the first death which belongeth to the body it did not die the second death which is a total seperation from God Onely it suffered the sorrowes of the second death which is the apprehension of the wrath of God as a man may feele the panges of the first death yet not die the first death but liue Againe it is to no end that Christes Soule should goe to hel to preach Considering it was never heard of that one soul should preach to another especially in hel where al are condemned in conscience coÌ„victed to their iust damnation and where there is no hope of repentance or redemption IOHN HIGINS To say that Christ was quickened by his soule is to reason vpon no text and so we leaue it So was the descension of Christ also Christ was mortified in the flesh but he was quickened in the spirite that is in soule not that it died but that in anguish it suffered the sorrowes of death which coÌ„past his body And therfore he said my soule is very sad eveÌ„ to the death But when that death was past the sorrow anguish sadnes were ended and the ioy the comforte and solace which his soule immediately after receiued may very fitlie be named a reviving or quickening And of this reviving or quickning al the blessed souls departed haue presently after this life a ioyful most happy feeling There is an end why Christ went preached in hell and why Peter wrote that he preached there We must beleeue the word though wee knowe not the ende Considering it was ever hearde of since Christs time that the soule of Abraham had a speech with the soule of the rich man in hell and tolde him his owne and besides how that his brethreÌ„ had Moses and the Prophets c. And the borne blind said It was neuer heard of that any man opened the eies of one that was borne blinde But yet the cure was to some end so was the descension of Christ also WILLIAM PERKINS It wil bee answered that this preaching whereof Peter speaketh 1. Pet. 3. 19. is only reall or experimentall because Christ shewed himselfe there to convince the vnbeliefe of his enemies But this is flat against reason For when a man is iustly condemned by God and therefore sufficiently convicted what neede the Iudge himselfe come to the place of execution to convict him And it is flat against the text For the preaching spokeÌ„ of here 1. Pet. 3. 19. is that which is performed by men in the ministery of the word as Peter expouÌ„deth himselfe elsewhere 1. Pet. 4. 6. to this purpose also was the Gospell preached to the dead that they might bee condemned according to men in the flesh but that they might line according to God in the spirite JOHN HIGINS The preaching of Christ in hell was real that is in re indeed not experimeÌ„tal as to proue an experiment or conclusioÌ„ For al the prophesies must needs be fulfilled so as the Councel of God decreed and as the Scriptures reporte It was then a powerful passage in his sin-lesse soules freedome and valour for so he went to conquer the devil and to confound the damned in hel from whence he returned with triumphant victory But these matters of faith are not to bee measured by the shallow flattes of reason for al thinges vvhatsoever the Lord would that did be in heaven and in earth and in the sea in all deepe places This prerogatiude Iudge might go where he would and convict whom he list hee could bee no more exempted from hel then hee could bee payned thereby or detained therein These two texts are not flat of one nature For there in 1. Pet. 3 19. the spirit of Christ went and preached to the spirites in hel here in 1. Pet. 4. 6. the Gospel is saide to be preached to the deade c. that is to the Gentiles or â—entilized Iewes vnto such as Christ ment when hee saide let the deade bury their dead WILL. PERKINS Lastly there is no reason why Christ should rather preach shew himselfe in hel to them that were disobedient in the daies of Noe then to the rest of the damned And this is the first exposition The second followeth IOHN HIGINS If we shal runne from faith to no reason I wil conferre like reason with your reason thus there is no reason why Abraham should rather shew himselfe to the rich glutton in hell then to the rest of the damned this is as wise a reasoÌ„ as that But all thinges are possible to him that beleeveth The text is hee went in spirite and preached to the spirits which are in prison And this the faithfull beleeue because it is Scripture and they beleeue the desceÌ„sion because they are Christians And thus much touching the first exposition The second followeth WILLIAM PERKINS The second vsuall exposition of this clause he descended into hell is that Christ desceÌ„ded into the graue or was buried This exposition is agreeable to the truth yet it is not meete or convenient For the clause next before he was buried contained this point and therfore if the next words following yeelde the same sense there must bee a vaine and needlesse repetition of one the same thing twice which is not to be allowed in so short a Creede as this If it be saide that these words are an exposition of the former the aunswere is that then they should be more plaine then the former For when one senteÌ„ce expouÌ„deth another the latter must alwaies be the plainer But of these two senteÌ„ces he was buried he descended into hel the first is very plaine easy but the latter very obscure and hard And therefore it can be no exposition thereof and for this cause this exposition neither is to be receiued And thus endeth the 2. expositioÌ„ IOHN HIGINS If Christ descended into the graue it was in his body aliue for to descend is a liuely action This cannot stand with the Scriptures for all the Evangelistes say he yeelded vp the Ghost also they say he was taken downe was shrowded buried in a new sepulcher by Joseph of Arimathea c. his body could not descende except it were aliue and they would not haue buried it if he had not beene dead That seconde exposition then is not agreeable to the word and as you say it is not meete nor convenient so say I because it is false For it makes a vaine and needlesse repetition of one thing twice c. Wherefore it is not to be allowed nor liked of His buriall was sensible it was done and seene here on earth his descension was an invisible action of the immortal soule perfourmed in hel only comprehended by faith not by sense nor by reason and therefore as you say this seconde exposition is not to bee receiued as expounding the burial and in this we somewhat agree And thus
much touching the second exposition now followeth the third WILL. PERKINS Thirdly others there bee who expounde it thus hee descended into hel that is Christ Iesus when he was dying vpon the Crosse felte and suffered the pangs of hel and the full wrath of God seazing vpon his Ioule This exposition hath his warrant in Gods word where hell oftentimes signifieth the sorrowes and paines of hel As Hanna in her song to the Lorde saith the Lord killeth and maketh aliue and he bringeth downe to hell raiseth vp againe That is he maketh men feele woe and misery in their soules even the pangs of hell and after restoreth them And David saith the sorrowes of death compassed me and the terrours of hel laid hold on me This is an vsuall exposition received in the Church they which expounde this Article thus giue this reason thereof The former words was crucified dead and buried doe containe say they the outwarde suffrings of Christ Now because hee suffered not only outwardly in body but also inwardly in soule therefore these words he descended into hell doe set forth vnto vs his inward sufferings in soule whē he felt vpon the crosse the pangs of hel and the ful wrath of God seazing vpon him This exposition is good and true whosoeuer wil may receiue it yet neverthelesse it seemeth not so fitly to agree with the order of the former Articles For these wordes was crucified dead buried must not be vnderstood of any ordinary death but of a cursed death in which Christ suffered the full wrath of God even the pangs of hell both in soule and body Seeing then this exposition is contained in the former wordes it cannot fitly stande with the order of the shorte Creede vnlesse there shoulde bee a distinct Article of things repeated before And thus endeth the 3. exposition IOHN HIGINS We must hold that Iesus Christ the sonne of God dying vpon the crosse could neither feele not suffer the pangs of hel nor the ful wrath of God seazing vpon his soule because it was neither seperated from the godhead nor subiect vnto sin and also because that laying downe his life he vsed these wordes of deliuery Father into thy handes I cōmende my spirite By which wee vnderstand that hee was then seazed and did possesse his owne soule and yeelded the possession and seazen thereof vnto his father and neither the devill nor the pangs of hel had any seazen holde interest or possession therein This exposition that Christ after his death descended into hell in soule hath many warrants in the old testament of which one is in these words of Hanna the Lorde mortifieth and quickeneth hee causeth to descende into hell and causeth to ascend And this was a prophecie of the death descension resurrection and ascension of Christ So the saide Hanna in the 10. verse after prophecied of the kingdome of Christ also thus Iehovah will iudge the endes of the earth and hee will giue fortitude to his king he will exalt the horne of his Christ And David saith the sorrows of death compassed me and the land flowdes of vngodlines made me afraide These were the sorrowes of the first death in the flesh and not the pangs of hel which seaze only vpon the wicked but not on the iust He was crucified deade and buried these were of his passion cōcerning the body mortal and did not but in his death concerne the soule For neither could the Iewes hurt it neither coulde Ioseph bury it but these hee descended into hell he rose againe from the dead he ascended into heaven are actions perfourmed by Christ the first in his soule and the other two in his whole humane triumphing nature The death of his holy ones or of his mercifull mē is precious in the sight of God God then is not wroth with them neither doth he inflict the pangs of hel vpon them much lesse vpon his most holy vpō his most iust one In these words of S. Peter Act. 2. 23. 24. hunc interemistis there is the death quem Deus suscitavit solutis doloribus Inferni there is the resurrection from hel and from the sepulcher These places plainly demonstrate that the Apostle spake of that which Christ suffered and did in his death buriall descension c. and that his descension was not before his death but after Ergo Christus non resurrexit ab inferno ante mortem suam and also Peeter expoundeth it even so in these words Providens David locutus est de resurrectione Christi quia neque derelicta est anima eius in inferno c. Thus much touching the 3. exposition Now followeth the 4. and last WILLIAM PERKINS But let vs come to the fourth exposition Hee descended into hell that is when he was dead and buried hee was held captiue in the graue and lay in bōdage vnder death for the space of three daies This exposition also may bee gathered forth of the scriptures So Peter saith God hath raised him vp speaking of Christ and loosed the sorrowes of death because it was impossible that hee should be holden of it Where we may see that betweene the death the resurrection of Christ there is placed a third matter which is not mentioned in any clause of the Apostles Creede saue in this and that is his bondage vnder death which commeth in betweene his death and his rising againe and the words themselues doe most fitly beare this sense As the speech of Iacob sheweth I wil go down into hel to my son mourning And this exposition doth also best agree with the order of the Creede First he was crucified and died secondly hee was buried thirdly laid in the graue and was therein holden in captivity bondage vnder death And these three degrees of Christes humiliation are most fitly correspondent to the 3. degrees of his exaltation The first degree of his exaltation he rose again the third day answering to the first degree of his humiliation he died the 2. degree of his exaltation hee ascended into heaven answering to his going into the graue or he was buried And thirdly his sitting at the right hand of God which is the highest degree of his exaltation answering to the lowest degree of his humiliation he descended into hell These two last expositions are commonly receiued we may indifferently make choise of either But the last as I take it is most agreeable to the order and words of the Creede Thus endeth the 4. exposition IOHN HIGINS Christ was buried and descended into hel but in the graue his body was free from paine free from bondage and free from corruption and his soule in hel was free from torments free from bondage and free from detention He was captiue to neither of both though hee would for a time bee contained of both who in his divine nature cōtaines all and cannot at all be contained So we find that
death of Christ haue set downe at large his Passion death buriall resurrection and ascension and withall they make rehearsal of small circumstances therefore no doubte they woulde not haue omitted Christs Locall descension to the place of the damned if there had bin any such thing And the ende why they penned this historie was that we might beleeue that Iesus is Christ the Sonne of God and that in beleeuing wee might haue life everlasting Now there could not haue bin a greater matter for the confirmation of our faith then this that Iesus Christ the son of Mary who went downe to the place of the damned returned thence to liue in happines for ever IOHN HIGINS The Reasons why this first expositiō is true are these The Evangelists and especially St. Matthew report that CHRIST who is the truth it selfe prophetically spake twice therof in the signe of Ionas And St. Luke saith that the same truth told after his Resurrection howe all must bee fulfilled which were prophesied of him St. Luke also reportes howe the holie Ghost expoūdeth the prophecy of David and againe St. Paule and St. Peter spake thereof in their Epistles Assure your selfe then there was such a thing as in places fitte God willing shall plainely appeare ere we end with this our worke We must not then confute but beleeue this great matter for the confirmatiō of our faith as the scriptures do teach vs Cōsidering that if he had not in Soule descended the Devil and the damned might haue bragged of the force of that their kingdome But as the 3. young men in the hoate Oven Daniel in the den of the Lions and Ionas in the belly of the Whale beeing the signes and figures of CHRISTS Descension came forth without hurte so Christ from that furnace from that denne of the Lyon from that belly of hel victoriously as he descended came forth with valour with freedome with triumph WILLIAM PERKINS The second reason why this first exposition seemeth not to be true is this If Christ did goe to the place of the dāned then either in soule or in body or in his godhead but the godhead could not descēd because it was every where and his body was in the graue And as for his soule it went not to hel but presently after his death it went to Paradise that is the third heaven a place of ioie and happinesse Luk. 23 43. This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Which words of Christ must be vnderstood of his manhoode or soule and not of his godhead for they are an answere to a demande and therefore vnto it they must be sutable Nowe the theefe seeing that Christ was first of al crucified and therefore in all likelyhoode shoulde first of all die maketh his request to this effect Lord thou shalt shortly enter into thy kingdome remember me then To which Christs answere as the very words importe is thus much I shall enter into Paradise this day and there shalt thou bee with mee Now there is no entrance but in regard of his soule or manhood For the godhead which is at all times in al places cannot be said properly to enter into a place IOHN HIGINS Your second reason standes on this place to day thou shalt bee with mee in Paradise Christ spake this as God who only hath power to giue Paradise and whose to daie as Augustine saith is eternity and hee speaketh it as man to that happy mā who after that evening never since saw night nor darknes For they blessed departing hēce haue their evening at their death and being dead presently see in soule the day spring visiring them from an high of that to day which after is nightlesse Then hee that lookes for a sublimary day of light and darcknesse amongst the blessed soules in Paradise is darkely deceived For if the theefes soule went that same night to Paradise as wee beleeue it did yet went it the same to day of Christes eterne nature and was in Paradise the same to day of Christs glorious humane natures ascēsiō which with the theefe was yet the same to day lasteth nightlesse till now and for ever Christ was not bounde by necessitie of must nor did in custome suite everie demaunde or petition with aunswere For sometimes hee questioned againe and sometimes hee did not answere at all But to this petition he answered as God and Man and therefore your tvvo musts assigning the same to the manhoode and cutting it of from the godheade are more then the scriptures allowe This supposition with the fiction of two Enters interferres it selfe For the text is not so but thus Lorde remember me when thou commest into they kingdom And Iesus saide vnto him to day thou shalt be with me in Paradise He spake saith Euthymius as God which filleth al and was togither every where in the Sepulcher in hell in Paradise and in heauen Also if the soule of Christ was in Paradise before his resurrection thē it was not in the graue if not in the graue then that translation is false thou vvilte not leaue my soule in graue Now your concluding no entrance with the fiction of two enters interres nothing The texte of S. Luke is true yours is not so WILLIAM PERKINS Againe when Christ saith thou shalt bee with mee to day in Paradise hee doeth intimate a resemblaunce vvhich is betweene the first Adam and the second Adam The first Adam sinned and was presently cast out of Paradise Christ the seconde Adam having made the satisfaction for sin must immediatly enter into Paradise Now to say that Christ in soule descended locally into hell is to abolish this Analogie betweene the first and the second Adam The ende of the second reason JOHN HIGINS In this matter there can be no resemblaunce betweene them for the first Adam vvas not presently cast out of paradise after his death but nine hundred yeares before he died or was buried The second Adam ascended into the heauenlye Paradise after his death buriall descension and resurrection The first Adam vvente out of the earthly Paradise with a mortall body the seconde Adam went into the heauenly with a glorified body And whosoever will read Gen. 3. the 7. verse and the verses after considering vvell the particulars there shal plainly perceiue that Adam was not presently cast out as you say for that presently is not in the third of Genesis Neither must Christ immediatly after satisfaction c. as you say enter into Paradise this immediately is not in all the new Testament Now to say that Christes Soule descended not into Hell is to abolish the authorities of the Scriptures and to cashire the Creede which proue the descension The end of the second Reason WILLIAM PERKINS The third reason why the first exposition seemes not to be true Auncient Councels in their cōfessions Creeds omitting this clause shew that
they did not acknowledge any real descent And the true meaning of these wordes hee descended into hell was sufficiently included in some of the former and that may appeare because when they set downe it they omitte some of the former As Athanasius in his Creed setting downe these wordes he descended into hel omittes the buriall putting theÌ„ both for one as hee expoundeth himselfe els where Nowe let vs see the reasons which may be alleadged to the contrary Ob. 1 Mat. 12. 40. The sonne of man must bee three daies and three nightes in the hart of the earth that is in hell Answer 1. This exposition is directly against the scope of the place For the Pharises desired to see a signe that is some sensible and manifest miracle And heereunto Christ answered that hee woulde giue them the signe of the prophet Jonas which cannot bee the descent of his soule into the place of the damned because it was insensible but rather of his buriall and after it his glorious ascension IOHN HIGINS Of Ancient Councels c. omitting of causes we spake pag. 1. in â—C they could not but beleeue that which the spirit of God foretolde the Son of God peâ—formed and the same sprit witnessed to be fulfilled Now to say that he descended into hell was sufficiently included in some of the former this cannot be for the former he was curcified dead and buried are of passioÌ„ but these latter he descended into hell he rose againe the third day hee ascended into heaven are mere actions of Christ secluded froÌ„ those not included in them Athanasius saith he descended into hel He is not against it Chrysostome saith he descended into hell that there also he might not be voide of a miracle He is not against it Now let vs see the scriptures which proue the descenision The evill and adulterous generation requests a signe but a signe shall not be given vnto it vnlesse the signe of the Prophet Ionas For as Ionas vvas 3. dares and 3. nightes in the whales belly so shall the sonne of man bee 3. daies and three nights in the heart of the earth that is in hell These places of the Gospel are plain Wherein by the signe of Ionas in the whales belly Iesus fore-sheweth his owne descension into hell For the evil adulterous generatioÌ„ the Phareses and Saduces tempting him required a signe from heaven and therefore Iesus gaue them no signe froÌ„ heaven but a signe in hel WILLIAM PERKINS The second Answere The hart of the earth may as well signifie the graue as the center of the earth For Tyrus bordering vpon the sea is saide to be in the heart of the seas The third answere This exposition takes it for graunted that hell is seated in the middle of the earth Wheras the Scriptures reveale no such thing but this that hell is in the lower partes but where those lower parts be no man is able to define The 2. obiectioÌ„ Act. 2. 27. thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell neither vvilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption These words cannot proue any local descent of Christs Soule For Peters drift in all eadging this is to proue the resurrection and hee saith expressely that the words must be vnderstoode of the resurrection of Christ What namely these wordes that his soule was not left in hell Nowe there is no resurrection of the soule but of the body only as the soule cannot be saide to fall but the body IOHN HIGINS The heart of the earth may as well signifie hell as it may signifie the midle or center of the earth For Tyrus being an Iland foure furlongs or seaveÌ„ hundred pases from the land was therfore saide of God to haue her limites in the heart or middle of the seas Again the proud king therof said I am God I sit in the throne of God in the hart or middle of the seas These words of Christ for as Ionas was 3. daies c. so shall the Son of man be 3. daies 3. nights in the hart of the earth giue vs to vnderstand where hell is sited they reveale the place in question But if hel the graue the hart of the earth be alone they which site hell so shallow the graue so deepe confound the heâ—l of the Damned and the graues of the blessed togither This prophecy thou vvilt not leaue my soule in hell neither suffer thine holy one to see corruption was one of al those things of which Christ said it behooved all things to be fulfilled which are written of me in the Lawe of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes And if this Prophesie proue not the Local disceÌ„sion of Christs soule by reason it coÌ„firms it in faith because Christ saide it behooved all things to bee fulfilled c. Peter is plaine he saith David foreseing spake of the resurrectioÌ„ of Christ for why his soule was not left in hel neither saw his flesh corruption If your translation or exposition bee true thou wilt not leaue my soul in graue then the person or the soule of Christ is risen or els Christ is not risen And for your fall I aske first whether it may be said that christs body fel into the graue secondly whether if it fel not but was buried therein it may not yet be said to haue risen thirdly whether Christ rose without a soule because it fell not into the graue For many bodies of Saintes arose which fell not neither did they arise without soules which soules yet fell not into the granes So I say if noÌ„e arise at the last day but the bodies of them which fell there wil be a very small resurrectioÌ„ in respect of the whole number of the departed WILLIAM PERKINS It will be replied that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i soule cannot signifie the body And the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i hell cannot signifie the graue The first word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies not only the spiritual parte of man i the soule but also the whole person or the man himselfe Rom. 13. 1. 1. Cor. 15. 45. And the second word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is aswel taken for the graue as for hell Apoc. 20. 14. Death and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are cast into the lake of fire Now we cannot say that hel is cast into hell but the graue into hell And the very same worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this text must needes haue this sense i. his soule or person was not left in graue For Peter makes an opposition betweene the graue into which David is shut vp the hell out of which Christ was delivered verse 29. 31. IOHN HIGINS The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. soule in these places alleadged Act. 2. 27. 31. cannot signifie the body of Christ as shal appeare in this page And the
word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. hell cannot signifie the graue tombe monument or sepulcher of a dead body This graue is not found in al the scriptures The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. soule sometimes signifies the whole person the man a liue as in these places and there vvere added that day about three thousand soules let every soule submitte it selfe to the authority of the higher povvers the first man Adam vvas made a living soule these were not whole persons of dead men buried but Christians newly converted and Romane subiects aliue So Adam was made a living soule but he was not so buried the whole person so signified by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was not buried in hell If it were then by these texts to day shalt thou be vvith mee in Paradise thou wilt not leaue my person in hell and his soule was not left in graue the whole person was in Paradise in hell in the graue the same day that hee was buried The second word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hel is not taken for the graue or toomb of the dead the text truely translated is thus death and hell vvere sent into the lake of fire this is the second death And whosoever was not founde vvritten in the booke of life was sent into the lake of fire That is the Devil and his Angels the wicked were sent into everlasting fire as in Mat. 25. 41. Christ doth pâ—ainly shew but the prophet heere speaketh it more darâ—kly Also if your speach heere bee true that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as well taken for the graue as for hell then this translation is tollerable And the rich man died and was buried and in the graue lifting vp his eies being in tormentes for saith he I am tormented in this flame You first cast the graue into hel and nowe you site the Paradiâ—'de soule in the graue Peter makes an opposition between the dead entombed body of David not risen and the humane nature of Christ risen affirming that David prophecied thereof long before And saith his soule was not left in hel as you here translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hel and not graue VVill. Perkins Againe it wil be said that in this text there be two distinct partes the first of the soules comming foorth of hell in these words thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell And the second of the body rising out of the graue in the next words following Neither wilt thou suffer my flesh to see corruption It is not so For the flesh in this place signifieth not the body alone but the humane nature of Christ as appeareth Act. 2. verse 30. vnlesse wee shall say that one the same worde in the same sentence is taken two waies flesh you meane in the 30. and in the 31. verses And the words rather cary this sense thou wilt not suffer me to coÌ„tinue long in the grane nay which is more in the time of my coÌ„tinuance there thou wilt not suffer me so much as to see corruption because I am thy holy one JOHN HIGINS Here in the Psalm 16. 10. Thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell neither vvilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption the two parts places of Christs humanity are plainly distinguished a sunder So also Peter interpreteth Act. 2. 31. and so Fulgentius bringeth these places distinguished against the Arâ—ians expounding them of the soule and flesh apart In the first 30. verse Peter explaines a Prophecy of the regall humane generation of Christ thus he then that is David sith he was a Prophet and knewe that God had sworn vnto him by an othe of the fruit of his loines according to the flesh to raise vp the Christ that he might place him on his seate Here the Apostle addeth according to the flesh to distinguish and to tell vs that the soule is not ex traduce but that the flesh it be of different natures which immediatly after expounding the other prophecy he clearely explaines thus 31. vers David foreseeing spake of the resurrection of Christ that his soule was not leâ—t in hell neither did his flesh see corruption There in the 30. vers Peter spake of the flesh not of the soule generated and here in the 31. of the flesh of the soul seperated by death In both yet by flesh meaning one the same flesh of christ S. Peters words are of credit enough a rather carriage of seÌ„se comes to late WIL. PERKINS Obiect 3. Christ was quickned in the spirit by the which spirit he went preached vnto the spirits which are in prisoÌ„ Answere This place is not for this purpose for by the spirit is not meant the soule of Christ but his godhead which in the ministery of Noe preached repentance to the old world And I thinke that Peter in this place alludes to another in Genesis 6. 3. where the Lord saith my spirit shall not alwaies striue vvith man because hee is but flesh And if the spirit do signifie the soule then Christ was quickened in his soule or by his soule but neither is true IOHN HIGINS We must not alledge nor take the text lamely It is thus for Christ once suffered for sins the iust for the vniust that he might bring vs to God hee vvas mortified in the flesh but was quickened in the spirite in which spirite hee vvent and preached vnto the spirites vvhich are in prison Heere is the suffering of Christ his death immortality of soule with the descension therof and as Ruffinus saith what worke it did in hell And therfore this place is pregnant for the descension For by the spirite is meÌ„t the soule of Christ not his godhead as you say For then your texte should be thus Christ was quickened in the godhead by which godhead hee went and preached to the spirites which are in prison which you said in Noe preached to the old world But this cannot be it was after Christes mortification in the flesh not in the olde world but in that which is nowe That which is saide in Genesis 6. 3. my spirit shall not alwaies contend vvith man because he is but flesh and his daies shall be an hundred twenty yeares was fiftie generations before Christ this in Peter was after Christs death that was in spirit divine this was in the soule humane that was on earth with men in the flesh this was in hel with the spirits of the dead Peter therfore in this place alludes not to that in Genesis Of Christs quickening in the spirite shal be more saide in the next page WIL. PERKINS For the first it cannot be saide that Christ was quickened by his soule because it did not ioyne it selfe vnto the body but the Godhead ioyned theÌ„ both Neither was he quickened in soule For the soule died not It could not die
Christ was free among the dead whom God hath raised vp loosing the sorrowes of hell because it vvas impossible he should bee holden of it VVhy was it impossible because he is free because the gates of hel caÌ„not prevaile against his church much-lesse against himselfe which is the head thereof In the graue then in hel he would be for 3. daies 3. nights without corruption and torments to declare his mortality his immortality his innoceÌ„cy But the body did not descend it was buried in the sepulcher the soul descended into hell it was not buried in the graue And this descension was after his death and before his resurrection And this was an Acte of his freedome the other of freedome in patience and both were in prophecy and in promise That which Iacob propheticallie spake of his own desceÌ„sion into Aegypt and of Christs descension into hell well weighed by the state of the Church in Aegypte and by the speech of his gransire Abraham in blisse by the nature of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not so full of question as men doe make it Wherfore the best expositioÌ„ agrees best with the order of the Creede thus first he was crucified by the Iews secoÌ„dly he died when he gaue vp the ghost thirdly he was buried by Ioseph of Arymathea c. fourthly he desceÌ„ded into hel that was in spirit or soule fiftly the third day he rose againe froÌ„ the dead sixtly he ascended into heaven c. but your secondly he was buried and thirdly laide in the graue make two burials Thus haue I briefely delivered what I thought meete to be said concerning the descension of Christ into hel In all which I referre my selfe to the iudgmeÌ„t of those who may can best descerne of these matters as by the word of God and her Maiesties Lawes I am bound Faultes escaped in the printing P. 3. lin 10. for is declared reade is also declared P. 8. in the margin for Jam. 20 reade John 20. P. 18. lin 9. for curcified read crucified P. 24. lin vlt. for this page read this next page P. 25. in the margin for Geâ— 27 read Gen. 2. 7. FINIS Pet. Vireâ— in Symboâ— Erasmus 〈◊〉 Colloquijâ— Ruffinus iâ— exposit Symbol â—rasmus in â—is paraphrase vpoÌ„â—he Acts of â—he Apoâ—tles ca. 2. Ruffinus iâ— exposit Symbol 1. Pet. 3. 1 Psal 16. 1â— Psal 30. â— Psal 30. 4. â—arietas â—ctionis â—at 27. 9. â—remie for â—acharie Mat. 27. 9. Ierem. 36. Iuke 1. 3. Iam. 20. 31. Mat. 12 40. Math. 16. 4. Luk. 23. 43. Acts. 2. 31. Ephes 4. 9. 10. 1. Pet. 3. 18. 19. Dan. 3. 21. Dan. 14. 30. Ioh. 2. 1. 2. 3. Luk. 23. 43. Luk. 23. 42. 43. Luk. 23. 43. Aug. lib. 11. confess ca. 13. in fine Luk 1. 78. Luk. 23. 42 43. Euthymius super hunc locum Gen. 3. 7. Gen. 3. 7. Athana libâ— de incarn Chrysost hom 2. in Symb. Mat. 12. 40 â—sal 16. 10. â—ath 12. 40 â—ct 1. 31. Athanas in â—â—mb â—hersost 〈◊〉 â—â—super â—â—mb â—atâ—h 12. 〈◊〉 40. Matth. 16. 24. Mat. 16. 24. Ezech. 27. 4. 〈◊〉 câ—rde maâ—is Sunt â—ermini tuâ— Act. 2. 27. Ionas 2. 1. 2. Act. 2. 27. Ezec 27. 4. Ezec. 28. 2. Mat. 12. 40. Psal 16. 10. Luk. 24. 44. Act. 2. 31. Act. 2. 27. Mat. 27. 52. Rom. 13. 1. 1. Cor. 15. 45. Apoc. 20. 14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hell Act. 2. 41. Rom. 13. 1 1. Cor. 15. 45. Genes 27. Luk. 23. 43. Act. 2. 27. 31. Apoc. 20. 14 Mat. 25. 41 Luk 16. 22. 23. â—er 24. Act. 2. 29. 31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the graue Act. 2. 30. 31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the soule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hell Psal 16. 10. Fulgen. lib. 3. ad Thrasimund Act. 2. 30. Psal 3. 32. 11. Act. 2. 31. Psal 16. 10. 1. Pet. 3. 18. 19. Gen. 6. 3. 1. Pet. 3. 18. 19. 1. Pet. 3. 18. Genes 6. 3. 1. Pet. 3. 18. 19. Ruffinus in Symbol Genes 6. 3. 1 Pet. 3. 19. 1. Pet. 4. 6. 1. Pet. 3 19. 1. Pet. 4. 6. Psal 18. 5. Mat. 26. 38. Luk. 16. 25. Io. 9. 32. 1. Pet. 3. 19. â—sal 135. 6. Math. 8. 22. Hee descended into the graue He descended into hell Luk. 16. 25. Math. 9. 23. Mat. 27. 50. Mar. 15. 37. Luk. 23. 46. â—o 19 30. vpoÌ„ the crosse Christ dyinge felt suffered the pangs of hell the full wrath of God 1. Sam. 2. 6. Psal 88. 5. Luk. 23. 46. 1. Sam. 2. 6. vers 10. Psal 18. 5. Psal 116. 13 Act. 2. 23. 24. Act. 24. Gen. 37. 53. death or the graue Asal 88. 6. Act. 2. 24. Variae Lectiones Graeâ—â—â— Syra uerâ—â— Hieromiâ—â—i translat Gen. 37. 53 Luk. 16. 25.