The third part of the Defence of the Reformed Catholike against Doct. Bishops Second part of the Reformation of a Catholike, as the same was first guilefully published vnder that name, conteining only a large and most malicious preface to the reader, and an answer to M. Perkins his aduertisement to Romane Catholicks, &c. Whereunto is added an aduertisement for the time concerning the said Doct. Bishops reproofe, lately published against a little piece of the answer to his epistle to the King, with an answer to some few exceptions taken against the same, by M. T. Higgons latley become a proselyte of the Church of Rome. By R. Abbot Doctor of Diuinitie.

R. ABBOT.

We hold, * 1.1 that all the articles of our Creed are so to be vn∣derstood, as that our faith may make vse thereof concer∣ning our selues, and not onely concerning others. It is a ve∣ry barren and cold construction which M. Bishop maketh of the descending of Christ into hell; that his soule descen∣ded into the lowest parts of the earth, to bring from thence the soules that were detained there by the iust iudgement of God till Christ had paid their ransome. But marke how wisely he setteth downe the matter. All the soules, saith he, departed from the beginning of the world. What; all the soules without exception? the soule of Cain, of Esau, of Ismael, and of other such infidels and reprobates? Well, though he write he knoweth not what; we must take his meaning by that that his fellowes say, a 1.2 that the Patriarchs and o∣ther iust men of the old Testament, were in some third place of rest, called Abrahams bosome, or Limbus patrum till our Sa∣uiour

Christ descended thither & deliuered them from thence. So then, not all soules, but the soules of the iust were deliue∣red by Christs descending into hell. But what? is it the meaning of Christs descending into hell, that he descended into a place of rest? Surely M. Bishop will haue but very bad rest, if he haue no better then is any where to be found in hell. He vpbraideth vs with the improbability of diuers expositions made of this article; but surely this is aboue all other a madde exposition, to say that Christ descended into hell, that is, into Abrahams bosome, into a place of rest. Let him not presse vs with the authority of mens names for the iustification of it; Saint Austin knew their names as well as he, and they could not so much preuaile with him, but that he freely professed, that b 1.3 he could no where in Scrip∣ture finde hell spoken of or named in good part; and saith, that because it is not so read in any diuine authority, therefore Abra∣hams bosome, which is an habitation of quiet rest, is not to be be∣leeued to be any part of hell. And if the Scripture had said that Christ being dead went into Abrahams bosome, not mentioning bell or the sorowes thereof, I woonder if any man would dare thereupon to say that hee descended into hell. So in another place he saith; c 1.4 I doe not finde it any where called hell, where the soules of iust men doe rest; and I doe not see how we may be∣leeue that Abrahams bosome is in hell. And this he obserueth out of the story of the Gospell, where it is that we read of Abrahams bosome; d 1.5 We see that there is no mention made of hell in the rest of the poore man, but in the punishment of the rich. Thus strange it seemed to Saint Austin and vnprobable, which now forsooth wee must take to be a very Catholike construction, that Christ descended into hell, that is to say, into a place of rest. But this placing of Abrahams bosome to be a part of hel, was the deuice of Marcion the hereticke, who borrowed it from the Poets dreame of the Elysian fields;

Tertullian therewith vpbraiding him, that e 1.6 their Christ promised to the Iewes after life ended, rest in hell, in Abrahams bosome; and did determine a reward of rest in hell for them that obeied the law and the Prophets. So doth Origen bring in the Marcionite heretike alleaging, that f 1.7 Abraham was in hell, not in the kingdome of heauen; For by that they talked one to the other, it is vnderstood, saith he, that they were together. But Origen answereth him, that g 1.8 he listeneth not to the great gulfe that is there said to be betwixt them; which he expoun∣deth to be the middle space betwixt heauen and earth, as im∣porting that Abraham was in heauen. Hee obserueth also, that the rich man is said, h 1.9 to lift vp his eies: and men vse, saith he, to lift vp their eies to heauen. The very same reasons Ter∣tullian also vseth to shew, that i 1.10 Hell is one thing, and Abra∣hams bosome is another, because it is said, that a great depthis betwixt those places, and no passage betwixt the one and the e∣ther, and the rich man would not haue lifted vp his eies, being far off, but to a higher place. He expoundeth it therefore to be the receptacle of the soules of the faithfull now depar∣ting, where they enioy rest and peace till the time of the re∣surrection; not in heauen as hee thinketh, but yet higher than to be any part of hell. Amisse indeed in that he exclu∣deth it from being a part of heauen, but yet destroying that Popish fancy whereby it is made a part of hell. For we be∣leeue that the soules of the faithfull goe immediately to heauen; and because in their departure they are said to goe to Abrahams bosome, therefore we beleeue that Abrahams bosome is in heauen, nothing being thereby imported, but what Christ saith in the Gospell, k 1.11 They shall come from the East, and from the West, and from the North, and from the South, and shall sit downe with Abraham, and Isaac, and Iacob, in the kingdome of God. So saith Origen, that l 1.12 all the Saints

which come from the foure parts of the world, are caried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome. In like sort Saint Austin saith of Nebridius, a faithfull man deceased; m 1.13 He now liueth in Abrahams bosome. Now then we are come to this, that be∣cause Abrahams bosome is in heauen, and Christs descen∣ding to hell was no other but his going to Abrahams bo∣some; therefore the meaning of Christs descending into hell is, that hee ascended vp to heauen. It were well that they should first cleere these matters for themselues and make good their owne assertion, before they should take in hand to question ours. Whatsoeuer the meaning bee of Christs desecending into hell, we are sure that that which they bring is vaine and false. Now the article of Christs de∣scending into hell, being according to their exposition im∣pertinent and idle, and no vse to bee made thereof in the Creede, some in respect thereof haue thought the same to haue crept into it of latter time, and not to haue beene there from the beginning; and some, it may be (for I know it not, neither dare I take M. Bishops word for it) haue quite omit∣ted it in the Creed. Neither doe they want inducements heereunto from the ancient church, in which there are ma∣ny Creedes and confessions of faith, in which there is no mention of Christs descending into hell. And heerein we are to note Doct. Bishop to be a man singularly impudent, who alleageth the article to be in the old Roman Creed ex∣pounded by Ruffinus, whereas the words of Ruffinus him∣selfe doe expressely affirme the contrary. n 1.14 We are to know, saith he, that in the Creed of the Roman church it is not added that he descended into hell, neither are those words vsed by the Easterne churches. The Nicene Creed saith nothing of it, which in likelihood would not haue omitted it if it had beene found in the ancienter Creed of the Apostles. Saint Austin hath o 1.15 foure expositions of the Creed in one place, and p 1.16 one in another, and in none of these expositions is it found that Christ descended into hell. Tertullian hath q 1.17 three declarations of the rule of faith, and this point is not

found in any of them. Neither doth Ireneus mention it, where r 1.18 twice he expresseth the Apostolike faith. There is a confession of faith set downe by s 1.19 a Synod at Rome in the time of Iulius the first, another in the t 1.20 first Councel of Con∣stantinople, another in a Councell at u 1.21 Alexandria, confir∣med by the Councel of Ephesus, and many other moe, wherein there is nothing said of Christs descending into hell. Thus from many examples and authorities of the an∣cient church, those men parhaps thinke that they haue warrant to leaue out that article without being culpable of any violation of Christian faith. And although Athanasius and sundry other in their writings haue deliuered this as a point of faith, yet they hold that those acts and instruments of publicke recognition, which are very frequent to this purpose, do ouerwaigh priuate iudgements, and are suffi∣cient to excuse or defend that that is done by them. But for our parts wee see no sufficient reason to moue vs to fol∣low them herein. We see diuers phrases of Scripture ten∣ding to the assertion of this article of our beleefe. We read our Sauiour Christ professing his reioycing to his Father, x 1.22 for that he would not leaue his soule in hell, which is vainely spoken if the soule of Christ were not at all in hell. There∣fore we admit the article, and in the confession of our faith we alwaies recite it, neither doth any man make question to doe otherwise. But M. Bishop excepteth against the va∣riety of expositions that are found amongst vs concerning the same. And what; is there no variety of expositions there∣of to be found amongst them? Doe they all so accord in one, as that we can obserue no difference of one from ano∣ther? first, that learned deuout Authour Durand, as M. Bi∣shop y 1.23 before hath stiled him, doth hold that z 1.24 Christ des∣cended not into hell at all by reall presence, but only by ef∣fect and power. a 1.25 Thomas Aquinas determineth, that by reall presence he went onely to Limbus Patrum, but to the other parts of hell he descended by vertue and power. Bel¦larmine setteth it down for b 1.26 probable, that the soule of Christ

did verily descend to all the places of hell. Thomas Aquinas resolueth, that c 1.27 the soule of Christ was so long in hell as his body was in the graue; and so they commonly hold, as did Vigi∣lius of old, d 1.28 that for those three daies space, the soule of Christ was in hell. But S. Austin holdeth it, a thing impious to be affir∣med, e 1.29 that the soule of the theefe being foorthwith called to Pa∣radise, the soule of our Sauiour should for the three daies space of his bodily death be in custody in hell. Thomas Aquinas is of opinion, that f 1.30 it behooued that Christ should goe to hell, because he came to beare our punishments, so to deliuer vs from the same; and we by sinne had incurred, not onely bodily death, but also going to hell. But Bonauenture saith, and to him Bel∣larmine inclineth, that g 1.31 the soule of Christ when it was in hell was in a place of punishment, but yet without punishment. It should seeme then by these, that there is not so great agree∣ment amongst them concerning this article, as that M. Bi∣shop should haue any great heart to obiect disagreement a∣mongst vs. As for the expositions which he citeth on our part, setting aside the fourth, they all containe truth accor∣ding to the Scripture, though happily they doe not fitly expresse the meaning of this article; yea they all are a∣nouched by some of his owne side. That Christ endured the agonies and anguishes of soule, that belong to our damnation in hell, Caluin affirmeth to bee the meaning of this article. The thing it selfe is affirmed for a truth by their owne Cardinall Cusanus, that h 1.32 the passion and suffe∣ring of Christ, than which none can be greater, was the like as of the damned, which cannot be more condemned, euen vnto the paines of hell; and that Christ would suffer that paine of sense and feeling, correspondent to the damned in hell, to the glory of

his father. The like in effect doth their Friar i 1.33 Ferus dis∣course at large, writing vpon those words of Christ vpon the crosse, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? That this, taken in no other meaning than they speake it is a truth, I haue before shewed in k 1.34 answer to the Preface: but that it must necessarily be taken to be the meaning of this article, I will not contend, because it may be conteined in the other article of the crosse and suffering of Christ. So neither will I say, that it is the intent of this article, that Christ was bu∣ried in the graue, albeit that he was so, is a truth of Scripture; and they that affirme that there is nothing else meant by his descending into hell, may so much the more be confirmed therein, for that Andradius, one of their owne greatest Scho∣lars, and a chosen defender of the Councell of Trent resol∣ueth, that in l 1.35 some of the chiefe places, whereby Christs descent to hell is prooued, there is nothing meant by hell but death and the graue onely. The third exposition ad∣deth nothing to the second, but only a circumstance of con∣tinuance and abiding in the state of death and of the graue; which in like sort is true, though we may well refuse it, as touching the meaning of this article. The fourth expositi∣on which he alleageth out of Luther, Smideline and others, whether truely or not I cannot tell, namely, that Christ af∣ter death went to hell, in soule there to be punished for our sinnes, swarueth indeed from the truth; but yet Suarez the Iesuit out of Medina confesseth, that m 1.36 some Catholikes, as hee calleth them, haue thought the same, namely, that Christ suffered some extrinsecall paines of the damned in hell: and how neerely Thomas Aquinas commeth thereto, we haue seene before. The last construction, which aboue all other he nameth ridiculous, is their very owne, & he leaud∣ly belieth the Protestants, in that hee attributeth it to the most of them, namely, that Christs going to Paradise, is meant by his descending into hell. They say, that the soule of Christ went immediatly to Abrahams bosome, as being a part of hell, there to continue till his resurrection. But yet

he saith to the theefe, n 1.37 This day shalt thou be with me in Para∣dise. It must needs bee therefore by their opinion, that A∣brahams bosome must be Paradise, and so that Christs de∣scending into hell importeth, that hee went to Paradise, which if it be to expound a thing by the flat contrary of it, let him thanke his owne for the folly of it: as for vs we haue no∣thing to doe with it. There remaineth after all these the common receiued opinion of our church, that the soule of Christ being departed from the body, as the letter of the text importeth, went to hell, as a King into the prison, not to be holden in it, but to declare his power and command ouer it; to bid Satan defiance in his owne kingdome, and vpon his owne ground, and in himselfe to carry away, by way of spoile, all them whose person and cause he had vn∣dertaken, and whom he had, by the grace of his foreknow∣ledge and election, made members of himselfe.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Of Christs descending into hell.
• a 1.2

  Greg Marti. Discouery chap. 7. sect. 6.
• b 1.3

  August. epist. 99. Ne ipsos quidem inferos vspiam scriptu∣rarum locis in bonum app••lla∣tos potuti repe∣rire. Quod si nusquam in di∣uinis authorita∣tibus legitur, non vti{que} sinus ille Abrahae, id est, secretae cu∣iusdam quietis habitatio, ali∣qua pars infero∣rum credenda est. &c. si in il∣lum Abrahae si∣num Christum mortuum venis∣se sancta scrip∣tura dixisset, non nominato inferuo eiusq̄; doloribus, miror si quisquam ad inferos eum des∣cendisse asserere auderet.
• c 1.4

  Idem de Ge∣nes. ad lit. l. 12. c. 33. Illud me nondum inve∣nisse confitetor, inferos appella∣tos vbi iustorum anima requies∣••••nt. &c. Et ideo quomodo apud inferos eum (Abrahae sinum) credamus esse non video.
• d 1.5

  Ibid. Videmus inferorum mentionem non esse factam in requie pauperis, sed in supplicio di∣••itis.
• e 1.6

  Tertull. cont. Marc. lib. 3. Vester Christus posi decursum vitae pocticetur apud inferos in sinu Abrahae refrigerium. Et lib. 4. Mer∣cedem refrigerij apud inferos de∣terminat eis po∣sitam qui legi & prophetis obe∣dierint.
• f 1.7

  Origen. de recta in deum fide dialog. 2. Ait in inferno Abraham fuisse non in regno cae∣lorum. Ex eo quòd illi cum diuite colloqui∣um intercesse∣rat simul fuisse intelligitur.
• g 1.8

  Ibid. Ingen∣tem hiatum qui nominatur non attendisti; Me∣dium enim illud inter caelum & terram hiatum vocat.
• h 1.9

  Ibid. Erigens oculos suos: tol∣lere verò oculos in caelum visita∣tum est.
• i 1.10

  Tertul. vt supra lib. 4. Aliud inferi vt puto, aliud quo{que} Abrahae sinus. Nam & magnum ••it intercedere inter istas regiones profundum & transitum vtrin{que} prohibere. sed nec alleuasset di••e•• oculos, & quidem de longinquo, nisi in superiora.
• k 1.11

  Mat. 8.11.
• l 1.12

  Origen. in Genes. hom. 11. Omnes sancti qui de quatuor terraepartibus veniunt in sinum Abrahae portantur ab Angelis.
• m 1.13

  August. Con∣fess. lib. 9. cap. 3. Et nuncille viuit in sinu Abraham.
• n 1.14

  Ruffin. in ex∣posit. symb. Apost. Sciendum sanè est quòd in ecclesiae Romanae symbolo non ha∣betur additum, Descenditad in∣ferna, sed ne{que} in Orientis ec∣clesiis habetur hic sermo.
• o 1.15

  Tom. 9. de symb. vel reg. fidei ad Cate∣chumenos.
• p 1.16

  Tom. 3. de fide & symbolo.
• q 1.17

  Tertul. de praescript. & adu. Praxean, & de veland. virginib.
• r 1.18

  Iren. adu. heres. lib. 1. c. 2. &. lib. 3. cap. 4.
• s 1.19

  Synod. Roma. tom. 1. Concil.
• t 1.20

  Concil. Con∣stantin. 1 cap. 7.
• u 1.21

  Synod Aleu∣and. apud. Cy∣ril. & in Con∣citio Ephes.
• x 1.22

  Acts. 2.27. Psal. 16.10.
• y 1.23

  Preface to the Reader. sect. 5.
• z 1.24

  Durand apud Bellarm. de Christianima. cap. 15.
• a 1.25

  Tho. Aquin. sum. p. 3. q. 52. art. 2. in concl. Christus secun∣dùm effectum in omnem infer∣•••• locum descen∣dit, secùndum verò substanti∣alem praesenti∣••m non descen∣dit nisi ad locum iustorum.
• b 1.26

  Bellarm. de Christianima. c. 16. Probabile est profectò ani∣mam Christi ad omnia inferni lo••a descendisse.
• c 1.27

  Tho. Aqui. vt supra art. 4. in concl. Animam Christi tamdiu fuisse in inferno credendum est, quamdin cor∣pus fuit in se∣pulchro.
• d 1.28

  Vig. ••o. Eutyc. lib. 2. Anima (Christi) per illud triduum in inferno.
• e 1.29

  Augst. cont. Felic. Arian. ca. 15. Si mor∣tuo corpore ad paradisum ani∣ma (latronis) mox vocatur, quenquamnè adhuc tam im∣pium credimus, qui dicere au∣deat, quoniam anima saluato∣ris nostri triduo illo corporeae mortis apud inferos custodiae mancipetur?
• f 1.30

  Thom. Aquin. sum. pa. 3. qu. 52. art. 1. in corp. Conueni∣ens fuit Chri∣sten ad infernum descendere, quia ipse venerat portare poenas nostras vt nos a poena eriperet: ex peccat•• autem homo incurrerat non solum mortem corporis, sed etiam descensum ad inseros.
• g 1.31

  Bel∣lerm. de Christi anima, cap. 16. ex Bonauentura. Dicit Christi animam dum esset in inferno fuisse in loco p••••••ae, sed sine poena.
• h 1.32

  Nicol. Causan. Excitat. lib. 10. ex sermone in iliud; Qui per sp. sanctum se metipsum obtulit. Passio Christi (qua maior nulla potest esse) suit vt damnatorum, qui ••agis damnari nequeunt, scilicet vs{que} ad poenam infernalem. Etibid. Illam poenam sensus conf••r∣nem daemnatis in inferno pati voluit in gloriam der patris sui.
• i 1.33

  Ferus. in Math. 27. Poenam & me∣ritum peccato∣rum (quae sunt Frigus, calor, efuries, sitis, ti∣mor, tr••pidatio, horror mortis, horor inferni, desperatio, mors, infernus ipse) in se trans∣ferens. &.
• k 1.34

  Sect. 13.14.
• l 1.35

  Andrad. De∣fens. fidei Tri∣dent. lib. 2. Animaduerta. mus infernum hoc loco (solutis doloribus infer∣ni. Act. 2) pro morte atque sepulchro He∣braeorum di∣cendi more vsurpari, vt Psa. 15. is quem mox Petrus citat, Quoniam non dere••••quisti an man in in∣ferno. &c.
• m 1.36

  Suarez in Thom. Aqui. p. 3. q. 52. art. 8. disp. 43. §. 1. Me lina dicit a iquos Catholi∣cos sensisse Chri∣flūpassū esse a∣liquas extrinse∣cas poenas dāna∣•••••••• in inferno.
• n 1.37

  Luk. 23.43.