shall effect that which many of your side haue attempted but neuer yet any could bring to passe It is written of Procustes that if any were too short for his bed he would stretch them out and make them fit for his lodging so you this place being too short to fit your waste will enlarge it with a word immediatly which is not in the place primitiue or deriuatiue expressely or by way of implication Moreouer where you say if I will aunswere this place I must proue that he that mindeth to goe to hell doth vse these words I wonder that you dare vse such blasphemous spéeches for hereby you insinuate that Christ was but a méere man and that other men haue a part in the worke of our redemption aswell as Christ. For as he is our only Sauiour so as Luther saith on Gen. 21. Chapter This was singular in Christ Thou shalt not leaue my soule in hell nor suffer thy holy one to sée corruption for his soule could not be deteined in hell nor his body in the graue For as this was singuler in Christ that he did giue vp his ghost so was it singular in him to go to hell and returne againe Ambrose saith Tradidit spiritum suum quia non inuitus amisit quod enim emittitur voluntarium est quod amittitur necessarium He gaue vp the ghost because he lost not his soule against his will for that which is emitted is voluntarie but that which is amitted is necessary Theophilact saith he cryed out with a loude voice gaue vp the ghost for he had power to lay down his life take it vp again Now whē you can proue that you or any of your side haue this power in you to dye when he will and liue againe when he will then will I prooue that he that speaketh these wordes Into thy hands I commende my spirit hath an intent to goe to Hell But as Christ his birth was a singular thing in him so was his death buriall descending into hell resurrection and ascention into heauen Eccle. 8. 8. Man is not Lord ouer the spirite to retaine the spirite Aud Iohn 10. 18. Christ saith No man taketh my life from me but I lay it downe of my selfe I haue power to lay it downe and power to take it vp againe By these two places it is euident that no man can lay down his owne spirite but the only Sonne of God had that prerogatiue and therefore as the laying downe of his spirite and the taking vp of his spirite againe was wonderfull so was the state of the soule and body during the time of the seperation of the partes of the humanity singular and wonderfull Humes Sectio 6 For the other place you bring a ready answere out of Augustine of that which is God but not of that which is man how ready soeuer this construction be I am well assured it can not stand with the woords of Christ. Luk. 23. 43. This day shalt thou be with me in Paradice For what I praye you could the Godhead of Christ goe to heauen in the future time which was stil in heauen from all eternity For this day shalt thou be with me in Paradice is al one as if he had said this day shal thou I be in Paradice which no man that hath one drop of braine in his head dare auouch of Christ who was neuer thence But here you tell me that the future verbe is attributed to the theefe onely and that which is giuen to Christ with me is limited with no bound of time I told you euen now that thou shalt be with me is all one with I and thou shall be together But to let this passe what say you to the theefe then that said Luk. 23. 42. Remember me Maister when thou commest into thy kingdome This theefe was not sure of your minde for he did suppose that Christ to whom he spake was not yet in his kingdome and I am sure that Christ was so good a Doctor that if the poore theefe had mist his footing he would haue set him vp againe Thus you see that these two places are to strong for your ordinance if you haue no better shot then this we will spread our banner with Magnaest inuicta veritas Hyll Héere you condemne S. Augustins answere Well because S. Augustine is dead and in your margine you say that it is M. Hills answere by Gods grace and his woord M. Hill will defend it First I note a falsification of the text by you alleadged for whereas it is in the text Luke 23. 42. Remember me Lord when thou comst into thy kingdome You for Lord say Maister I tolde you in the beginning Eue did change the woords of the Scripture to her ouerthrow Therefore I pray you leaue it for otherwlse I must tell you of it if a boy in the Grammer schoole construe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maister he is worthy to be beaten and if a schoolemaister teach so he is worthy to be controlled for this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 written by Stephanus with a capitall letter will cashire your banner of boasting and bring your glorye to shame I preached in my sermon at Chippenham that to day did signifie for euer and with me did signifie the Godhead I will not only affirme it but confirme it that to day doth signifie for euer in this place first I proue it by this philosophicall reason out of Aristotle which saith In aeternis non est tempus In eternall things there is no time For time is the measure of motion therfore if there be time then is there motion Now as in hell all men do suffer torments and in earth all labour so in Heauen all doo rest Apoc. 14. 13. Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord so saith the spirite for they rest from their labours Therefore where there is no mutation frō day to night nor from summer to winter there is no day naturall or artificiall as you suppose And this is proued Apoc. 10. 6. And the Angell sware by him that liueth for euermore which created heauen and the things that are therein that time shalbe no more And this woord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to day is vsed for euer in many Scriptures Psal. 2. 7. Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee Act. 13. 33. And we declare vnto you touching the promises made vnto the Fathers God hath fulfilled it vnto you their Children in that he hath raised vp Iesus euen as it is written in the second Psalme Thou art my Sonne to day haue I begotten thee And in y e epistle to the Hebr. 1. 5. And to which of the Angels said he Thou art my Sonne to day haue I begotten thee And againe Hebr. 5. 6. He prouing Christ to be a préest for euer thus saith Christ took not to himselfe this honor to be made an high Preest but he that said to him Thou art my Sonne to
2. sinne 3. al the miseries of this life 4. death death is vanquished but not wholy taken away and againe death is vnarmed but not extinguished For albeit they are not felt yet they are as a Serpent without poyson and as a Bée without a sting this he manifesteth by a prittie similitude As poyson first infecteth the vaines 2 the bloud 3. the members and last of all the hart so the Diuell and all our enemies are by little and little dayly subdued but in the day of iudgement shall be vtterly conquered and cast downe for euer so that euerye Saint shall sing O death where is thy sting O hell where is thy victorye the Scriptures as Musculus noteth writing on this place sometime speaketh in the preterperfect tense sometime in the present tense sometime in the future tense therfore Christ both hath abolished dooth abolish and will abolish death he hath abolished death by dying for our sinnes not that it should be no more but that it should no more destroy the faithfull he doth abolish it while he doth translate his Saints from death to life and he will abolish death for euer in the end of the worlde For then shall that saying be fulfilled Apoc. 21. 4. There shall be no more death As by all that hath béene spoken it is manifest that the death of Christ dooth not take away the iudgemēt wherin all our enemies shal be for euer and vtterly ouerthrowe so it doth not take away his descending into hell wherby he strake a terror into the diuell and all the hellish Spirites Therefore as Bude saith then shall there be no contention of death which now is and maketh vs to sigh for our defect for the mutability of thinges for the frailtye of mans flesh temptations striue with vs daily pleasures striue with vs dayly and although we consent not yet are we troubled by resisting pleasures the enemy dieth not but in the resurrection of the dead By all these reasons it is manifest the Diuell is chayned but not cast out vtterly that the gilt of sinne is taken away but the matter remaineth that as we haue many sorrowes in this life so we haue greater comfortes that death albeit he is vnarmed yet his neck is not broken and so the destroying of death dooth no more take away the descending into hell then it dooth the resurrection ascenfion and comming of Christ vnto iudgement All which must néeds be in our Sauiour to the vtter and euerlasting ouerthrow of our enemies An other Scripture which they alleadge is the saying of Christ to the théefe on the crosse Luk. 22. 43. To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Héerupon they frame this argument to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise therfore the soule of Christ and of the théefe went both that day to heauen They that so conclude are deceiued in two things the one is in that they imagine this woord me to signifie the soule of Christ which signifieth the Godhead the other in that they take this woord to daye to signifie the space of 12. or 24. houres which indéed signifieth for euer both these shal be strengthened by Gods grace with proofes First the circumstances of the place doo proue these thinges most euidentlye For what dooth the théefe aske deliuerance from the gilte of sinne from the cursse of the lawe from the wrath of God from the terrors of death from the tormentes of hell and the tirannye of of the diuell He asketh not only forgiuenes of his sinnes but that he may be a new creature that the righteousnes of God may be giuen him that he may haue the adoption and liberty of Gods children and so after his death glory honour peace and immortality that is familiarity with God he asketh to be an heire with God and a ioynt heire with Christ for euer In one woord he asketh a kingdome pure in righteousnes perfect in peace perpetual in ioy Who can forgiue sinnes but God only Mar. 2. 7. Who can giue this kingdome but God and therfore these woords with me signifie the Godhead and not the soule of Christ as some 〈◊〉 haue it And so all the Fathers that euer I read vnderstoode it and the new writers also Hierome on these words writeth thus Christ brought the théefe from the crosse into Paradise least any man should think conuersion to be too late at any time he made the punishment of homicide martyr dome the truth being accounted among the wicked he left th'one on the left hand and tooke the other on the right hand as he will doo in the day of iudgement Where I note that Christ did on the crosse as he will doo in the day of iudgmēt that is seperate the bad from the good and cast the wicked into hell which is the office of the Godhead Psalm 7. 11. God iudgeth the righteous and him that contemneth God euery day And in the 2. Tim. 4. 8. From hence foorth is laide vp for me the crowne of righteousnes which the lord the righteous iudge shal giue me at that day not to me only but to all them also that loue his appearing Augustine hath y e like saying also vpon this place the crosse if you marke it was the iudgement seate the Iudge was set on the middle the one théefe which beléeued was deliuered the other which blasphemed was condemned To saue and condemne is the office of God and therefore must néeds be vnderstoode of the Godhead So saith Ambrose in his Sermon of the holy théefe he sawe him hanging on the crosse and praieth to him as though he were sitting in heauen he séeth him cōdemned and yet he praieth to him as to a king So Ferus on the 27. of Mat. Thou shalt be with me which am euery where which am all in all To be with me therfore is not spoken of the soule of Christ but of the Godhead Damascene saith to speake more expressely he was in the Sepulcre according to his body and in hell according to his soule but as God he was both in Paradise with y e théefe and in the throne with the Father aud the holy Ghost And as with me signifieth the Godhead so to day fignifieth for euer For as Aristotle noteth in his Metaphisicks in aeternis non est tempus In eternall thinges there is no time for time is the measure of those things which are subiect to motion now in hell all shall suffer in earth all must labour so in heauen all must rest Apoc. 12. 13. Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord euen so saith the Spirit for they rest from their labours aud their woorks follow thē For where no mutation is there is no time and for this cause Apoc. 10. 6. it is said And he sware by him that liueth for euermore which created the heauens the things that therin are and the earth and the things that
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is hell and holy one flesh Which interpretation who so dooth peruerte no doubt hee peruerteth the meaning of the holy Ghost Rabbi Lebaurish thus openeth this text after that Peter declared that this could not be spoken of Dauid himself for that his graue remained among them and his body suffereth corruption he addeth for as much as Dauid was a prophet and did know that God sware vnto him that Christ should come of the fruit of his loynes touching the flesh he spake euidently of the resurrection of Christ because his soule should not be left in hell nor his flesh sée corruption you sée how S. Peter applyeth this sentence of the Prophet to set foorth Christ his resurrection and in stead of this woord sanctum eius his holy one S. Peter hath carnem eius his flesh ver 31. is not resurrection contrary to death and what thing is death but the seperation of the body and the soule and what other thing then can resurrection be but a renuing and knitting to gether againe of the bodye and the soule S. Peter applying this sentence to the resurrection of Christ doth as it were point out with his finger to the places from whence these two partes seuered must be brought againe namelye the soule from hel for hel could not holde it and the bodye from the graue that it should not corrupt Here it is opened that death is a seperation of the body and the soule and that the resurrection is a knitting of both partes together and because Christ was a true man and had in him both a very body and a true soule S. Peter sheweth that these two partes were not onely diuided but also where they were during the time of their seperation and that miraculously neither the flesh did corrupt in the graue as all other mens doo nor the soule was left in hell as the sinners soules were For albeit he was accounted amongst sinners yet he was none Therefore wonderfully he came from the graue from hell for as euery article of our faith is an vnsearchable misterie so is this It is miraculous that the world was made of nothing that Christ was conceiued by the holy Ghoste that hée was borne of a virgin that hée should suffer and dye for the sinnes of the whole world and that at his death y e sunne should be abashed the earth tremble the flints cleue asimder and the valle of the Temple rent so in his resurrection the rolling away of the stone the appearing of the Angell the arising of many of the dead and especiallye the rising of Christ himselfe so mightily naturally spéedily and happily was most wonderfull so his ascending into Heauen in a cloud was in like manner to be meruailed at and likewise his comming into indgement shal be most wonderful in like sorte his buriall and going downe to hell are wonderfull things as Cirill noteth before whose woords are these neither should this thing haue had any miracle vnlesse y e sonne of God by the efficacy and nature of the diuinity had tarried in hell fulfilling all things merueilously aboue the reach of reason in his treatise of y e right faith to Theodosius S. Augustine in his book of the essence of the diuinity thus saith hée came from heauen into y e Uirgins wombe from the virgins wombe as he was borne he was laid in a maunger after he had fulfilled all things for the which being sent by his father he came he was fastened vnto the wood of the crosse but being taken downe from the crosse according to the flesh hee was buried but according to the Soule he descended into hell and the third day by the power of his diuinitye he raised his flesh out of the sepulchre and the 40. daye after his resurrection he ascended into heauen the Apostles beholding him For my parte therefore I admit the counsaile of Ambrose who willeth vs in matters of faith to beléeue the poore Fishermen Peter and his fellowes rather then the subtile Sophisters because then Peter affirmeth in the 2. chapter of the Acts that neither his soule was left in hell neither his flesh did sée corruption it is therefore manifest that these two partes flesh and soule are not one as I saide before These 3. things then would I craue of the aduersaries of this doctrine the one where they finde in the woord of God the coniunction nec to be a coniunction that coupleth and interpreteth secondly where they finde in the woord of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a graue thirdlye that those thinges which are seperated by nec the coniunction are one Lylly in his Latin grammar handling the vse of coniunions hath thus taught some are coniunctions copulatiue as et ac que atque quoque etiam item itidem cum tum tum doubled hither pertaine they which are contrary to these nec neque neu neue now if nec doo not couple but as Lylly saith is cleare contrary then it must néeds come to passe that in y e 2. of the Acts and 16. Psalme soule and holy one are diuers things and that héer is a plain demonstration not onely of y e seperation of both parts of y e humanity but also of the knitting together of the same In the 13. of the Acts ver 27. It is written that they Knew him not albeit the wordes of the prophet were read euery day So now albeit we often read these words yet we doo not vnderstand thē and the reason is giuen after in the 14. verse Beholde you despisers and wonder vanish away for I work a worke in your dayes a work y t ye shal not beleeue though a man would declare it So albeit the Apostles proue manifestly the resurrection of the soule and body of Christ yet will not they beléeue that read the Scriptures very often but denye the descending of Christs soule and so likewise his resurrection and by this meanes make of none effect those Scriptures which proue there must be a two folde resurrection in vs as there was in Christ a resurrection of the soule and of the body In the 3. of the Colossians ver 1. S. Paul vseth these words If ye be risen with Christ seek those things which are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hand of the Father Euen as saith the Apostle Christ his soule did arise aswel as his body so must you haue the resurrection of your soule aswell as the resurrection of your bodye And thereupon diuers learned men interpreting this parcell of Scripture haue noted that there is a two folde resurrection in vs of soule of body and that our bodies shall neuer arise to glory vnles our soules doo first arise from sinne to grace And therefore this is a generall distinction in learned writers when they open this text of Scripture that there is a double resurrection of our soules and bodies the
resurrection of our soules is by the humble comming of Christ of our bodies by his glorious comming And this is made manifest also in diuers other such like places of Scripture In the 6. chapter of the Romans ver 5. S. Paul thus writeth For if we be grafted with him to the similitude of his death euen so shall we be to the similitude of his resurrection Where the Apostle thus exhorteth vs that euen as y e death of Christ teacheth vs to seperate our selues both in body and soule from sinne so the resurrection of Christ doth teach vs to arise from sinne both in soule and body By these places of Scripture it is to be considered that as Christ did arise both in soule and body so must we and therfore as Christs resurrection is not a full resurrection vnlesse both partes did arise for otherwise he did but arise in body as we doo so these exhortations grounded vpon that doctrine are to no purpose vnlesse Christs soule did arise from hell aswell as his bodye from the graue and last of all there is no more miracle in the buriall of Christ then in any other godly mans which as I proued before ought to be in all the personall actions that Christ wrought for our saluation Thus much of the primitiue place in the 16. Psalme as also of the deriuatiue place in the 2. of the Acts wherby I hope I haue sufficiently proued that Christs soule descended into hell But yet for a farther proofe I thought it not vnfit to adde these that followe namelye in the 2. Chapter to the Phillippians the 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. verses Let the same minde be in you which was in Christ Iesus who being in the forme of God thought it no robberye to be equall with God but hee made himselfe of no reputation and tooke on him the forme of a seruant and was made like vnto men and was found in shape as a man hee humbled himself and became obedient vnto the death euen vnto the death of the crosse wherefore God hath also highly exalted him and giuen him a name aboue euery name that at the name of Iesus euery knee shuld bow both of things in heauen things in earth and things vnder the earth In which place this I conceiue y t Christs death was manifested in heauen in earth and in hell and that the very damned spirits did confesse to the glory of God the Father that Iesus Christ was Lord both of heauen and the Angels of earth and of them that dwell therein and of hell and the diuels But some will say how is it possible that the spirits which are damned should confesse Christ. To this I answere there is the cōfession of our faith and of our sins which is proper only to the elect there is an other confession which is called the confession of experience which is in the wicked and the damned In the 5. of Marke the legions of diuels thus cry in y e 7. ver What haue I to do with thee Iesus the sonne of the most high God Where we sée the diuel is constrained to confesse Jesus Christ and yet dooth rysist him And in the 8. of Mathew the 29. verse the diuels cry Iesus thou Sonne of God what haue we to do with thee art thou come hither to torment vs before the time By which scriptures we learne that the diuels by experience of the maiestie and authoritie of the Sonne of God doo confesse him to haue all power and as ouer these so ouer all hellish spirits therfore did manifest his death by shewing the presence of his soule in hell So Father Damascene interpreteth this place of Scripture the soule of Christ deified descended into hell so that as to thē which are in earth there arose the Sonne of righteousnes so likewise to them which were vnder earth in darkenes and in the shadowe of death a light did appeare and as in earth he preached peace remission to the captiues sight to the blinde and was the cause of saluation to thē that did beléeue and did vpbraid and reproue the vnbeléeuers of infidelitye so did he vpbraide them that are in hell that euery knée may be bowed vnto him both in heauen earth and in hel Robert Samuel Martir is of this iudgement who giuing an account of his faith in the 2. volume of the monuments of Martirs Fol. 1206. hath left this testimony the same Christ went down to the hels and truely rose again y e third day and ascended into the heauens that he might there still raigne and haue dominion ouer al creatures this then is one end of christs going down into hel that y e infernall spirits might be subiected to him and that they might confesse him to be the Sonne of God to their endles shaine and euerlasting glory of God the father The like proofe to this is in the Epistle to the Collossians 2 chapter 14. and 15. verses He hath taken away the hand writing of ordinances which was against vs which was contrary to vs he euen took it out of the way and fastened it to the crosse and hath spoyled the principalityes and the powers and he hath made a shew of them openly and hath triumphed ouer them in his own person I translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in himself so doth Hierome Erasmus Stephanus Pellicanus Pagninus Iunius Tremellius and M. Foxe with many other learned men so translate it yet I sée it otherwise translated in some Bibles now a daies which gréeueth me for it is a false translation as euery learned man knoweth For in the Gréek it is the Masculine gen der and they translate it in Latin in y e feminine gender whō Musculus a very good learned man thus reproueth there be some saith he referre it to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and turne it in Illa these are perswaded it is an incommodity if it be saide that Christ did triumph ouer the principalities and powers But if all these things be attributed to God the Father that hée did them with Christ and in Christ according to the order of all things going before we may truely read héere triumphing ouer them in his own person And for this cause many learned men doo proue the descending of Christ into hell by this place Eusebius writing of the resurrection of our Sauiour thus saith we must know that in the selfe same houre wherin our Sauiour bowing his head gaue vp the ghoste his body being left in the graue his soule with the dignitye went down to spoyle hell Mollerus a learned Minister of Germany in his commentaries on the 16. Psalm hath the like Christ would shew his victory ouer the diuels in a certaine sorte and would strike perpetuall terrors into them and take away from vs the feare of his tiranny To this agréeeth Musculus on the 68. Psalm This God which was in Christ
reconciling the world to himselfe in Christ First desdescended into the lower partes of the earth then he led captiuity captiue and not only we are deliuered from the captiuity of Satan sinne and damnation but also Christ triumphing ouer them as tirants hath ascended aboue all heauens to fulfill all things Uery aptly likewise doth Hemingius expound this place as by his death he conflicted with his enemy on the crosse so by his glorious descending into hell resurrection and ascention he triumphed as it is Ephes. 4. leauing his crosse lift vp as a monument of his victorye This then is an other end of Christs descending into hell to triumph ouer the diuell to strike perpetuall terrors into thē and to deliuer vs from the feare of their tiranny I end therfore with this worthy saying of Fulgentius to Thrasymunde in his 8. chapter the true humanity of the sonne of God neither was wholy in the sepulchre neither wholy in hell but in the Sepulchre he lay dead according to his true flesh but in his soule he descended into hell In his soule he returned from hell to the slesh which lay in the sepulchre but in respect of his diuinity he neither is holden in place nor lymited by bond he was wholy in the graue with his flesh wholy in hell with his soule and by this meanes was fully euery where Christ because God was not seperated from the humanity which he had assumpted which was both in soule in hell that from hell his soule might return a conqueresse and was with his flesh that by reason of his spéedy resurrection it might not be corrupted Therefore the sonne of God took all man with all his infirmities without sinne for vs and the same Christ was giuen wholy for vs in respect of his flesh he was dead but in respect of his soule he descended into Hell It is not vnknowne therefore that Eusebius Fulgentius Mollerus Musculus Hemingius with many others before by me named being accompted lightes of the world in their time haue confirmed this article of our faith by this Scripture which thing when we doo likewise we are reckoned to be deceiuers But God who knoweth our harts and intent knoweth that both by praier and study we trauell to know the truth in this controuersie and we are assured by his holy and eternall woord we stand therein An other place we haue in Scripture to confirme our position in the Epistle to the Ephes. 4. verse 9. 10. Now in that he ascended what is it but that he also descended first into the lowest partes of the earth he that descended is euen the same that ascended farre aboue all heauens that he might fulfil all things For the better vnderstanding of this place you must note that in the Hebrew tung there are 7. names of Hell Scheol Auaddon Bor Schachath Bor Scheon Tit Haijáuen Thalmáueth Erets Tachtiioth Erets Tachtiioth then signifying the lowest partes of the earth sith it is an appellation for hell this place must néedes proue manifestly the descending of Christ into hell For as ascend and descend are cōtrary so are heauen and the lowest partes of the earth I will therfore procéede by Gods grace in the expounding of this place as I haue doon in the rest First I wil proue by conference of Scriptures that the lowest parts of the earth signifieth hell In the 63. Psalme and 9. verse the Prophet thus writeth Therfore they that seeke my soule to destroye it shall goe into the lowest partes of the earth And in Ezekiel 31. verse 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. the Prophet prophecying the destruction of the Assirians saith They shall goe down into hell which he calleth in y e chapter 3. times Ercts tachtiioth that is the lower partes of y e earth The like manner of spéech is in the praier of Manasses ver 12. O Lord condemn me not by reseruing euil for me neither condemne me into the lower parts of the earth And so is this place vnderstood by Ambrose writing on the same place in his exposition of the 4. chapter of the Ephesians this man therefore comming downe from heauen into the earth was borne a man afterward he died and descended into hell from whence rising the third day he ascended into heauen before all mortall men aboue all heauens that he might shew death to be vanquished to euery creature So doth Augustine interpret this place in his 15. booke of the Trinity and 19. chapter and Chrisostom on the 4. chapter of the Ephesians And Athanasius expounding this parcell of Scripture thus explaineth the Apostles meaning into what place did he descend into hell truely which he calleth according to the common opinion of men the lowest partes of the earte For as Chrisostome saith he went to the partes of the earth beyond which was nothing lower and from thence he ascended into the heauens then y e which nothing is higher And in hell as he bound the diuell with the bandes of his iustice and power that he should not herafter hurt any of his members so from heauen he giueth his Saints giftes that they may resist the diuell and tread him vnder their féet Those men of worthy memory which com posed the centuries doo auouch y e in fimae partes terrae that is the lowest partes of the earth do signifie hel and proue it out of this text Ephes. 4. And for this cause Hierome in this place thus hath concluded and so doo I with Hierome that hell is vnder the earth no man doubteth for he that descended in soule into hell ascended with body and soule into heanen For as much then as the learned and godly Rabbins the Fathers both Gréeke and Latin haue consented that these woords doo signifie hell and the circumstances of the text doo proue the same it must néeds be confessed of all godly men that this place dooth proue this article of our faith strongly and no refutation béerof can be made by any deuise of man For as ascend and descend are contrary so hell and heauen are contrary and Christ did begin his triumph in hell make shew of it in earth and now hauing all power in heauen earth and hell is set down on the right hand of God not only as a valiant conquerour that hath made his enemies his footstoole but also as a terrible iudge that hath condemned y e diuels and as a glorious King that ruleth all creatures for euer If any man will not beléeue S. Hierome that hell is beneath let him consider these 2. Scriptures the 86. Psal. ver 13. and Pro. 15. ver 24. For great is thy mercy towards me and thou hast deliuered my soule from the nethermost hell The Hebrew phrase is Scheol Tachtiioth The other place is The way of life is on high to the prudent to auoid from hell beneath Now let vs examine the place of S. Peter who in his first Epistle and 3. chapter
therin are and the Sea and the thinges which therein are that time should be no more Therefore to day signifieth not a naturall or artificiall day for if there be dayes in heauen there be wéekes moneths yéeres and all manner of changes which is absurd but to day signifieth for euer as I will proue by many Scriptures First in the 2. Psal. 7. verse Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee euen so Act. 13. 32. 33. verses And we declare vnto you that touching the promise made vnto the Fathers God hath fulfilled it in vs their children in that he raised vp Iesus euen as it is written in the 2. Psalme thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee Héere the Apostle prouing Christ to be euerlasting alleadgeth these woordes thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thée And in the epistle to the Heb. 1. 5. prouing Christ to be higher then the Angels and from euerlasting he saith For to which of the Angels said he thou art my sonne this day begat I thee And most plainly Heb. 5. 6. Prouing that Christ liued for euer but the Priests of the Leuiticall order dyed he proueth the eternity of Christ thus So likewise Christ tooke not to himselfe this honour to be made a high priest but he that saide vnto him thou art my sonne this day begat I thee gaue it him He also in another place speaketh Thou art an high Preest for euer after the order of Melchisedec Héere the Apostle prouing Christ to be an euerlasting Préest and to giue eternall redemption vseth this woord to day which signifieth for euer as it is manifest in the 6. ver By these reasons therfore it is proued that with me signifieth with the Godhead 1. By the petition of the théefe for he asked the kingdome of heauen 2. By that which was forgiuen him his sinnes 3. By that which was giuen him that was glory 4. By the place where it was giuen him that was paradise 5. By the time for how long it was giuen him that is for euer Lastlye by the person that giueth it that is Christ who being euerlasting as I proued before forgiueth infinite sinnes giueth grace alwaies in his euerlasting kingdome and in all eternity for euer And of this iudgement is S. Augustine who answering the like obiection of the aduersaryes of this doctrine in his time this hath left in writing there is an other meaning also much more frée from all ambiguities if it be taken to be spoken not in respect that he is man but in respect that he is God to day thou shalt be with me in paradise for the man Christ was in respect of his flesh in the graue that day in respect of his soule in hell and the same Christ was God euery where and at all times The last place that is alleadged by y e gainsayers of this doctrine is the last spéech which Christ vsed vpon the crosse Luc. 23. 46. Into thy hands O Father I commend my spirite Out of which place they thus conclude that the soule of Christ was committed to his Father in heauen therfore it went not to hell which is a false consequence For they imagine héer that the hands of God signifieth heauen which cānot be proued out of this place For this scripture being a deriuatiue place out of the 31 Psalme and 5. verse teacheth vs this that as the soule of Dauid being the figure of Christ did not immediatly after this prayer goe to heauen but was guided by the hand and gouernment of the Lord in all maner of perils so it dooth not follow that the soule of Christ being committed into the hands of the father for these woords are spoken in respect of the manhoode of Christ should passe immediatly into heauen but should so be guided by the Godhead that it should passe through death and hell mightily without resistance naturally with out assistance spéedily without tarying and happily without any returning But for the better vnderstanding of this place you must note how many waies this woord the hand of the Lord is taken in the holy book of God that when we sée the diuers acceptation of the woord we may take that sence which most fitteth this Scripture First the hand of God signifieth the Sonne of God Psal. 144. 7. Send thy hand from aboue 2. For his power Psal. 136. 6. In a mighty hand out stretched arme 3. The bountifulnes of God Psal. 145. 16. Thou openest thy hand and fillest with thy blessing euery liuing creature 4. It signifieth consolation Ezek. 3. 22. The hand of the Lord was with me comforting me Sometime it signifieth grace Psal. 118. 16. The right hand of the Lord hath doone valiantly Sometime it signifieth the gifte of prophecye Ezek. 8. 1. The hand of the Lord fel there vpon me Sometimes it signifieth mercy Psal. 37. 24 Though he fall he shal not be cast off for the Lord putteth vnder his hand Sometime it signifieth the protection of the Lord. Psal 31. 15. my times are in thy hand Sometime it sigifieth the aide of the Lord Nehe. 2. 8. And the king gaue me according to the good hand of my God vpon me And in y e 74. Psal. ver 11. Why withdrawest thou thy hand Somtime it signifieth y e punishment of the Lord. Iob. 19. 21. Haue pittie on me haue pittie on me aye my freends for the hand of God hath touched me It signifieth also the creation Psal. 102. 25. The heauens are the workes of thy hands Last of all it signifieth his gouernment Psal. 95. 4. In his hands are al y e corners of the earth Christ therfore commending his soule into the hands of the Father teacheth vs when we are dying or in any affliction which is gréeuous we must cōmit our soules to the power consolation mercy protection ayde and gouerment of the Lord. For this being a deriuatiue place is taken out of the 31. Psal. and 5. ver Therfore as the soule of Dauid did not immediatly after goe to heauen so did not the soule of Christ. For if he went vp immediatly then Christ did ascend before he did descend which is contrary to the Scriptures in many places In the Ephe. 4. 9. Now in that he ascended what is it but that he also descended first into the lowest partes of the earth But if the soule of Christ went into heauen before he was buryed or descended into hell as the gainsayers of the doctrine stoutly affirme then he ascended before he descended which is contrary to this Scripture therefore good Reader marke these circumstances 1. Who must descend that is Christ. 2. Whether into the lowest partes of the earth which I haue proued before to be hell for as ascend and descend are contrary so is heauen and hell 3. When must he descend first before he ascend And thus as many learned men before
putteth in for them in the midst of the garden Farther God said they should not eate of it she added that they might not touch it God said they should surely dye Eue said least we dye héere she diminished the scriptures If then the Fathers haue added to the scriptures that the Fathers were set out of hell there I leaue them And if you change hell into graue as you doo in the 16. Psal Act. 2. I will leaue you also for I stande not vpon mens sayings but vpon the word of God But where you boldly affirme that not one of the Fathers haue déemed that which I say you shewe your selfe either to be malicious in hiding the truth or else so ignorant that you haue not read the Fathers for diuers both old and new are of my iudgement Ambrose on the fourth Chapter of the Ephesians thus writeth Christ therefore comming downe from heauen into the earth was borne a man afterward he died and descended into hell from whence rising the third day he shewed death vanquished to euery creature Augustine de tempore in his 137. sermon and in his third sermon of the resurrection thus sayth Hell did restore him as a conquerour and the Heauens did receaue him as a triumpher And in his second sermon he saith thus Behold you haue heard what our defender the God of vengeance is said to haue done fréely For after that he was exalted that is was hanged of the Iewes on the crosse that I may touch these things briefely assoone as he had giuen vp the ghost the soule vnited to the deuinitie descended into the bottome of hell and when he had touched the band of darkenesse as a fearefull and glorious spoyler the wicked and hellish Legions were afrayde and trembling began to enquire saying Who is this dreadfull and glorious man Eusebius writing of the resurrection of our Sauiour hath the lyke We must knowe that in the selfe same houre wherein our Sauiour bowing his head gaue vp the ghost his body béeing left in the graue his Soule with the Diuinitie went downe to triumph ouer Hell Fulgentius writing to King Thrasymund in his third booke and eight Chapter not dreaming but well aduised thus writeth The true humanitie of the Sonne of God neyther was wholie in the graue nor wholie in Hell but in the Sepulcher he lay dead according to his true fleshe but in his Soule descended into Hell In his Soule he returned to the flesh which lay in the Sepulcher but in respect of the Deuinitie which neyther is holden in place nor limited by bond he was wholie in the graue with his flesh and wholie with his Soule in Hell And by this meanes was fully euery where Christ because God was not seperated from the humanitie which he had assumpted which was both with his Soule in Hell that from Hell his Soule might returne a Conqueresse and was with his flesh that by reason of his spéedie resurrection it might not be corrupted I haue héere alleaged the olde which disprooue your assertion for all these accord with mée Now to these will I adde also the iudgements of some newe Writers Mollerus a very learned Minister of Germany on the 16. Psalme thus teacheth Christ would shewe his victorie in a certaine sort ouer the Diuells to strike perpetuall terrors into them and to take away from vs the feare of their tyrannie To this agréeth Musculus on the sixtie and eight Psalme This GOD which was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe first descended into the lowest partes of the earth then he led captiuitie captiue and not only wée are deliuered from the captiuitie of Satan sinne and damnation but also triumphing ouer them as Tyrants he hath ascended aboue all heauens to fulfill all things The same learned Father interpreting the second Chapter of the Colossians thus hath There are some that be perswaded it is an absurditie if it be sayd that Christ did triumph ouer the principalities and powers but if all these things be attributed to God the Father that he did them with Christ and in Christ we may truly reade héere triumphing ouer them in his owne person In like sort dooth Hemingius expounde this place in the second Chapter of the Colossians As by his death he conflicted with the Diuell on the Crosse so by his glorious descending into Hell Resurrection and Ascention he triumphed as it is Ephes. 4. leauing his Crosse lift vp as a monument of his victorie So doth M. Fox vnderstand this place in a booke which hée hath written entituled Christus triumphans Therefore in this behalfe you haue tolde a manifest vntruth wherefore I shall thinke you will scarce haue care to set forth the truth of God when you will presumptuously vtter such an vntruth which may be reproued by so many and honourable witnesses Farther héere you leaue out at your pleasure two other endes of Christs descending into Hell which I taught in my Sermon the one is the manifestation of his death the other is our deliuerance from Hell Playne dealing ought to be in this case and therefore I exspect it at your hands Humes Sectio 4. But if you will see how doubtfull Augustine was in this point I pray you reade his 99. Epistle to Euodius where you shall finde many his doubts and almost no other thing affyrmed for certaintie but only that hee doubteth not that Christ went to Hell building vpon the wordes of the Prophet Dauid and the Apostle Saint Peter Thou wilt not leaue my Soule in Hell nor suffer thy holie one to see corruption Where I can not choose but wonder what should moue so worthy a wit and so learned followers of him seing it is apparant that the word doth signifie aswell the sorrowes of hell as the place of hell in the scripture to passe by that significatiō of the word which the whole church of Christ cōfesseth to be true that our Sauiour did suffer vpon the Crosse whole torments of hell for our redemption and to fall vpon that signification which hath slender proofe and led them iuto such streites as Augustine himselfe cannot escape Whosoeuer doubteth that the name of hell is vsed in the Scripture for those sorrowes let him read that of 1. Samuel 2. 6. The Lord killeth and makaeth aliue he casteth downe to hell and bringeth vp againe Or that of Dauid Psal. 30. 3. Thou hast brought my soule out of Hell Or that of Ionas 2. 2. I haue called to thee out of the bowels of hell And many other places where the woord can not signifie the pit of hell whence there is no redemption but the sorrowes of hell which the Saintes of God did suffer in this life Now seeing this is so I would fain know of you good M. Hill why we may not more safely take the woord Hell in that signification which you cannot deny then you in that signification which the better parte of Christians do take to be false For that
first descended into the lowest parts of the earth He that descended is euen the same that ascended farre aboue all heauens to fulfill all things Now if the same Christ did first descend which did ascend then he descended in soule and body as he ascended in soule and body For both these must be effected in a wonderfull maner for they are reconed by Salomon amongst the most stupendious works of the Sonne of God Prou. 30. 4. Who hath ascended vp to heauen descended who hath gathered the winde together in his fyst who hath established all the ends of the world By this scripture I inferre that to ascend and descend are as miraculous works as to create gouern the world But if the soule of Christ did go to heauen immediatly as you affirme contrary to this text then the descending of Christ had not bin so maruelous as his ascending Besides as you after alleage there is but one ascending but if Christs soule first went to heauen and then his body then were there two ascensions But euen as Christ was but once borne and once dyed and was once buried and once rose from the dead and but once commeth into iudgement so as Cyprian saith in his Sermon of the ascending of Christ Christ did once descend into hell they shall sée God no more on the crosse nor they that are damned in hell Wherefore may it please you to accept the iudgement of Athanasius a Gréeke Father and a man persecuted for the truths sake by the Arrians he in his Créede saith thus who suffred for our saluation and descended into hell And interpreting the third Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians he writeth Satan was enuious against our Sauiour for he killed him not knowing that it would make against himself for Christ after his crosse going downe into hell hath vāquished death because he knew not sinne he could not be holden of death Thus you sée that not only Hill Augustine Ierome doo say that Christ after he had vtterd these words into thy hands I will commend my spirit but Athanasius a gréeke father who better then you vnderstood the meaning of these words Therfore it is a wonder to sée how those of your side labour to extinguish this euerlasting light of Gods truth and set vp a consuming candle of your owne making Where you teach that Christs Soule did no more descend into hell then Dauids did therein you are deceaued for Christ was to deliuer vs from hell and Dauid also wherefore if Christs soule had not gone to hell Dauids must and mine and yours And for this cause as you say they are true in Christ figured but not in Dauid the figure And héerevpon Peter thus reasoneth that they could not be true in Dauid For Christs soule was in hell and yet not tormented and his body in the graue but not corrupted Whereas Dauids body saw corruptiō and if his soule had gone to hell it had found no redemption Therefore to be in graue and returne without corruption and to be in hell and returne with conquest of the diuell were two peculiar things to the Sonne of God and not to any other of the sonnes of men And héere you vtter an other blasphemy that Christs soule had no other prerogatiue then Dauids soule for by y e same reason you may argue that Christs body had no greater prerogatiue then Dauids body for as this is false so is the other For as Athanasius saith in his booke of the incarnation of the word Death could not preuaile on the humane soule of Christ to tye him there neither corruption inuading his body by tiranny could shew her force on him to putrefaction as things not well séene vnto for to thinke so of him so were a wicked thing for euen as Adam had a double punishment inflicted on him for his disobedience the one was on his body earth thou art and to earth thou shalt returne and so by this decrée the body of the Lord departed vnto the earth but to the soule he said Thou shalt dye the death Hereof it cōmeth to passe that man is deuided into 2. parts and is condemned to depart to 2. places and therfore it was necessary that the selfesame Iudge which had made this decrée that he by himselfe being vnder the colour of a condemned man should frée from that sentence all beléeuers Héere you sée by this learned Father that Christs soule went to hell to deliuer our soules from hell and his body to the graue to deliuer vs from death and by this meanes both body and soule personally and not potentially as you teach working our deliuerance from death hell haue those prerogatiues which Dauids soule and body had not And for this consideration though the one was in the graue the other in hell yet both were in the hands of the Lord. Héere then we must learne what the hands of the Lord do signifie Sometime the hand of God doth signifie the Sonne of God Psal. 144. 7. Send thy hand from aboue Sometime it signifieth the power of God Psalm 136. 12. With a mighty hand and outstretched arme Thirdly the bountifulnes of God Psal. 145. Thou openest thy hand and fillest euery liuing thing with thy blessing Fourthly it signifieth consolation Ezec. 3. 22. The hand of the Lord was with me comforting me Fiftly grace Psalm 118. 16. The right hand of the Lord hath done valiantly Sixtly it signifieth the gift of prophecie Ezec. 8. 1. The hand of the Lord fell there vpon me Seuenthly mercy Psal. 37. 24. Though he fall he shal not be cast off for the Lord putteth vnder his hand Eightly the protection of the Lord Psal. 31. 15. My times are in thy hand Ninthly the aide of the Lord Psal. 74. 11. Why withdrawest thou thy hand Tenthly the punishment of the Lord Iob. 19. 21. Haue pity on me o yee my friends for the hand of the Lord hath touched me Lastly it signifieth the gouernment of the Lord Psal. 95. 4. In his hand are all the corners of the earth This place therefore must néedes haue this construction into thy consolation mercy protection and gouernment I will commende my soule I hope you your selfe commende your soule into the hands of God euery day but yet you minde not to goe to heauen immediatly So said Dauid Psal. 30. 5. Into thine hands I commende my spirit but he went not to heauen in many yeares after neither did Christ ascend into heauen in many dayes after but went downe to hell where it was in the protection and gouernment of the Godhead which as you confesse descended into hell For as we being in the damned world are in the protection and hand of the highest so Christ being in the place of the damned after a wonderfull manner was also in the Lords aide and protection by meanes whereof he hath wrought our deliuerance from hell Therefore proue you that Christ went straitway to heauen and you
day haue I begotten thee as he also in another place speaketh Thou a preest for euer after the order of Melchisedech Héere Dauid and the Apostle doo take this woord to day to signifie for euer And so dooth S. Augustine and M. Hill against all the gainsaiers of it in the world For the circumstances of the place doo strongly conuince it For what doth the théefe aske forgiuenes of his sinnes who can forgiue sinnes God onely He asketh for grace who is the giuer of all Grace God only he desireth glory who giueth glory and life euerlasting God only That God only forgiueth sinnes it is proued Mar. 2. 7. That he is the giuer of all grace it is manifest 1. Pet. 5. 10. That God only giueth glory and life euerlasting it is euident 2. Tim. 48. Rom. 6. and last verse Secondly where shall he receiue this glorye in Paradice For as much then as the thing that is giuen is eternall the person that giueth it is perpetuall the place where it is giuen is euerlasting it must of necessitie follow that the time also be world without end And that with me signifieth as I doo teach the Godhaad it is constantlye auouched by all the Fathers Ierome on this place noteth Christ brought the théefe from the crosse to Paradice least any man should think conuersion to be too late at any time he made the punishment of homicide Martirdome the truth being counted among the wicked he left the one in the left hand and tooke the other in the right hand as he will doo in the day of iudgement It were an absurd thing to say the soule of Christ only shall giue iudgement in the last day Augustine hath the like on this place The crosse if you mark it was the iudgement seate the Iudge was set in the middle the one théefe which beléeued was deliuered the other which blasphemed was condemned To saue and condemne is the office of the deity and therfore with me signifieth the Godhead as the other théefe no doubt was with y e Diuell Ambrose in his Sermon of the holy théefe writeth thus He saw him hanging on the crosse and praieth to him as though he were sitting in heauen he seeth him condemned and yet he prayeth vnto him as to a king To this accordeth Damascene handling this place In respect of his bodye he was in graue in respect of his soule in hell and as God he was both in Paradice with the theefe and in the throne with the Father and the holy Ghoste Therefore Ferus a writer not to be contemned interpreteth these woordes thus Mecum eris qui sum vbiqê° omnia in omnibus Thou shalt be with me which am euery where all in all In Exodus 34 6. 7. verses be set downe the 13. names of God and Lord is one of the first of them Therfore when the théefe calleth Christ Lord he acknowledgeth him to be God and desireth to dwell with the Godhead in whose presence is the fulnes of ioy Where you afke me how the Godhead can goe to heauen the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euen as God came downe froÌ„ heauen so is he said to goe vp to heauen If you wil read Augustine in his booke of the essence of the Deuinitie he wil teach you Psa. 68. 24. They haue sene o God thy goings the goings of my god king which art in thy sanctuary From heauen he camo into the virgins womb from y e virgins womb after his birth he was laid in the cratch after that he had fulfilled all for the which he was sent of his father he was fastned to the crosse he was taken downe from the Crosse he was buried in respect of his flesh but in soule he descended into hell the third day by the power of the Deuinitie he raysed his flesh out of the graue and after the dayes of his resurrection the fortith day his Apostles séeing it he ascended into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of the Father that is in his glorie The théefe then prayeth to Christ that as he should sit at the right hand of his Father in glory so he might be partaker of that glory and that he might haue his perfect consummation and blisse in heauen as Christ should haue after his ascention and that his vile body which was partaker of the suffrings of Christ might also be partaker of his glory and made like to the glorious body of Christ Iesu. Twise you haue told me that thou shalt be with me is as much as I and thou but you bring neither scripture nor father to confirme it in that sense that you meane it But if you meane thus I and thou shall be together that is thou shalt be pertaker of the glory of the deitie as thou hast bin pertaker of the suffrings with the humanitie it is true For what néede had the théefe to pray for the presence of Christs soule when he had the presence both of body and soule But it is the presence and fellowship of the deuine nature that he prayeth for wherein as Dauid saith is the fulnes of ioy and pleasures for euermore Psal. 16. 11. In Luke 13. 26. The Iewes say We haue eaten and drunken in thy presence and thou taught in our streetes Christ thus aunswereth in the 27. and 28. verses I tel you I know you not depart from me all ye workers of iniquitie there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you shal see Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of God and your selues cast out of dores Therefore it is cléere they are not all blessed which were present with Christs humanitie but they of whome Saint Peter saith 2. Pet. 1. 4. Whereby most great and precious promises are giuen vnto vs that by them we should be pertakers of the nature of God For therefore did Christ take vpon him our nature that we might be pertakers of the nature of God and be one with Christ as he is one with his Father Christs prayer is to this end Ioh. 17. 21. I pray not for these alone but for them also which shall beleeue in me through their word that they all be one as thou O Father art in me and I in thee euen that they also may be one in vs. Humes Sectio 7. But now to come to your reasons First you make much adoo about the Hebrew names of Hell against almost all the learned of this age It will cost you a great deale of eloquence to perswade the world that Tremellius and Iunius men that haue spent their age in that study did not knowe these words aswell as you For my part neither am I minded to stand with you vpon that point and I see no inconuenience to hurt vs nor vantage giuen you if I graunt you that Sheol is Hell Only I stand vpon this which I haue sayd that this word Hell doth signify the torments of the soule and must needes in these places which you
lay the pride of them which sought his soule and a comfort to himselfe that their enmitye must needs haue an end one daye when the graue shall deuoure them The woordes following confirme this sence They shall fall on the edge of the Swoord Psal. 63. which cannot be spoken but of temporall death Hill Indéede I brought this place Ephe. 49 to proue that Christ descended into Hell And whereas you charge me with immodesty for so alleadging of it I must néeds charge you with two vntruthes in answering this allegation The one is that I called it the pit of Hell which phrase I neuer vsed The other is you haue impudently auouched that none of the modester sorte of deuines haue euer alleadged this place to proue the descending of Christ into hel For many and those both learned and modest haue alleadged this place to this purpose Athanasius interpreting this Epistle and text thus writeth Into what place did he descend Into hell truely which he calleth according to the common opinion of men the lowest partes of the earth Ambrose on this place saith thus This Christ therfore comming down from heauen into the earth was borne a man afterward he dyed descended into hell from whence rising the third day he wēt vp to heauen before all mortall men that he might shewe death to be vanquished to euery creature Chrisostome on this place saith He went to those partes of the earth then the which nothing is lower and from thence he ascended into heauen then the which nothing is higher The like hath Augustine li. de Trin. cap. 19. Ierome on this text thus noteth That Hell is vnder the earth no man doubteth for he that descended in soule into hell ascended both bodye and soule into heauen Mollerus a learned Minister of Germany on the sixtéene Psalme saith that the descending into hel is plainely proued out of the Ephesians the fourth chapter Musculus on the 68. Psal. thus writeth This God which was in Christ reconciling the worlde vnto himselfe first descended into the lowest partes of the earth then he led captiuitie captiue and not only we are deliuered from the captiuity of Satan sinne death and damnation but also Christ triumphing ouer them as tirants hath ascended aboue all heauens to fulfill all things Hemingius on the 2. Chapter to the Colossians thus also teacheth As by his deathe he conflicted with the enemye on the crosse so by his glorious descending into hel resurrection and ascention he triumphed as it is Ephe 4. Leauing his crosse lift vp as a monument of his victory To conclude Alesius a very learned preacher of Scotland on the 19. chapter of Iohn affirmeth that the 1. Pet. 3. and Eph. 4. do manifestly proue the descending of Christ into hell if Athanasius Chrysostome Ambrose Augustine and Ierome of the olde fathers and Mollerus Musculus Hemingius and Alesius of the new writers be all immodest diuines then haue you truelye saide but if in the iudgement of the learned all these were most reuerend men then most shameles are you to accuse them of the want of modesty Moreouer where you saye no deuine dareth to dispute where hell is it is true in some sorte for no deuine can circumscribe the place of hell which is infinite nor yet of heauen only the woord of God affirmeth that heauen is aboue Gal. 4. 26. And hell is beneath Prouerbs 15. 24. Therefore the lowest partes of the earth may well be taken for hell Then you goe farther and say that Erets tachthioth doth not signifie hel Psal. 63. and for this you bring two reasons the one is that it were a presumption in the Prophet to iudge his enemies 2 that it standeth not with the affection of a godly minde to assigne hell to his enemies but to pray for them to your first reason this I answere In the Psalme 9. 18. Dauid vseth the like spéeche The wicked shall be turned to hell and all the people that forget God which text Caluin thus expoundeth the Hebrewe woord Sheolah which was doubtfull I haue not doubted to translate hell for though it doth not displease me that others turne it Sepulcher yet it is sure héere is something noted besides common death otherwise he should speak nothing of the reprobate but that which did generally happen to all beléeuers In the hnndred and ninth Psalme also Dauid thus praieth Let Satan stand at his right hand let his prayer be turned iuto sinne let the wickednes of his Father be had in remembrance in the sight of the Lord and let not the sinne of his mother be done away Do you think this to be spoken presumptuously Many such texts could I alleadge to proue that Dauid inspired with the spirite of prophecye did foretell not onely of the tragicall destruction of bodies of his enemies but also of the extreme damnation of their soules This then is my replye to your second reason these enemies were not priuate enemies but publique and did hate Dauid for his religions sake Dauid therefore by the gift of prophecye doth foretell that their soules should go to hell to be tormented and their bodies should be the portion of Foxes that is should neuer come to the graue for what néed Dauid tell vs they should dye which we know is common to all or how can that betrue which you say that they should be in graue when Dauid himselfe saith they were not in any graue but were the portion of Foxes And so M. Caluin whom I hope you will beléeue teacheth you writing vpon this Psalme and verse To be the portion of Foxes is as much as to be deuoured and torne of wicked beastes for God saith Caluin doth threaten this punishment to the reprobate that they shall be a pray to Wolues and dogges because he would depriue them of the honor of their graue Héer you sée M. Caluin saith they came not into their graue you say they did How M. Caluin and you may be reconciled I knowe not for Caluin addeth this reason It hapneth sometime that we know the same temporall punishments to be common to the good the bad but this is the difference the bones of the godly are gathered together and kept in safety that not one of them shall perish but the scattring of the bones of the reprobate is a signe of their eternall destruction Therefore how can the lower partes of the earth signifie the graue as you say since as M. Calùin truly saith they were in no graue Aunswere me this good M. Humes plainely Psal. 63 9. The lower parts of y e earth signifie not the graue but hell Christ descended into the lower parts of the earth Eph. 4. 9. Ergo Christ descended into hell Humes Sectio 9. Next you quote Ecclesiasticus 24 37. I will pearce through all the lowest parts of the earth and looke vpon them that be asleepe Also the 31. of Ezechiel the 18. vers Thou shalt be cast downe into the lower parts of
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is shewed the manner of the death that Christ suffred that is he was killed and suffred a violent death For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being deriued of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must néeds signifie put to death Now I hope you will not say Christ was put to death in soule and body but in body only And where you say that Christ suffered in soule aswell as in body that is true and that is gathered not of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is killed but out of these words antecedent for Christ suffered the iust for the vniust No reasonable man but he will say that the sufferings of Christ are comprised rather in the word suffered then in the word killed To your fourth reason I reply that Christ was raysed from the dead but it is specially signifyed in the word resurrection verse 21. and therefore I doo not confound those things that are distinguished but your selfe for you make suffered and killed all one and quickned and the resurrection all one and so make not only a confusion but a fantology and néedelesse repetition which neuer was read in the word of God To your fift argument where you say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to receaue life I confesse it is to be made aliue Then you vrge it can not be spoken of the soule which neuer lost life Then by the same reason more strongly it can not be spoken of the Godhead which hath doth and shall liue for euer for God can not receaue life but the soule is sayd to liue when he is out of the body not because he liued not before but because the body doth hinder the actions of the soule Iohn 11 25. Hee that beleeueth in mee though he were dead yet shall he liue Sap. 9 15. The corruptible body is heauie vnto the soule and the earthie mansion keepeth downe the minde that is full of cares 2. Cor. 4 16. Therefore wee faint not but though our outward man perish yet our inward man is dayly renewed Héere Paule sayth the weaker the body is the stronger is the soule therefore the death of the body is the life of the soule To drawe to an ende your Antithesis of the Deuinitie and humanitie is answered before For your Antithesis must be of things contrary or at the least diuers and separate but as you affirme truly the Godhead was neuer separated from the humanitie therefore this antithesis is of the body and soule which at this time were deuided and not betwéene the deity and humanitie which were alwayes vnited wherefore this bulwarke I can assure you will stand and you haue ouershot both it and your selfe in attempting to ouerthrowe it For the very scope of the Apostle is this All Christians must suffer afflictions for well doing for Christ did not only suffer both in body and soule but also was put to a shamefull death in his body and in his soule went downe to the soules in hell which were vnbeléeuers in the dayes of Noah but Christ did arise againe from hell and the graue and ascended both in body and soule to heauen therefore shall you that suffer for well doing be deliuered from death and hell by his merits and goe vp into heauen and be partakers of his glory as you haue bin partakers of his afflictions Moreouer as you referre me to reade Bezas great notes on this text so I pray you to reade Aretius handling this place whose wordes are these Generally sayth Arctius Peter repeateth thrée effects of Christs death if you marke it well The first pertaineth to the damned The second to the elect The third to the person of Christ. The first was declared in his descending into hell The second in his resurrection The third in his ascention into heauen This is the true and naturall meaning of this place which we will follow leauing the intrications of other interpretations I willinglie confesse this place is very hard for Augustine doubteth of it and Luther doubteth of it how it is to be vnderstoode but this obscuritie ariseth not of the place but of the varietie of Interpretations If thou marke the plainnesse of the place the matter will be easye but that pleaseth not all men therefore that euery one may establish his owne sence they apply the words of the Apostle Peter to their owne conceit But leauing these let vs embrace that which the words do teach vs in the which if we attaine to the truth it is well if not yet they shall be probable because they haue warrant out of the scripture and leaue to the very letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 otherwise it is certaine the knowledge of man to be vnperfect in many questions of holie scripture of the which the Apostle doth warne vs 1. Corin. 15. For now we knowe vnperfectlie I haue sayd héere is declared thrée effects of Christs death which differ in time and are set in order in the Créede The first effect is that Christ being dead denounced eternall paines to the wicked in hell The words of the Apostle are these In which spirit hee went and preached to the spirits detained in prison I take the place simply of the descence into hell for so the words doo plainely sound and I sée all the Fathers so to interprete them sée Augustine Epist. 99. and Cyprian doth manifestly interprete this place of the descending into Hell Neither doth the word prison hinder this Interpretation which in the Apocal. 20. 5. is taken for hell When a thousand yeeres shall be fulfilled Satan shall be loosed out of his prison Therefore the prison that Peter héere speaketh of is the place deputed to the damned Hyther came Christ as we confesse in the Créede he went downe into Hell Where Hell is it is a foolish and curious question to enquire sith no man comming to that place euer returned but only Christ. Furthermore what Christ did there Peter expresseth he preached to the spirits that is he declared that he shewed himselfe manifestly to the world and made that dire and mournefull sermon namely to the wicked that the merit of his death did nothing pertaine vnto them but by his presence were confirmed those punishments of the which Noah and other Prophets had forewarned them And the tyme of this Preaching I referre not to the tymes of Noah but to the tyme of hys descending into Hell Whereunto agréeth the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is spirits for hée preached to the spirits that is to dead and not to liuing men Thus farre Aretius I could héere alleage many other newe Writers whiche are of my iugement but because you yéelde them no credite therefore of purpose I will omit them Humes Sectio 13. These things being thus I pray you good M. Hill seeing you would haue vs vndoubtedly to beleeue that Christ descended into hell Tell vs vndoubtedly to what end he should descend thither I trust you will not teach vs neither Augustine neither
into Heauen and therefore our praiers are hard when we pray vnto him and he giueth vs gifts for our ministery and so he shal come to iudgement at the last day to giue vs perfect blessednes You confesse that Christ was borne in déed liued and fulfilled the law in the likenes of our flesh sinne excepted he dyed in déede he was buried indéed he arose and ascended indéede and yet you will not confesse that he personallye descended How can all these articles going before and comming after be vnderstoode of the person of Christ and of his humanity and not this Therefore you denying this personall descending of Christ into hell take away the great comfort of our deliuerance from hell You say we are deliuered from hell by Christs death so are we too by his birth For if Christ had not bene borne he had not dyed so if there had not béene a seperation of the bodye and soule of Christ he could neuer haue conquered death or hell for by descending into y e graue and that personally he conquered death and hath deliuered vs from death and by going downe into hell personallye he hath conquered hell And for this cause the Scripture applieth it to the death of Christ because death was as Paule saith Phil. 3. A dissolution of body and soule and these 2. partes being dissolued Christ came from the graue and from hell and so Christ did conquere both and triumph ouer them in him selfe as it is Col. 2. 15. These Iewes doo aske a signe from heauen Math. 22 38. Luke 11. 29. to whom Christ said A wicked aduoulterous Generation doth aske a signe but no signe shalbe giuen thē but the signe of Ionas the Prophet for as Ionas was in the whales belly three dayes and three nights so shall the sonne of man be in the hart of the earth three daies and three nights Which woords Basilius Magnus interpreteth very well These woords a signe is a matter made manifest conteyning the declaration of some thing that was hidden as the signe of Ionas representeth the descending of Christ into hel and the resurrection of Christ and as Bede saith and Rhabanus also he gaue them a signe but not from heauen because they were vnworthy to see it but from the deapth of hell Therfore M. Humes this is a most comfortable doctrine that Christ doth deliuer vs from hell which albeit you agnise aswell as we yet because you deny the meane whereby it was purchased you deny a most comfortable doctrine for not only the body of Christ was in the hart of the earth but the Sonne of man which signifieth the whole humanity that is the soule and the body Ionas was in the whales belly aliue and yet came forth Christ was in the graue dead in flesh and aliue in hell and yet came forth Therefore to take away this maner of descending taketh away from the Church a singuler comfort and openeth a gapp to many errors confuted already by the Fathers For if Christ did conquere hell by the power of the Godhead only and not as he is man what néed had he to take vpon him our nature but because as man he might be Lord not of heauen and the Angells but of the earth and the inhabitants therofand of hell and the diuells You say the worlde is sory for me In the worlde saith Christ you shall haue affliction And he telleth me the world will hate me I way not these thinges for I am no man-pleaser nor louer of the worlde But if in my Sermon I had disagréed with Dauid Ezechiel Esay Peter Paule and Christ himselfe as you haue done in your answere I hope I should be both sory and ashamed Touching M. Chalfoult whom you terme a man without iudgment and that he spake impudently and enuiously I neuer saw him before that time and but ouce since but by that spéech and conference which I had with him I finde him to be learned and voide of gall Such of his neighbours as I haue talked with did giue him the deserued praise of a learned and honest man And forasmuch as he hath preached sound doctrine in preaching the affirmatiue and that doctrin which is allowed by the learned conuocation of this land it doth not become you to libell against him for in speaking against him you traduce all those reuerend and learued men which made an Iniunction for kéeping of vnitie that no other Catechisme should be taught of any Schoolemaister then M. Nowels Therefore because you are a strauger you ought not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and speake euill of those Ministers which vpholde the doctrine established and because you are a Schoolemaister you ought to teach and not to gainsaye it Qui pergit dicere ea que vult audiet ea que non vult As you reuile at M. Chalfoult so doo you and your freends priuily against me calling me a Bishoppling and a timeseruer Indéed I was brought vp vnder Bishop Iewell who catechised me in this faith therfore I will not easily or rashly departe from it I confesse my selfe also to be a timeseruer for it is the day time of saluation accepted Let them murmure with Martin that list I praye God my dayes may end with this time and my time may continue no longer then these daies of the state of our Church that now is do continue I haue séene the beginning I haue séene the propagation of the Gospell I haue séene God hath defended our Church mercifully and miraculously from heauen God graunt that I and all my Auditors may walk worthy of our calling Godly iustly and soberly Therefore I end with this saying of S. Paule 1. Cor. 4. 3. As touching me I passe very little to be iudged of you or of mans iudgment And in the 5. verse Therefore iudge nothing before the time vntill the Lord come who shall lighten things that are hidden in darkenes and make the counsels of the hart manifest and then shall euery man haue praise of God The conclusion to M. Humes M. Humes in the latter end of your answere you request me to recant if your answere did please me as it doth you I would be as willing to recant as you and your fréendes would be glad to heare it But I will plainely set down my reasons why I do not recant The first is I alleadged Act. 2. and proued out of Peters sermon my assertion and to the reasons I drew out of that place you haue answered nothing Secondly I alleadged Syrach 17. 21. To proue that this phrase the nethermost partes of the earth doth signifie hell to this you haue in like manner saide nothing Thirdly in all your answeres to my allegations you haue disagréeed with the word of God In answering of the 16. Psalme you say my allegation is to be vnderstoode of the passion of Christ And Peter Act. 2. saith it is spoken of y e resurrection whether is to be beléeued of Peter or you