resurrection, saith.  

q Lactan. phoenix de resurrect.  Tristia cessarunt infernae vincula legis,  
Expau●tque Chaos luminis ore premi.  
Depereunt tenebrae, Christi f●elgore fugatae,  
Aeternae noctis pallia crassa cadunt.  
The fearful bands of the infernal power ceased, and Chaos was afraid to be oppressed with the light of his presence. The darkness of hell was chased away with the brightness of Christ, and the gross coverings of eternal night vanished. Athanasius, 
r Athanas. ad Liberium.  Ipse est dei virtus, qui infernum expugnavit, & imperium Diaboli demolitus est, qui Deus in descendendo, deus in ascendendo, corpus suum à morte excitatum patri repraesentavit, ac vindicavit à morte sub cuius imperio tenebatur. Christ is the power of God, which surprised hell, and overthrew the kingdom of the devil, who being God in descending, and God in ascending, presented his body raised from death to his father, and took it from death, under whose power it was held. Hilarius. 
s Hilarius de trinitat. lib. 4.  Hic ergo unus est mortem in inferno perimens, spei nostrae fidem resurrectione confirmans, corruptionem carnis humanae gloria sui corporis perimens. Christ alone is he that in hell killed death, confirmed our hope with his resurrection, and destroyed the corruption of man's flesh, with the glory of his own body. Basil: 
Basil: in psa. 44  Habes ergo myrrham ob sepulturam, guttam ob descensionem ad infernum, quod non inefficax in sepulchro permanserit, sed ad infernum descenderit, gratia dispensationis circa resurrectionem absoluendae, ut quae de seipso erant oracula Prophetarum, universa expleret: Thou hast (in this Psalm) myrrh for his burial, dropping for his descent to hell, because he lay not in his grave without force, but descended into hell to dispatch things needful for his resurrection, that he might fulfil all that the Prophets forespoke of him. Nazianzene maketh Christ's mother to say of him, 
u Nazianzen. in christo patient.  At ubi veneris in atram nocte Plutonis domum, Infernum acerbo iaculo defixeris. But when thou goest to the house of Pluto, where dark night is; thou didst thrust thorough hell with a wounding spear. Fulgentius: 
Fulgentius ad Thrasimundum. lib. 3.  David spoke of Christ's resurrection, that his soul was not left in hell, nor his flesh saw corruption. In this then the godhead of Christ showed the power of his impassibility, that being every where, always, and unspeakably present, it wanted not to his flesh, when it suffered not his soul to feel any pain in hell, neither forsook his soul in hell, whiles it kept his flesh from rotting in the grave. Beda our countryman shall be the last, 
y Beda in Psal. 15.  My flesh (saith David of Christ) shall rest in hope, expounding in what hope; to wit in this hope, that though my soul descend to hell, yet thou wilt not leave it to be possessed of hell. The rest go all clear that way, applying the words of David cited by Peter, Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, to Christ's descent thither after death. And howsoever the fathers incline to think, as Ierom did, that the saints before Christ's coming were enclosed in a place under the earth, expecting Christ's coming to be carried up to heaven (of which I have spoken as much as is needful in the 
Vide pag. ●89. & sequent.  treatise before;) yet they absolutely acknowledge that Christ descending destroyed the kingdom of Satan, and freed all the faithful from ever coming thither.  
The rest of the Confuters talk is like the froth of the sea, which wind & waves roll to and fro; sometimes he runneth this way, and then back again another way; saying and unsaying he knoweth not how, nor what. Sometimes he saith the Creed, and namely this article Christ descended to Hades could not be made long after the Apostles time; 
Pag. 93.  whereof Ignatius and others most ancient do speak. 
Pag. 166.  In another place he saith; We find almost all the Creeds, certainly the most ancientest, and the best of them to want these words of Christ's descending into hell. In one place he saith, The Creeds which we find in Ignatius, 
b Pag. 167.  Irenaeus, justinus Martyr, Tertullian, Origen, Athanasius, Augustinus, the Nicene, Constantinopolitan, Toledan, Ephesine, all these never thought that Christ's going down to hell, was any distinct or certain Article of the Christian faith. 
Pag. 93.  And yet before he confessed that Ignatius and others most ancient do speak namely of this Article. But, Sir, have these Creeds which here you cite, all the rest of the Articles that are in the Apostles Creed? I hope there want in some of them a good many. For these rehearsals in the eldest Fathers do but touch some of the Articles of the Creed, and show that there was such a compendious brief of the Faith received amongst Christians from the beginning. The Counsels of Nice, Constantinople, Ephesus, and others, want every one of them sundry Articles that are in the Apostles Creed, and add other that are not there; so as in deed they are rather expositions than recitals of the Apostles Créed. And yet I hope Athanasius creed hath this Article in precise words, and rehearseth it as a part of the Catholic faith, that Christ descended into Hell. Neither is there any one of these Fathers whom here you have named, as 
a Igna ad Trall.  Ignatius, 
b Iren. li 5. c. 31  Irenaeus, 
c justin. in dialo. cum tryph.  justinus Martyr, 
d Tertul. de animal:  Tertullian, 
e Orig. in cap. 5● ep. ad Rom  Origene, 
f Aug. epi. 99  Augustine, but they expressly touch and teach Christ's local descent to Hell, as all the rest do without exception. And if Counsels will content you, you shall not go far for both Provincial and General. The Council of Alexandria that wrote to repress the heresy of Nestorius, maketh the spoiling of hell a part of Christ's resurrection, and saith; 
d Epist. Cyril. & Synod. Alexan. ad Nestor:  Tertia Die revixit, expolians infernum, Christ rose again the third day, having spoiled hell. This confession was read and allowed as Catholic in the first general Council of 
e Vide acta concilii Ephesini &. 5. Synod. Constan. Ses. 7.  Ephesus, in the great Council of Chalcedon, and in the 
e Vide acta concilii Ephesini &. 5. Synod. Constan. Ses. 7.  fifth general Council of Constantinople. So that fathers and Counsels both decumenicall and provincial, have received and approved this article even from the foundation of Christ's church; as a part of Christ's resurrection, howsoever they did not always annex it to their Creeds.  
With like folly and inconstancy, he saith it is 
f Pag. 166.  the natural and necessary division of the articles of the Creed, that these, Christ suffered, was crucified, dead, buried, descended into hell, should concern Christ's humiliation, and he supposeth every sensible man will confess so much whereas he himself expoundeth the last of them to have this meaning, that Christ's soul ascended to heaven. Now to ascend to heaven every boy knoweth is a part of Christ's exaltation, and not of his humiliation. How his note book divideth the Creed, I know not, but Saint Paul whence this division hath his ground, saith this is 
g Philip. 2,  Christ's exaltation, that at the name of jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven, earth, and under the earth, which is hell. His humiliation stretcheth no farther than the death of the Cross, then beginneth his exaltation. With like discretion when I alleged the Parable from Christ's own mouth, that his triumph over Satan must have three parts, the 
h Mat. 12. Luke. 11.  overrunning, the binding, the spoiling of Satan, and his kingdom; and further from that Parable I derived nothing; This wisdom to show himself learned, crieth out, 
i Pag. 161.  a fine toy or rather a shameful gloze by unsavoury allegorizing to corrupt the Text. Is this a good way to prove Articles of the faith, videlicet by Allegories? As if the most part of Christ's doctrine were not delivered by Parables and Allegories? The parables of the Sour, of the labourers in the vineyard, & the husbandmen killing the heir, of good trees & strait gates, of the lost sheep, unjust Steward, and unrighteous judge; of tars sowed by the enemy, and harvest at the end of the world, of the great Supper, and wedding garment, of the wounded Samaritane, and wise virgins, of the prodigal son, and evil servants, one that neglected his master's talon, the other that imprisoned his fellow, of the rich man & Lazarus; to be short the allegories of light, of salt, of leaven, of chaff, of the vine and branches, of the good shepherd, and a thousand such in the prophets, Evangelists and Apostles, do they teach no matters of faith? What Buzzard was ever so blind as so to say, no points of faith may be proved by allegories? Had I extended the Parable farther than Christ himself did, or applied it to any other purpose than he did; there might have been some cause of quarrel, but keeping myself precisely both to the Scope and words of our Saviour, I could not tread awry. But in a bravery to challenge all the Parables and allegories in the Scriptures, as unfit to teach points of faith, never came in any sober man's head.  
As you use the Scriptures, so you use the Synod of this Realm, that is you arrogantly and absurdly falsify it. 
k Pag. 171  The manifest meaning of the whole Synod (of this Realm,) which is our public doctrine and established by law in England. APPARENTLY RENOUNCETH, (say you) this doctrine of Christ's going down to the hell of the damned. If you prove that you say, I must confess it is very material; & by God's grace I myself will revoke all that I have said in this point; but if you brag not only without cause, but against the very truth and tenor of their proceed, are you not worthy in steed of H. I. to be named W. F? but let us hear how this appeareth? 
Pag. 172  Even thus; the Synod before holden in king Edward's time affirmed this doctrine directly and expressly (in their article of Christ's descent to hell.) This Synod coming after repeateth and ratisieth apart (of that article) in express words; but part of it even all and every whit that containeth this doctrine expressly of Christ's going down to the hell of the damned, all this I say our Synod, (anno 1562) cutteth off, it putteth out, it casteth away. The words are these of the former Synod. Quemadmodum Christus pro nobis mortuus est & sepultus, 
Articlu. 3  ita est etiam credendus ad Inferos descendisse. Nam corpus usque adresurrectionem in̄ sepulchoro iacuit, spiritus ab illo emissus cum spiritibus qui in carcere sive in inferno detinebantur fuit, illisque praedicavit, quemadmodum testatur Petri locus. As Christ died for us and was buried: so also it is to be believed, that he went down to hell. For his body lay in the grave until the resurrection; his spirit which he breathed out was with the spirits that were in prison or in hell, and preached unto them, as the place of Peter witnesseth. 
Pag. 172.  But our Synod since correcteth it herein & saith but thus only, Quemadmo dum Christus pro nobis mortuus est & sepultus, ita est etiam creden dus ad inferos descendisse. As Christ died for us and was buried, so we are to believe also, that he went unto the dead. This therefore in them is seen manifestly (as I said) to renounce and abrogate this particular sense of Christ's descending, that HE WENT AFTER DEATH TO HELL. Is this all you have to say (Sir Refuter,) then when provender is divided you shall have a part for your good collection. You collect that the later Synod by leaving out certain words of the former renounceth that CHRIST AFTER DEATH WENT TO HELL; and that which it retaineth of the former Synod in express words is this; IT I TO BE BELIEVED THAT CHRIST WENT DOWN INTO HELL. So in your judgement by believing that Christ went down into Hell, they renounce, that Christ went to hell. If it were a matter of sight I should ask whether you had any eyes or no; now it is a matter of reason I must more doubt whether you have your five wits or no. Set your inference to the view of all men. The Synod in her majesties time agreeth, It is to be believed that Christ went down into hell. Ergo they apparently renounce that Christ went to hell. This is your conclusion; show it to any tapster or tinker in England and see whether he will reward you with a mock or no.  
[But they leave out the latter part of the Article which the former Synod concluded.] So they leave out that Christ's body was in his grave until his resurrection, which are the words of the former Synod. Is the omitting of this a manifest renouncing and abrogating of it? God forbid [But the first Synod in king Edward's time added farther, you say, that Christ's spirit was with the spirits detained in Prison or in hell; and preached unto them.] First then tell your abettor, that all the Realm will take him not only for a Railor against all honesty, but for a liar against all duty, that voucheth so confidently king Edward the sixth and his subjects held that Christ his soul never went to Gehenna; & the realm knoweth the Q. oath; as also the Q. adventureth her eternal state. These be no states to come within the compass of his unclean mouth: He may do well to remember who they be, of whom it is written: 
judae epistolar.  They despise government, & speak evil of those that are in authority, as raging waves of the Sea, foaming out their own shame; And to take heed, that he prove not too true a prophet against himself in paying the price of misusing his liege and Sovereign Lady, and her whole Realm. But I wish him repentance and so I leave him. secondly, (Sir Refuter) you may see three things in the latter words of that Article in king Edward's Synod, which are very wisely with silence overskipped by the Synod in her majesties time; and wherein for my part I think they did very well not to add to this Article, any time, purpose, or prisoners, when, why, or to whom Christ descended. But therein to imitate the wisdom of the best ages, who kept this Article as they found it without interlacing it with any new additions. For in the later words of that former Synod now left out are three things that cannot be justified by the Scriptures. 1. that the Spirits of the just were in hell. 2. that Christ there preached unto them. 3. that he stayed there till his resurrection. These three points contained in the Article of that Synod; were advisedly and profitably suppressed by the Synod kept in her majesties time; and these are the points which I myself impugn in this Treatise, as having no just nor tolerable ground in the Scriptures. But these things being drowned by omission, what is that to the rest of the article, which the later Synod embraceth as a matter necessary to be believed? for thus they resolve; 
Articul. 3  As Christ died for us & was buried; so also it is to be believed that HE WENT DOWN INTO HELL, And though you would weaken their resolution with a false translation, as your manner is, by making them say, we are to believe that Christ went unto the dead, yet may you gain no thing by that, for we have public assurance & allowance that their words were and are IT IS TO BE BELIEVED THAT CHRIST WENT down INTO HELL. Their words in Latin were, you will say, Credendus est ad inferos descendisse? But the same Bishops & the same Clergy that were at the first Synod in the 5 of her Majesty, assembling again in the 13 year of her highness reign, did themselves english it as I report it, and offered it to the Prince & Parliament in those words to be confirmed, which accordingly that high Court did. So that now not these words, Christ descended into HADES, though they be true as being the original words, much less yours Christ went to the dead, but precisely these, Christ went down into hell, are the faith & doctrine which the Church & Realm of England professeth, or which the law establisheth; and what they mean, were it not for your addle quirckes, is soon perceived even of the simplest.  
You conclude that the 
Page 173  public sentence of our Church, yea the public law of our land is against this opinion of Christ's descending into hell. And I conclude likewise that which is in the bone will never out of the flesh; with arrogance and ignorance you began, and so you will end. If HELL in english be HELL, & GOING down be DESCENDING, them both the Church & the law of England directly, expressly, precisely maintaineth CHRIST'S DESCENDING INTO HELL, If HELL in english be HEAVEN; & GOING DOWN be GOING UP, than the Church and law of England favoureth your fancy. And hereof I am well content thou shalt be judge (Christian Reader) that understandest best thine own tongue. For the latin INFERNVM and the Greek HADES I am content to be tried by all Fathers, Greek & Latin that ever wrote in the Church of Christ. If these men cannot keep their quarter clear nor uphold their conceit, but they must exclude all Greek, Latin, and English divines since Christ's time from understanding every man his own natural tongue; I will see their brains better settled, and their mouths better tempered, before their philosophical follies and rabbinical fancies the one sort being strangers, the other enemies to the faith of Christ, shall draw me from my Creed. And so I wish thee (Christian Reader) as myself, mercy and grace from the Lord jesus, and commit thee to God.  
FINIS.