retention in sinne to the obstinate and so consequently in euerlasting death and damnation for so hee expoundeth that preaching to the spirits in Peter 2. b. p. 77. And now it was as hee saith to enfranchise and set at libertie And thus hee is one of those of whome the Apostle speaketh They would be Doctors of the Law and yet vnder staÌ„d not what they speake nor whereof they affirme I may apply against him the Orators words quam miserum est id negare non posse quod 〈◊〉 est confâ—erâ— how miserable a thing is it not to be able to deny that which it is aâ—â—rame to confesse He is ashamed to confesse he holdeth Limbus patrum and yet beeing pressed with his owne words he can not denie it 4. Pla. What honour is greater then his who entreth by force into his enemies pallace 〈◊〉 him of his power disfurnisheth him of his treasure and returneth victorious c. and what he meaneth by his treasure hee referreth vs to a place of Origen where he saith thus hic alligato forti c. the strong man beeing here bound vpon the crosse hee went forward into his house into the house of death into hell and tooke thence his goods that is the soules which he held 5. Pla. Ambrose is cited in these words beeing free among the dead loosing the power of death he gaue release to those which were in 〈◊〉 and what he meaneth hereby the words following shew omitted by him hee shed the light of life vpon those which were placed in hell c. 6. Pla. He saith that Christ euangelized or deliuered the glad tidings of the gospel to the dead but to whom else could the preaching of the Gospel be glad tidings but to those which had comfort and deliuerance by it And so he must be driuen to say with his great friend Pradicationem Christi c. that the preaching of Christ in hell was only for the annuntiation of that great ioy of their deliuerance to the godly soules 7. Pl. You must first prooue that they erred in holding that opinion of the deliuery of the Fathers but if he himselfe hold that to bee an error what needed any further proofe thereof 8. Pl. Hierom is cited who should say that Christ descended to hell vt vinctos de carcere dimitteret that hee might dismisse them which were bound out of prison 9. Pl. Likewise Cyril is brought in speaking to the same purpose that Christ appeared to the spirits in hell and said to those which were in bonds come forth To what purpose should he alleadge these testimonies if he consented not with them herein for men doe not vse to produce witnesses against themselues 10. Pl. He confesseth Limbus patrum but denieth it to be any part of hell to let passe saith hee your falshood beeing the falsarie himselfe and absurditie in confounding Limbus patrum with locus damnatorum the one being no part of hell as your selfe euery where preach But this is his owne preaching or rather prating for the Replyer in those places speaketh onely of Abrahams bosome not a word of Limbus If then in his opinion there was a Limbus patrum then either the fathers were deliuered thence or else they are in Limbe still for heauen or paradise I hope he will not take to be Limbus which the masters of that tearme the Romanists take for a prison and dungeon of darknes 11. Pl. Cassiodorus is brought in thus witnessing for the deliuerie of the Fathers out of hell Christ hauing bound the devill brought out those prisoners which he held in captiuitie 12. Hierome againe is thus alleadged Christ descended not into the whale but into hell to the ende that those which were in hell might be loosed from perpetuall bonds 13. Augustine also is brought to the same purpose I see no reason why we should beleeue that our Sauiour came thither but to saue some from the sorrowes and paines thereof 14. So also Origene is produced the onely begotten sonne of God descended into hell for the saluation of the world and thence brought backe againe the first man Adam 15. For the enfranchising and setting at libertie the captiues in hell he alleadgeth Ruffinus referring vs onely in generall to his exposition of the Creede in the which he directly affirmeth in these words Redijt victor à mortuis inferni spolia c. he returned a conquerour from the dead and carying with him the spoile of hell brought out those which were held of death So it seemeth that therein he concurreth with Ruffinus for the bringing out of some out of hell 16. Whereas the Article of the descension was thus set downe in K. Edwards time in the Synode held ann 1552. As Christ died for vs and was buried so it is to be beleeued that he descended into hell for his bodie lay in the graue till the Resurrection his spirit beeing sent forth from him was with the spirits which were detained in prison or in hell and preached vnto them as testifieth Peter the last clause whereof was left out by the Reuerend Fathers of this Church in their Synode ann 1562. and so remaineth still Now this man commeth and would expound the meaning of that clause omitted saying that their application of those words of Peter vnto Christs descension into hell is no other then all the auncient Fathers haue made on that place as may appeare by holy Athanasius c. But Athanasius saith he preached the Gospel or glad tidings to those which were in hell so he vnderstandeth S. Peters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So likewise Iustinus and Ireneus say descendit ad eos evangelizare salutem he descended vnto them to evangelize or bring the glad tidings of saluation as they cite the Prophet Isai wherefore if he vnderstand it according to their exposition he must hold that saluation and deliuerance was preached by Christ to some in hell 17. Place The harrowing of hell c. if you will beleeue an old ploughman in your haruest is no such matter as you take it for but such as ought to be beleeued of all Christians as containing a deepe mysterie he would father his conceit vpon an other that fauoureth it not but indeede he cunningly hereby conueieth his owne opinion as fit to be beleeued of all Christians 18. His opinion is that Iob was in hell for that place Iob 17. 13. he readeth thus hell shall be my house and I shall make my bed in the darke And further he addeth for so much as Iob was a perfect figure of Christ in many things the word bed taken in the better part doth very truely agree vnto him because though hell be a place of restlesse disquiet to the wicked yet was it to him a place of quiet rest In which words beside that in right construction the whole sentence runneth
tremble to say that the conquest vpon the crosse was openly an ouerthrow and did not our Sauiour himselfe say vpon the crosse It is finished what els was finished but the redemption of mankind in deliuering of mankinde from the kingdome of Satan And was his heart so prophanely caried with the spirit of derision to scoffe at Christ by that vsuall prouerbe triumph before victorie this is a more heinous offence then Ismaels was to scoffe at Isaak He may remember whome he scornefully calleth Ismaelites 2. b. p. 18. Such an Ismaels tricke shall he not finde in all their writings it were better they were all set on a light fire then that their pennes should be stained with such impietie God mollifie his hard heart that he may in time repent him of this so great iniquitie 4. As the theefe was partaker of Christs humanitie in suffering with him on the crosse◠so he was partaker with him in all his deitie 2. b. p. 199. to this ende he tooke vpon him our humane nature that we might be capable of his diuine substance p. 203. if we should not communicate with Christ in all his glorie c. we should be no better then the wicked 2. b. p. 205. What harsh stuffe is this and fit to be waighed in the ballance of blasphemie that we shall be partakers of Christs diuine nature as he was of our humane and so the Saints shall become Gods with Christ as he was made man with vs. 5. Resurrection is attributed by Peter as well to Christs soule returning out of hell as to his bodie rising out of the graue 3. b. p. 38. What a strange paradox is this In the Creede we are taught to beleeue the resurrection of the bodie but the resurrection of the soule in the next world was yet neuer heard of neither hath Peter any such meaning for that was raised of Christ which rested in hope but it was his flesh not soule that rested in hope Act. 2. 26. that is raised which before was sowne by death but the bodie onely was so sowne not Christs soule both these propositions are S. Pauls that which thou sowest is not quickened except it die 1. Cor. 15. 36. so also is the resurrection of the dead 24. it is sowne a naturall bodie and is raised a spirituall bodie v. 44. How farre now is he from bringing death vpon Christs soule which could not be quickened in the resurrection except it first died which he himselfe counteth blasphemie 6. Is there not a most plaine distinction betweene the holy Ghost who foretold and Christ who endured these afflictions and that not in person onely which is the point I stand vpon but in nature also I meane his diuiue nature c. 3. b. p. 94. Doth hee not here manifestly affirme that there is a plaine distinction betweene the holy Ghost and Christ not in person onely but in his diuine nature was this doting diuine well aduised thus to write What Macedonian heretike would haue written more in disgrace of the holy Ghost then to say he is distinguished from Christ euen in his diuine nature 7. And as hee dealeth with Christ himselfe the like measure he offereth his seruants for thus irreuerently hee writeth of Peter you thinke all men to be vncleane impure in comparison of your selues which was partly Peters error Act. 10. 2. b. p. 107. But doth hee speake as he thinketh had Peter such an opinion of himselfe as to thinke al men vncleane and impure beside Peter onely held as yet them of the vncircumcision to be vncleane not of any singularitie of opinion but because it was not yet reuealed to him 8. Thus also hee serueth the Prophet Dauid making him almost in hell for that place Psal. 94. 14. If the Lord had not holpen mee my soule had almost dwelt in silence This place of silence he ignorantly vnderstandeth of hell 2. b. p. 149. yet falsly printed 159. But Dauid else-where declareth his hope that he was sure neuer to goe to hell when I awake I shall be satisfied with thine image Psal. 17. 15. This holy Prophet now is much beholding to this pragmatical Nouelist in placing him almost in hell 9. The like censure hee giueth of that holy man Iob vnderstanding those his word◠the graue or hell saith hee shall bee mine house and I shall make my bed in the darke Iob. 17. 13. of hell for the graue is neuer called the place of darkenesse 3. b. p. 152. and herein hee maketh Iob a figure of Christs beeing in hel p. 153. What iniury doth this vnholy glossograph offer to this holy man who was most sure he should neuer goe to hell thus professing his faith I am sure my Redeemer liueth c. Iob. 19. 25. 10. And to end where I began with his hard vsage as toward the seruants so against the Lord and master himselfe these words of Peter quickened in the spirit hee applyeth to Christs soule in this sense that hee was not made aliue in soule but kept or preserued aliue 2. b. p. 85. and alleadgeth to this purpose other places where the word is so taken as Nehemiah speaking of the heauens earth saith thou preseruest them and Saint Iames saith receiue the word with meekenesse c. which is able to saue their soules Now then if Christs soule be said to bee preserued aliue in either of these senses as in the first then was it saued from death and mortalitie and corruption as the heauens and earth are and so the soule of Christ should not be immortall of it owne nature but by speciall preseruation if he take it in another sense to be saued as our soules are which is from damnation then it will follow that Christs soule was subiect to damnation as ours are without him and so had neede of saluation which way soeuer he saith his soule was saued aliue hee must needes incurre most horrible blasphemie Here I may now fitly apply Hieroms words vttered against Heluidius Illud dico praeveniens gloriae mihi fore tua maledicta cum eodem qu◠Mariae detraxistiore me laceres caninam facundiam servus domini pariter experiatur mater This I say aforehand that your railing will bee a glory vnto me when as you tare me with the same mouth whereby you backbite Marie that both the seruant of the Lord and his mother may together haue experiēce of your doggish eloquēce But I may say more that the seruant neede not thinke much to be slaundered when as the Lord himselfe is blasphemed I am sory in my heart God is my witnesse that this man was so farre carried in his vncharitable heate as not onely to breake charity toward men but to violate pietie also toward God and let him remember what the Apostle saith It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing
the diuell vpon the crosse but also derogate from his blessed death and passion c. 2. b. p. 189. the same contradiction is againe obiected 3. b. p. 156. 9. You affirme in an other place that the theefe made request to Christ as man and not as he was God c. now your self dare not defend your former opinion but say that Christ spake this as he was the Messias wherein as you delight in contrarietie c. 2. b. p. 195. 10. Herein you contradict your selfe for in the former â—ection you say that Christ is with vs in respect of his Godhead but we with him as he is our Messias 3. b. p. 9. 11. You contradict your selfe herein many waies for before p. 9. you acknowledge this reading of the sorrowes of hell to be the true reading c. how then can you say here that Christ onely suffered the sorrowes of the first death 3. b. p. 25. 12. The Reader may see how vnlearnedly you condemne that for an error in Bellarmine for saying that Christ loosed the sorrowes of hell for others not for himselfe which your selfe defend for a truth 13. We say not saith the Replyer that Christs bodie felt sorrowes in the graue but was vnder the sorrowes or bandes of death and yet your selfe meaning the Replyer in the former section make it all one to be vnder the sorrows of hell and to suffer them 14. Your minor or assumption containeth grosse error and contradiction in that it implieth Dauids soule to haue beene sometime in hell because it was not left in hell it is your owne reason and indeede most true 15. Your contradiction is in that you say in your proposition that this prophesie of Dauid Psal. 16. was wholly performed in Christ. Againe in an other place you say that this prophesie is so applied to Christ as it must first be true in Dauid vpon which supposition you inferre thus well then first Dauids soule is in hell and then it must be in the lowest hell c. 16. You say the whole is a peculiar prophesie of Christ not partly of him partly of Dauid and presently after that this prophesie typically agreeth to Dauid 17. There is no more necessitie here by flesh to vnderstand the whole humanitie of Christ his soule and bodie then in that place of S. Paul Rom. 1. 3. Christ was made of the seede of Dauid according to the flesh c. if the soule should necessarily be comprehended vnder the name of flesh it would follow that Christ receiued his soule of the seede of Dauid and so anima should be ex traduce 3. b. p. 61. And yet in an other place the Replyer speaking of the very same place saith Here whole Christ is described vnto vs as God and man the soule then of Christ is comprehended vnder the name of flesh or els it is excluded and so the Apostle should set before vs an vnperfect Christ. 3. b. p. 62. 18. You contradict your selfe herein in iustifying that for a veritie because the Replyer saith to what purpose rather should Christ be thought to preach to the spirits in hell then for their comfort which you condemne a little before for a most grosse heresie namely that by Christs descending into hell the incredulous persons beleeued 19. You grossely contradict your selfe in an other place where you affirme that the doores opened and gaue way vnto Christ when he entred and yet you say here that they were shut in the very instance of his entrance 20. In euery place you defend that by prison in this place of Peter hell and the infernall place of darkenes is to be vnderstood and doe you now recant it and bring vs an other signification of sinnes and errors 21. The Replyer saith hauing cited that place of the Prophet Dauid Psal. 139. 15. thou hast fushioned me in the lower parts of the earth I trust they will not say he was borne in hell 3. b. p. 134. And yet in the first testimonie you that is the Replyer bring S. Ambrose to prooue that by these very words of the Prophet Dauid we ought to vnderstand Christs descending to hell 3. b. p. 140. see the same contradiction vrged 3. b. p. 183. 22. Bearing vs in hand that Bernard acknowledgeth no further descension of Christ then to death c. and yet in an other place you are driuen in the ende vtterly to forsake and reiect him as one carried away with the error of his time in thinking that Christ in his soule after death went locally downe into hell 22. In the former place you say that Bernard goeth not beyond Christs death nor findeth any further degree of descension after that and yet that he maketh here one degree to be his descending to the graue for I am sure that you wil not say he was buried before he was dead 3. b. p. 160. 23. Before in this place you will needes haue the lower parts of the earth to be meant of the crosse death and graue 3. b. p. 170. and yet here you say that the parts of the earth are not compared with it selfe but considered as parts of the world in respect whereof they may be called lower or lowest parts 3. b. p. 163. And againe to descend to the lower parts of the earth is to descend from heaâ—en to earth and yet other where you defend that by descending into the lower parts of the earth is meant Christs descension to death and the graue so that you doe here notably contradict your selfe vnlesse you make this world to be all one with death and the graue 24. You told vs before that there is none of the auncient fathers which speaketh of the descension of Christs soule to hell but addeth withall that it was to this ende to deliuer the soules of the fathers from thence 3. b. p. 193. and yet you say neither did all the fathers agree in iudgement that Christ descended into hell to redeeme the soules of the fathers p. 190. what truth can there be in your words when you thus blow hoate and cold with one breath 25. You change me before to haue misalledged Calvin for Christs descension into hell in that place of Peter whereas you alledge him here your selfe to the same purpose The iustification 1. THis Contradicter hath found out a new kinde of reasoning neuer heard of before that in a proposition where two questions are included together the second can not be denied before the former be graunted As the question beeing whether Christ descended to Limbus to deliuer the fathers one in his logike can not denie that he descended to that ende vnlesse first he graunt that he descended to Limbus by the same reason he that saith that an Idol must not be bowed vnto to worship it doth graunt that it may be bowed
died in bodie yet his soule perished not vt vita perderet vitam that our life should loosâ— life c. 4. in init by occasion of which question he falleth also into that other point concerning the death of Christs soule 2. He saith that Augustine taketh this for graunted that the promise made to the theefe was the voice of Christs Godhead whereas Augustine onely propoundeth it by way of obiection sed dicet aliquis c. but some one will say we beleeue this was the voice of the deitie not of the soule of Christ c. and afterward he rather reasoneth against that obiection then yeildeth to it quid in eo cui promittebat accipimus c. and what doe we take in him to whome the promise was made and so he frameth his argument from the soule of the theefe to the soule of Christ reasoning from the lesse to the greater 3. He denieth that any such collection can be made out of Augustine that if the soule of the theefe went to Paradise Christ much more but that this is Augustines meaning rather that because the theefes soule was presently made blessed c. in Paradise and so freed from the feare of death and hell much more was the soule of Christ exempted Contra. Augustines words are these If the soule of the theefe was straightway the bodieâ—beeing dead called to Paradise shall we thinke any to be so impious to thinke that the soule of our Sauiour was three daies kept in hell c. here is no mention of the feare of death or hell but of calling the soule to Paradise his wordes are plaine that Christs soule could not be in hell all those three daies that his bodie was in the graue nay it can not be prooued out of this treatise of Augustine that Christs soule was in hell for it is euident that he taketh inferi for the place of the dead As c. 14. he saith erat vno eodemque tempore totus in inferno totus in coelo illic patiens iniuriam carnis c. he was at one and the same time whole in hell or below whole in heauen there suffering the iniurie of his flesh here not leauing the glorie of his deitie Againe c. 17. iacebat quantum ad corpus c. he lay touching his bodie dead in the graue raising the dead in hel or in the low parts but Christs flesh was in the graue not in hell and from the graue not from hell he raised the dead 6. An other place of Augustine is corruptly alleadged epist. 57. ad Dardan lib. 3. p. 14. first he inuerteth the order of the wordes for that sentence beginning as it might rightly be said and ending because he is alwaies euery where c. is at least 40. lines after that sentence if this to day thou shalt c. which he confusedly placeth immediatly after as though it were all one sentence Againe in the next sentence beginning if this to day thou shalt c. and ending humane soule he clippeth off at the least 20. lines and leapeth them all ouer to those words but the sense is much more readie c. which he ioyneth as immediatly following beeing 20. lines after thirdly he fraudulently omitteth many sentences which come betweene making directly against his opinion of Christs descent to hell 1. Augustine saith Vnde quaeri solet c. whence it vseth to be questioned if the infernall places are vnderstood onely to be penall how can we beleeue godly that the soule of Christ was in hell but it is well answeared that therefore he descended to succour whome he could Here Augustine maketh no other ende of Christs descending into the penall place of hell but to giue succour and releefe 2. If both the region of those which were in griefe and those which were at rest c. is to be beleeued to haue beene in hell who dare say that Christ went onely to the penall places of hell and not to haue beene with them which were at rest in Abrahams bosome where if he were that was the Paradise which he vouchsafed to promise the thiefe here he resolueth that the soule of Christ went to the Paradise promised to the thiefe 7. So Augustine is erroneously cited for twice he quoteth tract 91. in Ioh. 17. 3. b. p. 8. and 16. whereas the place is taken out of the 111. tract in Ioh. 17. Beside he would make the Reader beleeue that Augustine expoundeth this glorie which Christ speaketh of Ioh. 17. onely of the glorie of his Godhead and that other speach where I am c. to be vnderstood of the presence of his Godhead Cont. In the very same tractat 111. Augustine thus expoundeth those words I will that where I am they may be with me Quantum attinet ad creaturam c. Concerning that creature wherein he was made of the seede of David after the flesh he was not yet himselfe where he was to be but in that sense he might say where I am as we might vnderstand that he should quickly ascend into heauen that he said he was there alreadie where he was presently to be In the same tractate he also thus expoundeth the glorie etiamsi eam dici hoc loco intelligamus c. Though we vnderstand that glorie to be here spoken of not which the father gaue vnto his sonne beeing equall in begetting him but which he gaue vnto him beeing made the sonne of man after the death of the crosse he vnderstandeth it as well of the glorie giuen vnto him as man as that due vnto him as God But more euidently Augustine sheweth his minde touching these points in the former tractates vpon this chapter As tract 104. Haec est glorificatio c. This is the glorifying of our Lord Iesus Christ which tooke beginning from his resurrection Tract 105. That the sonne was glorified of the father according to the forme of a seruant whome the father raised vp beeing dead and placed at his right hand the thing it selfe sheweth and no Christian doubteth And if the Confuter doubt hereof in Augustins opinion he is no Christian. And vpon those words Glorifie me with the glory c. which I had c. he writeth thus sicut tunc praedestinatione c. as then in predestination so now in perfection doe in the world what was with thee before the world doe in time that which thou appointedst before all time Thus Augustine apparantly vnderstandeth the glory which was giuen vnto Christ as man And how Christ our blessed Sauiour prayed vnto his Father he thus also sheweth tract 104. Poterat Dominus noster c. Our Lord the onely begotten and coeternall to the father might in the forme and by the forme of a seruant if it had beene needfull haue praied in silence but hee would so exhibite himselfe to his father a praier for vs as that hee remembreth himselfe to be our teacher And againe in another place Orauit
18. the figure 2. might easily be mistaken for 3. 17. Christ by Noah preached the one as the author the other as the Minister so both may wel stand together S. Peters text that speaketh of Christ and the interpretation that applieth it to Noah If any make the Apostle a lyar it is himselfe that corrupteth his sense by a false interpretation and maketh him to speake that which he neuer intended 18. Though the preaching of the word vnto vnbeleeuers is thorough the hardnes of their heart the sauour of death vnto death yet the principall and onely ende in respect of God is the comfort and conuersion of men the hardening of the heart is effected accidentally by the word and is not the proper ende thereof This is euident by that prophesie of Isai of Christ The spirit of God is vpon me c. he hath sent me to preach good tidings to the poore And this is Augustines reason that if there be preaching in hell some may be conuerted and beleeue in hell to say therefore to what purpose should Christ be thought to preach to the spirits in hell c. then for their comfort and deliuerance is no contradicting of the Scriptures but a manifesting of his ignorance that knoweth it not 19. And is it not sufficient if one Euangelist haue those words and is it not lawfull what is wanting in one to supplie out of an other But it can haue no excuse to clippe the Euangelists words as he doth whatsoeuer is giuen vnto you at the same time that speake saith Saint Marke but he citeth the place thus that which shall be giuen you that speake 20. And is he so captious that he could not or would not see that the omission of this word were was a meere ouersight in the setter and therefore the Replyer hath amended it among the Errata before Limbomastix And this poore-blinde pryer might haue obserued the like scape in his owne blotted lines where he thus writeth where the soules of sinners wont to be tortured for were wont c. 21. This is a small exception to the Geneva translation to take the present tence for the preterperfect especially seeing the Apostle so readeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ascending Eph. 4. 8. and the same tence with the Hebrewes serueth both for the present and time past as Psal. 68. 19. from whence S. Paul borroweth that testimony 22. These words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are englished in the translation but the words in Greeke it was not pertinent to repeate because all the force lieth in the other words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 23. 1. The Replyer citing those words of the Apostle to prooue the inward afflictions had no cause to repeat the rest which speake of his glorying and reioycing in Christ but onely so much as was to the purpose 2. Hee refuseth not Chrysostoms exposition though by him much mis-alleadged neither doth it make against him for that inward resolution and preparation of the minde daily beeing in expectation of death was it not an inward affliction and temptation to suffer death I hope hee will not deny to be an affliction then the daiely expectation of death being inward must be an inward affliction 3. Neither are those words cited to prooue that Saint Paul died the death of the soule but for the similitude of the phrase Hee might else-where haue further seene the Replyers meaning expressed in this manner As the body is not said onely to die when the soule departeth from it but when it is pressed with deepe and dangerous afflictions which threaten death as Paul saith I die daily so the soule may be said after a sort to die not only when it is finally separated frō God but perplexed with the horror and feeling of Gods wrath 4. It followeth not because Paul had inward ioy and consolation therefore he had not inward afflictions for speaking of terrors within he addeth God which comforted the abiect comforted vs c. His inward afflictions and terrors were tempered with inward ioy and comfort also here is neither dishonour done to Paul nor contumely to the spirit vnlesse it bee by his contumelious and slaunderous mouth Such are this Cauillers exceptions to the Replyers allegations of Scripture as we haue seene wherein I doubt not but that hee hath rather shewed himselfe a wrangler then the other a corrupter for although in the citing of other forraine testimonies greater liberty may bee vsed as Hierom saith hee did in interpreting of Greeke Authors Non verbū de verbo sed sensum exprimere de sensu not to expresse euery word but the sense by the sense yet in alleadging Scripture we must hold vs to the very words where as he againe saith Verberum or do mysterium est there both order and mysterie is in the words But had hee beene sincere himselfe in alleadging of Scripture hee would not haue beene so suspicious of another according to that saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A wit free from euill is slowest to suspect euill Now then it followeth to shew what a pregnant wit and ready facility he himselfe hath in corrupting of Scripture The Recrimination 1. That place 2. Timoth. 2. 5. he citeth thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no man is crowned vnlesse he striue lawfully whereas these are the Apostles words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. If any man striue hee is not crowned except he striue lawfully where for any man he putteth no man 2. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perrils among false brethren he readeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 false brotherhood beside he quoteth 2. Cor. 12. 26. for 11. 26. 3. Hee thus vnreuerently speaketh of the Scripture which shewes your state wholly dependeth vpon shifting first from the newe Testament to the olde from the olde to the newe and from the new to the olde againe thus he profanely calleth the comparing of the newe Testament with the old shifting 4. He corrupteth the sense of the Apostle vnderstanding his words of beeing partakers of the diuine nature of participating with his godhead which is onely meant of a similitude and likenesse vnto God not in substance but in qualitie in flying the corruption of the world as the words following shew which thing was well expressed by Iustinus Philosophus that the end which a Philosopher propoundeth to himselfe is to be like vnto God as neere as may be 5. Christ saith Where I am there shall also my seruant be Iohn 12. 26. he thus addeth vnto it where I am now there shall my seruant be hereafter 6. I goe to prepare a place for you and though I goe to prepare a place for you I will come againe Iohn 14. 2. 3. all this inclosed he leaueth out and here he ioyneth himselfe two verses together which he before called patching Accusat 8. 7. Ye shall lie downe in sorrow Isay 50. 11. hee readeth ye shall sleepe
the answearer the conclusion is Ergo be deliuered the Fathers out of Limbas doth he inferre this to confirme his owne opinion or to confute yours The Replyer therefore will keepe himselfe well enough out of the ditch while he himselfe sticketh fast in the mire Ans. 2. He denieth the assumption affirming with Augustine that Christ loosed the sorrowes of hell for himselfe Contra. 1. In deede one of Augustines expositions in that place is that Christ may be said to haue loosed the sorrowes of hell for himselfe quemadmodum solvi possunt laquei venantium c. as the snares of hunters may be loosed least they should hold not because they did hold but this exposition can not serue his turne for he saith these sorrowes were loosed at Christs resurrection they were not then loosed before till then so it followeth that Christ was in them which Augustine there denieth neque coperat in eis esse tanquam in vinoulis he beganne not at all to be in those sorrowes as in bandes 2. Againe he saith these sorrowes were not in the graue because the bodie was senslesse and so felt them not therefore by the same reason those sorrowes were in hell because Christ soule was full of sense and consequently felt them Thus will hee 〈◊〉 hee either hee must confesse that some other were deliuered out of the sorrowes of hell by Christs descending thither or that he himselfe felt the sorrowes of hell 2. The second place that encreaseth this suspition is because he striueth mightily that we must read 1. Pet. 3. 19. the spirits which were in prison not which are whereupon it followeth that he thinketh some were in the prison of hell but are not or els he striueth about words Ans. It followeth not because I say it should be translaeted which were c. not which are that they therefore were in hell but are not no more then it followeth the Angels were in heauen at Christs asâ—ension but are not Contr. 1. Hee omitteth the other part of the disiunâ—tion that either that must follow or els he striueth about words 2. The instance of the Angels therefore is impertinent for the Replyer doth not reason thus they were in hell Ergo they are not but thus either they were in hell and are not or else he striueth for words 3. Yet this coÌ„tending about the reading of were for are giueth strong suspicion that hee so thinketh that some were in hell and are not because his great Master vpon the aduantage of that word inferreth the same conclusion thus writing All the Latines Greekes whom we haue cited expound were not are because they will haue them deliuered out of hell by Christ but it could not bee said truely of those spirits in the time of Peter that they were then in the prison 3. The third place is this In that Christ personally descended into hell it doth more amplifie and set forth his goodnesse toward mankâ—â—de c. for so much as the more vile and loath some the dungeon is the greater is the loue of the Prince who to enfranchise and set at libertie the captiues there enthralled disâ—â—ineth not to enter into it in his owne person Hence it is inferred that these captiues in hell which were enfranchised by Christ descending thither could be no other then the fathers in Limbo patrum for out of the nethermost hell of the damned none can be deliuered Ans. 1. The argument is denied Christ went to set at libertie captiues in hell Ergo the fathers in Limbo Cont. The argument standeth thus the captiues in hel set at liberty were either in Limbo or in the nethermost hell But they were not in the nethermost hell for thence none can be deliuered Ergo the captiues in hell set at liberty were those in Limbo The reason cannot be denied beeing a true syllogisme the Replyer is not then a 〈◊〉 in making such reasons but the Confuter a brables in denying them Ans. 2. You must first prooue that the Fathers were in Limbo patrum and that hell the place of eternall captiuity was all one with it which yet your selfe affirme is no part of hell and therefore I inferre it is no place of thraldome Cont. 1. Now this ignorant Confuter sheweth himselfe a trifler indeed and a silly Logician to denie the conclusion that the Fathers were not in Limbe which is the conclusion of the former argument 2. How absurd is this fellow that seeing a manifest disiunction in the proposition betweene Limbus patrum and the nethermost hell yet saith it must be prooued that they are all one 3. The Replyer in his owne opinion taketh Limbus to be neither a part of hell nor any where else but disputeth ex concessis according to their conceit that so imagine But this trifling Confuter is caught in his owne wordes for in confessing that Limbus is no place of thraldome he granteth that such a Limbus there is but not a place of that qualitie for according to his owne rule the formeâ— must first be granted namely that there is a Limbus before you can dispute of the latter whether it be a place of thraldome or not and thus to giue him his owne words againe you whip your selfe with your owne scourge whose lashes if you feelâ— not I say you are very senslesse and to vse Tullies words haec te si vllam partem habes sensus laceret haec crueÌ„tat oratio this saying if you haue any part of sense tareth and woundeth you Answ. 3. But the Confuter not insisting vpon any of these answers which are very simple findeth our another that these captiues enfranchised by Christ was all mankind which by Adâ—â—s sinne were made guilty of eternall death and so made his captiues that had power ouer death that is the diuell vnder whom wee were held in most slauish thraldome c. vntill such time as it pleased our most gratious king to enfranchise vs. 2. b. p. 143. Cont. 1. This answer is not to the purpose for the question out of his former words obiected is not of captiues to hell and the diuell but of captiues in hell 2. b. p. 40. and there detained p. 37. and enthralled there to enfranchise whom our prince descended thither p. 40. We were indeede all captiues by sinne to the diuell subiect to death hell damnation but not captiues and enthralled in hell this is but a simple euasion 2. Our deliuerance and enfranchising was procured purchased by the death of Christ as the Apostle saith that he might destroy through death him that had power ouer death that is the diuell and that he might deliuer c. for that ende therefore Christ needed not to descend to hell 3. See how inconstant this new doginatist is one while he saith that Christ descended to hell that the Redemption of mankind now performed might bee manifested euen vnto the dead 2. b. p. 72. sometime to denounce
him p. 125. whereas the Replyer doth protest that he neuer yet read or so much as sawe Carliles booke but what will not euill will imagine 9. Vntruth That Bellarmine agreeth with all antiquitie in taking the Hebrew and Greeke words sheol and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they signified onely soule and hell 2. b. p. 119. Here are three notable vntruths for neither antiquitie nor yet Bellarmine nor any learned interpreter euer tooke these two words sheol and hades to signifie the soule and hell for neither of them was euer taken by any to signifie the soule Secondly not all the auncient interpreters tooke sheol translated infernus onely to signifie hell for Cyprian vpon the Creed which is also ascribed to Ruffinus doeth take it for the graue in these words Sciendum est quod in Ecclesiae Romanae symbolo non habetur additum descendit ad infernos c. We must knowe that in the Romane Church it is not found added in the Creed he descended to hell c. Vis tamen verbi eadem videtur esse in eo quod sepultus dicitur but the same force of the word seemeth to be in that he is said to be buried And Chrysostome also concurreth Descendit ad infernum vt ibi à miraculo non vacaret c. He descēded to hell that he should not there be without miracle for many of the bodies of the Saints rose with Christ and died againe hom 2. in Symbol Here by infernus hell hee seemeth to vnderstand that place from whence Christ raised the bodies of the dead that came out of their graues which is none other but the place of buriall and the graue And Augustine expoundeth that place Psalm 88. 3. My life draweth neere to hell by these words of Christ My soule is heauy vnto death Thirdly neither doth Bellarmine take the wordes sheol and nephesh onely to signifie hell for the first hee saith Ordinariè accipitur c. it is taken ordinarily for the place of soules vnder the earth vel raro vel nunquā pro sepulchro or seldome or neuer for the graue He simply denieth not but that it sometime signifieth the graue though not ordinarily For the other word thus he saith Nephesh est generalissim◠vox c. Nephesh is a generall word and signifieth without any trope as well the soule as the liuing creature yea the body Hee may be ashamed therefore thus to belie his ring-leader and grand captaine with whom he saith he is beholding to the Replyer for ioyning him being a learned Papist p. 119. 10. Vntruth That hee doeth fasten all the torments of hell vpon the blessed soule of our Sauiour 2. b. p. 154. wheras the Replyer simply denieth against the false charge of Feuardentius That Christ suffered in his soule the whole paines of the damned in hell 11. Vntruth That you expound in the former testimonie soule that is body hell that is graue and here spirits that is men dead that is liuing 3. b. p. 71. Here are foure vntruths fardelled vp together 1. Neither doth the Replier by soule vnderstand body but either the person or life 2. Neither by hell the graue but only sheweth that the hebrew word sheol which signifieth hell is sometime taken for the graue 3. Nor yet doth he expound spirits that is men but that they are called now spirits with S. Peter which sometime were men 4. And they which are now dead were sometime liuing 12. Vntruth Onely Beza may seeme to fauour you that is in taking soule for life 2. b. p. 118. What boldnesse is this to set downe such peremptorie negatiues as though he had himselfe runne ouer all writers both new olde What a great vntruth is it to say onely Beza when as Caluine directly affirmeth the same Neque enim anima tam spiritum immortalis essentiae significat quam vitam ipsam for the soule doth not so much signifie the immortall essence of the spirit as the life it selfe Is Caluin in his base opinion no bodie 13. It turneth Christs euerliuing soule into a dead bodie it siteth hell in the superficies of the earth maketh hell a place of corruption and there burieth the blessed soule of our Sauiour 2. b. p. 164. All these impieties and absurdities he chargeth the Replyer with for so vnderstanding that place Act. 2. 27. that Christs life seemed to be raked vp in the graue for here he hath vttered three vntruths 1. the soule beeing taken for the life turneth not the soule of Christ into the bodie but maketh the life onely to be as laid vp in the graue 2. they which take sheol here for the graue which also signifieth hell denie not but that beside this sheol in the graue there is an other also in hell sheol taken for the graue is a place of corruption not sheol when it signifieth hell 4. he is the man that burieth and shutteth vp Christs soule in hell holding and affirming that it was there three daies 14. That Durand held an opinion contrarie to all the rest of the Romanists that Christs soule descended not to hell in substance but by certaine effects p. 190. whereas Thomas Aquinas held the same in effect that Christ onely descended per realem praesentiam by his reall presence to Limbus patrum to all the other places of hell per effectum by effects and thus Bellarmine himselfe citeth him take away that conceit of Limbus patrum which to all Protestants is but a dreame and in the rest these two agree 15. Neither Protestant nor yet Papist of any account will take your part for the Papists they are fitter mates for him but diuers Protestants of great account are in this question of the Replyers iudgement as instance is giuen in twelue of them before 13. slaund therefore it is great vnshamefastnes in this brabler to vtter so vnreasonable and improbable a speech 16. He calleth A. Humes his first instructer p. 195. whereas he shall finde that the partie giuen in instance in his Reioynder hath reference vnto some of the Replyers works euen in this argument 17. Vntr. In this sense the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is vsed euery where throughout the Bible that is is meant for the soule 3. b. p. 57. A most audacious speech and full of vntruth for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirit is as often taken for the diuine spirit of God as for the soule of man as is euident in these places Ioh. 4. 24. God is a spirit Rom. 1. 4. declared mightily to be the sonne of God touching the spirit of sanctification 1. Tim. 3. 16. iustified in the spirit 1. Tim. 4. 1. the spirit speaketh euidently and many other such places might be produced he sheweth how shamelesse a man he is therefore that dare vent forth such a great vntruth that this word spirit euery where
his glorie victorie and triumph onely remained so that he fraudulently putteth in vnaccomplished of his owne The Replyer saith that Christ triumphed ouer death hell and the deuill vpon the Crosse that is the victorie and triumph was then obtained and yet his glorie victorie and triumph remained that is it was not yet manifested and published for this word triumph though it properly signifie the publike solemnitie that followeth after the victorie as the Romane Captaines had their honourable triumphs publikely solemnized in the Citie after their victorious returne in which sense he that so triumphed was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a triumphant man yet in Scripture they are saide to triumph that doe ouercome as Paul saith Thankes be to God which alwaies makes vs to triumph in Christ where the same word is vsed and yet the glorious and proper triumph of the Saints is in the kingdome of heauen As Christ now triumpheth in his members in preuailing and ouercomming so he triumphed vpon the Crosse in obtaining the victorie And if any derogate and detract from the blessed death and passion of Christ it is this Contradicter and detracter who a little before said that Christs conquest vpon the Crosse was openly an ouerthrow and therefore no triumph And againe If he triumphed on the Crosse it was a triumph before the victorie 2. b. p. 188. 9. And are these speeches to make request to Christ as man and as the Messiah contrarie is there in them any contrarietie at all are the manhoode of Christ and the person of the Messiah contrarie or when it is said as man is he so absurd to thinke that Christ is considered as man without his Godhead and not as vnited with it in the person of the Messiah or when himselfe saith that the theefe made request to him as God doth he meane his Godhead without his humanitie And is S. Paul contrarie to himselfe when not in diuers but in one and the same place he ioyneth both together there is one God and Mediatour betweene God and man the man Iesus Christ that is the Messiah Doth not the Replyer in direct wordes expound himselfe that these wordes must not be vnderstood of the presence of Christ in heauen in respect of his Godhead onely but of his whole person as the Mediatour But it may be he tooke this exception because he enclineth to his cousin germanes opinion that Christ exercised his mediatourship as man onely not as both God and man and therfore noteth this as a contradiction and contrarietie 10. It is not the former sect which is the 16. but the 15. sect where the Replyer saith wee are said to be with him as the Messiah and doth hee not say the selfe same thing here for hauing rehearsed those words of our Sauiour Ioh. 17. I will that they which thou hast giuen mee be with me where I am and then follow the other words that they may behold my glory which thou hast giuen me he addeth in very direct words Doth hee not here speake also of that glorie which was giuen him as the Messiah How could then this humorous Contradicter so much as dream of any contradiction here but it seemeth his wits went a woole-gathering when he noted this for in the next sentence before in stead of confuting the Replyers reasons he repeateth and confirmeth them for whereas the Replyer brought this as one if Christ saying where I am speake of his Godhead his request was euen then fulfilled for his Apostles were with him then present as God 3. b. p. 5. This cōfused Confuter steppeth forth and saith secondly if they were with him as God then was Christs prayer vnto his father in vaine to graunt them that which they presently enioyed 3. b. p. 9. Is not this the very same reason vrged before by the Replyer to proue that Christ speaketh not of his Apostles being with him as God for could he not see how vpon his words it may be assumed but Christs prayer vnto his father was not in vaine therefore hee prayeth not they should be with him as God And thus hee hampereth himselfe and woundeth his owne cause 11. It is vntrue that either in that place Limbom p. 9. or in any other the Replyer acknowledgeth sorrowes of hell Act. 2. 24. to be the true reading he only thus saith the hell that Christ went vnto he loosed the sorrowes of Act. 2. 24. which place hee citeth not for the name of hell but for loosing of the sorrowes because euen in the Confuters opinion that which is called hell v. 27. is named death v. 24. And the Replyer is so farre in that place from iustifying that reading of hell in the 24. verse that he would convince by this reason that hell is not meant no not in the 27. verse because it would then follow that Christ loosed the sorrowes of hell there which had seized vpon him As vntrue it is that the Replyer in that place goeth about to prooue that Christ suffered the sorrowes of hell in his sense but rather declineth it as an absurdity But in another place he inferreth that conclusion grounding his argument vpon the latine text which the Romanists make their onely authentike translation and therefore it is a good text against them 12. To say that Christ loosed the sorrowes of hell the place of the damned for himselfe the Replyer counteth it absurd and yet to say that the sorrowes of death which Saint Peter speaketh of and Bellarmine readeth hell were not loosed for Christ is contrary to the text as there he sheweth by diuers reasons hereupon no contradiction can be inferred but this followeth that the death which Saint Peter speaketh of the sorrowes whereof were loosed for Christ cannot be vnderstood of hell 13. That it is all one to say that the soule is vnder the sorrowes of hell and doth suffer them beeing full of sense and feeling and yet that it is not all one for the body in the graue to be vnder the sorrowes and bands of death and to feele or suffer them because it is senslesse implyeth no contradiction 14. Not to be left in a place the word beeing taken properly for to be forsaken implyeth a being first in the place and in that sense the Replyer thus reasoned Christ was not left or forsaken in hell ergo he was in hell but in this other place by not leauing he vnderstandeth not beeing but the not beeing or leauing of the soule in hell c. And so is the word sometime vsed as Ioh. 14. 17. I will not leaue you comfortlesse that is you shall not bee comfortlesse for otherwise in the other sense of this word it might be inferred Ergo they were comfortlesse but were not so left or remained And so in a certaine place Origen taketh the not leauing in hell for the not beeing in hell sine dubio neque nostras animas derelinquet in
inferno c. without doubt as he left not Christs soule in hell so shall hee not leaue our soules in hell c. and he which called him from hell after the third day shall also call vs in due time 15. 16. To say that this whole prophecy of Dauid was onely historically true of Christ and yet typically agreed to Dauid is no contradiction hath he so forgotten his Logike principles as that he remembreth not that euery contraritie and opposition must be secundum idem ad idem in regard of the same part or place and in one the same respect But where the Replyer inferreth first Dauids soule is in hell hee reasoneth ex concessis because the Romanists doe hold that Dauids soule with the rest of the fathers was in hell 17. It is euident by the reason here set downe concerning the originall of Christs soule which cannot bee said to be ex traduce to bee deriued by propagation as the body is without great inconuenience and in a manner impossibilitie that the Replyer reuersed his former iudgement concerning the exposition of the word flesh Rom. 1. 3. that howsoeuer in some other places it is taken for the whole nature of man consisting of soule and body yet it cannot bee so taken there for the former reason And herein the Replyer followeth Augustines iudgement who against the Apollinarists that held Christ onely to haue taken humane flesh without a soule grounding their error vpon those words Ioh. 1. The word was made flesh abiecteth that place of Scripture all flesh shall see the saluation of God and the like where flesh comprehendeth the whole nature of man yet against Felicianus the Arrian which asked the question why the habite of the sonne of God might not animate Christs flesh in stead of a soule reasoneth after this manner that if Christ tooke not also an humane soule one of those fower must followe it was either for that he thought the soule of man to bee innocent but that could not be because sinne is voluntary and so incident properly to the soule or that it belonged not vnto him which also is otherwise seeing God is the creator of soules or for that he could not heale the soule thē should he not be omnipotent or because the soule was abiect and vile but that is not so as he addeth in the same place to this effect that the flesh was not formed by the breathing in of God as the soule was but of the slime of the earth Here then is no contradiction but a reuocation or qualification rather of his former opinion concerning the interpretation of one word in one place which the Replyer taketh to be no disgrace vnto him hauing altered his minde therein before this cauiller found it out seeing hee himselfe affirmeth the like but vntruely of a Reuerend Prelate of this land that he retracted his iudgement in a waightier matter in the expounding of that difficult and obscure place of Saint Peter This is the onely place which he had any colour of reason to obiect 18. The Replyer affirmeth not out of his owne opinion that Christ preached in hell to the disobedient spirits for their comfort but hee vrgeth it as an inconuenience which followeth vpon their interpretation that say that Christ went and preached in hell and the same absurdity is pressed by Augustine epist. 99. what grosse blindnesse then is this in him not to discerne when the Replyer deliuereth his owne iudgement by way of position and when he presseth the aduersarie by way of obiection 19. The doores were shut vp in the very instant of Christs entrance that is not onely before but at that very instant when Christ began to enter and yet the doores opened and gaue way to Christ when he entred here is no contradiction for first it is said in the instant of his entrāce that is he found them shut when he began to enter then it is said when he entred that is while he was going in is it not euident that a difference of the instant time is here noted one wherein hee found the doores shut beeing to enter the other succeeding when the doores opened as he entred it is lost time that is spent with such a trifler 20. The Replyer still without altering of his iudgement vnderstandeth by prison in that place of Peter hell yet he produceth expositions of some of the fathers which by prison vnderstand the bands of sinnes and errors out of the which the prisoners were deliuered to shew that herein though not in euery point they make for the Replyer vnderstanding the deliuering of prisoners of preaching to the liuing for their cōuersion not to the dead as the Confuter doth Is there not here now great contradiction 21. The Replyer alleadgeth the testimony of Ambrose that so expoundeth the lower parts of the earth of hell not to that end but onely to shew that he vnderstandeth Christs descension to hell of the presence of his diuine power there 2. b. p. 12. Is it necessarie when a testimony is produced to one ende that whatsoeuer is contained there beside should be acknowledged Then he himselfe cannot auoide it but hee must needs goe for a maintainer of Limbus for he bringeth in Ambrose 3. b. p. 169. and Augustine and Origen p. 193. affirming the same as appeareth by their testimonies as he alleadgeth them such measure as he meateth shal be measured to him againe 22. To affirme that Bernard in one place findeth no further descension of Christ then vnto death and yet that in another beeing carried away with the error of those times he holdeth the descension of Christs soule to hell is no contradiction neither would this iangling sophister haue thought so if he had remembred the lawes of opposition and contradiction whereof I touched two before secundum idem ad idem where as he failed in the latter I affirming Dau. prophecy to be true of Christ one way i. historically of Dauid another i. typically and therefore it was without any contradiction so he faileth here in the other because Bernard is said to affirme diuers things but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the same part and place 23. As though when Bernard maketh the third degree of descending to bee admortem vnto death his descending to the graue be not there implyed for otherwise he descended not from the crosse to die for he yeilded vp his spirit vpon the crosse And this Bernard sheweth by the words following nunquid amplius potuit Behold how farre he descended could he doe any more but if hee meant nothing else but his death vpon the crosse excluding the graue our Sauiour Christ both might haue done more and did more for vs not onely in dying but in being buried for vs. 24. And doth not the descending of Christ to the crosse and graue include also and imply his descending to the earth vnlesse you thinke that his crosse and graue
swanne to sing out his owne shame and confusion in all others parts bewraying his anserine follie for as he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if one should gather 30. thousand foxes together he shall finde the same nature and disposition in them all so one goose differeth not from another in gagling and creaking 5. Augustine pretended to to be falsified The accusation 1. Augustine much misvsed corrupted for he saith si quid aliter sapio c. Limbom readeth si quid erraueris 2. The place of Augustine mis-quoted the third book for the second some of his words are cut off some mistranslated 3. To translate trophaeum a deuise or policy is but your owne politike deuiseithe crosse of Christ is rather called trophaeum because it was the ensigne and monument of his victory 4. S. Augustines words falsely translated and corrupted for triduo illo corporeae mortis is not three daies by his bodily death but the three daies of his bodily death 5. You corrupt Augustines words turning blasphemy into error 6. These words of Augustine which are the two waies whereby the soule can be said to die you cut off 7. S. Augustines words you alleadge corruptly by leauing out halfe of the sentence 8. His other words to the same purpose whereof as your manner is you take but a piece are these c. 9. S. Augustines words vntruly alleadged for you leaue out the word forte 10. S. Augustine clearely against Limbom in the place alleadged by him 11. And because the Replyer saith Why may wee not as well expounde Christs descending into hell with Ambrose of the presence of his diuine power as with Augustine his ascending vp to heauen The disgracefull Confuter thus insulteth Where doth Augustine expound Christs ascending vp to heauen of his diuine power dare you vpon your owne bare worde without any proofe or shewe of reason so contumeliously traduce so holy a man as an ouerthrower of an article of our Creede for you quote no place neither will any Christian man beleeue that euer he dreamed of any such exposition The iustification 1. For further and full satisfaction herein I referre the Reader to the 3. Imputation of vntruths Iustificat 5. 2. The mis-quoting of the figure of 3. for the figure of 2. is no such ouersight which might escape the Printer as wel as the Author seeing there is as wel the 3. as 2. booke de doctrin Christian. But that is a more grosse ouersight in this blinde Confuter in quoting the 28. homilie of Origen vpon Iosua whereas hee wrote but 26. in all those words omitted spem atque charitatem c. hope and charity which we handled in the former booke were impertinent to the matter in hand and therefore it was not necessary to alleadge them for the translation the Replyer englisheth in ijs quae aperte posita sunt c. in those places c. the Confuter englisheth among those things which are plainely set downe in Scripture all those things which containe faith and manners are found Now I pray you Sir Grammarian is not in ijs better translated in those then among those retaining then the proper signification of the preposition whether is better supplied in those places or in those things for to say in those things all those things are found c. beside the vaine tautologie it includeth absurditie that the same things should be both the continent and the things contained wherefore his meaning is that matters concerning faith and manners are handled in the plaine and perspicuous places of Scripture 3. Augustines words are these trophaeo suo diabolus victus est The diuell was ouercome by his owne deuise the word is not referred to Christ for then hee would haue said trophaeo eius not suo hath hee professing himselfe a Grammarian forgotten his Grammer rule â—â—ui suus reciproca sunt And in another place Augustine sheweth more plainely that he referreth this word to the diuell diabolus trophaeo suo victus est exultauit quando mortuus est Christus The diuell was ouercome by his owne policie he reioyced when Christ died c. and was ouercome by Christs death He calleth the death and crosse of Christ the diuels trophaeum because hee supposed to haue vanquished Christ by putting him to death if now trophaeum be taken in the vsuall sense for a monument or ensigne of victory obtained as hee would haue it his translation will containe blasphemie that the crosse of Christ was the monument of the diuels victorie therefore how could it be more fitly translated then deuise or policy the diuell supposed or intended to set vp Christs crosse as a triumphant pillar but hee was ouer-wrought in his owne deuise 4. The words of Augustine triduo illo corporeae mortis apud inferos custodiae mancipari the Replyer translateth thus to be kept in hell three daies by his bodily death the Confuter thus to be kept in bondage in hell the three daies of his bodily death Who seeth not that the sentence hauing no distinction comming betweene will beare both these translations if corporeae mortis bee ioyned with triduo illo the latter if it be put to custodiae the former but it is an harsh speech that Christs soule should be said to bee kept in bondage three daies in hell for it was not there in bondage at all but in the graue his body might be said to be in bondage during that time because it was vnder the bands of death which Christ loosed as Saint Peter saith Act. 2. 24. And Dauid saith in the person of Christ The sorrowes or coards of the graue for the word â—heblee signifieth both tooke hold vpon me therefore the former reading yeildeth the safer sense See more hereof 5. imput iustificat 1. 5. The Replyer there citeth no testimonie out of Augustine but onely conformeth and applyeth his sentence with the qualifying of one word to his purpose This captious controller taketh greater liberty himselfe in the next page following for citing a place out of Augustine to make it serue his turne he inserteth these names Arrius Eunomius Apollinaris and Athanasius Epiphanius Fulgentius making Augustine to bring them in whereas Fulgentius was after Augustines time what reason had hee to finde fault with another for strayning a gnat wheras himselfe swalloweth a Camel 6. The addition of that clause was not necessary and therefore the Replyer for breuities sake omitted it hee vseth not with long and impertinent periods to weary his Reader as this palfrey-man posteth often out of the way till he hath lost both it and himselfe That which is alleadged out of Augustine sufficeth to shewe his iudgement that the soule cannot be said to bee quickened because it cannot die but what reason had he to translate quibus duabus de causis c. which are the two waies he that translateth causae waies sheweth
errorem hee translateth and so either correct your error which should bee thus englished let vs amend our error 4. After those words that is a childish boasting he leaueth out this whole sentence quod olim adolescentuli facere consueuerant which young men in time past were accustomed to doe 5. Ambrose corrupted 1. This Grammarian instructer that professeth to teach boyes to conster himselfe maketh a pittifull construction of Ambrose 2. b. p. 59. these words Angelo non placuit ancillae insolentia The insolencie of the hand-maid pleased not the Angel hee translateteth The Angel was not pleased to see the insolency and pride of the handmaide reuertere ad Dominam tuam Returne to thy Lady he englisheth turne againe to thy Lady and Mistresse Verberantis savitiam the cruelty of the beater hee englisheth the crueltie of Sara beating her Fugientis discessionem the departure of the flier or runner away he rendreth Hagars departure in running away adding Sara and Hagar of his owne Humiliare be thou humbled he englisheth humble thy selfe 2. In another sentence taken from Ambrose hee leaueth out these words In inferno positis vitae lumen fundebat eternae To those which were in hell he powred the light of eternall life Which clause if he had added he saw that Ambrose would make little for him vnlesse hee held the locall descent of Christs soule to hell for the enlightening and deliuerance of the Fathers thence 6. Ruffinus falsified 1. Ruffinus also is pitifully mangled for his sentence taking the whole is this But that he descended into hell also is euidently pronounced in the Psalmes where he saith Thou broughtest me to the dust of death and againe what profit is in my blood while I descend into corruption and againe I descended into the mire of the deepe where no substance is that is ground or bottome yea and Iohn saith art thou he which art to come without doubt into hell or looke me for another All this is fraudulently left out and then follow the next wordes which he culleth out Our Lord also himselfe speaketh c. But this deceitfull Iugler that playeth fast and loose with the Fathers well perceiued that seeing Ruffinus expoundeth descending to hell to be brought to the dust of death and to the place of corruption and blood that his meaning can be no otherwise then to vnderstand death and the graue as to the same purpose he said before that vis eadem verbi videtur esse c. the same force of the word seemeth to be in that he is said to be buried as he is said before to descend to hell I maruell also how his mastership could take no knowledge of another place in Ruffinus not farre from that which he thus hacketh and pareth where hee saith that Crux Christi trumphus est c. that Christs crosse was a triumph and a famous trophaeum monument and further he sheweth how he triumphed ouer all things vpon the crosse both celestiall terrestriall and infernall vnto the first applying the vppermost part of the crosse to the next that part where his hands were stretched out and for the third he saith ea vero parte quae sub terram submergitur inferna sibiregna subiecit but by that part which was hid vnder the earth he brought vnder to himselfe the infernall kingdoms This cleare testimony of Christs triumph vpon the crosse and his victory ouer hell crosseth that impious and profane opinion of this drowsie and dreaming diuine that the conquest vpon the crosse was openly an ouerthrowe and therefore no triumph and againe if Christ triumphed in the crosse as you say he did it was according to the prouerbe triumphus ante victoriam triumph before the victory 1. b. p. 188. 7. Augustine falsified 1. Thus Augustine is alleadged This custome of baptizing infants I beleeue as comming from the tradition of the Apostles c. whereas the question with the Donatists was not concerning the baptizing of infants but the rebaptizing of those which were baptized by heretiks as it may appeare by the wordes going before Nolite obijcere nobis authoritatem Cypriani ad baptismi repetitionem c. Doe not obiect to vs the authoritie of Cyprian for the repeating of baptisme c. That question of Baptisme was not yet throughly handled but yet the Chruch kept this wholesome custome in the schismatiks and heretiks corrigere quod pravum est non iterare quod datum est to correct what was amisse not to iterate what was giuen then follow those words which saide custome c. as many things are not found in their writings nor in the latter Councels c. all this enclosed is omitted 2. Augustine is thus brought in that custome of the Church which was opposed against Cyprian c. whereas the name of Cyprian is not to be found in the 18. 19. 20. chapters of that booke 3. Againe the same place is quoted where Augustine should write thus Cum hoc nusquam legatur c. when as this is read no where we must beleeue the testimonie of the Church which Christ hath testified to be true these words are not extant in that place in that forme but after this manner Nunc vero cum in Scripturis non inveniamus c. now seeing we finde not in the Scripture that any haue come to the Church from heretikes c. and afterward perhibet Christus testimonium Ecclesiae suae c. Christ doth giue testimonie to his Church 4. Augustine is cited serm he should haue said hom 2. in vigil pasch tom 10. in these words si sepultus fuisset in terra c. If Christ had beene buried in the earth they might haue said they had digged vp the earth and stollen him away to prooue a difference betweene Christs tombe and the earth yet in that homilie no such sentence is to be found but rather the contrarie quid illi tumulus in terris cuius sedes manebat in coelis why should he haue a tombe in the earth whose seate remained in heauen here he affirmeth Christs tombe to haue been in the earth This grosse ouersight sheweth how well this pettifogger in diuinitie is seene in the reading of Augustine 5. That place of August c. 15. cont Felician lib. 3. p. 2. he diuers waies corrupteth 1. he addeth generall resurrection nullus ignorat he translateth euery man knoweth which signifieth no man is ignorant cuius corpus c. saith Augustine whose bodie common death had enclosed for the future resurrection he readeth whose bodie death had shut vp in the graue vntill the future resurrection of all flesh Beside he bewraieth his ignorance in mistaking the sense and scope of Augustine in that place 1. he saith that Augustines whole discourse is to prooue that Christ deserued not hell fire whereas the very point of the question is that though Christ
Caluin receiuing the article of the descension yet insisteth vpon the right interpretation 2. Hee also peruerteth the order of Calvins words for that clause This certaine is out of all question c. he putteth last wheras in Calvin it goeth before the precedent part this clause hath so great force c. 3. He alleadgeth Caluin for the locall descent contrary to Caluins iudgement who vnderstandeth it of the spirituall agony and perplexitie of Christs soule ibid. sect 10. 2. Caluin also is cited 2. lib. Institut c. 16. sect 9. as though he should hold that the faithfull of the olde Testament were in that prison mentioned by Saint Peter that is in hell c. where they carefully expected the promised redemption where diuers vntruths are vttered 1. Caluine saith Concludere in carcere mortuorum animas puerile est To shut vp the soules of the dead in prison is a childish thing He denieth then that they were in prison 2. Hee speaketh not of redēption which they expected but saith that piae animae eius visitationis quam sollicite expectauerant praesenti aspectu sunt potitae The godly soules did enioy the sight of that visitation which they carefully expected His meaning is that euen the godly soules departed had a sense of Christs death and were affected with a lightsome ioy the time of visitation beeing now exhibited vnto the Church which they while they liued in faith beleeued and in hope expected 3. Yet is hee not ashamed to alleadge Caluin as a maintainer of the locall descension and not content therewith hee addeth one vntruth vnto another that the Replyer himselfe saith that Caluin holdeth Christs descension into hel euen in that place of Peter whereas he affirmeth the contrary that Caluine and Beza hold not the descension as he doth in that very place which he hath reference to in the margin Limbom p. 58. And indeede Caluines opinion is Vim mortis Christi vsque ad mortuos penetrasse that the force of Christs death did pierce vnto the dead that the power and effect of his death not the presence of his soule was there 9. Beza falsified 1. Beza is here diuers waies wronged 1. His words are falsly translated de priuatis iniurijs of priuate wrongs he englisheth of priuate offences a priuate wrong that is done to a priuate person may yet be committed publikely but so cannot a priuate offence 2. He curtalleth the sentence repeating onely the first clause they are deceiued who thinke that Christ in this place speaketh of priuate offences all the rest that followeth is omitted quum Christus c. seeing Christ intendeth nothing else in these words then to distinguish secret sinnes from manifest therefore he is said to sinne against one not onely which hurteth him priuately but which with his priuitie only sinneth against God or any other 3. By this sentence it appeareth his meaning is that Christ speaketh of secret sinnes whether committed against God or any priuate man What immodest dealing then is this to alleadge Beza as expounding this place not of sinnes secretly but openly done 2. Beza thus expoundeth in te id est te tantum conscio against thee thou onely knowing of it but hee thus corrupteth that place against another thou knowing of it where he addeth these words against another and leaueth out only for the secret trespasser may as well sin me against him whom he offendeth as against another as appeareth in the former testimony 3. I omit certaine places out of Beza clipped by him as in that testimony cited vpon Act. 5. 17. Beza his words are qui à recepta sana doctrina c. and Dei Ecclesiae ipsius where these words inclosed are omitted by the Confuter So vpon Iohn 15. 26. he leaueth out more then foure lines in the middes of the sentence but because the sense is not much hindred by these omissions I will not take that aduantage which he is ready to catch at vpon euery occasion He further abuseth Beza in deprauing his words and detorting his sense as though he should thinke it a forced and violent thing by spirits to vnderstand liuing men 1. Pet. 3. 19. whereas he meaneth onely that men yet liuing cannot be called spirits but those which are now spirits may by a certaine figure called prolepsis be vnderstood to haue beene sometime liuing men as Peter calleth them spirits in respect of that time present wherein hee wrote not of that whereof he writeth This then is a meere cauil à dicto secundum quid ad dictum simpliciter because Beza in some sense counteth it a coact thing to vnderstand by spirits liuing men that simply and absolutely hee denieth it 4. Beza is imagined to vnderstand that place 2. Cor. 13. 4. crucified concerning his infirmitie not of the naturall substance of Christs flesh and humanity but of the quality onely thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qualitatem declarat infirmity declareth the quality of the substance where he leaueth out the former part of the sentence where Beza directly applyeth it ad infirmam formam serui to the weake forme of a seruant that is to the humane nature which Christ tooke and saith further idem hoc declarat c. this sheweth the same thing which according to the flesh 1. Rom. 3. So Beza his meaning is that though infirmitie in the natiue vse of the word signifieth the qualitie onely yet thereby in this place the very substance of the humane nature is insinuated 10. The Geneva translators abused This vnconscionable Confuter would fasten vpon thē to hold Limbus patrum and to fauour the opinion of the Fathers that the Patriarchs went not to heauen but were deliuered by the descension of Christ and to this ende hee bringeth in that annotation Hebr. 9. 8. which is thus set downe whole in that place So long as the high Priest offered once a yeare for his owne sinnes and for the peoples also while this earthly tabernacle stood the way to the heauenly Tabernacle which is made open by Christs blood could not be entred into Here first all the first words inclosed are cut off secondly hee forgeth a sense contrary to their owne iudgement for that those godly learned men that penned those annotations did beleeue all the holy Fathers of the olde Testament to be in heauen appeareth by that their interpretation of Abrahams bosome Luke 16. 22. whereby is signified say they the most blessed life which they that die in the faith of Abraham shall inioy after this world Therefore they could not bee so forgetfull or contrary to themselues in that other place so to conceiue as though the way in the olde Testament was not opened for the Fathers to enter into heauen before the comming of Christ wherefore they either speake comparatiuely that the way was not so opened and made plaine before the comming of Christ as since as they giue the like sense of those
in affliction and sorrow 8. Saint Peter saith thus searching when or what time the spirit which testified before of Christ which was in them should declare the sufferings which should come vnto Christ c. 1. Pet. 1. 11. he clippeth the text saying the spirit prophecied before of the afflictions of Christ. 9. For wisdome calleth or preacheth in the high waies Prou. 1. 21. he readeth wisdome is preached c. see before Imput 5. Ac. 3. 10. This Iesus hath God raised vp whereof we are all witnesses Act. 2. 32. he corruptly addeth to the text this is that Iesus whom God hath raised vp from death and hell whereof we are all witnesses 11. He quoteth for that place before recited Act. 1. 9. where there is no such thing 12. Lest I sleepe in death Psal. 13. 4. lest at any time I sleepe in death saith he where he addeth at any time 13. Thou art Lord alone thou hast made heauen and the heauen of heauens Nehem. 9. 6. but he readeth Thou Lord hast made heauen and the heauen of heauens 14. Againe in the same place thou preseruest them all and the host of heauen worshippeth thee but he addeth thou preseruest them all in their beeing and hee leaueth out that which followeth 15. Hee profanely scoffeth at Scripture whereas that place of Peter is alleadged Noe the preacher of iustice hee scoffingly inferreth Noe is no sooner formed a Carpenter but he is presently a reformed preacher 16. Whereas Saint Peter saith Noe the eight a preacher of righteousnesse 2. Pet. 2. 5. hee clippeth the words Noe the preacher of iustice ibid. 17. He shall not preserue the vngodly Iob. 36. 5. but hee readeth thus thou wilt not preserue changing the tence 3. b. p. 86. 18. Saint Iames thus writeth to receiue with meekenes the word that is graffed in you which is able to saue your soules Iam. 1. 21. he audaciously changeth the person reading thus to receiue with meekenesse the word engraffed in them which is able to saue their soules 19. Againe the same Apostle Let him knowe that hee which hath conuerted a sinner from the error of his way shall saue a soule c. Iam. 5. 20. but he thus mangleth this place He that conuerteth a sinner from the way wherein he erreth shall saue his soule c. In this one place he clippeth off the first clause Let him know hee changeth the tence conuerteth for hath conuerted and addeth these wordes wherein and his 20. Our Sauiours words are when they lead you and deliuer you vp take ye no thought afore neither premeditate what ye shall say but whatsoeuer shall be giuen vnto you c. Mark 13. 11. he thus boldly corrupteth the text when yee shall be lead deliuered vp into their haÌ„ds take no thought what to speake but that which shall be giuen c. 3. b. p. 104. where he both changeth the actiue for the passiue for they shall lead and deliuer he readeth shall be lead and deliuered he addeth into their hands and clippeth away neither premeditate 21. Reproouing the Obiecter for leauing out the word mourning in citing that place Gen. 35. 37. he himselfe committeth the very same fault the text truly alleadged saith he is this I will goe downe c. to my sonne mourning where he leaueth out into the graue 22. Exod. 1. 22. the text is Pharaoh charged all his people he readeth all the people leauing out his 1. b. p. 30. 23. Esech 13. 19. the text is will yee pellute me among my people for handfuls of barlie and peâ—ces of bread c. where he leaueth out all the last enclosed clause 24. Esech 18. 27. the text is when the wicked turneth away from his wickednesse which he hath 〈◊〉 and doth that which is lawfull and right hee in alleadging this Scripture leaueth out which he hath committed ibid. 25. Numb 22. 33. the Angel saith thus And the Asse saw me and turned from me now three times or else if shee had not turned from me surely I had 〈…〉 c. he clippeth the text thus There 〈…〉 turned from mee now the third time and if shee had not I had surely slaine thee c. where these words enclosed turned from me in the second place are omitted and he putteth the third time for three times ibid. 26. Beside all these places are falsly quoted as Esech 13. 18. for 19. Esech 18. 72. for 27. Psal 41. 12. for 41. 2. Numb 22. 32. for 33. Now concerning this vnfaithfull and fraudulent handling of Scripture I will not giue such an harsh sentence as Ambrose doth vpon some Qui Scriptur 〈◊〉 fidem destrâ—â—t destruitur ipse hee that destroyeth the faith of Scripture shall be destroyed himselfe as it is said hee that remâ—â—ueth an hedge a serpent shall 〈◊〉 him or as hee â—â—â—â—ureth them that had rased out certaine words of Scripture Illa litura de libro vitae nomina vestra delet that blot doth blot your names out of the booke of life But yet that saying of Epiphanius may be applyed vnto him non it a interpretantur vt scripta sunt sed id volunt significare quod ipsi sentiunt they do not so interprete Scripture as it is written but they will haue it to signifie as they imagine Of this number is the Confuter who by this time may perceiue his owne fault which he hath not healed by supposing another to bee like faultie with himselfe for it is a good saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that no man healeth one euill by another neither is one mans fault redressed by anothers But it is nowe high time to leaue weeding anothers ground time is better spent in setting of good plants then in weeding of thistles I passed saith the wise man by the field of the slouthfull and by the vineyard of the man destitute of vnderstanding and lâ—e it was all growen ouer with thornes c. I looked vpon it and receiued instruction And this instruction may we receiue by viewing this thornie field wherein this simple workeman hath solaced himselfe that such badde tillage sheweth the husbandman not to be very good It is odious and a thanklesse office still to be scoring out mens faults therefore I say with Tullie against Sallust finem dicendi faciaÌ„ saepius enim vidi grauius eos offendere animos aeuditorum qui aliena vitia apertè dixerunt quaÌ„ eos qui crimen coÌ„miserunt mihi ratio habeÌ„da est non quid Sallustius merito debeat audire sed vt ea dicam si qua ego honeste effari possum I wil make an ende of speaking for I haue often seene those more grieuously to offend the hearers minds which openly told of others faults then they which committed them therefore I must haue regard not what hee is worthy to heare but what I may with credit speake Diogenes beeing reprooued