A Scourge for a Railer, Treatise · Part 7
The 7. imputation of Blasphemies.
The accusation.
1. The heauinesse which Christ felt in his soule, was not through the horrour of eternall death,Synops. 997. 1004. 1005. as you and others doe blaspheme, &c. 2. b. p. 193.2. b. p. 193.
2. Why doe you not exempt it (that is, the soule of Christ) from all kinde of death whatsoeuer, but then your blasphemous hell torments, which you make a third kinde of death of the soule, cannot stand. 2. b. p. 91.2. b. p. 91.
3. Let the godly iudge whether those your inward afflictions, reach not to the height of sinne and damnation, and so consequently proue your doctrine in this point to be blasphemous, euen by your owne confession. 3. b. p. 67.3. b. p. 67.
4. By this time, I trust eueryevery well disposed Reader doth see, how this your exposition of this prophesie of Dauid, hardeneth the Iewes, encourageth Atheists, iustifieth old damned Heretiks, confirmeth Saduces and Epicures, which deny the immortalitie of the soule, &c. and finally openeth the way vntounto blasphemie, paganisme, and all impietie. 3. b. p. 51.3. b. p. 51.
The iustification.
1. HOw iniuriously this belcher out of blasphemie dealeth with the Replyer, his owne conscience, if it be not seared with an hot yron, knoweth; & there neede no other iudge: for the Replyer in as plaine tearmes as hee could vtter it, denieth that there was in Christ any feare of eternall death,Synops. p. 997. in these words: Wee willingly graunt, that Christ feared not hell fire, nor euerlasting destruction: these authorities presse not vsus, but rather helpe our cause; for Christ neither feared temporall, nor euerlasting death, as these fathers witnesse, and the Apostle saith he feared, Heb. 5. 7. what then remaineth, but that he feared the cup of Gods wrath mixed with death: Cyprian. serm. de passion….and as Cyprian saith, before cited, difficultatem extremi exitus, The difficultie or hardnesse of his last passage, that is, in respect of Gods wrath tempered with it. And in the other place quoted, these are the words;Synops. p. 1004. Though Christ neither felt, nor feared euerlasting death, yet he both felt and feared his fathers displeasure that causeth it. 7. Imputation.What impudencie is this,Great vnshamefastnes in the confuter to charge the Replyer to affirme that which he denieth. to vse his owne tearme (for I may call a spade a spade) to charge the Replyer to affirme that which he instantly denieth: let the charitable reader iudge of him in the rest, as he findeth his faithfull dealing here: when hee quoteth any place out of the Replyers bookes, not rehearsing the words, suspect the like fraud. This false charge then of blasphemie, returneth vponupon his owne head, and by the lawe of retalian and equalitie, he should be censured as a blasphemer, for beeing a false witnesse therein against another.
2. The Replyer freeth Christs soule from all kinde of death of the soule, which is either by sinne, or damnation; though beside these, a kinde of death may be affirmed to hauehave beene suffered by Christ in his soule, Synops. p. 978.in respect of the inward afflictions and perplexitie which he indured, wrestling euen with the wrath of his father: yet hee wisheth this phrase of speech to bee forborne and discontinued; therefore hee freeth the soule of Christ in effect, from all kinde of death of the soule properly so called. Further, if it be blasphemous to say that Christ suffered some of the sorrowes and torments euen of hell in his soule, what thinketh he of that propheticall saying of Dauid, Psal. 18. 3. The sorrowes of hell hauehave compassed me: and Act. 2. 24. he loosed the sorrowes of hell: as the Latine interpreter readeth: doth he also say, that these are blasphemous speeches? nay doth it not come neerer blasphemie, to denie Christ to hauehave suffered in his soule for our soules, and so to rob him of the most glorious part of his passion?
3. And doth he count it also blasphemous, to say that Christ suffered the inward afflictions of his soule? then he most blasphemously must charge the Prophet Dauid with blaspemie,Psal. 88. 15. who saith in the person of Christ, Thy terrors hauehave I suffered from my youth: or as the Latine interpreter whom Augustine followeth, terrores tui conturbauerunt me, thy terrors hauehave troubled mee: For that diuers sayings in this Psalme are propheticall, as that vers. 5. free among the dead. Augustine confesseth, who saith also of this whole Psalme,in Psal. 87. Christi vocem, &c. Let vsus heare the voice of Christ singing in the prophesie. Further, when the Prophet saith,Isa. 53. 11. he shall see of the trauaile of his soule: or, as the Latine interpreter, because his soule laboured: what other trauailes and labours of the soule were these, then the spirituall and internall? And is he not ashamed to say, that these inward afflictions are blasphemous, euen by the Replyers owne confession, as reaching to sinne and damnation: when as in direct words he freeth Christs soule from all sinne and damnation: but not from inward afflictions. Further, if all inward afflictions include sinne and damnation, then he wil fasten vponupon S. Pauls soule sinne and damnation: who confesseth he had fightings without, and terrors within: and so was not voide of inward and spirituall afflictions. This then is the issue, vponupon his owne words, either to denie, that Christ suffered the inward afflictions and terrors of the soule, which to him is inglorious, in denying the most honourable part of his sufferings, or if he did, that he incurred either sinne and damnation, which to thinke were blasphemous.
4. If to vnderstand by nephesh, the soule, that is, the life, in that prophesie of Dauid, Psal. 16. doe breede all those supposed inconueniences; then belike the Prophet Dauid, in saying,Psal. 88 3. My life draweth neere to hell, gaue way and occasion to Atheisme, impietie, blasphemie: for, he there calleth it life, not soule: if those absurdities follow vponupon the construction of the one place, it can not be auoided in the other. Againe, what an absurd consequent is it, that the immortalitie of the soule should fall to ground, and so the Sadduces and Epicures be confirmed, if it be not prooued from this place? As though there be not many more places pregnant in Scripture, to prooue the immortalitie of the soule? And as for iustifying of olde damned heretikes, let him take heede, least by casting Christs soule into hell, the place of the damned, he make not a way for them himself:Treatise of Banisters errors. for two heresies there were, one that Christs soule descended into hell, there to suffer the paines and torments,August. haeres. 7…. which the damned spirits abide: an other, that Christ by descending into hell, deliuered all which were there in torment: to these heresies they come nearer, which affirme Christs locall de…cent in soule to hell, then they which denie it.
Then to returne his owne words: by this time I trust, eueryevery well disposed Reader doth see, how this your obiection of blasphemie reboundeth vponupon your owne head, with shame enough: while he would set fire on an others tower, his owne braines are pasht out with Abimelech: and his serpentine obiections are deuoured of a contrarie serpent: His vncharitable charge, is discharged vponupon himselfe: it no more hurteth the Replyer, then the viper, that leaped vponupon Pauls hand: and as Diogenes wittily said of one, whome he heard to raile vponupon him: foreign, let him also beate me beeing absent: so false calumniations shall no more fasten vponupon the innocent, then blowes vponupon him that is absent. And as for these so improbable and vnreasonable accusations of blasphemie, I may say with the Orator;…cer. Phil. 14. Opinor eum non tam fuisse sceleratum qui fingeret, nec tam furio sum qui crederet: I did thinke he had not beene so leud to imagine them, nor so without wit to beleeue them.
The Recrimination.
I am loath to set vponupon this (chafing Challenger) and to charge him in the same kinde: It is no small matter to lay vponupon any the imputation of blasphemie; seeing the greatest sinne in the world is called by this name. But seeing he which prouoketh, is the beginner of the battell, and the defender doth but take the chalenge, I hope the fault is the lesse, if I shall answer him in his owne kinde, and beate him with the weapon, which he hath chosen. It was a good excuse, which Tullie vseth in answearing Salusts inuectiue: Si mihi forte offendimini, iustius huic quam mihi succensere debetis, qui initium introduxit: If ye perhaps be offended with me, ye ought to be more iustly incensed against him, then me, because he began the quarrell.
1. His presumptuous speeches, and some of them tending to blasphemie, in part are these: 2. b. p. 8.2. b. p. 8. I will comfort my selfe with that saying of our Sauiour: de bono opere lapidor, I am stoned for my good worke: what presumption is this, to compare himselfe a sinnefull man, with the holy person of Christ; and his intemperate, slaunderous, railing, and vncharitable writings, with Christs most heauenly sermons and miracles?
2. He confesseth that Christ loo…ed the sorrows of hell for himselfe: 2. b. p. 37.2. b. p. 37. then it must follow, that he was in the sorrows of hell before he loosed them, whether he saith in soule he descended: (for the knot must first be tied, before it be loosed:) but this he himselfe in many places counteth a blasphemie to affirme: before blasph. 2. 3.
3. The word (openly) prooueth, that it was no triumph at all vponupon the crosse: for that conquest vponupon the Crosse, was openly an ouerthrow, and therefore no triumph. And againe a little after: If Christ triumphed on the Crosse, as you say he did, it was according to the proverbe: triumphus ante victoriam, a triumph before victorie. 2. b. p. 188.2. b. p. 188. What a derogation is this to the triumphant and victorious crosse of Christ, thus contrarie to the Scriptures to say, that it was an ouerthrow, rather then a triumph: seeing the Apostle thus witnesseth,Hebr. 2. 15. that he might destroy thorough death, him that had power ouer death, that is, the Deuill. If the Deuill were destroied by the death of Christ, then was he conquered, and ouerthrowne: how then did he not tremble to say, that the conquest vponupon the crosse, was openly an ouerthrow: and did not our Sauiour himselfe say vponupon the crosse, It is finished: what els was finished, but the redemption of mankind, in deliuering of mankinde from the kingdome of Satan. And was his heart so prophanely caried with the spirit of derision,The Confuter scoffeth at the triumph of Christ on the Crosse. to scoffe at Christ by that vsuall prouerbe, triumph before victorie: this is a more heinous offence, then Ismaels was to scoffe at Isaak. He may remember, whome he scornefully calleth Ismaelites: 2. b. p. 18.2. b. p. 18. Such an Ismaels tricke shall he not finde in all their writings: it were better they were all set on a light fire, then that their pennes should be stained with such impietie. God mollifie his hard heart, that he may in time repent him of this so great iniquitie.
4. As the theefe was partaker of Christs humanitie, in suffering with him on the crosse… so he was partaker with him in all his deitie: 2. b. p. 199.2. b. p. 199. to this ende he tooke vponupon him our humane nature, that we might be capable of his diuine substance: p. 203.ibid. p. 203. if we should not communicate with Christ in all his glorie, &c. we should be no better then the wicked. 2. b. p. 205.ibid. p. 205. What harsh stuffe is this, and fit to be waighed in the ballance of blasphemie, See before Recrimin. err. 9.that we shall be partakers of Christs diuine nature, as he was of our humane: and so the Saints shall become Gods with Christ, as he was made man with vsus.
5. Resurrection is attributed by Peter, as well to Christs soule returning out of hell, as to his bodie rising out of the graue. 3. b. p. 38.3. b. p. 38. What a strange paradox is this? In the Creede we are taught to beleeue the resurrection of the bodie,The Confuter hath deuised a new kinde of resurrection of the soule. but the resurrection of the soule in the next world, was yet neuer heard of: neither hath Peter any such meaning: for that was raised of Christ, which rested in hope: but it was his flesh (not soule) that rested in hope, Act. 2. 26. that is raised, which before was sowne by death: but the bodie onelyonly was so sowne, not Christs soule: both these propositions are S. Pauls: that which thou sowest is not quickened except it die, 1. Cor. 15. 36. so also is the resurrection of the dead: 24. it is sowne a naturall bodie, and is raised a spirituall bodie. v. 44. How farre now is he from bringing death vponupon Christs soule, (which could not be quickened in the resurrection, except it first died) which he himselfe counteth blasphemie.
6. Is there not a most plaine distinction betweene the holy Ghost, The confuter affirmeth a distinction betweene the holy Ghost and Christ, not in person onelyonly, but in the diuine nature.who foretold, and Christ, who endured these afflictions; and that not in person onelyonly (which is the point I stand vponupon) but in nature also, I meane his diuiue nature, &c. 3. b. p. 94. Doth hee not here manifestly affirme, that there is a plaine distinction betweene the holy Ghost and Christ, not in person onelyonly,2. b. p. 94. but in his diuine nature? was this doting diuine well aduised thus to write? What Macedonian heretike would hauehave written more in disgrace of the holy Ghost, then to say he is distinguished from Christ, euen in his diuine nature?
7. And as hee dealeth with Christ himselfe,Error and arrogancie ascribed to Peter by the Confuter. the like measure he offereth his seruants, for thus irreuerently hee writeth of Peter: you thinke all men to be vncleane & impure in comparison of your selues, which was partly Peters error, Act. 10. 2. b. p. 107.2. b. p. 107. But doth hee speake as he thinketh, had Peter such an opinion of himselfe, as to thinke al men vncleane and impure beside: Peter onelyonly held as yet them of the vncircumcision to be vncleane, not of any singularitie of opinion, but because it was not yet reuealed to him.
8. Thus also hee serueth the Prophet Dauid, Dauid almost in hell, in this prophane Confuters opinion.making him almost in hell: for that place, Psal. 94. 14. If the Lord had not holpen mee, my soule had almost dwelt in silence. This place of silence, he ignorantly vnderstandeth of hell. 2. b. p. 149.2. b. p. 149. yet falsly printed 159. But Dauid else-where declareth his hope, that he was sure neuer to goe to hell: when I awake I shall be satisfied with thine image, Psal. 17. 15. This holy Prophet now is much beholding to this (pragmatical Nouelist) in placing him almost in hell.
9. The like censure hee giueth of that holy man Iob, Iob also in hell in his prophane conceit.vnderstanding those his word… the graue (or hell saith hee) shall bee mine house, and I shall make my bed in the darke, Iob. 17. 13. of hell: for the graue is neuer called the place of darkenesse. 3. b. p. 152.3. b. p. 152. and herein hee maketh Iob a figure of Christs beeing in hel, p. 153. What iniury doth this (vnholy glossograph) offer to this holy man, who was most sure he should neuer goe to hell, thus professing his faith; I am sure my Redeemer liueth, &c. Iob. 19. 25.
10. And to end where I began, with his hard vsage, as toward the seruants, so against the Lord and master himselfe: these words of Peter, quickened in the spirit, hee applyeth to Christs soule in this sense; that hee was not made aliue in soule, but kept or preserued aliue. 2. b. p. 85.2. b. p. 85. and alleadgeth to this purpose other places, where the word is so taken:Nehem. 9. 6. as Nehemiah speaking of the heauens & earth,Iam. 1. 21. saith, thou preseruest them: and Saint Iames saith, receiue the word with meekenesse, &c. which is able to saue their soules. Now then, if Christs soule be said to bee preserued aliue in either of these senses,Christs soule subiect either to corruption or damnation, by this profane Confuters words: a most horrible blasphemie. as in the first, then was it saued from death and mortalitie, and corruption, as the heauens and earth are; and so the soule of Christ should not be immortall of it owne nature, but by speciall preseruation: if he take it in another sense, to be saued as our soules are, which is from damnation, then it will follow, that Christs soule was subiect to damnation, as ours are without him, and so had neede of saluation: which way soeuer he saith his soule was saued aliue, hee must needes incurre most horrible blasphemie. Here I may now fitly apply Hieroms words vttered against Heluidius: aduers. Helvid.Illud dico praeveniens, gloriae mihi fore tua maledicta, cum eodem, qu… Mariae detraxistiore, me laceres, & caninam facundiam servus domini pariter experiatur & mater: This I say aforehand, that your railing will bee a glory vntounto me, when as you tare me with the same mouth, whereby you backbite Marie: that both the seruant of the Lord, and his mother, may together hauehave experiēce of your doggish eloquēce. But I may say more, that the seruant neede not thinke much to be slaundered, when as the Lord himselfe is blasphemed.
I am sory in my heart (God is my witnesse) that this man was so farre carried in his vncharitable heate, as not onelyonly to breake charity toward men, but to violate pietie also toward God: and let him remember what the Apostle saith,Hebr. 10. 31. It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God. in Epist. ad Roman.Augustine hath a seuere sentence, Si quis per inuidiam opera diuina blasphemat, quoniam bonis dei, hoc est, donis dei malitia sua resistit, in spiritum sanctum peccare, & propterea spem veniae non habere existimandus est: If any man through enuie doe blaspheme the workes of God, because he by his malice resisteth the good things of God, that is, the gifts of God, he is to be thought to s…nne against the holy Ghost, and therefore to hauehave no hope of forgiuenesse. Let him therefore take heede, lest while hee goeth on, by enuy miscalling the gifts of God in others, counting the defence of the truth blasphemie, hee bee not giuen ouer euen to blaspheme the truth it selfe, and the Lord of truth, and so endanger his owne soule: he knoweth what the ende of blasphemers is: One may say vntounto him,Philip. 2. as Tullie did to Antony, miror te, quorum facta imitere, eorum exitus non perhorrescere: I maruell that you are not afraide of their ende, whose doings you imitate: and let him in time recall his words, and bee sorie for the slips of his penne; lest what he hath erred in word, hee pay for in deed: and for the blots of his penne, feele the smart of punishment, according to that saying of Theophylact: foreign, what we hauehave offended in word, we shall suffer punishment for it in deede.