The triall of truth Containing a plaine and short discovery of the chiefest pointes of the doctrine of the great Antichrist, and of his adherentes the false teachers and heretikes of these last times.

Div. 8.

That Christes soule descended not into Limbus Patrum to deliver the Fathers.

THere vvas one place for all the faithfull after their death, vvhich departed before the coming of Christ in the flesh: * 1.1 But Elias at his departure was carried vp into heaven, and not downe into Limbus: and Lazarus was carried into Abrahams bosome, which can be no part nor region of hell, as it may appeare by these circumstances. First these two places where Lazarus & the rich man were, are said to be farre off one from the other, & to haue an huge distance set betweene them, which is not so likely to be betweene two places which both (as they say) are situated vnder the earth. Secondly it is saide that there is no passage from the one place to the other, whereas the devils themselues passe higher, even to those that liue here vpon earth. Thirdly it is called a place of comforte where Lazarus vvas refreshed and comforted: wher∣as in all likely-hoode there is verie colde comforte in any coast or region of hel. Moreover CHRIST vvas in the ••ore know∣ledge of GOD alambe slaine from the beginning of the vvorlde, & * 1.2 his death vvas then as effectuall to the Fathers to open to them the kingdome of heaven, as it is novve to vs; seeing hee is yesterday and today, and the selfe same for ever, and there∣fore * 1.3 the selfe same Saviour and opener of heaven to them, as to vs, they receauing the same end of their faith, as vvee * 1.4 doe, even the salvation of their soules. For the Fathers vvere the

children of God by faith in Christ, as wel as the faithfull since the ascension of Christ, and therefore heauen, as their inheritance, was due vnto them at their departure out of this life, and therefore they vvere not debarred from the same. And vvhat shal we say, that they vvalked in the broad way that leadeth to hell, or in the narrovv way that leadeth to heauen? And therefore at the ende of their life being the end of their vvalke, vvere they not placed in rest, in that their long longed for and desired countrey, which was prepared for them of God? And vvas not this present life to them, * 1.5 as it is to vs, a time of sowing, and a place of warfare and fight: and the next life a time of reaping and haruest, and a place of crowning and triumphing? Now there is no reaping nor trium∣phing out of heauen: and therefore the fathers, after their seede time and vva••fare ended here in this life, were doubtles brought to heauen being the place appointed for their ioyfull harvest and glorious triumph. And certainely as all those vvhom Christ hath novv reconciled are either in heauen or in earth, as the Apostle testifieth; euen so they were also in the first ages of the church * 1.6 vnder the fathers: and therefore as there are none now in purga∣tory fire, so there were none then in Limbus Patrum. So Saint * 1.7 Austine: the first place the catholike faith by the warrant of divine scrip∣ture beleeveth to be the kingdome of heaven, the second hell, where eve∣ry apostata and infidell is tormented: And as for any thirde place vvee are vtterly ignorant thereof, neither doe vvee finde any such in holie scripture.

Notes

• * 1.1

  He descen∣ded into hell. 2. Reg. 2. 11. Luc. 16. 22.
• * 1.2

  Apoc. 13. 18
• * 1.3

  Heb. 13. 8.
• * 1.4

  1. Pet. 19.
• * 1.5

  Heb. 11. 16.
• * 1.6

  Col. 1. 20.
• * 1.7

  Aust. hypog. lib. 5.