Miscellanies of divinitie divided into three books, wherein is explained at large the estate of the soul in her origination, separation, particular judgement, and conduct to eternall blisse or torment. By Edvvard Kellet Doctour in Divinitie, and one of the canons of the Cathedrall Church of Exon.

CHAP. XI.

1. Pineda makes Moses to be one of the raised at Christs Passion, if once he died. Pineda censured for his assertion, or rather his hypothesis.

2. David then arose in Pineda his judgement.

3. His Argument answered. Bishop Bilson wavering, and rejected, as he rejecteth S. Augustine.

4. A demonstration (upon S. Augustine his ground, and Act. 2.24.) that David was not raised, nor ascended bodily into heaven.

5. Davids sepulchre now kept by the Turk.

I Return to my old task against Pineda, and of him I demand, Who else are said to arise about the time of Christs Passion, be∣sides Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? He hath alreadie answered a 1.1 Moses also lived again, if long since he died once. I answer; Why doth he make a needlesse If? The Scri∣pture saith expressely, he died, Deut. 34.5. and he was an hun∣dred and twentie yeares old when he died, vers. 7. and he was buried, vers. 6. If he died not, yet then first was he partaker of celestiall blessednesse, saith Pineda, after Christ was risen. But in Christs life (say I) Moses and Elias appeared in glory, and spake of his decease, Luk. 9.30, 31. They were not onely glo∣rified, but they did appeare gloriously to Christ, and his A∣postles, before his resurrection. And if S. Ambrose hath such words as Pineda citeth, we may trulier reply, b 1.2 We never read that Moses was, or was seen in heavenly glorie, after Christ arose, but before.

2. From this his pendulousnesse concerning Moses, he de∣scendeth to others, c 1.3 David was one of them, and was not ex∣cluded. I confesse with the divine S. Augustine, that if any did arise to the eternall glory both of their souls and bodies, David may be thought to be one (neither then will I ex∣clude Adam, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and other Patriarchs under the law of Nature) but Augustine in the same 99 Epi∣stle ad Euod. cited by Pineda, proveth by divers reasons, that they who arose out of their graves, arose not then to an eternall happinesse.

3. Yea, but Sophronius in his Sermon of the most blessed Virgins Assumption, evinceth (saith Pineda) that David did then arise; because S. Peter, speaking of the death of David, Act. 2.20. saith not, His bodie was at Jerusalem; but, His sepul∣chre is with us. Cajetan on Aquin. part. 1. quaest. 53. artic. 3. ad∣deth (ascribing it to Hierom) that S. Peter said, d 1.4 Whose SE∣PƲLCHRE is with us; as if he durst not say, Whose BODIE is with us. Bishop Bilson in the place afore-cited, is either for us, or dubious, in the rere or end; although he be perem∣ptorie and adverse to us in the front and beginning: for he holdeth, That it would somewhat impeach the power of Christs resurrection, if it were able to raise the Saints to life, but not to preserve them in life. I answer, The question is not of what Christ could do, or can do; but what he did do, and what was done. A Posse ad Esse non valet argumentum. And if he imagineth that it impeacheth the power of Christs re∣surrection, unlesse de facto the raised Saints be now alive in their bodies, (which is his intent;) any indifferent reader will say he is amisse, and ought not to square the power of Christs resurrection to his own fancie. Yea, but saith he, The whole fact will seem rather an apparition, then a true resurrection. I answer, If he take apparition for a phantasticall vision, and meer imagination, or a delusion of the senses, his meaning is not to be suffered: yet in a good sense and at large it may be called an apparition; for they appeared unto many, Matth. 27.53. A true apparition, and as true a resurrection. A true resurre∣ction is of two sorts: the first, and the last; a good, and a better resurrection: of which I spake before. One eternall: Such was Christs; Christ dieth no more, death hath no more dominion over him, Rom. 6.9. and, He hath the keyes of death, Revel. 1.18. yea, he alone was blessed with this resurrection: hereaf∣ter we shall; Every man in his own order. Christ the first-fruits, afterward they that are Christs, at his coming, saith the Apostle, 1. Cor. 15.23. The very time is expressed. S. Paul wrote this after Christs first coming; yea after his resurrection many yeares: and therefore you must needs interpret it of his second coming, as is most evident by the context: Therefore either

those Saints are not Christs, or they shall arise at his last coming; and therefore have not risen to an eternall resur∣rection. The other true resurrection is temporarie: Thus some were raised in the Old Testament, and some in the New: and though they died again, I dare not say their resurrection was an apparition. And as out of doubt some of them who were raised by the Prophets, or by Christ in his life time, died sooner then other: so if any of them had died within three or foure dayes, yea within an houre or two after that their resurrection; yet had it not been an apparition onely, but a true temporary resurrection. As, if a childe should die the third instant after the souls infusion, there were a true union, and a true death: so if one should die again presently after a resur∣rection, there must needs be both a true reunion, resurrection, and a second death; God reuniting the soul, and again sepa∣rating it, and disposing of the creature without its wrong, to the glorie of the Creatour.

If I be bold with Bishop Bilson, he is as bold with S. Au∣gustine, and sleighteth his reasons, and crosseth the very argu∣ment which Aquinas magnifieth, and which we have now in hand concerning David. All the Reverend Bishops words are too large to be transcribed; you may reade them, pag. 217. and 218. I will onely single out such passages, as shew him to be singular or dubious in that point. That David is not ascended into heaven, doth not hinder (saith he) but David might be translated into Paradise with the rest of the Saints that rose from the dead when Christ did: but it is a just probation, that Davids bodie was not then ascended, when Christ sat in his hu∣mane nature at the right hand of God. Again he saith, Augu∣stine hath some hold to prove that David did not ascend in body when Christ did, or at least not into heaven, whither Christ ascend∣ed; because in plain words Peter saith, * 1.5 DAVID IS NOT ASCEND∣ED INTO HEAVEN. But (saith he) either the bodies of the Saints slept again, when they had given testimonie to Christs resurrection: or they were placed in Paradise, and there expect the number of their brethren, which shall be raised out of the dust: or lastly, Da∣vid was none of these that were raised to bear witnesse of Christs resurrection; but onely such were chosen, as were known to the per∣sons then living in Jerusalem. So farre Bishop Bilson.

Before I come to presse the argument, let me desire the Reader to observe these things in the forecited words, and to censure accordingly. That the Saints may be in Paradise with their bodies, but not in Heaven. Is there any paradise but in heaven? and when S. Paul was in paradise, was he not in the third heaven? Shall the Saints that rose upon Christs resurrection, and (if they ascended at all) ascended upon his ascension, Shall they (I say) be taken up from the earth,

and not be glorified? or being glorified, not be with Christ? Shall they be kept at distance from the blessed spirits of An∣gels and men, that attend upon the Lambe; and hang between the earth and that heaven where their Redeemer reigneth? Secondly, against his former determination, and against the rea∣sons which he brought to confirm it, he saith, Either the bo∣dies of the Saints slept again, (But doth it not impeach the pow∣er of Christs resurrection? or will it not seem an apparition, rather then a true resurrection, as you before reasoned?) or they were placed in Paradise, or David was none of those who were raised to bear witnesse of Christs resurrection. You see now his resolution is come down; but S. Augustines argument is sound, that David was not excluded from that priviledge, which other ancient Fathers and Patriarchs enjoyed, if they enjoyed them. Bishop Bilson himself confesseth, that David ascended not when Christ ascended; but Christ sat in his humane na∣ture at the right hand of God, when Davids bodie was not ascended. If not then, when did he or they ascend? or how were they witnesses of his ascension? Lastly, that the Fathers before Christ were in blisse, is out of doubt: that they were in some mansion of heaven, is probable: that they were com∣forted and made happier by Christs exaltation, may be be∣leeved: But that either the souls of the Patriarchs, and Da∣vid, are not with the other blessed Angels and spirits of men now where Christ is; or that the Apostles and Evangelists, and other most holy disciples of Christ, do not follow the Lambe wheresoever he now is, but are in a paradise out of heaven; seems strange divinitie, somewhat touching on the er∣rour of the Chiliasts. But I leave Bishop Bilson, in this point unlike himself; he being a chief of our worthies, famous above thousands for a most learned Prelate.

4. And if from the ground of S. Augustine, and the words of S. Peter, I do not demonstrate that David rose not to an eternall resurrection; I am much deceived. The confessed ground of S. Augustine is, That it is hard and harsh to exclude David from being one that arose, if any arose, to eternall life: so that if David arose not, none may be thought of them so to arise, as to ascend in their immortall bodies to heaven; since he had greater gifts or priviledges then some of them, and as great as almost any of them. But say I, David was none of those that arose; or if he did, he ascended not into heaven. And this I will undertake to prove by S. Peter. For first, S. Augustine in the same Epistle saith, The intent of S. Peter was to prove that these words, Psal. 16.10. Thou shalt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption, were spoken of Christ onely, and not of David: and the Apostle evinceth it by this reason, Because David did

die, and was buried, and his sepulchre is with us, that is, his bones and his bodie, and his ashes are yet with us: whereas if Da∣vid had bodily ascended, they would have fitted David as well as Christ; who died, and was buried, and his sepulchre remained; but his bodie was not incinerated, neither was his flesh corrupted, as Davids was, but ascended: And so the A∣postles argument had been impertinent. Secondly, it is said most remarkably, Act. 2.34. David is not ascended into the heavens: But Christ is by Davids confession.

Note first the force of the Antithesis. Secondly, observe that S. Peter spake this after Christs ascension into heaven; whereas if any arose to incorruptible glorie, they arose or ascended with Christ; and so, by just consequent, before this time when S. Peter spake these words: yet the Apostle saith, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, He is not yet ascended, or, He hath not ascended into the heavens. Again, though David were in heaven in his soul long before that time, as we say; or if he went up out of Limbus Patrum, as some Papists say: yet cer∣tainly someway he was not ascended, when S. Peter thus preached. If any way he ascended not, it must needs be in bodie or soul. They dare not say, He ascended not in soul: and therefore we may boldly say, He ascended not in bodie; unlesse they will shew us some third nature in David that might ascend, which thwarteth both Philosophie and Divi∣nitie.

5. Moreover, the Turks now inhabiting Jerusalem keep the sepulchre of David, forbidding entrance to all Christi∣ans into it, as every traveller into those parts knoweth; and they questionlesse respect the sepulchre, as containing the bo∣die, bones, or ashes of David there present and unremoved. Lastly, if David ascended not when Christ did, or a little af∣ter, which is evidenced from the words of S. Peter; our enemies themselves will not say that he ascended long after, or of late: Therefore David is not ascended bodily as yet, howsoever Pineda fancieth.

O Most mercifull Saviour, the sonne of David, the Lord of David; who hast supereminently the Key of David; and openest and no man shutteth, and shuttest and no man openeth: when in all contritest humilitie I cast my self down to the gates of hell, I beg, and call, and crie unto thee, that thou wouldest shut them; And open unto me (I beseech thee) the gates of heaven, and lift up for me those everlasting doores, that I may come in to thee the King of glorie, and sit at the feet of thy servants in those celestiall mansions. Grant this, O most Blessed Jesu, for thine own sweet name sake, and for the merit of thy death and passion. Amen.

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Notes

• a 1.1

  At fuerit quo{que} re∣divivus Moses, stolim diem suum obiit.
• b 1.2

  Mosen nunquam in caelesti gloria legimus postquam, sed antequam Christus resurrexit.
• c 1.3

  Neque abfuerit om∣nino David.
• d 1.4

  Cujus sepulchrum apud nos est; quasi non ausus fuerit dicere, cu∣jus corpus apud nos est
• * 1.5

  Acts 2.34.