therfore in these words consisteth the perfection of the church the members of Christ which is the rock and foundation therof For had not the Iewes had a perfect warning of redemption to come through the Messiah sauiour of the world and the full meanes therof and of all that he was to perform for the saluation of mankind how could they take notice of their redemption or be iustly condemned for misbeleef for they that liued in the time of Christs humanity were to see that which their fathers hoped for If then we will further know what ought the substance of our faith to be I answer in a word Our faith ought to be the haruest of our fathers hope so that we beleeue that we haue receiued that which they hoped for so through one faith in one Iesus they and we are both saued Isai. 53. 8. Who shall declare his age for he was cut out off the land of the liuing Heer my purpose was to shew that this article might safely be vsed without aduātage to the Papists or offence to such as I before meant Therfore as we now see with our eies and beleeue that Iesus the true Christ came and finished his pilgrimage heer on earth being the only begotten sonne of God conceiued by the holy Ghost born of the virgine Mary crucified according to the prophets so what he was to do he himself declared to the fathers in spirit insomuch that they also saw their saluation by the eie of faith which they had in the same Messiah Colos. 1. 18. the first born of the dead and of al things to haue the preheminence He is the reconciliation of all the world and euen as his father spred the heauens and adorned them and created the earth and sea with all the implements so is the sonne commaunder of all and the beginning and end of all things are in his hand he is made iudge of all flesh comming as it were in the meane time to reconcile the limits and to constraine all nations to worship him He was made all one with the father the beginning of the world and the last end must ply vnto him from whom al sentence of ioy eternall or perpetuall misery shall proceed and to this end he preached in spirit long before he was incarnated Gen. 6. 3. The Lord said And my spirit shal not alwaies striue with flesh and his daies shall be an hundred and twenty yeeres 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to say 1. Pet. 3. 19. By which also he went and preached to the spirits in prison which were somtime disobedient when the long suffering of God waited in the daies of Noah while the ark was in making Your father Abraham reioiced to see my daie Ioh. 8. 56. and he saw it and was glad Suppose saith Peter 2. Pet. 3. 15. that the long suffering of the Lord is saluation euen so our brother Paul according to the wisdom giuen to him wrote vnto you Doest thou the same Rom. 2. 3. and thinkest to escape iudgement and despisest thou the riches of his bountifulnes and patience and long sufferance not knowing that the bountifulnes of God leadeth to repentance Wherfore as by one man sinne entred into the world Rom. 5. 12. and death by sinne so death went ouer all men for vnto the time of the law was sinne in the world but sinne is not imputed while there is no law Gal. 3. 17. The law fower hundred and thirty yeeres after the promise cannot disanull the couenant God gaue the promise to Abraham but death reigned from Adam to Moses euen on them also that sinned not after the maner of Adams transgression which was as a figure of the second Adam Seeing then before the law all men were dead in sinne without any hope of iustification to eternall life it was most needfull that the Gospell should be preached vnto them 1. Pet. 4. 6. Wherupon it seemeth Saint Peter continueth his speech of preaching to this end was the Gospell preached also to the dead that they might be condemned according to men in the flesh but might liue according to God in the spirit Now this is plaine that whoso were vnder the law were condemned by the law according to the flesh By this all men vnder the law were iudged by the law But seeing the dead were before the law howbeit many righteous men to whom the promise was giuen were iustified by faith they were not to be iudged or condemned by the law but by the spirit of Christ that preached vnto them while they were in the prison of death that they might beare fruit in the resurrection also otherwise should they be born without adoption in Christ at all like as the cloudes are congealed and melt againe to nothing or as the wind passeth through the aire and no man marketh it so without law or grace should they perish without conscience which the Atheists now adaies would soon graunt But their iudgement long ago is not far off 2. Pet. 2. 3. and their condemnation sleepeth not They are wels without water and clouds caried about with a tempest to whom the black darknes is reserued for euer Now if we doubt that Christ did preach in the spirit before he came in the flesh let vs consider the Epistle of Saint Iude Iude. vers 9. where is said touching blaspheming of authority Yet Michael the Archangel Christ when he stroue against the diuell about the body of Moses durst not blame him with cursed speaking but said The Lord rebuke thee Mark then this Michael was a cheef Angell yea more than an Angell Apoc. 12. 5. as the Reuelation sheweth also There was a battell in heauen Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon and the Dragon and his angels fought but they preuailed not neither was their place found any more in heauen And the great Dragon that old serpent called the Diuell and satan which deceiueth all the world he was euen cast into the earth and his angels were cast out with him Heer Christ the seed of the woman brused the serpents head This Michael is the man-child that was borne to rule all nations with a rod of iron Psal. 2. 9. and break them in peeces like a potters vessell Diuers times is this Michael spiritually mentioned through the old and new Testament Dan. 10. 12. Lo Michael a cheef prince holpe me and there is none that holdeth with me Dan. 10. 22. but Michael your prince Dan. 12. In that day shall Michael stand vp the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people And in the same place Lo Michael one of the cheef princes cam to help me Wherfore it is to too absurd for vs to think that a king hauing banished an offender for punishment into a most desolate place of the world to remaine there for euer would himselfe go after to obteine greater power ouer him For what
heauen shall he thunder vpon them the Lord shall iudge the ends of the world and shall giue power vnto his king and exalt the horn of his annointed Therfore whoso beleeueth stedfastly in him he is already translated into life eternall Through this beleef was Enoch and Elias taken vp quick into heauen to remain happy with him for euermore Gen. 5 24. For it is said Henoch pleased God for he walked with him and was no more seen for God tooke him away so was Eliah while hee walked with Elisha taken by a whirlwind into heauen 2 King 2. 11. whose spirit was so setled on this heauenly Godhead that he knew before that he should be taken vp when as he said to Elisha 2. King 2. 9. What shal I do for thee before I be taken from thee Neither must we think that there is any other mediation to be made for vs by angels saints or elementall creatures of what sort soeuer than our owne spirituall confession and liuely protestation for after we duly conceiue what a God he is by him our temporall life that beleeue shall be translated into euerlasting life This is the fountaine of nature and nature it self the author of antiquity Dan. 7. 22. and the ancient of daies whose word is truth whose being is inuariable and whose place is perfection He made man the most excellent creature on the earth whom he created in honor Gen. 2. 15. and placed in pleasure According to his owne image made he him Gen. 1. 27. that hee might be glorified in him and gaue him dominion ouer all his creatures in earth This then is to be beleeued of vs that as we remained in him and his power before all worlds were made and before our first father Adam was created so when he shall take this life from vs that he hath giuen vs and bereaue vs of this earthly stewardship that we shall return again to that euerlasting place wherin we were first elected and prepared before the world was made or any foundation laid therof Adam fell by misbeleef to death by neglecting the first caueat that God gaue him who soon by the inticement of the woman sinned extremely by eating of the only forbidden tree of the garden Gen. 3. 6. both being circumuented by the subtilitie of satan the prince of darknes Neither are we our selues free from that corruption which he wrought vnto vs his posterity yet God to keepe his owne image from desperation hastned to promise him life again Gen. 3. 15. if he would harken vnto it which no doubt Adam laid hold on being contented for to leaue the pleasure that he had in this world only hoping for life in the world to com Gen. 2. 23. For he named his wife Euah life foreseeing that she should be the mother of life and that her seed should bruse the serpents head which he counted a sufficient reuenge vpon his deadly enimy Isai. 27. 1. In what day the Lord with his mighty sword should visit the piercing serpent yea that crooked serpent and slea the dragon in the sea and he most assuredly beleeued that it should happen though in his daies he might not see it Deut. 3. 28. Euen so trauelled Moses for the rest he saw not for the good of his posterity the Israelits 2. Sam. 1. and likewise Dauid warred for the peace of Salomon 1. King 1. Therfore let men be wise and take heed of surfetting in too much pleasure of this world least they be wholy disinherited of the world to com We see how glad Adam was to imbrace this little branch of life wheras before he made no reckoning of the whole body which he enioyed His beginning was happines but by his disobedience hath left a cursed inheritance to all nations of the earth Wherefore it is not ynough for vs to continue in the state wherin we were first borne albeit it had been blessednes in him so to haue done for then we abide still as children of wrath Col. 3. 5. 6. But seeing so many so little alter from their nature let vs all bee circumspect and looke about vs how to escape this prison of ignorance the bait of satan as the part of a wise man is to see both before and behinde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. II. not too much besotted with the security of the present time Let vs therfore looke back and consider by our fall from whence our redemption is to com then with a liuely faith indeed lay hold of it as did Adam and the rest of the holy fathers which before the law or any ordinances were made receiued the comfort of the holy Ghost hauing an entire hope of the continuall grace of the same God For from thencefoorth Adams conscience dwelt in the Lord so that he beleeued in God the father almighty maker of heauen and earth And this was a true faith in him bicause he had no other father but God who was almighty for he made him of nothing he made also heauen and earth earth to bring foorth creatures and heauen to nourish them vnto mans vse Therfore we rightly say Our father or I beleeue in God the father almighty maker of heauen and earth For euery mans faith is knowne vnto himselfe and another mans faith is to him vncertaine This beleefe brought life vnto him that was dead likewise Noah his beleefe was the same in the arke such was Abrahams when he would haue offered his only sonne Isaac in whose seed the blessing of all nations was hoped for Gen. 12 3. according to the promise and the like in many other which for breuity I recite not Exod. 4. 30. as Moses by his wondrous miracles in the land of Egypt in so much as he excelled al the wit 2. King 6. 6. magick of that land Elisha made iron to swim in the water with many other which became true prophets of things to come so immortall was their beleef in those daies that their daily bread was the heauenly cogitation of this eternall subiect Matt. 6. 11. the infinity of power happines strength and honor the recorder of his owne hand-work the register of all that is done the cause of all things that shall happen We haue in respect of him no maner of being no presence no life no perfection our being is inconstant for man is vnstable in all his waies Our presence is of no abiding Psal. 39. 5. for he hath made our daies but as a span long To conclude our actions and cogitations are so peruerse and wicked that it might repent the Lord of our redemption as it repented him that he made man Gen. 6. 7. And a very smal number should enter the ark and be saued That poore life which we haue is no more to be respected than death it self seeing it withereth as the lilly in all his glory Our greatest perfection is but extreme
neither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 far vnder for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 far aboue nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the earth for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the heauens But if S. Paul had meant that he descended to the place of the damned he would had said that he descended far vnder all the earth or as the Epistle of Iude mentioneth vnder darknes Iude. where the condemned angels are reserued in euerlasting chaines making a certain analogy of his ascension and descension But Saint Paul was to speake of Christs going downe into the lower parts of the earth to say the bowels of the earth to vanquish death wherwith his humanity was imprisoned as the sonnes of Adam and of his going vp aboue all the heauens to win life and possesse inheritance for all his chosen Therfore by his descension was not meant the place of euerlasting torment but as a man should say he went downe into the parler of the earth to put off his humanity and put on diuinity to put off corruption and put on incorruption to put off mortality and put on immortality and lastly to put off death and cloath himselfe with life to wit that he might be a body in all respects as before but freed from the bands of the flesh shewing plainly the maner of our resurrection toward as it is said 1. Cor. 15. 2◠Christ is risen from the dead and became the first fruits of them that sleepe for as by man came death so also by man shall all be made aliue and as in Adam all men dy so by Christ shall all men reuiue But of his resurrection and ascension shall be said more in due place only this a little to shew to what end he descended which was to destroy death in his owne body that was the last enimy to be destroied 2. Cor. 15. 26. Wherfore he being no more in subiection vnto death hath the only power vnder his father to destroy death in vs quick and dead that beleeue at his next comming for as the resurrection to come of flesh is of two kindes one from life to life and the other from death to life Behold we shall not all sleep 1. Cor. 15. but we shall all be changed so Christ was to signify in his death the nature of both It is manifest that he rose as they that shall not sleep for his bones and flesh perished not neither had the wormes hold on him it also appeereth that he was changed as they that sleep for he rose out of the belly of the earth within three daies euen so long was Ionah in the whales belly Seeing then death was his last enimy and all things were put in subiection vnder him saue death it is plaine that by his death which was the conquering of death he finished all that might be expected of him for the saluation of mankind Then as the article followeth HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD We must vnderstand and be sure heerby that he came first downe to the dead which is to say into the earth that bringeth foorth all things to death as if a man should say the mother or the very state of death which in Hebrue is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sheolah or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sheol PETITIO or POSTVLATIO the graue alwais crauing neuer satisfied according to the parable of Agur Prou. 30. 1◠Three things yea also the fourth will not be satisfied the graue the barren wombe the earth with raine and the fire that saith not it is ynough Heer is declared the plain and naturall force of that same word with the Hebrues which we call hell the graue This sheol both all and some confesse to be the lowest place of his descension and as concerning the vnderstanding of the Hebrue in Greeke it is translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 TANQVAM AB OBSCVRITATE from whence the Romans had AEDES vsed for a house a church or a graue a place of darknes the habitation wherof is depriued of the light of heauen So that the word Hades is a word agreeing with the other and are translated ech for other both signifying the state of death or sepulchre of the dead The Syrians inuented gehenna it seemeth from Ieremy And they built the high places of Baal Ierem 32. 35. which are in the vally of Ben-hinnom to cause their sonnes and daughters to passe through the fire vnto Molech an abhomination to the Lord and a sin to Iudah Ierem ◠31. And againe They haue built the high place of Topheth which is in the vally of Benhinnom to wit Ghe-hinnom the vally of Hinnom neer Ierusalem the portion of his inheritance that they might burne their sonnes and daughters in the fire Therfore behold the day commeth saith the Lord that it shall no more be called Topheth nor Ghe-hinnom the vally of Hinnom but Ghe-haregah the vally of slaughter for they shall bury in Topheth till there be no place I suppose that our westerne bonfires do taste of this idolatry or at the least haue remained as a relique of that ceremony vnto this day which the Pope hath conueied heertofore throughout all his dominions Now concerning the situation of Ghe-hinnom Hinnom his inheritance Ios. 15. 8. it was on the south side of the Iebusites and the same is Ierusalem This sufficeth for Topheth in the vally of Hinnom Gehenna The heathen Latines haue as far as they could reach borrowed names for the like place Virgil. as EREBVS of the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 TENEBRAE CALIGO NOX or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dark night the night that all must sleep Horat. HAEC ENIM NOX EST OMNIBVS DORMIENDA So likewise TARTARVS or TARTARA the profundity of the earth as it is said Hesiod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the riuers of the swift Ocean Hom. ◠and bottom of the earth So STYX INFERNORVM PALVS a riuer for his deadly and horrible coldnes so called ORCVS of the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IVSIVRANDVM an oth for in this place they vsed their exorcismes and coniurations AVERNVS or AVERNA a lake in Campania dedicated to Pluto Phlegithon a place where the earth is set on fire by lightning So Pluto Denat booke 2. deorum whom Cicero calleth Dis to whom all naturall and earthly force was dedicated whom the Greeks cal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Syrians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mammona rich presuming that he had the keeping of all the riches that sprang out of the earth and returned to the earth againe wherby they thought him treasurer of hell and Lord of Hades Acheron is a place by nature so enuironed with hils that it cannot be toucht with lightning Seeing therfore all their fained circumstances so aptly agree with Hades let vs learne with Homer to vnderstand the word Hades aright Iliad A. where he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking of Achilles that his fury sent