A Scourge for a Railer, Treatise · Part
Manifest truths denied.
VntoUnto these vntruths vnshamfastly affirmed, shall bee added also diuers truths as immodestly denied.
1. That there is not one word through his whole booke, which doth insinuate so much as any suspition of Limbus patrum. 2. b. p. 5.2. b. p. 5. How vntrue this is, the Preface doth evidently shewe, wherein the imputation of this opinion is iustified by twenty seuerall places out of this hell-harrowers bookes.
2. He saith, he censureth no man at all. 2. b. p. 87.2. b. p. 87. How false this is, see before his bitter railings against Doct. Reynolds, and others.
3. That Bellarmine findeth not fault with Beza for trā slating foreign, cadauer, in that place of Gen. 37. but in this place of the Acts, p. 123.2. b. p. 123. Yet Bellarmine directly affirmeth,Bellar. lib. 4. de Christ. anim. c. 12. res. 4. 14. ad 1. ration. animam nunquam accipi pro cadauere: that the soule is neuer taken for the carkasse: and therefore consequently he findeth fault, whosoeuer shall any where take anima, for the carkasse or flesh; and yet himselfe so taketh it, Gen. 37. 21. and therefore he is contrary to himselfe.
4. To say▪ I confesse the word sheol, Psal. 6. 4, 5. doth properly signifie the graue, when I plainly confute it, is properly to belie me. 2. b. p. 127.2. b. p. 127. Who euer heard such a forgetfull and wilfull man? for whereas he whome he confuteth, readeth that place thus; In hell, who shall praise thee? This cavillous and friuolous obiecter, sheweth, it should bee read rather thus; who shall giuegive thee thanks in the pit? where the word in the hebrew is sheol. besheol.And h… further addeth, by which last word, all our late interpreters, both Latine and English, doe with one consent vnderstand the graue, as beeing the ordinarie sequel of temporall death, both of the good and bad; but yet can extend no further, then to their dead bodies onelyonly. 1. b. p. 12.1. b. p. 12. Doth he not manifestly affirme, that sheol is here taken for the graue, and therefore findeth fault with his aduersarie, for there reading hell? If any then be here a lier (to returne his owne vnmannerly tearme) he hath made a lie of himselfe.
5. He denieth that more goe to the graue then to hell. 2. b. p. 128.2. b. p. 128. And yet all, both good and bad, goe vntounto the graue,Sheol pro quo in scripturis nos fere (infernus) legimus, sepulchrum significat, quod nunquam saturatur. Bucer in Math. c. 27. the place of corruption: where he obiecteth, that many wicked men want the honour of buriall, so doe many of the godly also; yet they all hauehave a place of rest in the earth, where there bodie corrupteth. Therefore, it is a maruell with what face hee could denie a thing so apparant, that more goe to the graue then to hell,See Pet. Marlinus in cap. 30. seeing it is called in Iob, Iob.the house appointed for all the liuing, cap. 30. v. 23.
6. He denieth that he censureth any interpreter at all, or that he calleth them wranglers, which take sheol for the graue in the olde testament; but saith, that the Replyer is rather an immodest wrangler in so saying. 2. b. p. 151.2. b. p. 151. And yet these are his owne words, Howsoeuer some curious linguists may wrangle with the hebrew word sheol in the olde testament, &c. 1. b. p. 14.1. b. p. 14. What now will this vaine man be ashamed to denie?
7. Because it (that is hades) is all one with Abyssus, which I confirme not by the wordes of S. Luke, as you vntruely affirme, but by the words of Beza himselfe vponupon this place. 2. b. p. 155.2. b. p. 155. Now let vsus see his owne words in his former booke, which are these; The truth whereof doth more euidently appeare,Luk. 8. 31 foreign. in that the same Greeke word is by the same Euangelist rendred in another place, by another Greeke word, as Beza himselfe doth interpret it, &c. 1. b. p. 14. Is it not now apparant, that hee first confirmeth that point by the words of Saint Luke, which he indeede further explaneth by the wordes of Beza: but first he citeth the Euangelist.
8. No English translators turne (sheol, graue) in this place, but pit: Psal. 6. 5. 3. b. p. 26.3. b. p. 26. whereas the Geneua translators read thus; in the graue who shall praise thee?
9. To say that nothing is said in scripture to be quickened, which is not apt to die, containes both falshood and impietie. 3. b. p. 90.3. b. p. 90. But when this railing companion shall be able to produce any instance in scripture to the contrary; he shall be discharged of falshood & impiety, for this matter: which till he can perform, they doe cleaue as a proper badge and cognisance to his sleeue, that it may be known what master he serueth: for he bringeth no place to any purpose, but that Ezech. 13. 18. where the prophet speaketh as well of killing soules, as preseruing soules aliue.
10. It is false, when you say, that if I hold those disobedient spirits to hauehave beene in hell at the time of that preaching vntounto them, 3. b. p. 119. 3.but now are not; I agree with the Papists, that Christ descended to emptie Limbus patrum, for they hold onelyonly the holy Patriarks and Prophets, &c. to hauehave beene in that place, to whom that sinne of disobedience cannot be imputed. Who would denie this consequent but he? for if any were deliuered out of hell, either they were the righteous there holden captiue, or the damned: but of those there is no deliuerance. He therefore so holding, must also with the Papists hold Limbus patrum, or maintaine a more grosse error, or heresie rather, that the damned in hell may be deliuered thence. As for the reason taken from the sin of disobedience, his ring-leader and grand master might hauehave satisfied him therein;Bellar. lib 4. de Christ. anim. cap. 13. that the Apostle speaketh of such incredulous persons, qui in fine vitae poenitentiam egerint, which repented in the ende of their life.
11. He denieth that Beda is any whit more pregnant for him then the rest. 3. b. p. 126.3. b. p. 126. Concerning the exposition of that place, 1. Pet. 3. 19. whereas Beda in these three maine points approoueth that exposition. 1. by the spirit he vnderstandeth not the soule of Christ, but his diuine spirit. 2. by the preaching in the spirit, his beeing by his holy spirit in Noe, and other holy men: and by the incredulous, those which in the daies of Noe liued carnally.
12. And in these three very points, Augustine also concurreth with him: and yet hee is not ashamed to say, that hee is clearly against you. 3. b. p. 127.3. b. p. 127. The exceptions which hee taketh to auoide these cleare expositions of these two fathers, are friuolous and impertinent. 1. That Beda speaketh of preaching by conuersation, Saint Peter of a ministeriall action of the word: but this is not the question, what manner of preaching it was; but by whom performed, whether by Christ, as man in his soule; or as God, by his diuine spirit. 2. Beda speaketh of preaching before the flood: So also doth Saint Peter, or else he beggeth the thing in question; which is, when this preaching was. 3. Augustine vnderstandeth not by prison, hell. p. 127.3. b. p. 127. This is none of the three points, wherein we lay claime to Augustine. 4. He taketh flesh for the body onelyonly; So doth the Replyer here, howsoeuer hee thinketh it may in other places be more largely taken. 5. Augustine readeth, which were in prison, not which are: This beeing graunted, yet hee in those three maine points before alleadged, confirmeth the Replyers exposition. 6. Both Augustine and Beda, by the spirit here vnderstand the holy Ghost. Ans. As though Christ also in his deitie by nature is not a spirit; or as though the workes of the Trinitie are inseperable, but that which one doth, the other doe also? All this cannot excuse him of vnshamefast boldnesse, that dare denie the exposition of these two fathers to make for the Replyer.
Thus the vntruths which hee obiected to the Replyer, are repaied home vponupon himselfe, and in his owne net are his feet caught: the fraud and craft whereby he subtilly fought to vndermine an other, hath supplanted himselfe: it had beene good for him, if he had remembred that saying of Menander: foreign: that no lier can any long time be hid. Did he thinke, that his vntrue surmises and fraudulent accusations would neuer come to be examined? He obiecteth often to the Replyer, that falshood is growen into an habite with him: But whosoeuer will take the paines to lay together all his sophisticate stuffe,4. Imputation. and immodest leasings, can thinke no other but that he hath made a couenant with deceit and fraud: the saying is, vse bringeth perfectnes: and he hath vsed so much to speake vntruly, that he is growne to such a facultie and dexteritie therein, as that he can doe little els: and while he maketh no conscience in deuising tales, he sinneth still and staieth not, because he seeth it not: according to that excellent saying of Cyprian, Serm. de Livore.Dum peccatum existimatur leve & modicum, non timetur, dum non timetur, contemnitur, dum contemnitur, non facile vitatur, & fit coeca & occulta pernicies: while sinne is thought but a light and slender thing, it is not feared, while it is not feared, it is contemned, while it is contemned, it is not shunned, and so the mischiefe is secret and hidde.