A nevv eight-fold probation of the Church of Englands divine constitution prooved by many pregnant arguments, to be much more complete then any Geneuian in the world against the contrary assertion of the fifty three petitioner-preachers of Scotland in their petition presented in the later Parliament to the Kings most excellent Maiesty. With a ten-folde probation of the same churches doctrine touching one of the most important points of our creede, which is of our sauiours descending into Hell. By Iames Maxvvell. Master of Artes, &c.

A Demonstration of Christs Descending into Hell.

LIke as the dissensions and diffe∣rences in matter of faith be∣twene Christian and Christian, Greeke and Latine, Papist and Protestant, haue prooued the greatest scandall and offence, to those that are without the bo∣some of the Church, and the greatest hinderance of both Iewes and Gentiles conuersion vnto Christ, that euer the hand of hell brought into the world, or the diuell did de∣uise; so the contentions and dissentions, the diuisions and differences, arising betweene Protestant and Prote∣stant (which haue a number of new denominations such as sorrow and shame will not so much as once suf∣fer me to mention) haue prooued questionlesse the grea∣test scandall of our reformed profession, and the chiefest cause of many Papists auersenesse from Reformation. And this may sufficiently appeare by their daily obie∣cting, and hitting vs in the teeth with our diuisions and differences, and telling vs that our Church is so farre de∣noide of Vnitie, that euen the reformed subiects of one & the same Soueraigne cannot be brought to an agree∣ment in the matters and manner of Gods worship. Wit∣nesse, say they, there repugnant expositions vpon that article or particle of faith, touching Christs descending into hell, their discrepant doctrines touching the Prin∣ces

ecclesiasticall power, their generall auersenesse from Prelacie, with their differences in matter of ceremonie, Sacramentall Ministerie, and Church-sernice. And what other thing else (say they) can it be, but a manifest token of a weake and ruinous Religion, to say no worse, when as the professours thereof, * 1.1 can neither agree with other Christians, nor yet with themselues according to that saying of our Sauiour, Euery kingdome or house diuided a∣gainst it selfe shall be brought to desolation? For the preuen∣ting of which euill, and the remooning of which cursed scandall and cause of offence, seeing that Almighty God hath raised vp our Soueraigne, and endued him with a most diuine Spirit, both for pregnancie, and peaceable∣nesse, far beyond all the other Princes of the earth, yea and far beyond many professed diuines; * 1.2 and that hee hath euen chosen our Iacob, and taken him from the endes of the earth, and called him before the chiefe thereof, (to speake with the Euangelicall Prophet Isay) to be the chiefe instrument of so glorious a worke; let vs in the consideration thereof, both acknowledge the inestima∣blenesse of the blessing that Almightie God offereth vs, by the hand of his seruant, (for Concord and Vnitie, especially in the matters of God, is an inestimable bles∣sing vnto man, and a thing most acceptable and agrea∣ble vnto God) and let vs likewise acknowledge the fa∣nourable prouidence of God towards vs, disposing all things as for our greatest good, so for our chiefe comfort and contentment; in that he hath beene graciously plea∣sed to picke out a King of the North, to be the Bringer and Brocher of this blessing vnto vs, according to that in the Prophet, saying, I haue raised vp from the North, and he shall come, * 1.3 from the East Sunne shall he call vpon my name: and euen such a King of the North, as hath loued vs so deerely as hee hath done, and who would not for all the kingdomes of the world, bring the Church of God, or

his owne natiue Country, into any corrupt or dishonou∣rable condition. No, I dare take it vpon my soule, that it is his zeale and loue towards the glorie of God, the ho∣nour and credite of our Country, and the happie and more perfit constitution of our Church, that hath set him a worke, about so blessed a businesse, as the working of a perfit agreement and full conformitie betweene the Churches of these two kingdomes. For I suppose that no man is so far deuoide of comon sense, but seeth suffi∣ciētly how that both Pietie & Policie, Religion of Church and Reason of State, doe require that Britaines, which are the worshippers of one true God, the seruants of one Sa∣uiour, the children of one Church, and the subiects of one and the same Soueraigne, should agree in all things belonging to Gods worship, especially. in all matters of faith, such as is this present point of Christs descending into hell. The which though all Christians doe professe to beleeue according to the letter, yet we can not say that our verball or literall profession thereof, is seconded with a solide consent in the meaning and sense. For first the Papists vnderstand it of Christs descending in his soule to a certaine region or habitacle of hell, called Limbus Patrum to deliuer the fathers; an opinion voide of all good warrant: for we shall make it more then apparant In our Latine disputation of the seate of soules, both by Scripture and Doctors, by authoritie and arguments, that the soules of the beleeuing people vnder the law, went not downe into any corner of hell, (for all that they can say to the contrary, and though Zuinglius ioyne with them herein) but to Paradise. And as for our Protestant writers, we see how some, namely, the Geneui∣ans expound it of Christs suffering the sorrowes of hell in his soule before his death, denying his descending in soule after death into hell, to deliuer the faithfull from descending thither, and to conquer and binde Sathan in

his owne strongest holde, (though Mr. Caluin did not denie his foresaid locall descending after death, but ac∣knowledged it;) others expound it idly of Christs buri∣all, others of his continuance in the graue vnder the power thereof for three daies; others of his translating into the state of the dead, and others most ridiculously haue deliuered that by the descending of Christs soule into hell, is to bee vnderstood, no other thing but the ascending thereof into heauen: all which opinions are false, fanaticall and friuolous; and the doctrine of the Church of England, and of some other reformed Prote∣stants of Germanie, is only orthodoxe, and true; to wit that our Sauiours soule beeing seuered from the Bodie, which lay in the graue three daies, went downe into the very loathsome dungeon of the damned, for our sakes (and not into any superiour Limbus Patrum as Papists do dreame) partly to deliuer his elect children from descen∣ding thither, and partly to binde Sathan in chaines of darkenesse, and to triumph ouer him in his strongest hold. The which doctrine is verified and iustified both by Scriptures authoritie, and Churches testimony, euen both by Gods word and mans. First, by typicall prefigu∣ration, secondly by propheticall prediction, thirdly by pregnant historicall allusion, fourthly by euangelicall explication and application, fiftly by apostolicall asseue∣ration, sixtly by all ancient Christians common and Catholike confession, seuenthly by Primitiue Doctors consent & vnanime profession, eightly by the most part of learned Protestants ingenuous reception, & subscrip∣tion, ninthly by irrefragable reason and demonstration, tenthly and lastly, by the consideration of such opposi∣ons, dissentions and contradictions as the oppugners of our Sauiours locall descending haue fallen into about this point, and of the absurde, vnlearned, and ridiculous, yea impious expositions, that the Genenians haue deui∣sed

of such Scriptures as do most cleerly euince the truth of this article. The impiousnesse of which their doctrine shall appeare by our showing, how in some things they doe iumpe with the Iewish enemies and opposers of the Messias his suffering death, and descending into hell, to destroy the author of death; and in some things with the ancient Hereticks Arrians and Apollinarians, which did denie our Sauiours humane reasonable soule: and there∣fore did expound those places of Scripture, wherin men∣tion is made of the beeing of our Sauiours soule in hell after his death, in the same manner that the Geneuians, and other vpstarts haue done of the preciser sort, Whereas the Doctors of the Primitiue Church, which oppugned those heretickes, did expound them as the Church of England: I meane the reuerend Bishops and other lear∣ned Doctors thereof, that haue beene since the daies of King Edward the sixt, of famous memorie, vntill this present time of the happie raigne of our most learned and religious Soueraigne King Iames the sixt. Which be¦ing well considered, the Church of Scotland shall see, how that they haue a thousand times better reason for them, to ioyne with the Church of England, and with the ancient orthodoxe, and true Catholike Christians, then to iumpe with the new Geneuians or any of the condemned hereticks in the expounding such places of Scripture.

I.

And first I say that there is in the Scripture, * 1.4 typicall prefiguration both personall and reall, of our Sauiours descending into hell; namely, Iosephs putting into the pit without water; by his brethren mentioned in the 37. chapter of Genesis; and Ionah his being in the belly of the Whale in the midst of the sea three daies & three nights, as it is in the first and second chapters of his prophesie. And therein our Sauiour himselfe affirmeth that Ionah

was a type or figure of him, and that his foresaid conditi∣on was a figure or signe of his owne being after death in the hart of the earth, * 1.5 as it is in the twelfth of S. Matthewes Gospell, for as Ionas, (saith our Sauiour) was three daies and three nights in the whales belly, so shall the sonne of man be three daies and three nights, in the beart of the earth. The which cannot be vnderstood of our Sauiours buriall, as our Geneuians would make vs beleeue; for his graue was not neere the heart of the earth, nor Christs body was not in the belly of the earth, but both were in the head, face, or top of the earth, and not within it, but without it, for it was a tombe hewen out of a rocke as it is in the Gospell, and so those words of Ionah were verified in the person of Iesus really, * 1.6 Out of the belly of hell cried I, and a∣gaine, Thou hast brought vp my soule from the pit: for as Io∣nab was in the middest of danger, without danger, in the bottome of the sea, without being drowned, so was our Redeemer Iesus in the middest of danger without dan∣ger, and euen in the bottome of the fiery pit without be∣ing burned, or consumed thereby; as Ionah was in the belly of the Whale without being destroyed, so was Ie∣sus his soule in Leuiathans belly, which is hell, without be∣ing deuoured of Leuiathan, the roaring and denouring Lyon. And as Ionah as brought vp from the bottome of the sea; so was Iesus his soule, brought vp from the bottome of the pit, wherein is no water, but all fire, and is so deepe that it is said to bee without bottome. And as Iosephs being in that pit without water, and Ionahs being in the Whales belly, and in the bottome of the sea, were personall types and prefigurations of our Sauiours bee∣ing in hell, so haue we in the Scripture, reall types and prefigurations thereof, for as the bloody Sacrifices of the law, did shaddow out our Sauiours bloody sacrificing of his blessed Body vpon the Crosse for our sins, in which doing he shut vp all those bodily and bloody sacrifices,

with a solemne Consummatum est, saying, it is finished; so the burnt offerings of the law, did fore shew how our Saui∣our should offer his soule for an holocaust or burnt offe∣ring, * 1.7 according as the Euangelical Prophet Isay had fore tolde, saying in the fiftie three chapter: He was taken out from prison and from iudgement, and was cut out of the land of the liuing; for the transgression of my people was he plagued, * 1.8 hee made his graue with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no wickednesse, and hee shall make his soule an offering for sinne, &c. Hee shall diuide the spoile with the strong, because hee had powred out his soule vnto death. In which words the Prophet pointeth out our Sauiours im∣prisonment, araignement, iudgement, execution, the crucifying and burying of his bodie, which was the bloody sacrifice, that put an end vnto all bloody sacrifices, with his pow∣ring out of his soule vnto death, and making it an offering for sinne, to wit a burnt offering. Where obserue well, that though our Sauiour offered his very soule, to be a burnt offering for the expiation of the sinnes of our soules, as hee had done before, his bodie for a bloody sacrifice to expiate the sinnes of our bodies, yet had not the flames of hel any power thereupon, in which respect the three children were a type of him, in their walking in the midst of the seuen times hote fiery furnace, * 1.9 without any hurt, as it is in the third of Daniel. Yea Daniel himselfe being in the Lyons den, without any harme, as it is in the sixt chapter, was a type and figure of our Sauiours con∣quering condition in hell; that though hee had offered the Lambe of his blessed body to the shambles of the shame full and accursed crosse to be slaine, and the Turtleedoue of his diuine soule to the hote furnace to be burnt: (such bur∣ning loue he bare vs) yet could not hell fire take any hold thereon, but was free among the dead, as it is in the eighty eight Psalme, that is to say, * 1.10 free from the tormenting flames and paines of hel fire. And though he was laid in

the lowest pit in darknes and in the deepe (as the Psal∣mist there subioyneth, immediately prophesying of Christs descending into the lowest hell, and not into any vpper Limbus patrum) and that he was brought downe in∣to the diuels darke dungeon, into the den of the roaring and deuouring Lyon, to haue seased vpon his soule, and to haue kept it captiue; yet was the diuell disappointed, and was so far from detaining our Sauiours soule in cap∣tiuitie, as that he himselfe was by him captiuated & boūd vp in chaines of darkenes; for the Apostle to the Ephesi∣ans, * 1.11 testifieth that he led captiuitie captiue. So that he that did once lye downe, and couch as a Lyon (as the Patri∣arke Iacob in blessing his Son Iudah prophesied of Iesus, * 1.12 the Lyon of the tribe of Iudah,) so soone as the denouring olde Lyon the diuell, hauing him in his denne, began to rowse and stirre him vp, and to encounter with him, (for then was the King of heauens great Lyon baiting) hee left of to be Couchant, and became Rampant, and graspling with him, gaue him the foile, and entered to the spoyle, according as Iacob had prophesied, saying, Iudah as a Ly∣ons whelpe, * 1.13 shalt thou come vp from the spoile, and Isay likewise (in the place before alleadged) saying, He shall deuide the spoile with the strong, & as the A postle in the Epistle to the Colossians testifieth that he did, saying, and hath spoiled the principalities and powers, * 1.14 and hath made a show of them openly.

II.

Secondly our Sauiours descent into hell, is in the Scripture not onely by typicall prefigurations, both per∣sonall and reall, as hath bin now shewed; but also by ex∣presse propheticall predictions. For Dauid, who was both a type and a Prophet of Christ, prophesieth of it in many places, * 1.15 and namely, in the 16. Psalme saying, Thou wile not leaue my soule in hell, and in the 18. The sorrowes of hell hane compassed me, and in the 13. Lord thou hast led forth my soule out of hell, and in the 88, Thou hast laid me in the lowest

pit, in darkenesse and in the depth: and so hath Zacharie pro∣phesied of his descending into the very dungeon of the damned, * 1.16 (and not into any Limbus patrum as the Papists suppose) when he saith in his ninth chapter, prophesying there of Christ. I haue loosed thy prisoners out of the pit, wher∣in is no water. And if any one aske what these prisoners were, that were thus loosed by our Sauiours descending; I answer, that all the elect soules of Gods children were in effect prisoners of hell, and that they were indeed de∣liuered and loosed out of that prison, by the vertue of Christs personall descending, though they were not pre∣sentially and personally there themselues. For God doth deliuer men from dangers and euils tam praeueniendo quam subueniendo, aswell by preuention before the fall, as by subuention, when they haue fallen. The Romane Do∣ctors indeed, expound this place of Christs descending into a certaine blacke border of hell, which they call Limbus patrum, to deliuer the Patriarkes soules from thence: for as for the pit or prison of the damned, from thence they hold there is no redemption. But truly they are deceiued in their opinion, for the pit or prison where∣unto our Sauiour did descend, is called the lowest pit in the Scripture, and so must needes bee the prison of the damned; Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit in darkenes, * 1.17 and in the deepe, (saith the Prophet Dauid) prophecying of his Sons descending into the Iowest hell. And the Prophet Zacharie calling it a pit without water, intimateth that it is a pit full of fire, and consequently no Limbus patrum, nor blacke border of hell fire, but hell fire it selfe. And in our Latine disputation of the Seate of Soules, as we shall proue both by Scriptures authoritie, and Fathers testimonie; that the soules of the faithfull Iewes before Christ, were in no subterraneall pit or prison, but in Paradise: so shall we dispute another noble question, whether or no, the soules of the vertuous Gentiles were deliuered from the

lowest pit, * 1.18 at our Sauiours descending, and whether this place of Zacharie of our Sauiours loosing of those priso∣ners of hope out of the pit, wherin is no water, and that of the Psalmist, of the breaking of the bondes of such as did dwell in darkenes, and sit in the shaddow of death: and that of the Prophet Isay, * 1.19 prophecying of our Sauiours preaching libertie to the captiues, and to them that are bound, * 1.20 the opening of the prison, as it is likewise in the Gospell of S. Luke, and those words of S. Peter, when hee saith that our Sauiour being dead in his body, but quick or liuing in his Spirit (for so readeth the Syrian text) went by the same Spirit and preached to the Spirits in prison, which were in times past disobediēt. And finally, those other words of the same Apostle, for vnto this purpose was the Gospell preached also vnto the dead, that they might bee condemned according to men in the flesh, but might liue accor∣ding to God in the spirit: * 1.21 whether I say these places of Scrip∣ture and others the like wherein mention is made of our Sauiours spoyling of hell and Sathan, and of his leading captiuitie captiue, may perhaps be probably vnderstood of his powerfull and mercifull deliuering from hell, some of the soules of the vertuous Gentiles, as of their Philo∣sophers, Law giuers, Gouernours, Kings, Queenes, and other priuate persons renowned for their wisedome, prudence, fortitude, temperance, bounty, chastity, iustice, mercy, and generally for their ciuill carriage, and morall conuersation, such as were Hermes Trismegistus, Zoroaster, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Pythagoras, Homer, Phocilides, The∣ognis, Epictetus, Cicero, and such as were Hercules, Theseus, Cyrus, Solon, Lycurgus, Aristides, Cimon, Timotheus, Epamis nondas, Tarina, Camilla, Nicaula, Pauthaea, Penelope, Artemi∣sia, and others the like. For my owne part I doe professe such loue to those vertuous wights, for their vertues sake, that I had rather condemne twenty such opinions, as that of the subterraneall Limbus patrum, then to damne

eternally the soule of one Socrates, or of one Cyrus, let alone of a Salomon: concerning whom, we shall likewise dispute the question, whether his soule went to Paradise, or to the hell of the damned; and shall proove the salua∣tion of his soule, against Cardinall Bellarmine, and other his Romish damners, by many authorities & arguments.

III.

Thirdly our Sauiours descending into hell, * 1.22 is in the Scripture by pregnant historicall allusion. In the booke of Iob the greeke interpreters allude thereunto most e∣uidently, for the English of the Septuagints reading of the 17. verse of the 38. chapter is thus, Were the gates of hell opened vnto thee for feare, and did the Porters of hell at the sight of thee, shrinke for feare? and in the translation accor∣ding to the hebrew, it is thus, Haue the gates of death beene opened vnto thee, or hast thou seene the gates of the shaddow of death? and in the Gospell, * 1.23 our Sauiour himselfe alludeth disertly thereunto, when he saith in the Gospell, Else how can a man enter into a strong mans holde, except he first bind the strong man, and then spoile his house: where note, how that immediately before, hee spake of his casting out of diuels, and his ouercomming of them, which argueth that Christ was to conquer the diuell; for all his strength in his owne house, and both to foyle him, and spoile him in his owne strongest hold.

IIII.

Fourthly, our Sauiours locall descending into hell is in the Scripture, by Euangelicall explication or applica∣tion; for S. Matthew in the same twelfth chapter, * 1.24 where he entreateth of our Sauiours casting out of diuels, and of his entering into the strong mans house to binde him and spoile him, testifieth, that Ionah in his being three daies and three nights in the Whales belly, was a type or figure of our Sauiours being three daies & three nights in the heart of the earth; which cannot be vnderstood of

the place of his Body, but of the seate of his soule, as wee haue showed before.

V.

Fifthly, * 1.25 Christs locall descent into hell, is in Scripture by Apostolicall asseueration. For first, S. Peter the prime Apostle in the second of the Acts, mentioning both the parts of our Sauiours humanitie, to wit his soule and flesh, showeth how God had preordained that neither should his soule be subiect to detention or destruction in hell, nor yet his body to detention or corruption in the graue: * 1.26 and he expoundeth the Prophet Dauids words, in the six∣teenth Psalm: Thou will not leaue my soule in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption, of the resurrection of Christ; that his soule should not be left in hell, neither his flesh should see corruption. For as the resurrectiō could not be atchiued without a combination of Christs bo∣dy and his soule; * 1.27 so it behoued the soule, aswell to rise in a manner out of hell, where it lay downe like the Lyon couchant of the tribe of Iudah; as the body to rise out of the graue or tombe, where it was laide. The same Apo∣stle in his first Epistle teacheth the same doctrine, in two seuerall places; the one where he saith that Christ beeing put to death, concerning the flesh, but quickned in the Spirit (ac∣cording to the greeke text, or being quicke and liuing in the Spirit, according to the Syrian) went by the same Spirit, and preached vnto the Spirits in prison; the other, where he saith that the Gospell was preached vnto the dead, to the end that they might liue according to God in the Spirit. And as S. Peter, the prime Apostle (for so the Scripture calleth him) in the three places now alleadged affirmeth Christs descen∣ding into hell in his soule, * 1.28 so S. Paul in as many places doth the like. The first place is in the tenth to the Ro∣manes where he affirmeth both his ascending into heauen, and his descending into the deepe or bottomlesse pit which is hell. * 1.29 Say not in thine heart (saith hee) who shall ascend into

heauen that is to bring Christ from aboue? or who shall descend into the (a byssus) deepe or bottomles pit, that is to bring Christ from the dead? where note that the Greeke word abyssus, which our English haue translated, the deepe is neuer ta∣ken for the graue, but for hell and the bottomlesse pit, it is often taken, as in Luke the eight, * 1.30 in the ninth of the Re∣uelation thrise, in the eleuenth once, and in the twentieth twise; where it is likewise called Sathans prison, and the lake of fire and brimstone. The second place where S. Paul teacheth Christs descent into hell, is the fourth to the Ephesians, thus, Now in that hee ascended, what is it, but that bee also descended first into the lowest parts of the earth? where the lower or lowest parts of the earth can signifie no other thing but that, * 1.31 which he calleth the deepe or bottomlesse pit in the Epistle to the Romanes; for as he ma∣keth an expresse opposition betweene ascending and de∣scending, which are contrary motions, so doth he between the two opposite places, to wit, the highest part of heauen, and the lowest part of the earth. The third and the last place is the second to the Colossians, where speaking of our Sauiours Mediatourship, hee vseth these words a∣mongst other, * 1.32 And hath spoiled the principalities and pow∣ers, and hath made a show of them openly, and hath triumpbed ouer them in himselfe; for so readeth the Syrian text, and the Greeke text likewise in most part of bookes, together with the Latine of Saint Hierome, of Erasmus, of Dela∣nus, of Castalso, of Stephanus, of the Tigurins or Leo Iuda, and of Arrias Montanus; where as the Geneuian translation of Beza attributeth this triumph to Christ on the Crosse, contrary to the common translation, and exposition of tenne of the Doctors of the Primitiue Church, as shall bee shewed other where. And truely Christ did triumph ouer the Principalities and powers when as hee did binde Sathan, and by his presence terri∣fie

the whole infernall forces, the which thing hee did not on the crosse, for there hee suffered himselfe to bee foyled and ouercome; but hee did it in Sathans owne house, and strongest holde. So that his triumph began in hell, in respect of his soules diuine vanquishing of the diuell, like as it began in the graue, in respect of his Bo∣dies powerfull rising from death to life; and it was fi∣nished both in soule and body, when hee gloriously ascended into heauen. So that they are mightily de∣ceiued which doe thinke our Sauiour triumphed ouer Sathan and hell vpon the crosse; for atriumph doth al∣waies follow vpon a perfit victorie, and doth not goe before it, much lesse before the conflict, as our Geneuians would ridiculously haue it. Thus we see twentie ex∣presse passages of Scripture for our Sauiours descending into hell after death, (for so many haue we alleadged from the first to the last,) where as the Geneuians can not pro∣duce so much as one text bearing, that Christs soule went not to hell: only out of two texts in the Gospell, they draw an argument against his descending; the one in that he said to the penitent thiefe, To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise: * 1.33 the other in that he said a dying; Fa∣ther into thy hands I commend my Spirit: but neither doth the one nor the other argument conclude punctually. First the argument doth not follow; Christs Spirit was in his fathers hands, Ergo it was not in hell; for Gods hands is in hell aswell as in heauen, according to that of the Psalmist, speaking of our Sauiour, belike by way of prophesie; If I ascend into heauen thou art there, if I lie downe in hell thou art there; * 1.34 yea the hand of the Father was with his Sonne in hell, in a fatherly manner fortify∣ing him, in his conflict against the furie of the whole infernall forces, like as his hand and Spirit, was with him to raise him vp from the dead, * 1.35 as the Apostle teacheth.

Neither doth the other argument follow, Christ was that day or night in Paradise; Ergo he did not descend into hell; for to speake nothing of his beeing in Paradise in his Godhead, I say that in his very soule hee might without all repugnancie; haue gone first to Paradise, which was the place due vnto him, beeing considered as a most perfit and iust man, free from sinne; and after∣wards to hell, which was the place due to all sinners, and euen to him, in so farre as hee became the pledge, and surety for sinners, a sufferer for them both of death and dishonour, and a deliuerer of them from sinne and Sa∣than, from Gods hatred and hell. But Godwilling in our Latine disputation of the Seate of soules, we shall han∣dle the point of our Sauiours going to Paradise more accurately; where wee shall likewise dispute the questi∣on of the place, situation, existence, and vse of the terre∣striall Paradise, and shall by certaine probable argu∣ments make it apparant; how that it was created in the heart of the world vpwards, like as hell was created in the heart of the earth downwards. And there shall wee refute an errour of the learned Spanish Iesuite Pererius and of our Geneuians touching the non-existence of Para∣dise; like as in our worke called Dies Domini, which deli∣uereth the doctrine of Hebrewes, Greekes and Latines, Theologians, Philosophers and Historians; touching the worlds beginning, lasting and ending, wee doe refute the same Iesuites, and some of our owne Protestants com∣mon errour touching the worlds beginning, in the moneth of September; and that by diuers new argu∣ments, besides the authorities of Theologians, Astrologi∣ans and Philosophers.

VI.

Sixtly, as the holy Scripture doth auouch our Saui∣ours descending into hell, in his soule after death, in the

foresaid fiue respects; so doth the Catholicke or vniuer∣sall Churches common Confession of faith auerre it; as may appeare by our common Creed, commonly called the Creede of the Apostles, wherein after the mention of our Sauiours buriall, is immediately subioyned his de∣scending into hell, like as after his rising from the dead, he is said to haue ascended into heauen. Neither could this point haue beene expressed in plainer words then it is, for plainnesse was fittest for the expression of the common faith of Christians. The motion of ascending and the place thereof heauen, are both of them taken literally and properly; and therefore their contraries, descending and hell must likewise be properly taken, with∣out running to a figure. And we may as well denie that in the Creed, ascending signifieth a local motion vpwards, and that heauen signifieth the seate of God, and the re∣ceptacle of the blessed Spirits, and with all, say that by our Sauiours ascending into heauen, is signified no other thing else, but his enioying of some spirituall solace and heauenly ioy; as to denie that his descending is a locall motion downewards, and that hell is the seate of Sathan and of his slaues, and as to say with the Genenians, that by Christs descending into hell, is nothing else meant, but his feeling of some spirituall sorrowes or hel∣lish horror. If hell must be taken by a figure in the Creed, then heauen in the same Creede shall bee but another fi∣gure; and so should our Creed be but a Creed of figures, and our faith, a faith of figures. And to say that there are many Creedes and confessions of faith (wherein there is no mention made of Christs descending into hell) it doth not argue that the authors and makers of those confessi∣ons, did not beleeue this point: for other clauses are likewise often wanting, as namely, in the Nicene Creede, these words, Borne of the Virgin Mary, he was buried, hee sit∣teth

on the right hand of God, I beleeue the Catholike Church, the communion of Saints, the resurrestion of the body, and the life euerlasting, aswell as those wordes, he descended into hell. And yet the Fathers (no doubt) were aswell perswaded of these things they left out, as they were of those things they put in. Againe, it is sufficient that in none of the Creedes and confessions that euer were published aboue threescore, the descending of Christ into hell is denied: for yee shall not reade in one of them all, such a clause, I beleeue that Christs soule beeing seuered from the bo∣dy, went not downe into hell, but ascended vp into hea∣uen. But not onely is it not denied so much as in one Creede of many: but also it is affirmed expressely, in some Creedes, as namely, in that of the Apostles, and in that of Saint Athanasius, and implicitly it is in all the Creedes and confessions that euer were made, for more then fifteene hundreth yeares toge∣ther: for it is implied in the word suffered, and in the word died. For in Christ the Mediatours death, are these three parts; the separation of the soule from the body, the collocation of the body being dead in the graue, as being the bodies chamber of death, and the migration of the seuered soule into the blacke house of death, which is hell; where it behooued the soules of all men to bee im∣prisoned, except the Sonne of God, by descending into that dungeon, had deliuered and exempted all beleeuing soules from descending. * 1.36 For he it was that brake those gates of brasse, and brast the barres of yron asunder, and to him the gates of hell and of death were opened for feare. It is certaine that Christs soule went to some place after death, and in the Creede wee finde no place mentioned, but hell, or heauen: now in it there is mention made, of his descen∣ding into hell after death, but there is no mention made of his soules ascending, vntill at what time being risen, after forty daies aboade with his Disciples, hee ascended

visibly, in his whole humane nature. And that he ascen∣ded not into heauen, before that time, wee may gather it out of his owne wordes to Mary Magdalen, * 1.37 saying, Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father; & there is not so much as one letter in the whole Scripture, that sheweth that our Sauiour was to ascend twice to heauen, or that his soule was to descend twice from heauen: the which double descension and ascension, are inferred necessarily of the Geneuian doctrine. And as the word died, in the Creede, doth imply our Sauiours descending in soule, to the house of death, though not to dye, (for Christs soule could not dye) but to ouercome death, and to destroy the author of death, the diuell, (as the Apostle speaketh) so doth the word of suffering the like. * 1.38 For Christ suffered the greatest humiliation and deiecti∣on that could be, for mans cause, and therefore it behoo∣ued his soule to be humbled vnto hell, and without this hee had not beene subiected to the highest degree of humiliation in his soule, as hee was to bee, answerably to the humiliation of his body, which was in the highest degree, euen vnto the death of the crosse: like as for that cause God exalted him, both in body and soule, in the highest degree, * 1.39 (as the Apostle teacheth.) So that we see that Christs locall descending into hell, is denied in no Creede, but expressed in some, and implied in all.

VII.

Seauenthly, the locall descent of Christs soule into hell, is confirmed by the common consent, and con∣stant profession of the Doctors of the primitiue Church, in their Sermons, Homilies, Commentaries, Expositions and Glosses, vpon the places of Scripture aboue allead∣ged, about twenty in number; and vpon the Creede, especially this article thereof, as shall bee shewed more

particularly in our Latine worke by the expresse testi∣monies of these three and forty Fathers, Doctours, and writers, Hebrewes, Greekes and Latines, Thaddaeus, Ignatius, Iustinus Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullianus, Origines, Cyprianus, Arnobius, Lactantius, Eusebius, Athanasius, Hilarius, Socra∣tes, Basilius, Gregorius Nazianzenus, Ambrosius, Hieroni∣mus, Ruffinus, Epiphanius, Chrysostomus, Augustinus, Cassia∣nus, Caesarius, Philippus Presbyter, Cyrillus, Primasius, Euthy∣mius, Theodoretus, Leo, Ʋigilius, Fulgentius, Cassiodorus, Beda, Titus Bostrensis, Didimus, Ioannes Damascenus, Theo∣phylactus, Oecumenius, Bernardus, Prudentius, Petrus Chrysologus, Rabbi Hoccadosh, Rab. Simeon: whereunto shal be added, some sixe or seauen Councels, as of Ephesus, Chalcedon, Alexandria, Constantinople, Toledo, Arles and others. So that if the Fathers of the Church haue any weight or authority amongst the Geneuians, they shall soone see themselues in a manifest errour which God grant they may as soone amend.

VIII.

Eightly, Christs locall descent into hell after death, is confirmed by the ingenuous reception and subscrip∣tion of the most part of learned protestant writers, as we shall show in our Latine worke, by the testimonies of some thirty; to wit, Luther, Calum, Peter Martyr, Bullm∣ger, Pomeran, Pellican, Chytraeus, Aepinus, Bucer, Illyricus, Selneccer, Lossius, Hemingius, Aretius, Rulandus, Marlerat, Vrbanus Rhegius, Lauater, Vitus Theodorus, Mylius, Muscu∣lus, Mollerus, Westhemerus, Heresbachius, Felinus, our coun∣trimen Alexander Alesius, or Aeleis, Bishop Latimer, and Robert Samuel Martyrs, Deane Nowell, Master Foxe, with the reuerend Bishops and learned Doctors of Fngland, in the time of King Edward the sixt, and afterwards, to this present day of the happy raigne of King Iames the

sixt, together with the whole Lutheran Protestants in Denmarke, Norway, Sweden, Poland, Boheme, Hungary, and other parts of Germany, with some of those, whome they call Caluinians; as namely, that most learned and iudicious Italian diuine, Hieronymus Zanchius.

IX.

Ninethly, the doctrine of Christs locall descending into hell, is prooued by irrefragable reasons: for first the doctrine of the Church of England doth illustrate, com∣mend and magnifie, the loue of God towards mankinde, where as the doctrine of Geneua obscureth, ecclypseth, and diminisheth it, exceeding much. For it is an argu∣ment of great loue, that the Sonne of God would daigne to descend from his throne, and seate of maiestie, into this earth of vilitie and misery, which is his foote-stoole: but it is an argument of farre greater loue, that for our sakes, he would yet descēd lower, euen so low, as to take upon him the shape of a seruant, and in that shape to suf∣fer so shamefull a death, as that vpon the crosse; but it argueth the highest degree of loue that could bee, in that for our sakes hee would descend so low as into the lowest hell, the vile and loathsome dungeon of the damned, to the end that we should not descend thither, nor be damned. Secondly, the very Ground, whereup∣on the Geneuians doe found their doctrine of Christs suffering the pangs of hell, doth prooue pregnantly this very point, which they denie of Christs descending in∣to hell in his soule. The ground is this, It behooued the Mediatour of sinfull mankinde to suffer what was due to sinfull mankinde, whereupon it followeth necessa∣rily, that he suffered the highest degree of humiliation, to wit to be humbled vnto hell in his soule, as his Bodie was humbled vnto the shame of the crosse, & the graue,

for sinfull mankinde had deserued this deiection, and should haue beene humbled so farre for his sinfull and proud rebelling against God, if our Redeemer had not humbled himselfe in our stead and for our sakes to ex∣empt, and deliuer vs from this ignominie. Yea their very doctrine is contradictory to it selfe, for they hold that Christ was to suffer the torments of hell in his soule, and yet they will not haue him goe to hell; which two asser∣tions cannot well stand together; for though that the soule may feele the horror, or apprehend the feare & ter∣ror of hell, out of hel, * 1.40 & that our Sauiours soule did so in the garden and vpon the crosse, according as the Pro∣phet Dauid had prophesied, of him saying, the sorrowes of death and of hell, haue compassed me about, and as our Saui∣our said of himselfe, My soule is very heauy euen vnto the death, and as the Euangelists doe testifie of him, that hee began to waxe sorrowfull: and grieuously troubled, to bee afraid and in great beauinesse, and euen in such an agonie vpon the apprehension of the fearefull cup of Gods wrath, that he sweat drops of blood, and afterwards cried out, that he felt himselfe in a manner forsaken of his Father, for our sakes for a while; all which soule-suffering, the Apostle Peter calleth by the name of the sorrowes of death, and Dauid, the sorrowes of hell; though I say that our Sa∣uiour suffered in his soule for our sakes, these horrours and terrors of hell, in the very garden and on the crosse, yet he could not suffer the pangs, paines, or torments of hell, without being in hell, no more then one can enioy, the ioyes of heauen out of heauen. But the truth is, that Christs soule was no more capable of those tor∣ments of hell, then it was of desperation or damnati∣on. And though he descended into hell, yet it was not to suffer torment, but only the highest degree of humilia∣tion and debasement, and with all to begin his highest

exaltation in the same very place, where his lowest hu∣miliation did end. Thirdly, the doctrine of the Church of England doth magnifie and set out the Maiestie of Christs victorie and conquest, where as the doctrine of Geneua doth obscure and diminish the Maiestie thereof. For who knoweth not, but that it is a greater glorie for a King or Captaine to vanquish and conquer his enemie in his owne kingdome, and to make his enemies owne pallace his prison, then to doe it elsewhere? Wherefore seeing our Sauiour atchieued the greatest, and the most glorious conquest that euer was, and triumphed the most magnificently; * 1.41 we must needs beleeue, that he did it in Sathans the strong ones owne house, castle and king∣dome, as it is in the Gospell, and as the Church of England together with the Primitiue doth beleeue and teach; and not that he did it out of hell, or on the crosse, as they iargon at Geneua.

X.

Tenthly and lastly, the veritie of the Church of Eng∣lands doctrine touching our Sauiours descending into hell, may appeare by the contradictions, oppositions, and dissentions, and fanaticall expositions of such as haue oppugned it, or dissented from it; some expounding those words, hee descended into hell, of our Sauiours bu∣riall, others of his detention in the graue, and the most part of his suffering the paines and torments of hell, in the garden, and on the crosse; some haue expounded it of his translating into the state of the dead, and some haue beene so fanaticall, as to say, that his descending in∣to hell, meaneth no other matter but the ascending of his soule into heauen after death. And as some of them haue most vnlearnedly and ridiculously vnderstood hea∣uen by hell in the Creed, and ascending by descending, which is all one with the taking water for fire, or God for the

diuell, so haue they as vnlearnedly and ridiculously con∣strued diuers other places of Scripture. In the sixteene Psalme, by the Hebrew word NEPHESH, * 1.42 and in the se∣cond of the Actes by the Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (both which doe signifie the soule) they vnderstand the body, which is the contrary part, and the other halfe of man, a thing that no learning diuine or humane will suffer. And though a man perhaps might excuse such a simple or single Ig∣noramus as this; yet how can he excuse it, when it is dou∣bled? for those Geneuians will haue the word soule to sig∣nifie the body and a dead body, which in all learning di∣uine, or humane, signifieth alwaies a liuing substance; and either the principall part, which is the soule, and that pro∣perly, or else the whole person, figuratiuely. And as these admirable Metamorphosers of Geneua, turne in one place hell into heauen and descending into ascending, euen blacke into white, and in another place, Christs liuing soule they turne into his dead Body; so doe they turne hell into the graue, for the Hebrew word SHEOL; and the Greeke word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which doe properly and principally signifie hell (as the learned in these languages doe well know, and as we shall show particularly otherwhere, by allead∣ging the testimonies of the best Hebricians and Grecians) but especially when the word of Soule is thereunto an∣nexed, as it is in the sixteenth Psalme, and in the second of the Actes, they do translate Graue and not Hell; which is not only the secondary and improper signification of those two words, but also quite repugnant to those texts of Scripture, wherein mention is made of the con∣ditiō of Christs soule: For though it be true that the said two words doe sometimes signifie the graue, yet it is but secondarily and improperly, and when the word of Body or flesh is ioyned thereunto, but neuer when the word of Soule, is annexed, as it is in those two places of Scripture,

and because they see the absurditie that should insue of saying that Christs soule should be buried in a graue, there∣fore for preuenting one absurditie, they runne into ano∣ther: for as they turne hell into graue, so doe they Christs liuing soule into his dead body, the most blockish and stoc∣kish abusing of Scripture, that euer was heard tell off: yea more, the most impious, for in so doing they ioyne with the professed enemies of Christ both Iewes, Arrian, and Apollinarian Heretickes. For first such Geneuian expositors ioyne with the Iewes, who (as Aepinus the Protestant Su∣perintendent of Hamburge, writeth vpon the sixteenth Psalme) to ouerthrow the certainty of our faith, con∣cerning Christs descension into hell and his resurrecti∣on, did by the word soule, vnderstand life, (though it bee not so bad, nor so farre fetcht as Bezas dead bodie) and by the word hell, they vnderstand graue, as the Geneuians doe. And next they ioyne and iumpe with the old Arrian and Apollinarian Heretickes, which denied our Sauiours true humane soule, and therefore vnderstood those Scriptures as the Geneuians doe, and not as the ortho∣doxe fathers vnderstood them, that out of those Scrip∣tures, refuted their fooleries, as Athanasius, Theodoretus, Epiphanius, Cyprianus, Augustinus, Fulgentius, Hieronymus, Ambrosius, Philippus Presbyter, Ruffinus, Cassiodorus, Euthy∣mius, Beda, Petrus Chrysologus, and others whom the Church of England doth follow: all which shall be (God-willing) particularly prooued in our Latine worke. And the Geneuians doe ioyne with the same Apollinarian here∣tickes in vnderstanding by the Spirit of Christ in the third chapter of the first Epistle of Saint Peter, * 1.43 his Diuinitie or God-head, and not his humane Spirit; though the other halfe of his humanitie, to wit his flesh bee there menti∣oned with it: like as in the same text, they turne Christs person, into Noahs, and Christs preaching in Spirit vnto

dead mens spirits after his passion, into Noahs preaching in body vnto liuing men, many hundreth yeares before the passion, and incarnation. Where note how that con∣trary to all learning diuine and humane, they expound the word Spirit of a liuing man, and not of the soule of one deceased. And in the same absurd manner, they turne Christs wrastling vpon the crosse, into triumphing, and make him to sing his owne triumph before his full and absolute victorie. Finally, as in expounding the Gospel they turne the heart or middle of the earth into a Tombe, * 1.44 which was not so much as within the foreskin (if I may so speake) of the earth, so in expounding the Epistle, they turne the lower or lowest parts of the earth, * 1.45 whereinto our Sauiours soule descended, into the vpmost parts or surface of the earth, where in body hee conuersed, when hee was vpon earth. So that they turning thus vpside downe, both in Gospell and Epistle as they doe, we haue as little cause to iumpe or ioyne with Geneua in this point, as wee haue to runne with Rome for the finding out of their fa∣naticall Limbus Patrum.

And thus I haue by a ten-fold probation, cleered the truth of the doctrine of the Church of England touching our Sauiours descending into hell, and haue with all dispelled the cloudes and mistes, both of Romane and Geneuian opinions. For as it is most certaine that our Sa∣uiours soule did after death descend into hell, which our Geneuians doe most vnlearnedly and ignorantly de∣nie, so is it as certaine, that hee descended into the very lowest hell, and not to any vpper region or subter∣raneall Limbus Patrum, to deliuer the Fathers, as the Romanes doe imagine; for wee shall prooue both by Scriptures and Fathers, and many pregnant reasons, that they went presently after death into Paradise; and that there is no other Limbus or lodge for Fathers or Infants

either, but it, nor no other Purgatorie after this life, but the fire of Gods Spirit in the same Paradise. And in the same worke, we shall likewise dispute the question, whe∣ther our Sauiour went first into Paradise, before he went downe to hell; and whether the soules of the Patriarkes, went in his companie, to bee witnesses of his victorie in hell? wherefore I would wish with all my heart, that for the furthering of the peace of the Church, both Romanes and Geneuians, Papists and Puritanes would subscribe vnto the doctrine of the Church of England in this point, and borrow from her the golde of this orthodoxall doctrine, as they would she should borrow from them some thing that they can show as good warrant for, as the Church of England can doe for this. And let them both, doe as they please, one thing I dare vndertake to prooue by publike disputation, in any Colledge in Christendome, and shall shall doe it, (God willing) before a few yeares goe about, in King Iames his Colledge; that the Romanes cannot show so much Scripture, and so many testimonies of Fathers, nor so many pregnant reasons, for any two positions or opinions that they differ in from the Church of England, as wee shall show for this one, tou∣ching Christs descending into the dungeon of the dam∣ned, to deliuer vs from descending. And againe, that all the Geneuians in Christendome (though they should ioyne their whole wits together) shall neuer bee able to show so many authorities, testimonies, reasons and argu∣ments, fetcht from Scriptures, Fathers, and Doctors, for the probation of the whole opinions, that they differ in from the Church of England, as we shall show for the probation of this one position, onely against them. The which being well considered, I hope my Countrey men will not be so fond of euery Glosse, that goeth forth from Geneua, as to take all to bee vndoubtedly true; and that

hereafter they will not applaude promiscuously all their pedling and paltrie opinions; seeing some of them are so absurde and ridiculous, and other some so vnlearned and impious as we haue now showed and can show; how that they commit the like incongruities, absurdities, er∣rours and impieties in their popular paritie, amongst Mi∣nisters, in their lay-presbytery, in their exploding of Pre∣lacie, in their denying of the Christian Princes Ecclesi∣asticall facultie and sacred immunitie from secular coer∣cion and ecclesiasticall censure: and to be briefe, in their suppressing and opposing of such religious ceremonies, and solemnities as haue beene vsed of the ancient Chri∣stians through out the whole world, in the most flourishing and prospering ages of the Church. The which errours and defects, I pray the God of Vnitie and Veritie to giue them grace speedily to amend. Amen.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mat. 12.25. Mark. 3.24.25 Luk. 11.17.
• * 1.2

  Isay. 41, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 20, 21, 25.
• * 1.3

  Isay. 41.25,
• * 1.4

  Gen. 37.24, Ionah. 1.17. & 2.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
• * 1.5

  Mat. 12.39.40,
• * 1.6

  Mat. 27.60.
• * 1.7

  Ioh. 19.30.
• * 1.8

  Isay. 53.8, 9, 10.11.12.
• * 1.9

  Dan. 3.21, 22, 23, 24, 25 26, 27, & 6, 16, 22, 23,
• * 1.10

  Psal. 88.4, 5, 6
• * 1.11

  Ephes 4.8.
• * 1.12

  Gen. 49.6. Reuel. 5.5.
• * 1.13

  Isay 53.12.
• * 1.14

  Colos. 2.15.
• * 1.15

  Psal. 16.10. & 18.5. & 30.3. & 88.6.
• * 1.16

  Zach. 9.11, 12
• * 1.17

  Psal. 88.6.
• * 1.18

  Zach 9.11, 12 Psal. 107.10, 11, 12, 13, 14.
• * 1.19

  Isay 61.1
• * 1.20

  Luke 418. 1. Pet. 3.18, 19 20. & 4.5, 6.
• * 1.21

  Isay 53.12. Mat. 12.29. Ephes. 4.8. Colos. 2.15.
• * 1.22

  Iob 38.17.
• * 1.23

  Mat. 12.24, 25 26, 29, 28, 29.
• * 1.24

  Mat. 12.39, 40
• * 1.25

  Mat. 10.2. Act. 2.26.27, 30.31.
• * 1.26

  Psal. 16.8, 9,
• * 1.27

  1. Pet. 3.18.19 &, 4.6,
• * 1.28

  Mat. 10.2, Mark. 3.16.
• * 1.29

  Rom. 10.6.7.
• * 1.30

  Luk. 8.31. Reuela. 9.1.2.11 & 11.7. & 20.1.3.7.10.14.15.
• * 1.31

  Ephes. 4.8.9, 10.
• * 1.32

  Colos. 2.15.
• * 1.33

  Ioh. 23.43.46,
• * 1.34

  Psal. 139, 8,
• * 1.35

  Rom. 8.11.
• * 1.36

  Psal, 107.14, 16. Iob 38.17.
• * 1.37

  Ioh. 20.17.
• * 1.38

  1. Cor. 15.55. Heb. 2.14.
• * 1.39

  Philip. 2.6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.
• * 1.40

  Psal. 18.4, 5, Mat. 26.37.38 39, 42, 46, Mar. 14.33 34, 35, 36, & 15, 34,
• * 1.41

  Mat. 12.29.
• * 1.42

  Psal. 16, 10. Act. 2.27.
• * 1.43

  1. Pet. 3.18.19.
• * 1.44

  Math. 12.40. & 27.60.
• * 1.45

  Eph. 4.8.9.