so the son also quickeneth whom he will And the father iudgeth not but referreth all iudgement to his sonne bicause all should honor the sonne as the father and they that honor not the sonne as the father honoreth not the father that sent him So whosoeuer heareth his word and beleeueth in him that sent him shall not com vnto condemnation but hath passed from death to life for as the father hath life in himselfe so hath the sonne To beleeue cannot be to seek honor one of another but of God alone and his son Iesus Christ for when Moses stroke the rock Exod. 17. 6. seeking honor of the children of Israel saying Hear now ye rebels shall we bring you water out of the rock Here for not sanctifieng the Lord in the presence of the Israelites and for honoring themselues in the Lords miracle both Moses and Aaron were cut off from the hope they had to see the land of promise If Moses being a faithfull leader of the Lords owne host and an approoued seruant of the mighty God Iehoua fell by disobedience into arrogancy Exod. 17. seeking his owne honor more than Gods and was so seuerely punished oh that men would but think how fearful a sentence that was by which he was depriued of forty yeeres hope and the fauour of so long trauel which was so sore in the wildernes How much more terrible shall our iudgement be if any way we decline or fall away from a sincere and perfect beleef which we haue had in God the father and his sonne Iesus Christ or if we beleeue not the word that testifieth of him and through which we see him daily Moses had but a meer hope of things to come which things we haue seen through faith and we are strongly to abide therin giuing all honor to the sonne as to the father in whom we beleeue by whom we liue haue our being Iohn 6. 37. This only sonne of God Iesus Christ is the bread of life the true sabaoth or rest the very top and end of Iubiles let vs study to enter into this rest His meat is to doe his fathers will and let our sustenance be to follow him and doe his will and let vs not labor only for the meat that perisheth but for the meat that dureth euerlastingly which the sonne of man shall giue vnto vs for him hath God the father sealed and the work of God is to beleeue in him whom he sent his sonne This is the rock that followed the host and the rock wherupon the Lord hath founded his church this is Gods rock and the rock of the All-sufficient Iohn 10. 20. he and the father is one And whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in him shall neuer dy Iohn 11 26. he shall gather togither into one the children of God from all corners of the earth by his death and passion He is the sonne of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Nomb. 21. 9. this is he that was to be lifted vp Iohn 3. 14. and exalted aboue all heauens Lord who beleeueth our report and vnto whom is thine arme reuealed And Lord who shall dwell in thy tabernacle Psal. 15. and rest vpon thy holy hill Euen he that leadeth an vncorrupt life and doth the thing that is right For this is the vine and his father is the husbandman and the branch that beareth not fruit in him he cutteth off and euery one that beareth fruit he purgeth that it may bring foorth more So must we abide in him and he in vs for as the branch cannot beare fruit except it be in the vine no more can we except we abide and dwell in him Let vs therfore pray for the peace which is in him for the peace of Iesus Christ the sonne of God is greater than the afflictions of the whole world Let vs be of good comfort Iohn 16. 13. he hath already conquered the world Psal. 2. and let vs kisse the son least he be angry and so we perish euerlastingly for if his wrath be kindled yea but a little blessed are all they that put their whole trust and confidence in him for the father hath put all things in subiection vnder his feet Psal. 2. and giuen him the vtmost parts of the earth for his possession OVR LORD He is the soueraigne Lord of the whole earth and inspireth the harts of kings and princes according to his wisedome hee aduaunceth the humble and putteth down the mighty from their seat he filleth the hungry with good things and the rich he sendeth empty away He is the faithful steward that giueth his fathers people meat in due season he blesseth all them that call vpon him in his fathers name Psal. 7. This is the welbeloued Salomon the prince of wisedom whose daughters goings are beutifull the ioints of her thighes like iewels the work of a cunning man her nauell as a round cup full of liquor her belly as an heap of wheat compassed about with lillies her brests as two yong roses that are twins her neck as a tower of Iuory her eies as the fish-pooles in Heshbon by the gate of Bath-Rhabbim her nose as the tower of Lebanon that looketh toward Damascus her head as scarlet and her haire as purple He is the spirituall Salomon his faire daughter Psal. 8. the Church which also is compared to a vineyard that bringeth foorth fruit euen a thousand folde He is the Lord that the prophet Dauid spake of and whose victory he foresaw Psal. 110. saying The Lord said vnto my Lord sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enimies thy footstoole This is the horn of our saluation in whom our fathers trusted and were counted iust Hebr. 11. as it is manifest in the epistle to the Hebrues where a whole chapter is spent in reciting their faith the learning wherof I refer to the diligence of the reader seeing it is a full record of all the ancient fathers beleef This is the Lord of al mankind for he hath purchased vs all by the offering vp of his body and sheading of his blood to free vs from these links of sinne wherin we are intangled through Adam And therfore he hath now full power to say Math. 25. Com ye blessed of my father and inherit euerlasting life or go ye cursed into vtter darknes where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth And as we were then bound with the chaines of sinne growing in our carnall bodies stirring vs vp to do the will of the flesh so are we at this day being rid out of those bands by the death and passion of our Lord bound likewise to him in spirit to serue and obey him as obedient seruants looking for no reward by desert but by his meer fauour and mercy inheritance with him of life eternal Therfore is he Lord ouer kingdoms and nations and there is no higher power than that which the
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
many valiant soules to Hades as we say to their last home it is most like he thought of none other torment Now concerning the Christian Latines and such languages as agree in the very words they say DESCENDIT AD INFEROS which is all one with Saint Paules words he descended to them beneath in the lower parts of the earth to wit the dead from whence he was to rise with victory though the Papists by this word would haue that signified which no authority will but their owne naked opinions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 AD INFEROS into purgatory wherin me thinks they grosly erre seeing the scripture maketh mention of no other punishment after this life for sin than the second death the haruest of all flesh when Christ shall sit in iudgement vpon his firy throne to diuide the goats from the sheep saying Come ye blessed of my father and inherit euerlasting life and to the sinners Go ye cursed into euerlasting darknes where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a construction somthing strange to Grecians that vnderstand not the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with it as if we should say into the house of the graue confirming my former words But the Papists will obiect whither else should he descend being once buried but to the damned which I admit a question and for answer refer them to S. Paules words which are alredy recited What is it but that he descended first into the lower parts of the earth That he descended therfore they confesse and to what place he went this place I know will very effectually prooue vnto them how that he was buried also it is most true as before is shewed therfore he was buried and also descended for Saint Paul meaneth that his descension is all one with his buriall taking the occasion of speech from his ascension Wherby it seemeth that some penners of this Creede haue stuck vpon this article fearing least this word Hell should bring them into an error beyond al authority of scripture while they graunt it to be the place of the damned they durst not admit this article at all but that he was buried and rose again the third day Neither did they see how well the one or the other might suffice both being rightly vnderstood But the forme that we most vse is he was buried and descended into hell where it is penned as two articles being indeed but one which is to say simple truth in that he was buried and Saint Paules argument of the manner when he saith He descended c. Now indeed this word Hell is vsed throughout the whole nation of the Gothes to wit in the countries Sueuia Germania and Saxonia that is Insula Britannica For as far as the Gothes inlarged their territories their language remained still in force therfore in Swedland they say he went downe to Heluet in Germany to Helle in our English which is to say old Saxonish Hell Now concerning the originall deriuation of the word according to the letter it is plainly shewed in derision of the king of Babylon after his death by these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How art thou fallen from heauen Isai. 14. 12. O hellel the sonne of the morning which is to say Lucifer For as the Painims worshipped the sunne as a God while he shined in his most glorious height so likewise in his absence they abhorred him supposing that in his declination he visited them in the earth And the heathen people at this day that haue not yet known God still obserue the same kind of worship Frō hence it commeth that the word is so disputable with vs. Though the Painims were ignorant of the sunnes course yet they were not ignorant of their owne language for they reserued this word from Isai till their owne christianity so that when they had found another God they made this their Hell to wit Lucifer as before But seeing we better know the course of the sunne we must of necessity hold it to be the graue without any further arguments of places that were neuer heard of Therfore mark the resolution of the speech HE WAS DEAD AND BVRIED AND DESCENDED INTO HELL Now insomuch as he was buried he rose again in that he was dead he rose from the dead insomuch as hee went downe into Hell to wit the secret place of the dead to put off death and to put on life he went vp to heauen the euerlasting seat of life and dwelling place of aeternity And as with the Astronomers there is reckoned among other spheres that which they call CoeLVM EMPYREVM or IGNEVM a firy throne aboue all spheres 1. Tim. 6. 24. the light that none can attaine vnto so would necessity graunt the place of the damned soules to be in opposition far vnder all spheres for no aeternity can continue in changeable bodies whether they be heauenly or earthly but to prooue that this word cannot signify euerlasting punishment and that our sauiour descended into no corruption thus I argue All perfect meanes of saluation was foretold by the spirit of God to the Iewes that they who beleeued or mistrusted might iustly be saued or condemned But all that was prophesied was but of his passion buriall and resurrection therfore was his passion buriall and resurrection the perfect meanes of saluation seeing he himselfe was perfect long before for he had his perfection from his father euer before all worlds And the prophet Dauid saith Psal 16. Thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell nor suffer thy holy one to see corruption that his body should neither corrupt nor perish in the graue so pure was he that he escaped the snares of death Now we are not only to define the word but also to search the authority therof which must be in the scripture and not elswhere In the Bible is found no one word that can signify the state of the happy or vnhappy therfore this word Hell is not meant the state of the damned nor any other corruption than the graue or the state of death Neither is it dangerously penned or vsed as some late vpstart vnlearned haue thought contending that it ought not to be said as part of our Christian faith which obiection aboue is sufficiently answered Indeed Christ neuer shewed any farther article of faith than that he should suffer many things of the elders Math. 16. 21. and of the high priests and scribes at Ierusalem and be slaine and rise againe the third day this was all that he added to the perfection of the church which he promised euen then to build vpon Peters faith which mystery Peter vnderstood not wherfore he became an offence so that he began in spirit and ended in the flesh If any other article had needed Christ would in this place haue added it for the perfection of his church which he had promised to build but all that he added was in the words before recited
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
father hath giuen him He is the holy one that dwelleth in the praises of Israel Psal. 22. 3. in whom our fathers trusted and were deliuered his therfore is the kingdome power Math. 6. 13. and glory for euer and euer Amen He is the Lord of hosts that now fighteth for the house of Israel whose fight let vs manfully vndertake commending our weake forces to his mighty protection Psal. 18. for he is a sure rock of defence in all his waies WHICH WAS CONCEIVED BY THE HOLY GHOST BORN OF THE VIRGINE MARY This especially doth confirme our beleef in Christ Iesus his only sonne in that he was conceiued by the holy Ghost All spirituall conception is from God the father of spirit and life whose works are all miracles in our cleerest sight but this comprehension of our sauiour was meerly spirituall therfore he truly descended from God the father of spirit for before they cam togither she was found with child and that which was conceiued in her was of the holy Ghost Math. 1. Before the morning sprang Messiah had the dew of his birth and before the womb of his mother was made he was knowen who hath been is and shall be all one with the father the same whose yeeres endure for euer although the heauens passe and waxe old as doth a garment He is Michael the Archangel of the couenant high sacrificer of the heauenly Ierusalem and he that buried Moses vsing the words of Iehoua S. Iude. The Lord rebuke thee sathan Here the Papists are seen extremely doting when they make the virgine Mary the queen of heauen and the speciall means by whose praiers and aduocation they attaine to saluation as if of necessity there must be both king and queen which absurd conclusions might by Homers diuinity be sufficiently reproued and corrected when he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. II. which is to say A gouernment of many is not good let there be one king Which words although he spoke them not diuinely yet our experience telleth vs that it was skilfully aduised concerning a Common-wealth In saying thus they abrogate the power of Christ and his authority in heauen and make the Trinity imperfect in vnity of Godhead the persons not hauing equal relation each to other they giue vnto Mary that which pertaineth vnto Christ all one with God conceiued by the holy Ghost of his father Wherfore it is he that remaineth still our King our Iudge and Sacrificer whose kingdom is infinit whose iudgement is irreuocable and his priesthood hath none end Saint Iohn saith If any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father 1. Iohn 2. 1. Iesus Christ the iust and he is the propitiation for our sinnes But in that he was born of the virgine Mary he was a fleshly body to stand for the redemption of all flesh yea of his owne mother whom he reproued of ignorance when she said Why hast thou dealt thus with thy father and me we haue sought thee with heauy harts He answered How is it that ye haue sought me know you not that I must go about my fathers busines but they vnderstood not Which sheweth that she was of the earth earthly and now sleepeth no doubt with her fathers waiting for a glorious resurrection of an immortall body by the intercession of her owne Iesus to whom all power is giuen both in heauen and earth as it is said Blessed is the fruit of thy womb for thou hast brought foorth the sauiour of our soules the true Emanuel God-with-vs For he came in flesh to take away the sinne of the flesh and is also in spirit to continue with al them that beleeue in him for euermore Neither may we imagine any other wight in heauen or earth woorthy to be beleeued in besides the three persons in vnity for as the sonne is aduocate with the father and the father and sonne all one so the holy Ghost being of them both conueieth vs vnto them by an assured faith that we may be with Emanuel which is God with vs for euer He was called Emanuel long before by the prophet Isai A virgine shall conceiue a sonne and she shall call his name Emanuel SVFFERED VNDER PONTIVS PILATE WAS CRVCIFIED DEAD AND BVRIED The prophet Dauid spake of this his passion Psal. 22. 16. saying Dogs haue compassed me and the assembly of the wicked haue inclosed me they pierced my hands and my feet He submitted himselfe to the hands of Pontius Pilate for he knew his hower was euen then com and that his kingdom was not of this world Iohn 16. otherwise as he saith his soldiers would haue fought and not had suffered him to be deliuered into the hands of men Seeing then his time was com in which all things should be fulfilled according to his fathers will he besought of his father the cup to wit of bitter anguish might passe from him and lifting vp his eies to heauen Iohn 17. said Father the hower is com glorify thy sonne that thy sonne may glorify thee When he was to be betraied by the child of perdition Iudas Psal. 110. and knew it how great was his patience when as he reprooued him not but told him What thou doest Iohn 13 27. do quickly Pontius Pilate was a Roman vnder whose hands Christ suffered shewing that as the Romanes had alwaies persecuted the lowe Ierusalem the true Church on earth so that the Lord should iustly continue his wrath in them and that they might remaine in a perpetuall curse they also persecuted him whom the world was not woorthy of the high Ierusalem the spirituall Church Which example of cruell tyranny hath euer since beene found in them and shall be doubtlesse euen to their owne destruction But they will say Pilate was commanded to crucify him againe and againe and he excused him not guilty true wherfore Pilate was so much the more guilty of his death bicause he could find no fault in him For when the power to loose one was in him and not in the Iewes Iohn 19. 10. as he said to him Knowest thou not that I haue power to crucify thee and power to loose thee to them he had tried Christ to be guiltles yet willing to deserue the applause of the Iewes and the fauor of Caesar cleane against his owne conscience to his vtter condemnation to death he loosed Barrabas a notable murtherer Acts. 3. 14. and executed that most iust king of peace and righteousnes to euerlasting life It is like this manner of cruelty will not be left among the Romans vntill a finall desolation the end of affliction come vpon them according to the prophecy of Balaam Nomb. 24. 24. Ships shall come from the coasts Kittim Lord of Italy or Romania and subdue Ashur and vanquish Heber and he to say that Kittim shall come to destruction a most plaine prophecy not yet sufficiently noted for our defence against them By Ashur
admiration of it But we thinke and contend that it is ynough to acknowledge Christ our redeemer and to beleeue in him whom the father hath sent we are much deceiued to call that ynough which is in due respect nothing For the diuell acknowledged Christ to be the sonne of God which the Papists are alwaies ready to obiect when we argue iustification by faith but the text saith that he confessed him with trembling So then before we can acknowledge him our redeemer we must of necessity learne how we became bound and before we can rightly beleeue in him whom the father hath sent we must needs vnderstand some warning of his message which most often and breefly is repeated throughout the body of the old Testament Then must we try whether he came according to the fulnes of time wherin the father promised to send him and afterward when he is come whether his message be of God or not he himselfe exhorteth vs to make trial These seem good ground-works to build our faith vpon for as it is required in vs to beleeue so is it most expedient for vs to know him in whom we do beleeue bicause it separateth vs from death to life as before I alleaged For example Christ saith to the theef Luk. 23. 43. This day shalt thou be with me in paradise and againe of himselfe Father into thine hands I commend my spirit But concerning his body it died in the flesh for it was wrapped in linnen and laid in a tombe by Ioseph a iust man of Arimathaea and Nicodemus according to the manner of the Iewes Luk. 23. 52. and buried and to manifest that his body was dead after the maner of men the women prepared sweet odours and ointments and rested the Saboth day Nicodemus might heer see a cleerer sight of the second birth than he had before neither was his buriall an illusion to deceiue mens sight for the Iewes would not be mocked but commanded a watch and sure fastening to the doore least his disciples should steal him away keeping in mind the words that he spake vpon the earth Math. 27 64. Within three daies I will rise Thus haue I concluded his passion the manner of his passion and also his buriall which was according to the law HE DESCENDED INTO HELL Heer commeth the article that drew me to this whole discourse for that I saw the learned somthing at ods about it yet so as all both the one and the other did firmly hold it necessarily inserted in our Christian faith Neither wil I take vpon me heer so much to reconcile the learned which diuersly allow of it as to debell the vnlearned opinions which admits it not at all holding it a superfluous and needlesse article to be taught among Christian families It is somthing strange when clownes exceed in sophistry This kind of men had rather be followed as Christs of a new church than follow Christ as disciples of the true Church It behooueth them therfore in whom remedy consisteth speedily to redresse such erronious errors least some other soone after should deny that hee ascended into heauen Acts. 23. wherby a sect of Saduces might arise amongst vs Math. 27. denying any resurrection at all and so the latter error become greater than the former Now therfore concerning the misconstruing of these words then touching the abiection of them and lastly how to vnderstand them both in their vtmost force and also how they were first ment in the primitiue Church as appeereth by the indifferency of the penners of them But as concerning his descending or going downe no man I know will deny this word that hath any feeling of the ascension and going vp which is most manifest by Saint Pauls Epistle to the Ephesians which reciteth the prophet Dauids words mentioned in the Psalmes Ephes. 4. 8. Thou art gon vp on high Psal. 68. and hast led captiuity captiue thou hast receiued gifts for men yea euen the rebellious hast thou led that the Lord God may dwell there praised be the Lord which ladeth vs daily Selah But Saint Paules allusion is this that he ascended and captiued captiuity and gaue dwelling places to men Now insomuch that he ascended saith he what is it but that he descended first into the lower parts of the earth and he that went downe is he that went vp aboue al heauens to fulfill all thingâ— If therefore he had been to go downe to the place of the damned as some will he must had descended into the lowest part of the earth as he went vp to the highest heauen for his depth ought to had been answerable to his height nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnder all the earth as he ascended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aboue all heauens Reason will that as the Lords glory wherwith he glorified his sonne is aboue all heauens for they were made by him and they are the work of his owne hands and waxe old as doth a garment and shall passe and melt away like wax euen so the damned are to haue their portion below all the earth by opposition Seeing as happines and vnhappines are extremities so are their habitations most extreme and remote one from the other which cannot be in places to be discerned by flesh except we will deuise to make purgatories in the concauities of the earth as Papists haue done or our eies more sharp than Moses eies were For arguments sake then I conclude this that seeing the state of the damned is permanent for euer it is not to be changed by a new creation 2. Pet. 3. 9. For there shall be a new heauen and a new earth so that this heauen which we see is as a vaile before our eies to keep vs from the sight of God whose face would be so glorious that we should not be able to look vp for he appeered in a flame of fire Exod. 3. 6. which God our sauiour maketh himself vsing his fathers owne words shewing Exod. â—2 â—2 that it is he that sitteth on the firy throne this earth but a bar to defend vs from the outrage of the damned spirits which would consume vs with horror and there were no helpe for vs. But for the places of Gods existence and of the euerlasting prison the diuine scripture in no language hath affoorded names except circumstantiall or metaphoricall nay God himselfe hath forborne to name the place of the happy or vnhappy and much lesse was man able to perform it for he neuer went and came againe Neither in our sight can any proper resemblance be made of it Therfore let vs thinke of Christs descension that he went first into the lower parts of the earth which Saint Paul alluding Ezechiels words Ezec. 32. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 writeth in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is all one as to say What is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth Heer he said
greater subiection can there be than for euer yea for euer and euer to abide a slauish vassall in all seruitude horror trembling Therfore suppose not that the Holy one saw other corruption than in flesh for he droue the prince of darknes into a corner where the sink of all corruption is Now what perfection he could draw out of this sink that he himself had cursed let the consciences of all men try and iudge and be warned with Peter that they defile not the things that the Lord hath purified and that they cleaue not so fast to corruption as to peruert the Lords waies and besot their own vnderstanding Concerning the word Apoc. 6. 8. Hell it is written Behold a pale horse and his name that sate on him was Death and Hell followed after him and power was giuen to them ouer the fourth part of the earth to kill with sword and with hunger with death and with the beasts of the earth Heer we see that our expositors plainly take Hel for the graue that is alwaies woont to follow after death Pet. 2. 13. So when the day of the Lord shall come by which the heauens being on fire shall be dissolued and the elements shall melt away with heat and a new heauen and a new earth established wherin dwelleth righteousnes Apoc. 21. 1. and the first heauen and the first earth passed away and when the Lord shall creat new heauens and a new earth and the former not remembred For Isai. 65. 19. saith the Lord as the new heauens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before me Isai. 66. 22. so shall your seed and your name continue and from moneth to moneth and from sabaoth to sabaoth shall all flesh come to worship before me saith the Lord and they shall go forth and looke vpon the carkases of men that haue transgressed for their worm shall not dy neither shall their fire be quenched and they shall be an abhorring vnto all flesh This is the miserable condition of the wicked ones the second death the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Apoc. 2. 8. at the opening of the books the resurrection of all flesh which is to say when the sea death and Hell shall giue vp their dead Apoc. 20. 1. which are in them and they shall bee iudged according to their works then both death and Hell which haue all this while had power ouer flesh to cut it off from inheritance of this life through the curse shall at the last resurrection be vanquished to all flesh and cast into the burning lake by our Lord sauiour Iesus Christ our forerunner In this world shall the cursed endure his damnation and the happy shall feel his blessednes He that liueth in this world an hundred yeeres shall dy a yoong man neither shall any be called a child of yeers but he that buildeth in this world shall inhabit and they that plant vineyards shall eat of the fruit neither shall they plant and another eat but they shal inioy the works of their own hands and shall not be made to labour in vaine and bring foorth in fear for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord and their buds with them Yet concerning his descension remaineth this one thing he made his graue with the wicked with the â—ich in his death though he had done no wickednes neither was any deceit in his mouth Now in that it is said he made him a graue he chose him a place in the earth whereinto he vouchsafed to descend and be buried for our saluation though many wicked and rich men lay as glorious as he whom the cell of the earth was far vnworthy to conteine Dan. 12. 2. Where the many that sleep shall awake to euerlasting life and some to shame and perpetuall contempt Againe that he was buried and descended also into hell read the ancient Christian meaning of the word Hell in the example of the rich man written by Luke the Euangelist translated into Saxonish many yeeres ago which saith thus ha peand re peleza dead and paer on Hell bebynzed which is now as much as to say And the rich man died and was buried in hel I should think it very absurd therfore farther to vrge any comment or exposition for the word Hell seeing no doubt these expositors of the Gospels sufficiently vnderstood what they said in their owne language Nay whosoeuer will not yeeld vnto so plain a testimony of truth the mark of controuersie he may be thought little zealous yea obstinate in his own profession Now of such as would haue Hell to be in the earth and to meane the place of the damned and would prooue it by the word Luk. 16. 26. Gulf that was betweene Abraham and the rich man the worde in the Greek originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 HIATVS FISSVRA a gap or cliffe as Virgil citeth the word properly foorth of Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 TELLVS IMA DEHISCAT Let the earth cleaue But we vnderstand the word Gulf a concaue and a deuouring place which is hardly argued by the circumstance following seeing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signify neither vp nor downe but passing ouer as it were from shore to shore as TRANSCENDERE and TRANSRIMARE agreeing with the prophets words before recited they shall go foorth and look vpon the carcases of men c. And beside Saint Iohn proueth a further punishment to insue after death and hell which is to say the burning lake Let vs absteine therfore farther to inquire of the places which the Lord hath shut vp from vs and our vnderstanding For saith the Lord Gen 3. 22. Behold the man is becom as one of vs to know good and euill And now least he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat and liue for euer therfore the Lord God sent him foorth from the garden of Eden to till the earth whence he was taken And the Lord hath set Cherubims and the blade of a sword shaking to keep the way of the tree of life Heer we see that the iealous God excluded Adam out of the garden least he should attain to see the state of the eternall Wherfore the plaine and open things are for vs and our children to obserue and do but the secret and hidden things pertaine vnto God only The prophet Ionah was a most excellent figure of our sauiour if a man do diligently mark his prophesie 2. King 14. 25. First his name signifieth a doue in the Hebrue voice in the likenes wherof Iesus receiued the spirit of his father from heauen wher he himself confesseth Math. 3. 16. that he saw the heauens open and the spirit of God descending like a doue Psal. 74. 16. and lighting vpon him the true turtle doue whose soule the beast had neuer power of Ionah his message was to