of Geneua doth obscure and diminish the Maiestie thereof For who knoweth not but that it is a greater glorie for a King or Captaine to vanquish and conquer his enemie in his owne kingdome and to make his enemies owne pallace his prison then to doe it elsewhere Wherefore seeing our Sauiour atchieued the greatest and the most glorious conquest that euer was and triumphed the most magnificently Mat. 12.29 we must needs beleeue that he did it in Sathans the strong ones owne house castle and kingdome as it is in the Gospell and as the Church of England together with the Primitiue doth beleeue and teach and not that he did it out of hell or on the crosse as they iargon at Geneua X. Tenthly and lastly the veritie of the Church of Englands doctrine touching our Sauiours descending into hell may appeare by the contradictions oppositions and dissentions and fanaticall expositions of such as haue oppugned it or dissented from it some expounding those words hee descended into hell of our Sauiours buriall others of his detention in the graue and the most part of his suffering the paines and torments of hell in the garden and on the crosse some haue expounded it of his translating into the state of the dead and some haue beene so fanaticall as to say that his descending into hell meaneth no other matter but the ascending of his soule into heauen after death And as some of them haue most vnlearnedly and ridiculously vnderstood heauen by hell in the Creed and ascending by descending which is all one with the taking water for fire or God for the diuell so haue they as vnlearnedly and ridiculously construed diuers other places of Scripture In the sixteene Psalme by the Hebrew word NEPHESH Psal 16 10. Act. 2.27 and in the second of the Actes by the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both which doe signifie the soule they vnderstand the body which is the contrary part and the other halfe of man a thing that no learning diuine or humane will suffer And though a man perhaps might excuse such a simple or single Ignoramus as this yet how can he excuse it when it is doubled for those Geneuians will haue the word soule to signifie the body and a dead body which in all learning diuine or humane signifieth alwaies a liuing substance and either the principall part which is the soule and that properly or else the whole person figuratiuely And as these admirable Metamorphosers of Geneua turne in one place hell into heauen and descending into ascending euen blacke into white and in another place Christs liuing soule they turne into his dead Body so doe they turne hell into the graue for the Hebrew word SHEOL and the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doe properly and principally signifie hell as the learned in these languages doe well know and as we shall show particularly otherwhere by alleadging the testimonies of the best Hebricians and Grecians but especially when the word of Soule is thereunto annexed as it is in the sixteenth Psalme and in the second of the Actes they do translate Graue and not Hell which is not only the secondary and improper signification of those two words but also quite repugnant to those texts of Scripture wherein mention is made of the conditiō of Christs soule For though it be true that the said two words doe sometimes signifie the graue yet it is but secondarily and improperly and when the word of Body or flesh is ioyned thereunto but neuer when the word of Soule is annexed as it is in those two places of Scripture and because they see the absurditie that should insue of saying that Christs soule should be buried in a graue therefore for preuenting one absurditie they runne into another for as they turne hell into graue so doe they Christs liuing soule into his dead body the most blockish and stockish abusing of Scripture that euer was heard tell off yea more the most impious for in so doing they ioyne with the professed enemies of Christ both Iewes Arrian and Apollinarian Heretickes For first such Geneuian expositors ioyne with the Iewes who as Aepinus the Protestant Superintendent of Hamburge writeth vpon the sixteenth Psalme to ouerthrow the certainty of our faith concerning Christs descension into hell and his resurrection did by the word soule vnderstand life though it bee not so bad nor so farre fetcht as Bezas dead bodie and by the word hell they vnderstand graue as the Geneuians doe And next they ioyne and iumpe with the old Arrian and Apollinarian Heretickes which denied our Sauiours true humane soule and therefore vnderstood those Scriptures as the Geneuians doe and not as the orthodoxe fathers vnderstood them that out of those Scriptures refuted their fooleries as Athanasius Theodoretus Epiphanius Cyprianus Augustinus Fulgentius Hieronymus Ambrosius Philippus Presbyter Ruffinus Cassiodorus Euthymius Beda Petrus Chrysologus and others whom the Church of England doth follow all which shall be God-willing particularly prooued in our Latine worke And the Geneuians doe ioyne with the same Apollinarian heretickes in vnderstanding by the Spirit of Christ in the third chapter of the first Epistle of Saint Peter 1. Pet. 3.18.19 his Diuinitie or God-head and not his humane Spirit though the other halfe of his humanitie to wit his flesh bee there mentioned with it like as in the same text they turne Christs person into Noahs and Christs preaching in Spirit vnto dead mens spirits after his passion into Noahs preaching in body vnto liuing men many hundreth yeares before the passion and incarnation Where note how that contrary to all learning diuine and humane they expound the word Spirit of a liuing man and not of the soule of one deceased And in the same absurd manner they turne Christs wrastling vpon the crosse into triumphing and make him to sing his owne triumph before his full and absolute victorie Finally as in expounding the Gospel they turne the heart or middle of the earth into a Tombe Math. 12.40 27.60 which was not so much as within the foreskin if I may so speake of the earth so in expounding the Epistle they turne the lower or lowest parts of the earth Eph. 4.8.9 whereinto our Sauiours soule descended into the vpmost parts or surface of the earth where in body hee conuersed when hee was vpon earth So that they turning thus vpside downe both in Gospell and Epistle as they doe we haue as little cause to iumpe or ioyne with Geneua in this point as wee haue to runne with Rome for the finding out of their fanaticall Limbus Patrum And thus I haue by a ten-fold probation cleered the truth of the doctrine of the Church of England touching our Sauiours descending into hell and haue with all dispelled the cloudes and mistes both of Romane and Geneuian opinions For as it is most certaine that our Sauiours soule did after death descend into hell which our Geneuians doe most vnlearnedly and
A NEVV EIGHTFOLD PROBATION OF THE CHVRCH OF ENGLANDS DIVINE CONSTITVTION PROOVED BY MANY PREGnant arguments to be much more complete then any Geneuian in the world against the contrary assertion of the fifty three petitioner-preachers of Scotland in their petition presented in the late Parliament to the Kings most excellent Maiesty With a ten-folde probation of the same Churches doctrine touching one of the most important points of our Creede which is of our Sauiours descending into Hell BY IAMES MAXVVELL Master of Artes c. LONDON Printed by IOHN LEGATT Printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge 1617. Psal 122. verse 6. Pray for the peace of Ierusalem let them prosper that loue thee Isay 41.8 9 25. Thou Iacob whom I haue chosen I haue taken thee from the endes of the earth and called thee before the cheife thereof and said vnto thee thou art my Seruant c. I haue raised vp from the North and he shall come from the East Sunne shall he call vpon my Name TO THE MOST LEARNED RELIGIOVS AND RENOWNED PRINCE IAMES the Concorder King of Britaine France and Ireland defender of the faith all felicitie Most gratious and redoubted Soueraigne INEVER read those words of the Euangelicall Prophet prefixt in the former page and I haue read them often but as oft did I thinke of Almighty Gods raising of you our Iacob from the North and endes of the earth to performe the part of his Select Seruant for the especiall good of his Church and euen so oft did I call to minde your gratious endeauours for the farthering of the glorious worke of Vnitie and Concord amongst diuided Christians but more especially according to your Royall and proper interest among your owne vnvniformed Britaines Wherefore perswading my selfe that it is both the duty of all good Christians to applaude your mest Christian Commendable endeauours and designes and the part of all your good subiects to concurre with your Maiestie in so worthy a worke for the aduancing thereof I haue brought vnto the building of this spirituall Temple of Concord and Peace two stones to wit two Treatises penned and framed to the common peoples capacitie Such as they are I doe humbly exhibite both heere together into your Royall hands to dispose of according to your most gratious and wise pleasure and as ye shall thinke good for them for whose good they are intended The first Treatise containeth an eightfold probation of the diuine and perfit constitution of the Church of England the which I doe demonstrate to be much more complete then any Genenian forme wheresoeuer in the world for a moderate quiet and calme refutation of a certaine contrary assertion contained in the three and fifty preachers of Scotlands petition presented vnto your Maiestie in the late Parliament And though there were many reasons which might induce me to dedicate the same vnto your Royall Maiestie yet nothing mooued me so much thereunto as that the demonstration which I doe vse is drawen out of the diuine Booke of the Reuelation of Saint Iohn the diuine the which I may in a manner call the Booke of King Iames the diuine a demonstration that no writer hath vsed before me so farre as I knowâ— for I suppose that no diuine will or can denie but that 〈◊〉 â—he Booke of the Reuelation is contained a representation both of the Church Triumphant in Heauen by such externall or sensible signes or showes as were most fit to represent the same by and likewise of the Church militant on earth such as it was to bee after our Sauiours ascensien in the two times of persecution and peace aye vntill the last period of his glorious comming to iudgement For as the beloued and diuine man of God Moses made the Tabernacle according to the patterne or modele shewed him in the mount as the Scripture speaketh so our Sauiour Christs beloued and diuine disciple Saint Iohn representeth vnto vs the forme and fashion of the militant Church according to the patterne of the Triumphant shewed vnto him by reuelation in the I le of Pathmos So that in the opinion of all diuines amongst the many particular Churches that are on earth that which is likest vnto the Church in heauen must needs bee the diuinest and best and that so much the more because that our Sauiour himselfe hath taught vs to pray and say daily thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Now that the Church of England doth more neerely resemble the heauenly Church then the Geneuian doth I make it apparant by eight pregnant proofes and irrefragable arguments founded and grounded all of them in Gods written word especially in the foresaid diuine booke of Saint Iohns Reuelation 1. in that the Church of England is more diuine or God-like then the Geneuian in her supreame Gouerner on earth the Prince 2. in that shee is more Angelicall or Angel-like in her secondary Gouernours of Archbishops and Bishops 3. more celestiall or heauen-like for holinesse 4. more heauen like for humble reuerence 5. more heauen-like for harmonie 6. more heauen-like for habite 7. more heauen-like for locall decencie Church-implements conueniency Church-seruice solemnity and sacramentall ceremonies 8. and lastly more heauen-like for honour of the ministery In the handling of which eight arguments I doe demonstrate the lawfulnesse vtility and conueniencie of the chiefe rites vsed in the Church of England as namely of holy dayes of standing vp at the reading of the Gospel of kneeling at the rehearsall of the Law and in receiuing the holy Sacrament of Churchâ—musicke consisting of song and Organs of the Church habite of Surplice and Rotchet of the comely Structure and ornaments of Churches of hauing a Font with a standing Table for the celebration of the Sacraments and of signing with the crosse in Baptisme for the which I doe produce thirteene arguments all grounded in Gods word I doe likewise iustifie the title of Priest giuen to the inferiours of the ministery and of Lord giuen to the superiours by diuers good reasons and by thirteene arguments I prooue the lawfulnes and equity of paying tithes to the ministers vnder the Gospel adding thereunto an Invectiue against the Genevian or Puritane impure sinne of sacriledge And in handling the first of the eight branches of this our new demonstration which is that the Church of England is more diuine or God-like then the Geneuian in her supreme Gouernour on earth I do procue these sixe important points after following most part against the common contrary opinions of Romanes and Geneuians first that the Kingly power is immediatly from God and not from man by eight Testimonies of Scripture and three arguments Secondly that the kingly dignitie is absolutely greater then the priestly and of all other the diuinest by eight arguments Thirdly that christian kings are not meere lay-men but of a mixt condition partly ecclesiasticall and partly secular by ten sacred examples and three arguments Fourthly that kings are lawgiuers vnto their
people and haue power of God to make lawes for the good both of church and common-wealth by sixe arguments Fifthly that kings are to be honourably and magnificently maintained and that God hath allotted them a certaine competent portion of their subiects goods Sixtly and lastly that Kings are endowed with a sacred immunity from all manner of coercion and censure spirituall or temporall at their subiects hands The which thing I procue against Romanes and Geneuians by seuenteene arguments And this is the summe of the first Booke which I most humbly commend vnto your maiesties patronage the other beeing onely a briefe of a certaine part of a larger worke I haue begun in Latine containeth a ten-fold probation of the doctrine of the Church of England touching our Sauicurs locall descending in his soule after death into the hell of the damned against the different and repugnant dostrines of Genenians and Romanes the which I do dedicate vnto the Reuerend prelats and pastors of the Church of Scotland The verity of which doctrin I do show confirme 1. by Typical prefiguration both personall and real 2. by propheticall praediction 3. by holy Scriptures pregnant historicall allusion 4. by Euangelicall asseueration 5. by apostolical explication 6 by all christians catholicall confession 7 by three fortie ancient doctors and fathers vnanime and harmonious profession besides some sixe or seauen Councels 8. by thirtie chiefe protestant writers ingenuous reception and subscription besides some particular reformed Churches 9. by irrefragable reason and demonstration 10. and lastly by the consideration of the diuers grosse absurdities impieties contradictions and ridiculous expositions that they haue committed which haue oppugned this auncient doctrine of the Church of England or dissented from the same And here I will likewise professe publikely that in case our precise Diuines can but shew as great variety and as good solidity of arguments and reasons euen for all their opinions ioyned together wherein they do dissent from the Church of England as I shall shew for this one point onely that I shall not be ashamed to retract my present opinions wherein I doe dissent from them and subscribe vnto theirs and so become as precise as euer I was knowne to bee once before And thus haue I briefly laid open vnto your Maiestie the summe and substance of these two little bookes which I haue written of late for the furthering of a perfit vniformity both in doctrine and discipline in the Churches of these two Kingdomes and euen for the perswading and enducing of my deere Countrey men to the reception of the auncient primitiue forme of Church such as it was in the dayes of glorious Constantine the great and during the purer time of the first fiue hundreth yeares which is one of your Maiesties most christian and commendable desires and designes worthy of the memorie and celebration of all succeding ages the which I pray the God of vnity and veritie that yee may as happily atchieue as yee doe holily wish it and worthily haue begunst That so the Church of Scotland may in your Maiesties blessed time receiue the consummation and accomplishment of her reformation from England like as from her shee had the inchoation or beginning thereof as our owne historie doth witnesse and that as the said Church hath already receiued of England their English Bible and Psalme-Booke so may she now likewise receiue her Liturgie or Seruice-booke with the whole rites and orders contained therein And though I be haply the first of my Countrey that euer wrote thus earnestly in defence of the Church of England yet let not my deere Countrey-men vnto whom God is my witnesse I doe dayly wish all manner of happinesse thinke that I haue done it out of any worldly respect to priuate profite benefit or benefice either already confered or hereafter to be confered vpon me by Prince or Prelate but out of a meere affection to verity and vnity to the pure primitiue Church The truth of which my protestation may hence appeare in part in that these ten yeere past that I haue liued in England I was at no time a Suter vnto your Maiestie nor yet beholding to any Bishop nor euer aimed at any benefice as being at this houre and intending to continue euer hereafter a Lay-man notwithstanding that the learned and reuerend Deane of Exeter Doctor Sutcliffe the nominated Prouost of that begunne Controuersial Colledge which beareth your Maiesties name hath chosen me to be a fellow and an Antiquary therof So that my deere countrymen shal haue no cause I hope to charge me with any preposterous affection or flattering humor in the behalfe of England seeing that I haue no purpose of aspiring to Church preferment amongst them who haue worthie Schollers enough of their owne and most complete Preachers to brooke their Benefices Neither shal the learned ministery of my country take it euill that a lay-man should thus meddle in Ecclesiastical matters if it shal please them to consider how that a lay-man may with greateringenuity indifferencie handle such an argument as this is then a Church-man who might happely be suspected offlatterie or fauour in the behalfe of one churches formemore then another that meerely for loue of preferment from the which kinde of suspicion one of my fashion is free And as for capacitie requisite in the handling of this argument I am content they should haue no better opinion of me then the course of my life and stadies in their owne good iudgement may challeng at their hands abreefe narration whereof I thought good by your Maiesties gracious leaue here to insert not out of any humour of ostentation but onely that it may thereby appeare that though I be a lay-man yet I haue spent a good part of my time in the study of diuinitie vnto the which I was knowne at home so much to haue addicted my selfe that at the age of 19. yeares and euen before I proceeded Master of Artes I was requested of some of our Ministery to preach by way of exercise And though I did refuse to condescend vnto their earnest desire proceeding from their good opinion of me for the which course I was not a little commended of that learned and renowned Diuine of good memorie Master Robert Rollock who disliked the vnripe forwardnesse of some young spirits howsoeuer otherwise of great towardnesse yet I ommitted not my priuate studie of diuinttie but followed the same assiduonsly being thereunto encouraged by the the foresaid Reuered Diuine who had diuerted me from my intended voyaege into Denmarke towards the famous and noble Philosopher and Astrologian Tycho Brahe with whom I thought to haue prosecuted my begun Mathematicall studies and so perswaded mee to finish my Academicall course in the learned Colledge of Edenburgh before I went to trauaile And there beeing past some seuenteene yeares since the time I proceeded Master of arts went beyond sea which was in the yeare 1601. I haue all this while
giuen my minde wholly to good letters and aswell diuine as humane For three yeares of the said space I spent in the priuate studie of Philosophy in considering of the more noble and choice questions that haue beene mooued or disputed by the followers of Aristotle but especially of diuine Plato vnto whom I was alwayes more deuoted and of the renowned Aegyptian Philosopher Hermes Trismegistus following therein the example of those foure famous Italian Philosophers Franciscus Ioannes Picus Mirandula Marsilius Ficinus Franciscus Patricius Other three years I spent in reading and pondering the Church questions and controuersies of our time as they haue beene learnedly and diligently debated on both hands by diuers great Diuines of these dayes One yeare I spent in perusing some fourty treatises discourses commentaries and consuitations written by some of the more moderate and ingenuous tending to pacification Fiue yeares I spent in reading and perusing some of the choicest bookes of the Doctors of the Church Greekes and Latines and of the more renowned amongst the Schoole-men and other fiue I spent in perusing politicall and historicall workes penned by diuers authors especially Italians and Germans together with the Genealogies of the Kings and Princes of Christendome And for some clearer euidence and proofe of this studious pastime besides some ten little things already published in english most part vpon diuine and morall arguments namely the Looking glasse of grace and glory the Treasure of tranquillity the Mirrour of religious men godly Matrons the Golden art or the right way of enriching the Game of concord and vnion admirable Prophecies of 24. famous Romane catholikes touching the deformation and reformation of Rome two Pamphlets containing some seauen short Poems in honour of your Maiestie and your noble children together with these two present Treatises written of late in defence of the Church of Englands discipline and doctrine besides these ten little exercises I say I haue written diuers things in Latine vpon Philosophicall Historicall and Politicall arguments but most of all vpon Theologicall points for being once a follower of the most precise sort and euen a professed Puritane as they tearme it I began at nineteene yeares of age to write in Latine two bookes against Poperie one of the which I haue entituled of the admirable Antipathie or contrariety of Theologie and Papalogie or of Gods word and the Popes Wherein I point forth the oppositions contradictions betweene the Scripture and the Romane doctrine from the beginning of the Bible vnto the end thereof going thorow euery chapter of both Testaments answerable whereunto I haue deuided the said worke into two parts the first containing an hundred and fourty nine Sections the second an hundred and thirty and it hath bin seene and well liked of some learned Schollers The other is a description of the Tyrannie which was to be exercised vpon the militant Church according to the tenure of the two noble prophesies of Daniel and Saint Iohn where I doe entreat of the authors instruments duration beginning manner and ending of those great troubles and doe compare the opinions of writers together touching the foresaid circumstances with the reasons thereof a worke of no small labour consisting of eighteene large Sections or Chapters and was by me dedicated vnto the Church and Colledge of Edenburgh where I tooke my degree and therefore I sent it home out of France with my Coosin M. William Maxwell of Kauens to be presented accordingly though as I vnderstood since it was the fortune of my Booke to fall into the hands of M. Iohn Welshe then a famous Preacher in those parts who borrowed the same for a few daies but not deliuering it againe carried the same away with him into France and hath kept it vntill this houre I haue likewise written in Latine another Booke called Romase redarguens or Rome rebuking and reproouing her selfe Wherein I doe prooue by the expresse Testimonies of Popes Cardinals Archbishops Bishops Monkes Friers Prophets Prophetesses Schoolemen and Cell-women of the Church of Rome that shee standeth in need of reformation against the contrary assertion of the learned Iesuite Martinus Becanus The Propheticall part if so I may call it of which worke I did publish of late in English a Booke containing a collection of more then an hundred strange Prophesies vtteredin former times touching the deformation and reformation of Rome by twenty foure famous Romane-Catholikes whereof some twelue haue beene canonized for Saints to wit seauen men and fiue women I haue likewise written a disputation or disquisition touching the seate of Sathan whether it was to be in the North as the Romish Doctors doe holde or in the South where I prooue against the Romane Doctors by Scripture and nature by Theologie and Astrologie by Philosophie and Historie how that the North is absolutely the most diuine eminent and excellent the very seate of God and not of Sathan and the chiefe receptacle of his Church Another disputation and disquisition I haue written touching the seate of soules where I refute the Popish opinions of Purgatory Limbus Patrum Limbus infantium and the like hollow habitations of soules within the earth and I doe show that the ancient Fathers knewne more places but three at most as the Greekes doe at this day Paradise Heauen and Hell In the same I doe refute the erroneous opinions of Romanes and Geneuians Papists and Puritanes touching our Sauiours descending into hell and prooue the doctrine of the Church of England touching that article to be only orthodoxe a briefe of which part of that Booke I haue here published in English And in the same larger worke I do defend the saluation of Salomons soule against Cardinall Bellarmine and others iumping with him in that vnprobable and vncharitable opinion Another disputation I haue written in Latine vpon the Inuocation of Saints against the Romane Knight of Saint Peter Gaspar Scioppius against whose allegations of Scripture and probations fetcht from thence I who am a layman like himselfe howsoeuer inferiour for humane letters and titles doe employ some 28. arguments fetcht not only from Scriptures but also from Greeke and Latine Fathers besides Philosophers Poets and Historians and the same Methode and manner of probation I doe vse in a certaine Theologicall and Historicall Plea against the learned Iesuite Iames Gretser for the preheminence of the Emperour and Kings aboue Popes Patriarkes Archbishops and Bishops and generally of all Priests and for their mixt condition of Ecclesiasticall and ciuill Lastly I haue written a Treatise called Catholico-Iacobus Catholico Britannus wherein I do demonstrate the true Catholicisme of Britaines and doe euidently prooue that your Maiestie and your subiects haue all those things that Gods word requireth to make men true Christians and Catholikes against the contrary assertion of the learned French Archbishop Cardinall Iames Perron The which two Treatises last mentioned written in defence of King Iames and this Church against two learned and famous Romane
Catholikes of the name of Iames by your Maiesties subiect and seruant of the same Name shall be God willing shortly published for the first laïck fruits of that begunne Colledge which beareth the name of King Iames whereof I am to bee a Fellow The which premisses beeing considered I hope the more easily to gaine the Church of Scotlands good opinion and that they shall not charge me with incapacitie to handle such a weighty argument as this hauing written so much in matters belonging to Church and Religion To be briefe thus haue I spent these seuenteene yeares yeares of my priuate obscure life since I proceeded Master of Artes and went beyond sea in giuing my selfe to studie and contemplation endeauouring to know much and to contentation in no wise coueting after much and to Temperance and Continency Whereof I take the all-knowing God and his chaste Angels to witnes And now these my poore labours such as they are I most humbly lay downe at your Royal feet begging your Maiesties most honourable patronage and acceptance and in praying the God of Vnitie and Veritie to giue them a blessing for the furthering of your most Christian desire and glorious designe so that we may euen in your owne happie daies see with our eyes the full accomplishment thereof to the glorie of his name the comfort of his Church the good of great Britaine and your Maiesties eternall honour So prayeth daily YOVR MAIESTIES Most humble subiect and seruant and euen the grandchilde of your most Noble Grandmothers and Mothers household seruant William Maxwell sonne to the Laird of Kirkonnell and in his life man at armes to the most Christian King IAMES MAXVVELL THE CONTENTS OF THESE TWO BOOKES 1 THat Vnitie and Concord in matters belonging to Gods Worship amongst Christians especially Protestants and more especially amongst Britaines both for reason of Church and reason of State is to bee by all meanes desired and endeauoured Sect. 1.2.3 2. That one Churches constitution is more perfit and complete then anothers and that the lesse perfit ought to cōforme it selfe vnto the more perfit Sect. 4.5 3. That the constitution of the Church of England is much more perfit then an Geneuian whatsoeuer or wheresoeuer Sect. 6. 4. That the Church of England is more Diuine and God-like in the supreme Gouernor the Soueraigne Prince then the Geneuian Sect. 7.8 5. That the Kingly power is immediately from God and not from man as both Romanes and Geneuians doe hold prooued by eight testimonies of Scripture and three irrefragable arguments Sect. 9. 6. That the kingly dignitie is absolutely greater then the priestly and of all other the diuinest contrary to the opinion of Romanes and Geneuians prooued by eight arguments Sect. 10. 7. That Kings are not meere lay-men but mixt of an ecclesiasticall and secular condition contrary to the opinion of Romanes Geneuians prooued by three arguments ten examples of Kings that haue exercised spirituall power for the good of the Church Sect. 11. 8. That Kings are Law-giuers to their people and haue power of God to make lawes for the good both of Church and Common-weale prooued by sixe arguments Sect. 12. 9. That Kings are to be honourable and magnificently maintained and that God hath allotted them a certaine portion of their subiects goods Sect. 13. 10. That Kings are indued with a Sacred immunitie from all manner of coercion and censure spirituall or temporall at their subiects hands prooued against Romanes and Geneuians by 17. arguments Sect. 14. 11. That the Church of England is more Angelicall or Angel-like in her secondary Gouernours of Archbishops and Bishops Sect. 15. 12. That their is an imparitie or inequalitie amongst Gods Ministers in the Church triumphant in heauen and that their hath beene alwaies the like imparitie in the Church militant on earth first vnder the Law then vnder the Gospel and aswell in the time of Christ and his Apostles as of their successours Sect. 15. 13. That the Church of England is more heauen-like for holinesse where the conueniency of holydaies besides the Sunday is prooued and demonstrated by vnanswerable arguments Sect. 16. 14. That the Church of England is more heauen-like then the Geneuian for humble reuerence where the conueniencie of the gestures of standing vp at the reading of the Gospel capping or bowing at the name of Iesus of kneeling at the rehearsing of the Law and especially at the receiuing of the holy Sacrament is declared and prooued Sect. 17. 15. That the Church of England is more heauen-like then the Geneuian for harmonie where the conueniency of Church-musicke consisting of voices and organes and other instruments is declared Sect. 18. 16 That the Church of England is more heauen-like then the Geneuian for habite where the conueniencie and decencie of Church-habites as of the Surplisse and Rotchet is prooued Sect. 19. 17. That the Church of England is more Heauen-like then the Geneuian for locall decencie Church-implements conueniency Church-seruice solemnitie and sacrament all ceremony where the conueniencie of a Font or the Ministration of Baptisme and of a standing Table for the celebration of the Lords Supper is declared and the vse of the ceremonie of the signe of the Crosse in Baptisme prooued most lawful and commendable by 13. arguments Sec. 20. 18. That the Church of England is more heauen-like then the Geneuian for honour of the Ministerie where the lawfulnesse of the stile of Priest amongst the Ministers of the Gospel and likewise of the stile of Lord conferred on the reuerend Gonernours of the Church is declared and the genevian-Geneuian-church gouernors of Lay-elders prooued to be a thing vnlawfull and absurd Sect. 21. 19. That the maintenance of the Ministerie is more diuine heauen-like and honourable in the church of England then in the Geneuian where the perpetuall maintenance of Tithes is prooued and the Geneuian sinne of sacriledge exagitated and shewed to be more hainous then heathenish Idolatrie Sect. 21. 20. The diuersitie and repugnancie of the opinions of diuines touching our Sauiours descending into hell breifly propounded Tract 2. 21. The doctrine of the church of England touching the foresaid point demonstrated to be only orthodoxall by a Ten-folde probation Tract 2. A Primitiue patterne for the Church of Scotland Sect. 1. VNitie and Concord amongst Christians especially amongst Protestants or reformed professours but more especially amongst Britaines Psal 133.1 2 3. Ioh. 17 20 21 22 23. 1. Pet. 3.8 Heb. 12.14 as they that are the worshippers of one and the same true God the seruants of one and the same only Sauiour Iesus Christ the children of one Church and the subiects of one and the same Soueraigne is in the iudgement of all them that are truely wise of all other things most to bee desired and endeauoured as a thing most pleasing to God and most profitable to man Sect. 2. Vnitie and Concord is to bee desired and endeauoured in all things but especially in those things Psal 122.6 Rom.
5 6 7 8. for the expressing of his owne inward action but the Spirit of God doth designe the outward act of signing for the expressing of his owne inward action of spirituall sealing as both Ezekiel in the olde Testament and Saint Iohn in the new doe witnesse and therefore the Church may and ought to vse the same outward act of signing Tenthly the Church is bound to declare and notifie the grace of Gods Spirit working in men and euen to make men as sensible of the workes of Gods Spirit in them as they can conueniently now it is one of the workes of Gods Spirit and a chiefe worke too to seale men in their soules inwardly and to stampe them as it were with the print of his Image vnto the day of redemption 2. Cor. 1.22 5.5 Ephes 1.13 4.30 as the Apostle speaketh and therefore for the Church to make men sensible of this internall and mysticall sealing of Gods Spirit by the meanes of such a conuenient and decent sensible signe as that of the Crosse though there were no particular mention at all made in the whole Scripture of any such externall gesture or act of signing on the fore-head must needes be lawful and commendable Eleuenthly by this Signe the Church putteth her children in minde of their owne miserie and of Gods mercy of Christs loue towards them and of their duty and affection towards him for his vnspeakeable loue and therefore it tendeth to edification Twelfthly this ceremonie was receiued and practised of the primitiue Church neither is there any ecclesiasticall writer or Father Greeke or Latine but maketh honourable mention of it as we shall shew particularly in our Commentaries of the persecution and peace of the Church and therefore we ought to vse it now if it were no more but to shew our conformitie with the primitiue Church for the daughter ought to follow the footesteps of her mother in all lawfull and commendable actions and ought not to depart from her otherwise shee shall both dishonour her mother and discredit her selfe And questionlesse the want of this primitiue ceremonie and others the like in some reformed Churches hath brought a most dangerous discredite vpon the reformation and made it obnoxious vnto the suspition and odious imputation of the same noueltie in the very substance which it carrieth amongst them in the out side circumstance And therfore those venerable Bishops that reformed the Church of England considering wisely with themselues how that men are so apt to censure of the inside by the outside especially in Church matters and to iudge of doctrine and pietie by the externall discipline and ceremonie retained stil the primitiue discipline and auncient ceremonies of that Church but banished the abuses And would to God the Church of Geneua had done the like for so our common aduersaries should not haue had so good and iust cause as they haue to hit them in the teeth with their noueltie as though their Church had newly crept or leapt out of the Leman nian lake or had beene conceiued of Caluin and borne of Beza Thirtenthly and lastly the enemies of the signe of the crosse can not bring so much as one good authoritie or probable argument for their opinion not the letter of the Scripture for they see that the letter fauoureth it both in the olde Testament and new not the sense of the Scripture as it hath beene deliuered by the fathers of the Church for they know that they are all for it and as for reasons deriued from the light of nature or Scripture from Theologie or Philosophie Diuinitie or humanitie they can bring none worth the hearing for I haue read diligently their bookes and was once a Puritane my selfe except it bee this one The Church of Rome hath abused the signe of the crosse and therefore the reformed Church ought to forbeare it least wee should seeme to fauour or follow their abuses But I wonder but they should remember better that olde maxime abusus non tollit vsum some folkes abusing of a thing doth not hinder or let but that others may vse it aright And doe they not thinke that the Church of Rome doth abuse praying and preaching and Churches and pulpits and kneeling and Godfathers and Godmothers aswell as crossing and yet we doe not forbeare these things because of their abuse neither is there any reason why we should doe so but rather great reason to the contrary The Church of Rome doth abuse ceremonies therfore the reformed Church ought to vse them aright to the end that in so doing shee may both show her selfe like and conforme vnto her Mother the Primitiue Church and by her good example doe what shee can out of Christian charity to reforme and amend her straying sister the deformed Romish Church And so I end this my plaine disputation for the signe of the crosse in Baptisme beseeching my countrymen to take it in good part euen for his sake that suffered vpon the Crosse The Church of England more heauen like for honour of the Ministery Sect. 21. Eightly the Church of England is liker then the Geneuian to the heauenly Church in the dignitie and honourable estate of the Ministerie In heauen Gods Ministers are honoured with the holiest stile of Priests and with the highest stile of Princes for as vnder the highest of Priests they are Priests so vnder the highest of Princes they are Princes And therefore we reade in the Reuelation how that blessed Saint Iohn calleth the Bishops of the seauen Churches by the honourable stiles of Kings and Angels Reuel a. 1.4 5 6 2. 3. 5.3 9 10 12 13 14 7 10 12 8 3.4 and the foure and twentie Elders doe magnifie the Lambe for making them vnto God Kings and Priests to raigne or rule vpon the earth Answerably whereunto in the Church of England the reuerend Fathers of the Church are graced by the Soueraigne Prince representing the Lambe and the Lyon of the tribe of Iudah with the honourable title and dignitie of Lords and Barons And good reason surely seeing that the Gouernours of the Church vnder the Gospell are to be rather more then lesse honoured then were the Gouernours of the Church vnder the law in so farre as the Ministerie of the Gospell is much more honourable and glorious then that of the law 2. Cor. 3.7 8 9 10 11. as the Apostle expressely auoucheth And that the Ministers and Gouernours of the Church vnder the olde Testament were called by honourable titles it may appeare in that Moses a prophet Exod. 3. 4 16 18 1. Sam. 1.3.9 15 7 8 9 10 15 16 17 Deut. 17 8 9 10 11 12 2. Chron. 17 7 19 8 9.10 11 Ezech. 44 24 1. Sam. 1.9.14 15 16 17 18 26 4 18 1. King 17 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20.21 22 23 24 18 3 4 7 9 12 13 2. King 1.13 14 4
descension and ascension are inferred necessarily of the Geneuian doctrine And as the word died in the Creede doth imply our Sauiours descending in soule to the house of death though not to dye for Christs soule could not dye but to ouercome death and to destroy the author of death the diuell as the Apostle speaketh so doth the word of suffering the like 1. Cor. 15.55 Heb. 2.14 For Christ suffered the greatest humiliation and deiection that could be for mans cause and therefore it behooued his soule to be humbled vnto hell and without this hee had not beene subiected to the highest degree of humiliation in his soule as hee was to bee answerably to the humiliation of his body which was in the highest degree euen vnto the death of the crosse like as for that cause God exalted him both in body and soule in the highest degree Philip. 2.6 7 8 9 10 11. as the Apostle teacheth So that we see that Christs locall descending into hell is denied in no Creede but expressed in some and implied in all VII Seauenthly the locall descent of Christs soule into hell is confirmed by the common consent and constant profession of the Doctors of the primitiue Church in their Sermons Homilies Commentaries Expositions and Glosses vpon the places of Scripture aboue alleadged about twenty in number and vpon the Creede especially this article thereof as shall bee shewed more particularly in our Latine worke by the expresse testimonies of these three and forty Fathers Doctours and writers Hebrewes Greekes and Latines Thaddaeus Ignatius Iustinus Martyr Irenaeus Tertullianus Origines Cyprianus Arnobius Lactantius Eusebius Athanasius Hilarius Socrates Basilius Gregorius Nazianzenus Ambrosius Hieronimus Ruffinus Epiphanius Chrysostomus Augustinus Cassianus Caesarius Philippus Presbyter Cyrillus Primasius Euthymius Theodoretus Leo Vigilius Fulgentius Cassiodorus Beda Titus Bostrensis Didimus Ioannes Damascenus Theophylactus Oecumenius Bernardus Prudentius Petrus Chrysologus Rabbi Hoccadosh Rab. Simeon whereunto shal be added some sixe or seauen Councels as of Ephesus Chalcedon Alexandria Constantinople Toledo Arles and others So that if the Fathers of the Church haue any weight or authority amongst the Geneuians they shall soone see themselues in a manifest errour which God grant they may as soone amend VIII Eightly Christs locall descent into hell after death is confirmed by the ingenuous reception and subscription of the most part of learned protestant writers as we shall show in our Latine worke by the testimonies of some thirty to wit Luther Calum Peter Martyr Bullmger Pomeran Pellican Chytraeus Aepinus Bucer Illyricus Selneccer Lossius Hemingius Aretius Rulandus Marlerat Vrbanus Rhegius Lauater Vitus Theodorus Mylius Musculus Mollerus Westhemerus Heresbachius Felinus our countrimen Alexander Alesius or Aeleis Bishop Latimer and Robert Samuel Martyrs Deane Nowell Master Foxe with the reuerend Bishops and learned Doctors of Fngland in the time of King Edward the sixt and afterwards to this present day of the happy raigne of King Iames the sixt together with the whole Lutheran Protestants in Denmarke Norway Sweden Poland Boheme Hungary and other parts of Germany with some of those whome they call Caluinians as namely that most learned and iudicious Italian diuine Hieronymus Zanchius IX Ninethly the doctrine of Christs locall descending into hell is prooued by irrefragable reasons for first the doctrine of the Church of England doth illustrate commend and magnifie the loue of God towards mankinde where as the doctrine of Geneua obscureth ecclypseth and diminisheth it exceeding much For it is an argument of great loue that the Sonne of God would daigne to descend from his throne and seate of maiestie into this earth of vilitie and misery which is his foote-stoole but it is an argument of farre greater loue that for our sakes he would yet descēd lower euen so low as to take upon him the shape of a seruant and in that shape to suffer so shamefull a death as that vpon the crosse but it argueth the highest degree of loue that could bee in that for our sakes hee would descend so low as into the lowest hell the vile and loathsome dungeon of the damned to the end that we should not descend thither nor be damned Secondly the very Ground whereupon the Geneuians doe found their doctrine of Christs suffering the pangs of hell doth prooue pregnantly this very point which they denie of Christs descending into hell in his soule The ground is this It behooued the Mediatour of sinfull mankinde to suffer what was due to sinfull mankinde whereupon it followeth necessarily that he suffered the highest degree of humiliation to wit to be humbled vnto hell in his soule as his Bodie was humbled vnto the shame of the crosse the graue for sinfull mankinde had deserued this deiection and should haue beene humbled so farre for his sinfull and proud rebelling against God if our Redeemer had not humbled himselfe in our stead and for our sakes to exempt and deliuer vs from this ignominie Yea their very doctrine is contradictory to it selfe for they hold that Christ was to suffer the torments of hell in his soule and yet they will not haue him goe to hell which two assertions cannot well stand together for though that the soule may feele the horror or apprehend the feare terror of hell out of hel Psal 18.4 5 Mat. 26.37.38 39 42 46 Mar. 14.33 34 35 36 15 34 that our Sauiours soule did so in the garden and vpon the crosse according as the Prophet Dauid had prophesied of him saying the sorrowes of death and of hell haue compassed me about and as our Sauiour said of himselfe My soule is very heauy euen vnto the death and as the Euangelists doe testifie of him that hee began to waxe sorrowfull and grieuously troubled to bee afraid and in great beauinesse and euen in such an agonie vpon the apprehension of the fearefull cup of Gods wrath that he sweat drops of blood and afterwards cried out that he felt himselfe in a manner forsaken of his Father for our sakes for a while all which soule-suffering the Apostle Peter calleth by the name of the sorrowes of death and Dauid the sorrowes of hell though I say that our Sauiour suffered in his soule for our sakes these horrours and terrors of hell in the very garden and on the crosse yet he could not suffer the pangs paines or torments of hell without being in hell no more then one can enioy the ioyes of heauen out of heauen But the truth is that Christs soule was no more capable of those torments of hell then it was of desperation or damnation And though he descended into hell yet it was not to suffer torment but only the highest degree of humiliation and debasement and with all to begin his highest exaltation in the same very place where his lowest humiliation did end Thirdly the doctrine of the Church of England doth magnifie and set out the Maiestie of Christs victorie and conquest where as the doctrine
ignorantly denie so is it as certaine that hee descended into the very lowest hell and not to any vpper region or subterraneall Limbus Patrum to deliuer the Fathers as the Romanes doe imagine for wee shall prooue both by Scriptures and Fathers and many pregnant reasons that they went presently after death into Paradise and that there is no other Limbus or lodge for Fathers or Infants either but it nor no other Purgatorie after this life but the fire of Gods Spirit in the same Paradise And in the same worke we shall likewise dispute the question whether our Sauiour went first into Paradise before he went downe to hell and whether the soules of the Patriarkes went in his companie to bee witnesses of his victorie in hell wherefore I would wish with all my heart that for the furthering of the peace of the Church both Romanes and Geneuians Papists and Puritanes would subscribe vnto the doctrine of the Church of England in this point and borrow from her the golde of this orthodoxall doctrine as they would she should borrow from them some thing that they can show as good warrant for as the Church of England can doe for this And let them both doe as they please one thing I dare vndertake to prooue by publike disputation in any Colledge in Christendome and shall shall doe it God willing before a few yeares goe about in King Iames his Colledge that the Romanes cannot show so much Scripture and so many testimonies of Fathers nor so many pregnant reasons for any two positions or opinions that they differ in from the Church of England as wee shall show for this one touching Christs descending into the dungeon of the damned to deliuer vs from descending And againe that all the Geneuians in Christendome though they should ioyne their whole wits together shall neuer bee able to show so many authorities testimonies reasons and arguments fetcht from Scriptures Fathers and Doctors for the probation of the whole opinions that they differ in from the Church of England as we shall show for the probation of this one position onely against them The which being well considered I hope my Countrey men will not be so fond of euery Glosse that goeth forth from Geneua as to take all to bee vndoubtedly true and that hereafter they will not applaude promiscuously all their pedling and paltrie opinions seeing some of them are so absurde and ridiculous and other some so vnlearned and impious as we haue now showed and can show how that they commit the like incongruities absurdities errours and impieties in their popular paritie amongst Ministers in their lay-presbytery in their exploding of Prelacie in their denying of the Christian Princes Ecclesiasticall facultie and sacred immunitie from secular coercion and ecclesiasticall censure and to be briefe in their suppressing and opposing of such religious ceremonies and solemnities as haue beene vsed of the ancient Christians through out the whole world in the most flourishing and prospering ages of the Church The which errours and defects I pray the God of Vnitie and Veritie to giue them grace speedily to amend Amen FINIS Errata IN the Epistle page 6. line 19. for enough read enough In the Contents numb 9. for honorable in some copies read honorably num 17. after sont read for in stead of or in some copies In the first Treat p. 10. lin 17 in some copies put out whensoeuer p. 35. lin 9. for fabulous read friuolous pag. 56. lin 17. for hee ouerseers read the ouerseers pag. 40. lin 11. for Churchmen being read Church-members pag. 45. lin 23. for the other read their other pag. 51. lin 29. betweene resembled and ours read by in some copies p. 71 l. 10. after had seene adde him Tract 2. pag. 10. line 31. in some copies read Tarina for Taxina and Artemisia for Artenisia pag. 16. lin 6. for the death read the dead
15.6 1. Cor. 1.10 11 3 3 4. Eph. 4.3 4 5 Phil. 3.16 that concerne Gods worship the saluation of mens soules and the good constitution of the Church because by the meanes and occasion of discord and dissention such as be without are scandalized and still kept out of the Church and those that are within are so pittifully distracted that either they are driuen out of the Church or if they stay still in it they prooue no better then dull or dead members of the Church much like the parts of a blasted body for lacke of true deuotion and spirituall life For whilest wee contend about veritie wee loose vnitie and striuing about the shaddowes of ceremonie and circumstance we slip from the body and substance opinion oppresseth pietie faction vndermineth faith controuersie quelleth charitie and reasoning rooteth vp religion Sect. 3. The procuring furthering and preseruing of Vnitie and Concord in the Church appertaineth principally vnto the Christian Prince Isay 49.23 Exod. 4.16 22.8 Psal 82.1.6 Ioh. 10.34 35 Math. 5.9 2. Tim. 2.24 25. whom God hath called to be a nursing-father vnto his Church and hath honoured most highly with the stile of the Son of the most high and euen of a God to put him in minde of his care and studie for the things of God and the good of his Church which principally consisteth in the Vnitie thereof and next it appertaineth vnto the Pastors who are to ioyne with the Prince in this glorious worke whom of all other it becommeth least to be men of strife and contention or instruments of discord and diuision seeing that the God of peace hath called them to bee Messengers and makers of peace and Vnion Sect. 4. Amongst the many particular Churches that are at this day diuided from themselues one from another whether in doctrine or discipline in substance or circumstance there is a difference in perfection and I thinke no man doubteth of it but that one Church may be of a more perfit and complete constitution then another Church yea we are so farre from doubting any thing of this point that euery professour holdeth the Church that he is off to be the more perfit then that which hee disclaimeth Sect. 5. It beeing most certaine that the particular diuided Churches are not alike perfit it standeth the lesse perfit in hand to conforme it selfe vnto that which shall by the light of Gods word and good reason appeare to bee more perfit both because our Sauiour Christ commandeth all Christians to aspire vnto perfection saying Mat. 5.48 Phil. 3.15.16 Coloss 1.28 Heb. 6.1 Bee ye therefore perfit as your Father which is in heauen is perfit and the Apostle exhorteth all men to bee led forward to perfection and because that this is the only way to knit vp the Churches in Concord and Vnitie and to draw them to an vniformitie Sect. 6. Amongst the particular reformed Churches that of England is more perfit and complete in many respects then any Church reformed after the fashion of Geneua contrary to the petitioners assertion and namely then that of Scotland whose forme and constitution was meerely Geneuian before that our sacred Soueraigne diuinely enspired began the second reformation thereof tending to the conformation of it with England or rather with the Primitiue whereunto it is much more like then the other Sect. 7. The perfection of the english Church is apparent whether we compare her with the Church of God and the blessed Spirits in heauen or with the Church of God beleeuing men on earth before Christs time in his time or after his time or whether we respect the warrant and authoritie of Gods word or mans of diuinitie or humanity of Scripture or nature of religion or reason or whether wee respect her essentiall perfections and parts for piety or charity faith or repentance deuotion or reuerence illumination or sanctification doctrine or discipline substance or circumstance seruice or ceremonie order or decency the honour and dignity of Prince or of Pastors with the edification and consolation of the whole people Sect. 8. Considering that the pregnantest proofe that can be brought of a particular Churches perfection The Church of England more diuine and God-like then the Geneuian and painting out as it were to the life the analogie and affinitie likenesse or resemblance that it hath with that Church which is knowne to bee absolutely the most diuine compleate and perfit I shall therefore prooue in this present discourse by many places of Scripture especially of that most diuine part of it called the Reuelation of Saint Iohn the diuine that the Church of England is much more diuine and farre liker the Church of God in heauen then any Geneuian Church is and therefore much more perfit contrary to to the Petitionerslate assertion For seeing that as oft as in praying the Lords prayer we say Mat. 6.9.10 thy will bee done in earth as it is in heauen wee doe desire of God with all our hearts that his Church on earth militant may bee euery day more and more conformable and like vnto his Church in heauen triumphant which wee beleeue and confesse to be the most perfit it must needs follow that the more conforme a Church on earth bee vnto the Church in heauen the more it findeth and feeleth the efficacie and force of our Lords prayer and the neerer that it doth resemble the Church in heauen the perfiter must it be for that thing is the more perfit which is the more like vnto the most perfit And that the Church of England is much liker the Church that is aboue then the Geneuian is it may appeare by comparing the constitutions of the two Churches together And first I say that the Church of England is liker vnto Gods Church in heauen then any other Church Geneuian or Romane as beeing more diuine and God-like in respect of the supreme Gouernour For like as the Soueraigne gouernour of the Church in heauen consisting of those blessed Spirits which Saint Iohn saw almost beyond number in the presence of the throne of God seruing him day and night in his Temple Ruele 4 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. 5.8 9 10 11 14. 7.9 10 11 12 13 14 15 19.1 21.1 2 3. Exod. 15.18 1. Sam. 8.7 Psal 2.6 30 9 22.28 24.7 8 9 10. 29.10 Gen. 2.20 Exod. 3.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. 4.16 7.1 22.28 Psal 82.1.6 95.3 50.1 is such a one as is both God and King so the Soueraigne Gouernour of the Church of England is such a one as is both a King and a God on earth for in the holy Scripture wee know that Kings are called Gods as God himselfe is called a King And euen God himself hath called Kings by this name not any creature for Adam gaue al other things their names but could not giue this for none but God can giue this
of equall dignitie and authoritie or whether or no there ought to bee amongst the multitude of Ministers some superiours to gouerne and some inferiours to be gouerned for good orders sake and to bee called for distinctions sake by different names applying or appropriating the common name of Bishop to the superiour and the common name of Presbyter Priest or Pastour to the inferiour And truly in the time of my owne Puritanisme and Geneuisme I was wont to presse this verball argument asmuch as any man to prooue thereby the paritie of pastours and there is not another argument to that purpose worth a pinne but in the end I found it both fallacious and friuolous for in the Scriptures Kings Apostles Act. 6. Rom. 13 4 1. Cor. 4 1. Colosi 1.25 1. Thess 3.2 1. Tim. 3.8.12 Prophets Euangelists Pastours and Deacous are called by the common name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministers or seruants of God and yet their Ministrations and seruices are not of the same nature nor of equall dignitie and the two names of presbyter or elder beeing referred to office and not to age and of Gouernour or Ruler or Ouerseer are conucrtible for euery Elder is a Gouernour and euery Gouernour is on Elder and yet the Elderships and Gouernments are distinct Numb 11 16.17 Ezra 10.8 Luk. 22.66 Act. 20.17 for some are called Lay-elders or elders of the people to wit in temporal matters and those were the Magistrates of the lewish Common-wealth and others are called Elders of the Church to wit Gouernours of the people in spirituall matters as Ministers of the Word and Sacraments so that both the one and the other were Elders and Gouernours and yet they were of different and distinct kindes the one temporall Elders and Gouernours of the people in the Common-weale the other spirituall Elders and Gouernours of the same people in the Church and semblably these spiritual Gouernours of the Church and Ministers of the word both Bishops and Presbyters or Priests are called by the common name of Presbyters Priests and Elders and likewise by the common name of Episcopi Bishops Superintendents or Ouerseers and yet they differ both in the obiect of their office and in their degree for the one are cheife Priests Elders of the Church and the other are inferiour Priests and Elders of the same Church the one are Bishops Superintendents and Ouerseers of the Laitie or people in spirituall things but the other are Bishops Superintendents and Ouerseers of the Clergie as well as of the Laitie and of their inferiour priests and pastours aswell as of the people in the same spirituall things In a word the Church of God being the best ordered Body that can be behoued to consist of Superiours to gouerne and of Inferiours to bee gouerned to wit of these two rankes Clergie and Laitte and as the Laitie was to bee gouerned by the Clergie as the children by the fathers and schollers by their masters so the Clergie being a great multitude was to haue order and gouernement in it selfe and therfore behoued to consist of superiours and inferiours likewise And to these ouerseers of the Church were assigned different names and titles for distinctions sake the Ouerseers or Rulers of the Church in the quarters of the world were called Patriarkes the Ouerseer and Ruler of the Church of a whole kingdome was called a Primate the Ouerseers and Rulers of the Clergie or Church in the seuerall Prouinces of a kingdome were called Archbishops and the Ouerseers or Rulers of the same Clergie in a diocesse or shiere were called Bishops like as the Ouerseers of the Laitie or people in a parish were called Presbyters Priests or Pastours for in the last Section of this worke wherein we doe entreate more at large of the honourable titles and maintenance of the ministerie we show likewise how that the Ministers of the Gospel ought not to disclaime the honourable stile and title of Priests Thus we see how that there must needs bee imparitie and inequalitie amongst Ministers except wee meane to make them a multitude without order and gouernment or else giue them from Geneua Lay-gouernours for amongst them the Elders of the Church which bee lay men being more in number to passe ouer their Lay-deacons doe gouerne the Ministers beeing the smaller number iudge and censure them both in life and doctrine and so are they well serued because they refused to bee gouerned by men of their owne order to wit by Bishops therefore God hath giuen them ouer to bee deluded derided debased and dishonoured by the Lay gouernment of those whom they ought to gouerne and rule as the Shepheard his sheepe the father his children the schoolemaster his schollers for amongst the Geneuians it is quite contrary where the Lay-elders as being more in number doe ouer-rule the Ministers as hath beene said But thankes bee vnto Almighty God for raising vp a Iacob from the North Isay 41.8 9 25. Reuel 1.20 12.7 and calling him from the endes of the earth to doe him seruice in restoring of his Church in the North to the ancient Angelicall forme and in banishing out of it the Grashopper-gouernment of Geneua and let all Britaines North and South Prouerb 30.27 euen as many as doe loue the likenesse of Ierusalems Angels better then of Geneuian Grashoppers say Amen Sect. 16 Thirdly the Church of England is more like the Church in heauen for holinesse then the Geneuian is The Church of England more heauen-like for holines Isay 6.1 2 3 Reul 4. 5.8 12.13 7.15 for in heauen the Angels and blessed Spirits keepe euery day holy incessantly praising God and saying holy holy holy is the Lord of hostes the whole world is full of his glory so saith the euangelicall Prophet Isay in the old Testament diuine S. Iohn in the new saith that they cease not day nor night to say and to sing holy holy holy Lord God almighty which was and which is and which is to come that they serue him day and night in his Temple saying Praise and honour and glory and power bee vnto him that sitteth vpon the throne and vnto the Lambe for euer more and the foure said Amen Now the Church of England is farre holier then the Geneuian because the Geneuians are not so holy as the Iewes were nor haue not so many holy dayes as they had for besides the two and fifty Sabbaths of the yeare Exod. 12.14 15 16 17 18. 13.6.7 20.8 9 10. 23.12 14 15 16 17. 38.18 Deut. 16. Ester 9.17 18 19 21 26 27 28 29. 30 31. 1. Machab. 4.43 44 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59. which are the Geneuian holy dayes they had other holy dayes and festiuities which they did obserue as of the Passeouer of the first fruites of Tabernacles and of Purim instituted by Queene Ester and Mordecai and of the dedication of the Altar instituted by Machabaeus But the English like
slay him that is his portion shall bee with hypocrites and the generation of vipers for the old Serpent that wicked viper shall slay his soule hee shall not see the riuers nor the floods and streames of hony and butter that is to say hee shall not taste of the happinesse of the heauenly Canaan Hee on earth shut God from his inheritance on earth but in the end God shall shut him out of the earth and debarre him from heauen hurle him headlong into hell He shall restore the labour and shall deuoure no more euen according to the substance shall bee his exchange Vers 18 19 20 21 22 23 and he shall enioy it no more For he hath vndone many he hath forsaken the poore and hath spoyled houses which hee built not euen Church-mens houses yea Gods house and God himselfe hath he spoiled Surely he shall feele no quietnesse in his body neither shall hee reserue of that which he desired there shal none of his meate beleft therfore none of his shall hope for his goods As if hee should say because hee would needes deuoure Gods meate and the dyet of his Ministers therefore God shal send the deuourer to eate vp his meate For when hee shall bee filled with his abundance that is with Gods portion and Church mens prouision He shall be in paine and the hand of all the wicked shall assaile him that is to say because he was so wicked as to stretch out his hand to spoile God therefore God shall make many wicked mens hands to spoile him He shal be about to fill his belly to wit with Gods Ministers meate but God shall send vpon him his fierce wrath and shall cause to raine vpon him euen vpon his meat As if he should say Gods Ministers meate shall doe him no good for God shall either draw it out of his belly or else he shall turne it in the midst of his bowels into the gall of aspes And not only shall God draw his own Ministers meate out of the God-spoilers miserable belly but he shall also draw the sacrilegious soule out of the deuouring body it shal burne in the fire that is not blowne that is in hell fire that needeth no blowing The heauen shall declare his wickednesse for he was so wicked and impious Verse 26 27 28 29 as to spoile the God of heauen and the earth shall rise vp against him for he was so vngratious as to robbe Gods Ministers and houshold seruants on earth the increase of his house shall goe away it shall flow away in the day of his wrath As if he should say the mans house that is increased builded or reared vp by the decrease or robbery of Gods house it shall not alwaies stand the grease and fatnesse of it shall flow away like water the pelfe and wealth thereof shall vanish and melt away like the fat of Lambes or as doth the snow before the Sun Such is the portion of the wicked from God and the heritage that he shall haue at Gods hands as if he should say desolation and destruction in substance in body and soule shall be the portion and heritage of all impenitent vnrestoring God-spoilers vnworthy of the title of Gospellers men worse then idolaters which doe indeed turne the true God into an idol as the other doe an idol into God and worship feare neither true nor false deitie A false God they know not and the true God they will not acknowledge for otherwise they would stand in awe to spoile God of his portion and to bereaue him of his inheritance And therefore to shut vp this pleading for Gods Priests and their honourable maintenance let me pray beseech all Britaines especially my deere country-men of Scotland that if they desire either to be rich heere or happie hereafter that they would be bountiful liberal to Gods seruants that euery man that hath takē from the Church any thing or withholden from Churchmen their Tithes in whole or in part by sacrilegious impropriation or wicked vsurpation Luk. 19.8 that he would restore with repenting Zacheus fourefolde or at least the principall stocke which he hath in his hands Let him I say listen with all diligence and conscience vnto the precept of the most high vttered by the mouth of his prophet Malachie saying Malach. 3.10.11.12 bring euery Tithe into the storehouse that there may be meate in mine house and prooue me withall saith the Lord of hoasts If I wil not open the windowes of heauen vnto you and powre you out a blessing without measure and I wil reproue the deuourer for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruite of the ground neither shall your vine be barren in the field saith the Lord of hoastes and all nations shall call you blessed because ye shall be a pleasant land Lastly let vs all listen vnto the godly and graue exhortation of wise king Salomon saying honor the Lord with thy substance and with the first fruites of all thine encrease Prouerb 3.9 so shall thy barnes be filled with abundance and thy presse shall ouerflow with new wine and let vs with our whole hearts applaude our owne Salomons glorious and diuine endeauours tending to the perfit constitution of our Church and to the aduancing of Almightie Gods sincere worship and let vs blesse the God of Iacob for raising vp vnto vs from the North a Iacob to be aninstrument of such blessednesse vnto both North and South according to that which he once promised by his Prophet Isay 4 3 6. Isay 4.1 25. I will say to the North giue and to the South keepe not backe And againe I haue raised vp from the North and be shall come from the east Sunne shall hee call vpon my name and yet againe Vers 8.9 10.11 12 speaking of the conuersion of the Ilands and endes of the earth vnto Christ as if hee pointed at our Iacob Thou Iacob whom I haue chosen I haue taken thee from the endes of the earth and called thee before the chiefe thereof and said vnto thee thou art my seruant I haue chosen thee be not afraid for I am with thee behold all they that prouoke thee shall be ashamed and they that striue with thee shall perish Euen blessed be the God of Iacob for giuing vs a Iacob to be the instrument of so great blessednesse vnto this I le and to the Church thereof and grant that wee may with both hands and hearts lay hold on such blessed occasions as he doth now tender vs by the hand of his blessed Iacob for the amending of the defects of our Church where through all nations may call vs a blessed people Amen FINIS A DEMONSTRATIVE DEFENCE OR TENFOLD PROBATION OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHVRCH OF ENGLAND TOVCHING one of the most important points of our Creed necessary to be vnderstood of all Christians which is of our Sauiours descending into hell after death to binde and
subdue Sathan c. Written for the information and satisfaction of many mens mindes touching so weighty a matter but especially for the furthering of the Church of Scotlands full conformitie with that of England BY IAMES MAXVVELL Master of Artes c. PSAL. 122. verse 6. Pray for the peace of Ierusalem let them prosper that loue thee LONDON Printed by IOHN LEGATT Printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge 1617. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHERS IN GOD THE ARCHBISHOPS AND BISHOPS HIS VERY GOOD LORDS AND OTHER LEARNED AND GRAVE PASTOVRS OF THE CHVRCH OF SCOTLAND IAMES MAXWELL WISHETH PEACE VNITIE AND CONCORD FROM THE GOD OF CONCORD AND PRINCE OF PEACE AND HVMBLY DEDICATETH FOR A TESTIMONIE OF HIS DVTY THIS PRESENT TREATISE OF CHRISTS DESCENDING INTO HELL A Demonstration of Christs Descending into Hell LIke as the dissensions and differences in matter of faith betwene Christian and Christian Greeke and Latine Papist and Protestant haue prooued the greatest scandall and offence to those that are without the bosome of the Church and the greatest hinderance of both Iewes and Gentiles conuersion vnto Christ that euer the hand of hell brought into the world or the diuell did deuise so the contentions and dissentions the diuisions and differences arising betweene Protestant and Protestant which haue a number of new denominations such as sorrow and shame will not so much as once suffer me to mention haue prooued questionlesse the greatest scandall of our reformed profession and the chiefest cause of many Papists auersenesse from Reformation And this may sufficiently appeare by their daily obiecting and hitting vs in the teeth with our diuisions and differences and telling vs that our Church is so farre denoide of Vnitie that euen the reformed subiects of one the same Soueraigne cannot be brought to an agreement in the matters and manner of Gods worship Witnesse say they there repugnant expositions vpon that article or particle of faith touching Christs descending into hell their discrepant doctrines touching the Princes ecclesiasticall power their generall auersenesse from Prelacie with their differences in matter of ceremonie Sacramentall Ministerie and Church-sernice And what other thing else say they can it be but a manifest token of a weake and ruinous Religion to say no worse when as the professours thereof Mat. 12.25 Mark 3.24.25 Luk. 11.17 can neither agree with other Christians nor yet with themselues according to that saying of our Sauiour Euery kingdome or house diuided against it selfe shall be brought to desolation For the preuenting of which euill and the remooning of which cursed scandall and cause of offence seeing that Almighty God hath raised vp our Soueraigne and endued him with a most diuine Spirit both for pregnancie and peaceablenesse far beyond all the other Princes of the earth yea and far beyond many professed diuines Isay 41 5 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 20 21 25. and that hee hath euen chosen our Iacob and taken him from the endes of the earth and called him before the chiefe thereof to speake with the Euangelicall Prophet Isay to be the chiefe instrument of so glorious a worke let vs in the consideration thereof both acknowledge the inestimablenesse of the blessing that Almightie God offereth vs by the hand of his seruant for Concord and Vnitie especially in the matters of God is an inestimable blessing vnto man and a thing most acceptable and agreable vnto God and let vs likewise acknowledge the fanourable prouidence of God towards vs disposing all things as for our greatest good so for our chiefe comfort and contentment in that he hath beene graciously pleased to picke out a King of the North to be the Bringer and Brocher of this blessing vnto vs according to that in the Prophet saying I haue raised vp from the North and he shall come Isay 41.25 from the East Sunne shall he call vpon my name and euen such a King of the North as hath loued vs so deerely as hee hath done and who would not for all the kingdomes of the world bring the Church of God or his owne natiue Country into any corrupt or dishonourable condition No I dare take it vpon my soule that it is his zeale and loue towards the glorie of God the honour and credite of our Country and the happie and more perfit constitution of our Church that hath set him a worke about so blessed a businesse as the working of a perfit agreement and full conformitie betweene the Churches of these two kingdomes For I suppose that no man is so far deuoide of comon sense but seeth sufficiētly how that both Pietie Policie Religion of Church and Reason of State doe require that Britaines which are the worshippers of one true God the seruants of one Sauiour the children of one Church and the subiects of one and the same Soueraigne should agree in all things belonging to Gods worship especially in all matters of faith such as is this present point of Christs descending into hell The which though all Christians doe professe to beleeue according to the letter yet we can not say that our verball or literall profession thereof is seconded with a solide consent in the meaning and sense For first the Papists vnderstand it of Christs descending in his soule to a certaine region or habitacle of hell called Limbus Patrum to deliuer the fathers an opinion voide of all good warrant for we shall make it more then apparant In our Latine disputation of the seate of soules both by Scripture and Doctors by authoritie and arguments that the soules of the beleeuing people vnder the law went not downe into any corner of hell for all that they can say to the contrary and though Zuinglius ioyne with them herein but to Paradise And as for our Protestant writers we see how some namely the Geneuians expound it of Christs suffering the sorrowes of hell in his soule before his death denying his descending in soule after death into hell to deliuer the faithfull from descending thither and to conquer and binde Sathan in his owne strongest holde though Mr. Caluin did not denie his foresaid locall descending after death but acknowledged it others expound it idly of Christs buriall others of his continuance in the graue vnder the power thereof for three daies others of his translating into the state of the dead and others most ridiculously haue deliuered that by the descending of Christs soule into hell is to bee vnderstood no other thing but the ascending thereof into heauen all which opinions are false fanaticall and friuolous and the doctrine of the Church of England and of some other reformed Protestants of Germanie is only orthodoxe and true to wit that our Sauiours soule beeing seuered from the Bodie which lay in the graue three daies went downe into the very loathsome dungeon of the damned for our sakes and not into any superiour Limbus Patrum as Papists do dreame partly to deliuer his elect children from descending thither and