A General View of Papistry, Book 3 · Part

A General View of Papistry · Book 3 · Part

p. 596HERE FOLLOW SVCH CONTROVERSIES AS doe arise betweene the Protestants and Papists, about the natures of Christ.

WE hauehave now through Gods gracious assistance entreated of all those questions, wherein we dissent from our aduersaries, both as touching all the offices of Christ, his propheticall office, kingdome and priesthood: as likewise concerning the benefites purchased by the death of Christ, the benefites of our redemption, and saluation. Now, in the last place we are to prosecute such matters in question betweene vsus, as doe concerne the natures of Christ. And this treatise containeth three controuersies. First, of the humane nature of Christ. Secondly, of his diuine nature. Thirdly, of them both considered together.

THE EIGHTEENTH GENERAL CONTROVERSIE, CONCERNING THE HVMANE NATVRE OF CHRIST.

THis Controuersie is diuided into these questions. First, of the vbiquitie of the humanitie of Christ. Secondly, whether he encreased in wisedome. Thirdly, whether he suffered in soule. Fourthly, whether he descended into Hell. Fiftly, concerning the place of Hell.

THE FIRST QVESTION, OF THE VBIQVITIE OF the bodie of Christ, whether his humanitie be eueryevery where.

The Papists.

THey doe seeme in words mightily to impugne this opinion of the Vbiquitaries, error 97 as they are called, which doe erroniously hold, that the humanitie of Christ is eueryevery where, as his deitie is, and that the properties of one nature are p. 597really imparted vntounto the other: whereupon it followeth, that the humanitie of Christ is eueryevery where, because it is verely vnited, and made one person with the Godhead in Christ. This opinion the Papists would be thought to detest and abhorre: and the Iesuite bestoweth great paines by sundrie arguments to confute it: as by diuers places of scripture, Math. 28. He is risen, he is not here, vers. 6. Iesus sayd, Lazarus is dead, and I am glad, for your sakes, that I was not there, Ioh. 11.4. Ergo, Christ, as he is man, is not eueryevery where. Againe, the opinion of the Vbiquitaries doth ouerthrow the article of Christs ascension: for if Christs bodie be eueryevery where, as they hold, he can neither ascend nor descend, Bellarm. de Incarnation. verbi. lib. 3. cap. 11.12.

The Protestants.

IT is true Catholique and sound doctrine, that the humane and diuine nature are truely vnited in Christ, and doe make but one person, or hypostasis, neither by confusion of the natures, nor conuersion of one into the other, but by vnitie of person: for as the bodie and soule make one man, so God and man is one Christ. And the better to vnderstand this mysterie, we must set downe these three positions.

1. Though the two natures in Christ be so vnited, that they make but one person, yet neither the natures are confounded, nor yet the properties: but as Christ is both God and man, so there is in him a double power, will, and vnderstanding, one humane and created, the other diuine and vncreated.

2. By reason of this vnion, all the excellent graces of the spirit in the highest degree, and aboue measure, are giuen and bestowed vponupon the humanitie of Christ, Ioh. 3.34. but such notwithstanding, as destroy not his humane nature, but are qualities created, as his humanitie also was created.

3. There is also a mutuall communication of the proprieties of both natures each to other, though not really in respect of the natures: So we say in Concreto, in the concrete, that is, taking the whole person of Christ, that Christus homo, that is, the man Christ is omnipotent, is eueryevery where: and Christus Deus, that is, Christ being God, died for vsus, was buried, rose againe: but in the abstract it is great blasphemie to say; that the Godhead of Christ died, was buried, or rose againe, or that the humanitie of Christ is omnipotent, or in eueryevery place.

The Vbiquitaries now hold, that there is a reall communication of the proprieties of both natures: & therfore doubt not to say, that the flesh and bodie of Christ is eueryevery where in all places at once. The Papists in outward shew are enemies to that opinion: but indeed, and in truth, as it shall now appeare, they are not farre off from being in the same error.

First, the same arguments which they vrge against the Vbiquitaries, doe returne vponupon themselues: for although they will not say, that Christs bodie is euerie where, yet they hold that it may bee in a thousand places at once, yea and more to, if the Sacrament be at once in so many places celebrated: for Christs bodie is reallie and verely in the Sacrament. But those places alleadged, He is risen, he is not heere, and the rest, doe proue that p. 598Christ can be but in one place at once. This their opinion also is against the article of Christs ascension, and abiding in heauen till the day of iudgement: for if the same bodie wherein Christ sitteth in heauen, be in the Sacrament; either when he is present in earth, he is absent in heauen, contrary to the scripture, Act. 3.21. which sayth, The heauens must containe him till that all things be restored: or els, if he be in both places at once, they must needes make his bodie infinite, and so destroy the nature of his humanitie, which can be but in one place. If they say it is another bodie and flesh, which Christ by his diuine power maketh to bee present in the Sacrament, that were much more absurd: for then Christ should hauehave many bodies, and other flesh then that which was borne of the Virgine Mary. We see then they are not farre off from the opinion of the Vbiquitaries.

Annot. Apocal. 6. sect. 1.Rev 62. The Rhemists doe approue that argument, whereby Hierome proueth that the Saints may eueryevery where be present at their bodies & monuments: They follow the Lambe, whither soeuer he goeth: but the Lambe is in eueryevery place: therefore they that be with the Lambe Christ, be present eueryevery where. Whereupon it followeth, that the Lambe Christ in humanitie must be eueryevery where: for how can he be present els in innumerable places at once, where any reliques or monuments of Saints are? Neither can they excuse this vbiquitarie presence of the humanitie of Christ and the soules of Saints, by their agilitie and celeritie: because they can quickly passe from one place to another: for if they must bee present at their monuments, whensoeuer they are called vponupon, they must of necessitie be often in many places at once: for in one and the same instant, men may resort to their monuments which are in diuers places farre asunder. Thus they are driuen not onelyonly to graunt an vbiquitie or omnipresence of the humanitie of Christ, but euen of Saints also: which those whom they call Vbiquitaries would neuer graunt.

3. The bodie of Christ is visible and palpable now in heauen, and hath a place according to the quantitie of his bodie: Bellarmine confesseth as much, cap. 12. But that bodie which is in the Sacrament hath none of these properties, it is neither seene, nor felt, neither hath a place according to the quantitie of a bodie, for they close it vp in small round cakes. Wherfore destroying these properties of the humanitie of Christ, they may as well, and do in effect, take away the other, namely, the being of Christs bodie in one place: for it is as proper to the bodie of Christ to be seene and felt, as to be in one place at once.

4. Bellarmine granteth, being vrged with that argument, that Christs soule was in Paradise after his passion, and therefore not in hell: he confesseth, that it was not impossible that Christs soule should be in two places at once, Lib. 4. de Christi anima. cap. 15. Yea he sayth, that Christ may, if he will, turne al the world into bread, and the bread so made conuert into his flesh; and so his bodie may be as well in eueryevery place of the world, as now it is in the Eucharist, Lib. 3. de incarnat cap. 11. What great oddes now, I pray you, is there between the opinion of the Vbiquitaries and of the Papists? but that they say, that the bodie of Christ p. 599is eueryevery where ordinarily by the power of the Godhead: the other say, his flesh is in many places at once by a miracle. The one sayth, Christs bodie actually is in eueryevery place: the other, that it may be if Christ will.

THE SECOND PART, WHETHER OVR SAVIOVR Christ did verily encrease in knowledge and wisedome as he was man.

The Papists.

CHrist, they say, in the very first creation of his soule, and from his conception, error 98 was endued with the fulnes of al wisedome, grace, and knowledge: neither can he be sayd properly to hauehave encreased in any of these gifts.

1. Christ was anoynted from his mothers womb, and then the spirit of God was vponupon him: for the Angels that appeared to the shepheards call him Christ, Luk. 2.11. And Iohn sayth, The word was made flesh, full of grace and truth, 1. vers. 11. Therefore euen then he had receiued all abundance of grace and knowledge, Bellarm. de Christi anima. lib. 4.2.

Ans. 1. We grant, that our Sauiour was the Iesus & the Christ euen from his natiuitie: not that thē he actually straightwaies entred into those offices, or receiued plenarie power of all the graces of the spirit, but because he was euen from his mothers wombe consecrated and appoynted thereunto: for it no more followeth, because he is called Christ, that he then had his actuall anoynting, then, that because he was called Iesus from his natiuitie, that he had actually performed our redemption. The full anoynting of the spirit was fulfilled in his baptisme, when the holy Ghost came downe in the likenes of a Doue: and then beginning to preach, in his first sermon at Nazareth, he sheweth the accomplishment of the prophecie of Esay, The spirite of the Lord is vponupon me, &c. Luk. 4.18.

2. Neither doe the words of Iohn import so much, as they gather. The word was made flesh, and dwelt amongst vsus, full of grace and truth: which is not to be vnderstood of the very first assuming of the flesh, but of the dwelling of the word in the flesh amongst vsus, and so appeared to be full of grace and truth.

Argum. 2. Christ was the Sonne of God in his very incarnation, and euen then was the humanitie perfectly vnited to the Godhead: therefore immediatly vponupon this vnion and coniunction of both natures in one person, must needes follow the fulnes of grace in the humane nature. Againe, Adam was created in perfect wisedome, therefore much more the second Adam, Bellar. cap. 4.

Ans. 1. If presently vponupon the vniting of the two natures together, it had been necessarie that the humane nature of Christ should hauehave receiued whatsoeuer by the presence of the diuine nature was to be conferred vponupon it: then Christ straight waies must also both in bodie and soule hauehave been glorified: for it can not be denied, but that as the bodie of Christ after the resurrection receiued p. 600more glorie then before: so also his soule being the other part of his humanitie, was more glorified. By this it is euident, that the humanitie receiued not at once the fulnes of all grace and glorie, in the first vniting of the Godhead.

2. Adam was created perfect in bodie and soule: and if Christ therefore ought to hauehave the fulnes of the gifts of the soule in his creation as Adam had, why ought he not also to hauehave had a perfect bodie, as Adam was created withall? Wherefore as it was no dishonour to Christ to grow vp in stature of bodie, so neither was it to encrease in the gifts of the mind.

The Protestants.

THat Christ was euen from his birth and first conception perfect God, and perfect man; we doe assuredly beleeue, and that in the very incarnation, the diuine and humane nature were vnited together. Also we graunt, that the Lord Christ might hauehave created to himselfe a soule full of all wisedome and knowledge, as he might hauehave made himselfe a perfect bodie: but seeing it pleased him to bee borne of a woman, and first to dwell in the bodie of an infant, wee doubt not to say, as the scripture teacheth vsus, that he also Encreased in wisedome.

1. He was in all things like to his brethren, onelyonly sinne excepted, Heb. 2.17.4.15. Ergo, he grew vp and encreased in knowledge, according to the manner of men, which may be done without sinne.

2. The scripture sayth plainly, which cannot lye, that Iesus grew vp and encreased in wisedome and stature, Luk. 2.52. And lest they should answere, that this encreasing was onelyonly in the opinion of men: it followeth, And in fauour with God and men: he increased in wisedome, stature and fauour, not onelyonly in shew before men, but in truth before God: and as verily and indeed he grew vp in stature, so also in wisedome.

3. Christ testifieth of himselfe, That neither the Angels nor the Sonne of man, as he is man, knoweth of the day or houre of his comming to iudgement, but the father onelyonly, Mark. 13.31. Ergo, Christ as hee was man had not at once all fulnes of knowledge. Bellarmine thus expoundeth this place, Filius dicitur nescire, quia non sciebat ad dicendum alijs: The Sonne is sayd not to knowe, because he knewe it, not to reueale it to others, but to keepe it secret to himselfe.

Ans. First, then by the same reason, the Angels doe knowe it also: but that they are charged not to declare it to men: for the text sayth, that neither the Angels, nor the Sonne of man knoweth the time. Secondly, in this sense also the father might be sayd not to knowe it: for neither hath he reuealed it to any. Lastly, although we doe affirme according to the scripture, that the child Iesus did increase in the gifts of the mind, as he did in the stature of his bodie: yet we do put great difference between him, and all other children that euer came into the world: for as his conception & birth were not after the cōmon manner; (for p. 601he was cōceiued by the holy Ghost, & brought forth without trauel and labour: as August. sayth, Nec concipiendo libidinē, nec pariendo perpessa est dolorē: In conceauing she felt no carnal desire; in bearing she suffered no payne:) So likewise,De 5. haeres. cap. 5. the holy and blessed babe, in the constitution both of bodie and soule excelled the common condition of all other infants: for as he was voyd of originall sinne, so he was without the effects and fruites thereof, which doe shewe themselues in children: for neither suffered he the like pangs and infirmities in bodie, being in his infancie, as other children doe, that are vexed and tormented in bodie: neither was he subiect to the vnreasonable and brutish motions of the minde, which are in children. Therefore Augustine sayth, Hanc ignorantiam & animi infirmitatem, quam videmus in paruulis, nullo modo fuerim in Christo paruulo suspicatus: This kind of ignorance and infirmitie of minde, which is in children, I cannot thinke to hauehave been in the babe Christ. And what ignorance and infirmitie he meaneth, afterward he expresseth,De peccat. merit. & remiss. 29. Cum motibus irrationabilibus perturbantur, nulla ratione, nullo imperio cohibentur: When their brutish and vnreasonable motions come vponupon them, they are ruled neither by reason, nor any other gouernment. These infirmities both in bodie and soule wee denye to hauehave been in Christ: and yet we doubt not to conclude, that, as Christ grewe in stature of bodie: as Augustine sayth,Ibid. Mutationes aetatum perpeti voluit ab ipsa exorsus infantia: He passed through the ages of mans life, beginning with his infancie: so likewise, as the scripture sayth, he increased in wisedome, Luk. 2.52.

AN APPENDIX, OF THE MANNER of Christs birth.

The Papists.

THey say, Christ came out of his mothers wombe, the clausure not stirred: as error 99 he passed thorow the doores when he came in to his disciples, the doores being shut, Iohn. 20.19. and as he passed thorow the stone, arising out of the Sepulchre, Rhemist. annot. Iohn. 20. sect. 2. Bellarm. de Eccles. lib. 4. cap. 9.

The Protestants.

1. IT can neuer be proued, that Christs bodie came either thorowe the wood of the doores, or thorowe the stone of the Sepulchre, or clausure of his mothers wombe. And concerning the last, the scripture is euident to the contrarie, where it is sayd, that our Sauiour Christ was presented to the Lord, according as it is written: EueryEvery male that first openeth the matrix, &c. Luk. 2.29.

2. We graunt, that both the birth of Christ, his rising out of the graue, his p. 602comming in, the doores being shut, was strange and miraculous, because one substance gaue place to another for a time, and after the passing of his bodie, the place remained whole and shut as before: but not in the very instant of passing. The red sea gaue place to the Israelites while they passed, and closed together againe: so did the prison doores open miraculously to the Apostles, Act. 5.19. An incredulous Iewe seeing the eare of Malchus so soone healed, would not hauehave thought that Peters sword went betweene it and his head, as we are sure it did: So we say concerning the birth of Christ, that the place gaue way while he passed, and closed vp afterward againe as before. Augustine bringeth in Christ, thus speaking, Ego viam meo itineri praeparaui: and a little after, transitu meo illius non est corrupta virginitas: De 5. haeres. cap. 5.I made a way for my selfe out of the wombe: neither by my passage was her virginitie lost. Christ had a way out of his mothers wombe: but if the clausure had not giuen place, there had been no way made.Epistol 57. Againe he sayth, Spatia locorum tolle corporibus, nusquam erunt, & quia nusquam erunt, nec erunt: Take away space of place from bodies, and they shall be no where, and if they be no where, then are they not at all. But the Papists in saying that Christ went thorow the very substance and corpulence of things, doe take away from his bodie his proper place: for two substances cannot be in one place, and therefore they destroy the nature of his bodie.

THE THIRD PART, WHETHER CHRIST suffered in soule.

The Papists.

THey vtterly denie, that Christ felt any paine or anguish in soule vponupon the error 100 Crosse, otherwise then for griefe of his bodily torments: but doe charge them with horrible blasphemie that doe so affirme, Rhemist. Math. 27. sect. 3.

1. The scripture doth ascribe the worke of our redemption and reconciliation only to the blood of Christ vponupon the Crosse, Coloss. 1.20. Ephes. 1.7. Ergo, the death of the bodie of Christ, without any further anguish in soule, was sufficient, Bellarm. de Christi anima. lib. 4. cap. 8.

Ans. 1. By the blood of Christ vponupon the Crosse, must needes bee vnderstood all the parts and circumstances of his passion, both his sufferings in bodie and soule: for if it should be vnderstood properly, the blood of Christ onelyonly were sufficient, and so his bodie and flesh should be excluded: and if the shedding of his blood be taken simply, we shal finde, that it was no part of his death: for his side was pearced, whereout issued water and blood, after he had yeelded vp the ghost, and all the torments of death were past: yea after he had vttered these words vponupon the Crosse, It is finished, that is, he had payd the full raunsome for mankind, Iohn. 19. vers. 30.34. Wherefore by his blood must be vnderstood, by a Synecdoche, when one part is taken for the whole, all the other paines and torments which he suffered in his flesh.

p. 603Secondly, yea and the paines of the soule to are by that speech fitly expressed: for the blood of eueryevery creature, is the life thereof, Genes. 9.4. Leuit. 17.14. But the soule is the life of man: Ergo, not vnproperly by the shedding of Christs blood, euen the vexation, and at the last the expiration of his soule, and so his whole passion both in body and soule is signified. Wherefore as in those places alleadged, we read the blood of Christ, or the blood of the Crosse, so otherwhere in more generall termes the Apostles call it, The dying of Christ, 2. Cor. 4.10. And the suffrings of Christ, 1. Pet. 4.13.

Argum. 2. If Christ, when he cried out vponupon the Crosse, O God my God, why hast thou forsaken me? had felt the wrath of God, and despaired of his help, he should most greeuously hauehave sinned: Bellarm. ibid.

Ans. 1. It cannot be, that Christ thus cried out for the paine of bodily death: for then he had beene of greater infirmitie then many of his seruants, that in the midst of extreme torments neuer complained. And therefore it must needs be the burthen of the wrath and curse of God, that he endured for our sinne, that made him so to cry out vponupon the crosse.

2. Neither doth it follow that Christ vttered those words in despaire, but only to shew the great anguish, trouble, and perturbation of his spirite, being vponupon the crosse considered now as a meere man, his diuine nature and power repressing and hiding it selfe for a time: and although in the vexation of his soule he thus cryed out, yet he was not altogether left comfortlesse in spirite, in that he said, My God, my God: which wordes must needs declare an inward confidēce and assured trust in God.

The Protestants.

WE holde, it was necessary for our redemption, that Christ should not onelyonly suffer bodily paines, but also feele the very anguish and horror of soule: that as by his death we are redeemed both body and soule, so he should pay the ransome for both in his body and soule.

1. That our Sauiour suffered great anguish in soule, the scripture testifieth: for before his suffring in his body vponupon the crosse, being in the garden, he saith of himselfe, My soule is heauy vntounto death: at the same time being grieuously troubled: he sweat water and blood: and last of all, hanging vponupon the crosse he cryed out. By those effectes it is euidently proued, that there was a greater feare in him, then of the death of the body: for many holy Martyrs hauehave without any shew of such griefe endured horrible torments in the flesh, and therefore consequently it followeth, that those things proceeded from the griefe of his soule, as the Apostle sheweth: Heb. 5.7. He offered vp praiers with strong crying and teares, to him that was able to saue him from death, and was heard in that which he feared. If it had beene onelyonly feare of bodily death, what need such strong cries with teares? And the text is plaine, that he was heard, that is, saued frō the death which he feared: but he was not saued from the bodily death: for he died p. 604and gaue vp the ghost: wherefore it was the great horror of soule that caused him to feare.

Bellarm. answereth for all this, that it was the bodily death which he feared: but not of necessitie, because he could not otherwise choose, but willingly, he would abide this brunt also of the feare and sorrow of death: Voluit poenam maeroris & timoris subire vt redemptio esset copiosae. And heerein he exceedeth all other men that hauehave suffered: for they are ridde from feare, because God giueth them greater comfort, and they regarde not the present torment: but Christ willingly and of his owne accord drew himselfe into this agonie of feare.

Ans. 1. That Christ as he was God, had determined and set it downe to dye for the world, it is not to be doubted of: but that as he was man, he had not a desire to escape death, as being ignorant of Gods determination, it is contrary to the Scriptures: which make mention of his earnest praier that he made thrice, that the cup might passe, Math. 26. Therefore Christ willingly entred not into that agony of feare in his humane desire, but as submitting himselfe and his will in obedience to his fathers will.

2. He is contrary to him selfe, in saying that Christs bodily sufferings were sufficient for our redemption, and yet graunteth, that Christ, vt redemptio esset copiosa, That our redemption might be more full, would abide also the smart of the feare of death: If he feared but the bodily death, as he saith, yet was he troubled in soule, and therefore besides bodily paine, he suffered anguish in his soule.

Argum. 2. Act. 2.24. Whom God hath raised vp, saith S. Peter, and loosed the sorrowes of death, for it was impossible that he should be holden of it: Ergo, Christ suffered the sorrowes of death, and felt the wrath of God, which caused those sorrowes. The vulgare Latine hath the sorrowe, of hell (solutis dolorib. infern…) which pincheth the Papists very sore: for how could Christ be loosed from the sorrowes of hell, if first he had not beene helde of them?

That which Bellarmine answereth, that Christ loosed the sorrowes of hell for others, which were to be deliuered, is but a poore shift: for the text is plaine, It was impossible that he, that is, Christ himselfe, should be stil holden of it: it is spoken of the holding of Christ and not of any other.

Argu. 3. The prophet Esay saith, He was wounded for our sins, and broken for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was vponupon him, and with his stripes are we healed, Esay 53.5. But we could hauehave no peace with God, vnlesse all the punishment due vntounto vsus for our sinne, had beene vndertaken by Christ: wherefore seeing we by our sinne, had deserued to be punished both in body & soule, it was necessary, that our redeemer should be wounded and broken wholly for vsus: for how els by his stripes should we wholly be healed?

Augustine thus reasoneth against Felicianus the Arrian, and proueth that Christ tooke not onelyonly humane flesh, but an humane soule. Si totus homo peri…, &c. If man wholly were lost, saith he, he had wholly need of a Sauiour, and if he wholly needed a Sauiour, Christ by his comming wholly redeemed him: p. 605therefore Christ tooke vponupon him the whole nature of man, both body & soule: for if, since the whole man hath sinned, Christ onelyonly had taken our flesh, the soule of man should still remaine guiltie of punishment: haec Augustine cont. Felician. cap. 13. By the same reason we proue it was necessary that Christ should suffer both in body and soule: by the which Augustine inferreth, that Christ tooke both body and soule: he did assume them both, to redeeme both: But he redeemed vsus, not in being borne for vsus, or walking, or preaching heere vponupon earth, (although these were preparations to his sacrifice) but by dying and suffering for vsus: Ergo, he suffered both in body & soule the punishmēt due vntounto sinners. They graūt that Christ suffered anguish in soule, yet not properly in the soule, but onelyonly for the bodily death, which was no part of the punishmēt of the soule: which consisted in the very sense and feeling of Gods wrath, and the torments of hell due vntounto mankinde for their sinnes. This punishment of the soule ought also necessarily to hauehave beene vndertaken by Christ, being the redeemer both of body and soule.

THE FOVRTH PART, WHETHER CHRIST descended in soule into hell, to deliuer the Patriarkes.

The Papists.

THey doe beleeue that Christ according to his soule went downe to hell, to error 101 deliuer the Patriarkes and all iust men there holden in bondage til his death, Rhemist. Act. 2. sect. 12.

Argum. 2. He that ascended, is he that descended first into the lowest parts of the earth, Ephes. 4.9. that is, into hell, the which is the lowest place in the earth, Bellarm. cap. 12.

Ans. 1. The earth it selfe is in respect of the world, the lowest part, so that here one parte of the earth is not to be compared with another: but the whole earth in respect of the high heauens hath the name of the lower partes: so is it taken Psal. 139. ver. 15. Thou hast fashioned me beneath or in the lower partes of the earth: But Dauid (I trust) they will not say, was borne in hell, because he speaketh of the lower partes of the earth, consul. Bez. in hunc locum. So that by the descending of Christ into the lowest partes of the earth, is meant nothing els, but the lowest and extreamest degree of his abasing and humiliation, Fulke annot. in hunc locum, as S. Paul saith, That he made himselfe of no reputation, and tooke vponupon him the forme of a seruant, Philip. 2.7.

p. 606The Protestants.

THat Christ our Sauiour by the vertue of his death, did ouercome hel and the deuill, we doe verily beleeue, which may be called a discent into hell: that he also suffered the torments of hell vponupon the crosse, and so descended into hell for vsus, to abide that bitter paine which we had deserued to suffer eternally, we doe also holde and teach: for what rather may be called hell, then the anguish of soule, which he suffered, when he being God, yet complained that he was forsaken of God Furthermore, if descending into hell, be taken according to the Hebrew phrase, For entring into the state of the dead: so we also graunt, that Christ descended into hell, Fulk Act. 2. sect. 11. But for the descending of Christ into hell, after your sense, to deliuer the Patriarkes from thence, when you can proue it out of Scripture, we will yeelde vntounto you.

1. The soule of Christ which he committed into his Fathers hands, was in Paradise, where he promised the theefe should be with him, Luke 22.43. How then could his soule be three daies in hell, as you affirme, from the time of his death to his resurrection? Fulke Luke 11. sect. 4. Bellarm. answereth, that it was not impossible, that the soule of Christ should be in two places at once, cap. 15. which is an answere not worthy to be answered: for who hath taught them so boldly to builde their phantasies vponupon Gods power, hauing no warrant not assurance of his wil? May not the Vbiquitaries by the same reason proue the omnipresence of Christs humanity, because he is able to make his soule and body to be in many places at once, as well as in two: and so consequently by his power, which is infinite as well in all places, as in many?

2. We beleeue that the Patriarkes and godly Fathers were in heauen or Paradise, as well before the resurrection of Christ as after: for in as much as they were iustified by faith in his blood, they receiued the same crowne and reward of righteousnes that we doe, being iustified by the same meanes. This we hauehave proued more at large, controu. 9. quest. 1. Wherefore seeing there were none in hell, which they call Limbus Patrum, to be deliuered, there was no such cause why Christ should descend into hell. Therefore he descended not to deliuer the Patriarkes that remained in darkenes.

3. They agree not among thēselues about this article of Christs descension, to deliuer the Patriarkes: Andradius saith, it cānot be proued out of Scripture: but Bellarmine and our Rhemists doe bring their best arguments for it out of Scripture: they alleadge also diuers causes of his descension: the Romane Catechisme rendreth two reasons, one, to set the Patriarkes at liberty, the other, to manifest the power and vertue of his death in hell: but that, S. Paul saith, was sufficiently manifested and made knowne vponupon the crosse, Colos. 2.15. Thomas Aquinas beside these, addeth a third, that as Christ died for vsus to free vsus from death, so it was conuenient that he should descend into hell, to deliuer vsus from the descension into hell: as though Christ by his death did not fully deliuer vsus from eternall p. 607damnation: Some other holde, that Christ went thither to suffer the torments of hell, that he might fully pay our raunsome by suffering the whole punishmēt due vntounto mankinde: but this is a very grosse and erronious opinion: for Christ suffered fully in body and soule vponupon the Crosse, when he cried, Consummatum est, It is finished: that is, he had fully appeased the wrath of God by his sufferings.

Augustine saith plainely, that he knew not what good Christ wrought for the iust soules that were in the bosome of Abraham, when he descended into hell: a quib. eum secundum beatificā praesentiam diuinitatis, Epistol. 99.nunquam video recessisse: From whom I finde hee was neuer absent or withdrew himselfe by the blessed presence of his diuine power: Ergo, in his iudgement Christ descended not to deliuer the Patriarkes. And concerning the soule of Christ, he writeth flatly: Si mortuo corpore anima latronis ad Paradisum mox vocatur, quempiam adhuc tam impium credimus, qui dicere audeat, quoniam anima Saluatoris nostri triduo illo corpor…ae mortis apud inferos custodiae mancipetur? If the soule of the theefe straightway being gone from the body, was called vp to heauen: is there any man so wicked, to say that the soule of our Sauiour was kept three daies in the prison of hel? By his sentence then, the soule of Christ passed straight to heauen, and descended not to hell.

AN APPENDIX, CONCERNING the place of Hell.

The Papists.

THe place where damned spirites are tormented, they say, is about the center of the earth, the lowest of all places, and nothing lower then it, Bellarm. de error 102 Christi anima. lib. 4. cap. 10.

Their Limbus Patrum, the place of darkenes, where the Fathers were before Christ, is, say they, in the highest parte, and as it were the brimme of hel, Rhemist. Luke 1….22. Betweene these two places there is a great gulfe or space, and there is Purgatory, Rhemist. Luk. 16. sect. 8. Wherefore they conclude, veros inferos esse loca subterranea: That the subterrestriall and infernall places doe properly make hell, Bellarm. cap. 8. And so hell should be properly a place of punishmēt: because of the farre distance from heauen: whereas not so much the distance of place, as the absence of Gods spirite, and losse of his fauour, maketh it a place of horror and miserie.

Argum. 1. Math. 12.40. As Ionas was three daies and three nights in the belly of the Whale, so the sonne of man must be in the hart of the earth: but the graue is not in the hart, but the brimme of the earth: Ergo, we must needes vnderstand Hell, which is in the midst of the earth. Bellarm. cap. 12.

p. 608Ans. 1. This place cannot otherwise be applied, then to signifie the burial of Christ, and his abode in the graue, and his rising againe the third day: of his soule it cannot properly be meant: for Christ saith, he will giuegive them the signe of Ionas in himselfe: but a signe is conspicuous, visible and apparent: how could then the descending of his soule be a signe vntounto them, which they knew not, neither could see? But the laying of his body into the graue, and the remaining there to the third day, they were all eye witnesses of: Also there is great affinity betweene the two Greeke words foreign, a signe, which is there vsed, Math. 12.40. and foreign, which signifieth sepulchrum, a graue, the one word being fitly deriued of the other: what better, foreign, then could he giuegive them, then, foreign, his owne graue or Sepulchre? Secondly, to be in the hart of the earth, is nothing els but to be within the earth, according to the Hebrew phrase, as Exod. 15.8. The hart of the Sea, that is, within the Sea: So Christs body was in the earth, it lay hid as it were in the bowels of the earth.

3. This exposition is against themselues: for if Christ went downe to the very hart and midst of the earth, which is the center, then he descended to the place of the damned: for neither Limbus Patrum, nor Purgatory, are in the center or lowest part of the earth by their opinion: but they themselues holde the cōtrary: for they say, that Christ by descending, deliuered soules out of the two vppermost hels, Limbus, and Purgatory, but not out of the nethermost hell, which is the place of the damned, Rhemist. Luke 16. sect. 8. Also it should follow of this their interpretation, that the soule of Christ was as long in hell, as his body in the graue, which is against the opinion of many Papists.

Argum. 2. Luke 8.31. The Deuils desired Christ, that he would not send them into the deepe: what is that els but the lowest region of the earth, where hell is, which Saint Paul calleth the lowest partes of the earth? Bellarmine.

Ans. We deny not but that God hath prepared, and that there is a place of vnspeakable torments ordeined for the deuill and his angels, and all damned soules: but that this place should be in the center of the earth, the places alleadged proue not: for the word Abyssus translated, the deepe, is sometime taken figuratiuely in a metaphore, as Rom. 11.33. O the deepenes of the wisedome of God: the word is foreign, not much varying in signification from abyssus: so the place of their punishment is saide to be a great depth, that is, a place of vnsearchable and vnspeakable miserie and horror. Neither must this word abyssus, of necessitie be referred to the earth, for there are abyssi maris, the depths of the Sea, Exod. 15.8. as well as of the earth.

The lower places which S. Paul speaketh of Eph. 4. may be either vnderstood generally of the whole earth, which is pars mundi infima, the lowest part of the world, or els of the great abasing of Christ▪ from heauen to earth, being God, to become a seruant: as also the graue of Christ was that lowest part of the earth: for the Apostle saith in the comparatiue, foreign ▪ not foreign, the lower, not the p. 609lowest: and so your vulgare Latine translateth, inferiora, not infima terrae: but hel is the lowest part, the graue is saide to be the lower.

The Protestants.

THat there is a locall place of torment prepared for the deuill and his angels, we doubt not, being so taught in the Scripture, Math. 25.41. A place of darkenes, 2. Pet. 2.4. Farre distant from the heauenly mansions of the blessed, Luke 16.26. Neither doe we deny but that it may be in the earth, or wheresoeuer els it pleaseth God: but wheresoeuer hel is, there is but one: that deuision of hell into three or foure regions, we vtterly condemne, as a meere deuise of man without Scripture: and this we say, that the place of hell causeth not the torment, but the wrath and curse of God: for euen out of hel God may make a man to feele the torments of hell, as we doubt not but our Sauiour Christ did for vsus and our redemption vponupon the crosse.

Argum. 1. It is possible to feele the paine of hell in the soule, although not …n the proper and appointed place of hell: as Iob complaineth, The arrowes of the Almightie are in me, the venime thereof doth drinke vp my spirit, and the terrors of God fight against me. And therefore he saith, his griefe was heauier then the sand of the Sea, Iob. 6.4.14. Iob felt euen the hell of conscience in himselfe for the time: yea our Sauiour bare the burthen of his fathers wrath vponupon the Crosse, as we hauehave shewed before: Ergo, it is not the place that maketh hell.

Argu. 2. Hell is nothing els as the Scripture defineth it, but to be cast into vtter darkenes, There shalbe weeping and gnashing of teeth, Math. 25.30.22.13. The darkenes causeth weeping & horrible gnashing of teeth, the vnspeakable punishment both of body and soule: this darkenes is not the absence of the light of the sunne: for neither shall the Saints in heauen hauehave that light, because they neede it not, Apoc. 22.5. And it shalbe a place of darkenes to the damned angels, which hauehave no vse of the Sunne light: they also are reserued in chaines of darkenes, Iude 6. as they are no materiall chaines, so neither is it an outward darkenes: but the absence of Gods fauour and the light of his countenance: as the people are saide to hauehave sit in darkenes, before the light of the gospell by the preaching of Iesus Christ, did shine vntounto them, Math. 4.16. But they much more shalbe and are kept in darkenes, that are condemned to hell, where they feele nothing but the horror of Gods wrath, his eternall and endlesse curse, with vnspeakable torments now in soule, and afterward both in body & soule, without all comfort or hope of refreshing, vtterly excluded from the presence of God: wherefore it is not the place, but the wrath of God, and absence of his spirite, that causeth such endlesse and vnspeakable punishment.

Argu. 3. As for your distinction of hell, the brim whereof you say is Limbus patrum, the middle parte, Purgatory, the lowest and nethermost hel it selfe, the place of the damned, in Augustines time it was not knowne: for first that the p. 610bosome of Abraham was part of hell, he vtterly denyeth: Apparet non esse membrū inferorum, tantae illius foelicitatis …inum: That bosome of so great blisse can be no mēber or part of hel, Epist. 99. Again Purgatory he vtterly refuseth, acknowledging but two places: heauen for the faithfull, hell for the damned and vnbeleeuers: Tertium locum penitus ignoramus, imo nec esse in scripturis sanctis inuenimus. A third place we are vtterly ignorant of, yea we finde in holy Scriptures that it is not. August, hypognost.

THE NINETEENTH CONTROVERSIE, OF MATTERS WHICH ARE IN QVESTION concerning the diuine nature of Christ.

THis controuersie containeth three Questions. First, whether Christ be foreign, God of him selfe. Secondly, whether he be mediator as God, or man, or as both. Thirdly, whether he hauehave by his desertes purchased any thing for himselfe.

THE FIRST PART, WHETHER CHRIST be foreign, God of him selfe.

The Papistes.

error 103 THey deny that Christ is foreign, God of himselfe, and affirme, that he had not onelyonly his person, but his substance of his Father: whereupon they are bolde to charge Caluine with blasphemy, for saying, that Christ is God of himselfe as well as the Father, Rhemist. Ioh. 1. sect. 3.

Argum. The word was with God, to wit, the sonne is with and of the father, and not the father of the sonne: Ergo, the sonne is God, with and of his father: Rhemist. ibid.

Ans. This place proueth, that the sonne of God, as he is the sonne, is of God: for to be the sonne of God, the word, the wisedome of God, 1. Cor. 1.30. His image, Heb. 1.3. doe belong vntounto his person: So then as he is the sonne, the wisedome of God, or the word, so he is of God, namely in respect of his person: but as the sonne is God, he is of himselfe, neither taketh he his essence but person onelyonly of his Father.

The Protestants.

THat we may fully know the state of this question, we must first set downe certain propositions▪ First, we do worship one eternal, omnipotent, & onelyonly wise God, one and the same in power, essence, eternitie: but three in person, the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost: there is the same nature, essence, and p. 611deitie of them all, though they be distinguished in person: As there is one nature of the light, the heate thereof and the shining brightnes, Lucis, splendoris, caloris, as Augustine putteth the example: which three differ amongst themselues in propertie and quality, yet hauehave one and the selfe same nature and substance: God the father is as the light, Iam. 1.17. God the Sonne is as the brightnes of his glory, Heb. 1.3. God the holy Ghost is as the heate or fire, Heb. 12.29. Thus these three are one in nature and essence, but three in person.

2. There is somewhat communicable to them all, as the Godhead and diuine power and nature: Somewhat incommunicable, as the seueral proprieties of the persons: for it is proper onelyonly to the father to beget, proper to the Sonne onelyonly to be begotten, proper onelyonly to the holy Ghost to proceede from them both. There is no essentiall difference in the Trinitie: for there is one essence and diuine nature common to them all. But there is both a real and rational difference: The persons differ one from another really, though not essentially. But the persons differ onelyonly rationally or in respect from the essence of the Godhead: as the father and the sonne amongst men differ not essentially, for they are both men. But they are really, verily, and indeede distinguished; for it is one thing to be the father, another to be the sonne: yet from their owne essence their persons onelyonly differ in respect and relation, not verily, non re, sed ratione: for the father is a man, the sonne also is a man: but in one respect he is a father, & in an other he is man: so likewise of the sonne, yet one and the same, is both father and man; one and the same is both sonne and man: so is it in the Trinitie. Now to the poynt of the question, which wee hauehave in hand. The Sonne therefore in the blessed Trinitie is begotten of his fathers essence, and hath the whole essence of his father, not by propagation, partition, profluence, but onelyonly by communication. The sonne is not foreign, Sonne of himselfe, because he is sonne of the father: But he is foreign, that is, very God of himself: The essence or Godhead of the Sonne is of himselfe, not of the father: for it is one and the selfesame essence, which the father hath. He is indeede, Deus de Deo, lumen de lumine, God of God, light of light: But not as he is God, is he of God, but as he is the Sonne. It is one thing for the person of the Sonne to be begotten of the essence of the Father, which we graunt: another thing, for the essence of the Sonne to be begotten, which we must not yeeld to. So we conclude, that Christ as he is the Sonne, is of God the Father, as he is God, he is of himselfe.

Argum. 1. The essence of the Father is of himselfe, not begotten of any: but the essence and Deitie of the Sonne is the same and all one with his Fathers. Ergo, it is not begotten of any other. Agayne, he is not God whose essence is not of himselfe: therefore if Christs essence be not of himselfe, he should not be God.

Argum. 2. Our Sauiour himselfe sayth, As the Father hath life in himselfe, so hee hath giuen to the Sonne also to hauehave life in himselfe, Iohn 5.26. The Sonne then hath life in himselfe: Ergo, hee is GOD of himselfe. Augustine vponupon these wordes writeth: Non quasi mutuatur vitam, nec quasi particeps p. 612vitae, In Iohan. tract. 19.sed ipse vitam in se habet, vt ipsa vita sibi sit ipse: He did not as it were borrow life of his father, neither is made partaker of life, but he hath life in himself, he is life vntounto himselfe. But lest any man should thus mistake the wordes of the text, that because the Father gaue to the Sonne to hauehave life in himself, therefore hee gaue him to be God: (for to hauehave life in himselfe is to bee God) Augustine thus expoundeth them: Dedit filio vitam habere in se, breuiter dixerim, genuit filium: He gaue to his Sonne to hauehave life in himselfe, in fewe wordes, He begat his Sonne. As if we should say, the Father which hath life in himselfe, that is, is God, gaue to his Sonne to hauehave life in himselfe, that is, begat God the Sonne: he begat him not as he was God, but as he was his Sonne: yet because of the neere vniting and coniunction of the person with the Godhead and diuine power to hauehave life in himselfe, which really cannot be distinguished, but onelyonly in respect, as we hauehave shewed: the Father is said also to giuegive vntounto the Sonne to be God, and to hauehave life in himselfe, not directly or properly but obliquely and by a consequent, because his Sonne whom he begat from all eternitie, must also necessarily be God.

And that it cannot be the proper meaning, that God the Father gaue to the Sonne power to hauehave life in himselfe, it appeareth by the words themselues: for as the Father hath life in himselfe, euen so hath hee giuen to the Sonne: but the Father hath life in himselfe, without beginning from any other. Ergo, so hath the Sonne.

There should els be a contrarietie and repugnancie in the speech: for if Christ receiued life from his father, he could not hauehave it in himselfe. It must therfore of necessity be vnderstood of the person in the Trinity, not of the diuine essence. And so we determine that it is true in the concrete, in concreto, if wee say, Deus Pater genuit Deum Filium: God the Father begat God the Sonne, but not in abstracto, Deitas Patris genuit Deitatem Filium, that the Godhead of the Father begat the Godhead of the Sonne. But in respect of his person onelyonly as he is the Sonne the second person in Trinitie, so is hee begotten and hath his beginning of God. But in respect of his diuine nature as he is God, hee is begotten of none, but of himselfe as God the Father is.

THE SECOND PART, WHETHER CHRIST bee our mediator, as he is man onelyonly, or as hee is both GOD and man.

The Papists.

error 104 THey doe teach that Christ onelyonly exercised his priesthood & the office of the mediator, as he was man, not as he was both God & man, Rhem. Heb. 5. sect. 4 His obedience, sacrifice, prayer, satisfaction, entring into the heauens, was all performed by & in his manhood only, Secundum formam serui, as he was in the p. 613forme of a seruant, not secundum formam Dei, as he was in the forme of God, Bellarm. de Christo, lib. 1. cap. 1.

Argum. 1. If he were priest as he is God, he should be inferior and not equall to God, and so be Gods priest and not his Sonne: for he to whom sacrifice is offered, is greater then he that offereth it, Rhemist. ibid.

Answ. It followeth not, that because Christ is our priest and mediator as God and man, that therefore he should performe all the dueties of the Priesthood as he was God: all the partes of his priesthood that required obedience, seruice, homage, subiection, as were his sufferings and sacrifice, he exercised as man: but the authority of reconciling vsus to God, he wrought both as God and man.

Argum. 2. There is one God, and one Mediator of God and men, the man Iesus Christ, 1. Timoth. 2.5. Why sayth the Apostle, The man Iesus Christ, but to signifie, that according to his manhood onelyonly he is our Mediator. Bellarm. cap. 3.

Ans. 1. You may as well conclude out of this place, that the Mediator is onelyonly man and not GOD, as that hee is mediator onelyonly as man and not as GOD: but if out of these wordes it may bee prooued, that the Mediator is both GOD and man, as it necessarily followeth, (for how else can he be a Mediator of God and men?) it dooth as well follow that hee is Mediator both as God and as man. Indeede the Apostle sayth, The man Iesus Christ, not God and man, for the one he had sayd before, There is one God; in that speech including our Sauiour Christ, who is one God with his Father. Secondly, what Saint Pauls meaning is, it appeareth in the next verse, who gaue himselfe a ransome, vers. 6. As Christ therefore gaue himselfe a ransome, so is hee Priest and Mediator: but he gaue himselfe as he was God; as he was man, hee was giuen: Ergo, as God he is Mediator.

The Protestants.

IN the office of the Priesthood two things must be considered, a ministerie, and an authoritie: In respect of the ministeriall parte Christ performed the office of his priesthood as man, but in respect of authoritie of entering into the holyest place, and reconciling vsus to God, which was the principall parte of his Priesthood, he did performe it as the Sonne of God, as the Lord and maker of the house, and not as a seruant. And so we holde that Christ neither according to his humanitie alone, nor his Godhead alone, but that whole Christ is a Priest, both as God and man.

Argum. 1. Saint Paul sayth, God was in Christ, reconciling the worlde to himselfe, 2. Corinth. 5.19. Ergo, Christ, as God, is our reconciler and mediator. Againe, Christ as he is without Father and mother, hath no beginning of his dayes, nor end of his life, so is hee a Priest after the order of Melchisedech: but Christ as he is God and man hath neither father nor mother: as he is God hath no beginning of dayes, and in his whole person no end of his life, therefore as God and man he is a Priest of Melchisedechs order.

p. 614Argum. 2. Saint Paul sayth, The lawe was giuen by Angels in the hand of a Mediator, Galath. 3.19. But then Christ was God onelyonly: Ergo, hee is Mediator also as God. Bellarmine sayth, that hee is called Mediator, because that person was appointed afterward to bee Mediator: But the text is playne, that he then actually performed the office of a Mediator, so much as pertayned to his Godhead: for the Lawe was giuen in the hand of a Mediator, which kinde of speech sheweth a present execution of the Mediatorship.

Augustine sayth, Non mediator homo praeter diuinitatem, diuina humanitas, Homil. de. ouib. ca. 12& humana diuinitas mediatrix: The man Christ is not mediator beside his diuine nature, the diuine humanitie, and the humane diuinitie, is the Mediatrix. Ergo, Christ Mediator both as God and man.

THE THIRD PART, WHETHER CHRIST merited for himselfe.

The Papists.

error 105 CHrist, they say, by his passion and sufferings, hath not onelyonly merited eternall life for vsus, but euen by his owne merite obtayned his owne glorification, Rhemist. annot Hebr. 2.1.

Argum. 1. Philip. 2.9. He humbled himselfe vntounto the death of the Crosse, wherefore God hath also highly exalted him, and giuen him a name aboue all names. Ergo, Christ merited his exaltation, Rhemist. in hunc locum.

Ans. 1. This place sheweth a sequele of the exaltation of Christ after his humiliation, it maketh not one the cause of another, as our Sauiour himselfe sayth, Luk. 24.26. Christ ought to hauehave suffered, and so enter into his glory. Secondly, the exaltation which the Apostle here speaketh of, is the fame, which God chalengeth to himselfe, Isai. 45.22. EueryEvery knee shall bow vntounto me, and eueryevery tongue shall sweare by me. But it were most grosse to affirme, that the diuine power and glory can be merited: Christ hath his diuinity by nature, and not by merite.

The Protestants.

IT is not in any wise to be thought, that Christ merited his glory, which is due to him in respect of his diuinity: but that by the glorious work of our redemption, he hath declared himselfe to be a person worthy of all honour and glory, Apocal. 5.9. the place is so to be vnderstoode.

Argum. 1. If Christ had respect vntounto himselfe in his sufferings, to gayne or merite any thing for himselfe, his louelove should greatly bee obscured and darkened, which Saint Paul so greatly cōmendeth, In that he died for his enimies, Rom. 5.10. For now should not his louelove bee whole and entire towards vsus, p. 615as though for our cause he onelyonly had died: But it is now a diuided and halfe louelove: for he died, as they say, partly to merite for himselfe, partly to merite for vsus. But the scripture speaketh cleane contrary, Iohn 17.9. For their sakes sanctifie I my selfe: he sayth not, partly for their sakes, partly for mine owne.

Argum. 2. All glory that Christ hath, was from euerlasting due to his person, because he is the eternall Sonne of God: As hee himselfe sayth, Iohn 17.5. And now glorifie mee with thine owne selfe, with the glory which I had with thee, before the world was, and this glorie was due vntounto Christ so soone as he was incarnate by the right of his Godhead. Hebr. 1. When he bringeth in his first begotten Sonne into the worlde, hee sayth, Let all the Angels of God worship him. And the Rhemists themselues confesse, in their Annotat. vponupon these wordes, that straight vponupon Christs descending from heauen, it was the duetie of Angels to worship him. Ergo, hee merited not his glorification by his death, which was due vntounto him euen at his first incarnation.

Argum. 3. If Christ merited his owne glorification, then hee also merited the hypostaticall vnion, that his manhood should bee ioyned to his Godhead in vnitie of person; for his glory, maiestie, and power giuen to his manhood, doth issue and arise from the vniting of his Godhead therewith in one person: but his humanity deserued not to be vnited to the Godhead: Nemo tam caecus est, sayth Augustine, No man is so blind, that he dare say,De corrept. & grat. cap. 11. that Christ by his well liuing merited to be called the Sonne of God. And hee prooueth it out of the first of Luk. vers. 35. Therefore shall that holy thing bee called the Sonne of God: not for any workes going before, but because the holy Ghost came vponupon her. Wherefore the diuine glorie which Christ hath, was not merited, but his owne it was from the beginning, which glory the humane nature in Christ is made partaker of, not for any merite, but because it is vnited to the Godhead in the same person, through the abundant and vnspeakable grace and louelove of God vntounto mankinde, which of his free grace rather tooke vntounto himselfe the nature of men, then of Angels. Wherefore Christ by his perfect obedience and blessed sacrifice, hath merited abundantly for vsus, remission of sinnes, and eternall life: but by his merites he hath gayned nothing for himselfe: neither had he any respect to the bettering of his own estate in his sufferings, but onelyonly to pay a raunsome for vsus.

p. 616THE TWENTIETH GENERALL CONTROVERSIE, CONCERNING THE COMMING OF CHRIST TO iudgement: which appertaineth to his whole person, as he is both God and man.

THis controuersie hath two partes: First, concerning the signes which must come to passe before his appearing. Secondly, of the time and maner of his appearing. The first part contayneth three questions: Frst whether the Gospell bee already preached to the whole world. Secondly, whether Henoch and Elias shall come in the flesh, before the day of iudgement. Thirdly, of the great persecutions toward the end of the world.

THE FIRST QVESTION, WHETHER the Gospel be already preached thorough the worlde.

The Papists.

error 106 THey denie that the Gospell hath beene already published to all nations of the worlde: for there are many great countries, which neuer heard of the Gospell, as they affirme. But before the comming of Christ to iudgement, they say, it shal be preached to the whole world, Bellar. de Roman p…ntif. lib. 3. cap. 4.

Argum. 1. Math. 24.14. Christ sayth, This Gospell of the kingdome shall be preached thorough the whole worlde, for a witnes vntounto all nations, & then shall the end come. The end of the world shall immediately follow the generall preaching of the Gospell: which if it hath been performed, it is most like to hauehave been done in the Apostles time: then the world should hauehave ended long agoe, Bellarm. ibid.

Ans. This word, Then, doth not alwaies in the scripture signifie a certaine and definite time presently to follow, as Math. 9.1. Then he entred into a ship, and so forth. Luke also setteth foorth the same storie, cap. 5.18. Then brought they a man lying in a bed: But in saying Then, they hauehave not relation to the same time; for they keepe not the same order, in rehearsing the storie: Matthew setteth downe one thing, that was immediatly done by our Sauiour Christ before, and Luke another. And so is the word, Then, vsed in other places, not to describe a consequence of time, with relation to that which went before,August. de consensu Euangel. 43. but absolutely without any such respect to name the time present only, wherein any thing is done. So, tunc, then, signifieth as much as in illo tempore, p. 617in that time, not which shall immediately follow vponupon the generall publishing of the Gospel, but which God hath appoynted. We must also consider who it is, that sayth, Then, namely, God himselfe, with whom a thousand yeares is as one day, and one day as a thousand yeares. Christ (Then) may come many hundred yeares after, and yet it shall be true, that then shall the end be. But we rather take the first sense, that (Then) is here taken indefinitely, as it is thorough the whole chapter, as vers. 21. Then shall be great tribulation, which cannot hauehave relation to that which he spake of before; for then it must be vnderstoode of the destruction of Ierusalem: but our Sauiour meaneth by (Then) the time towards the ende of the world: as vers. 29. Immediately after the tribulation of those dayes, the Sunne shalbe darkened: Then shall the signe of the Sonne of man appeare.

Argum. 2. We see the Gospel hath been preached in great countreyes of late, which neuer heard the Gospel afore, as it is thought, Rhemist. Math. 24. sect. 4.

Ans. 1. They speake doubtfully, they cannot tell: as it is thought, say they. 2. They meane the preaching of their Friers, in those newe found countreyes, which was not the preaching of the Gospel, but of vile superstition, not to conuert the people to God, but to robbe and spoyle them, and make a pray of them, killing & slaying them without al mercy: reade Benzo in historia noui orbis. 3. We deny not but that the Gospell may be reuiued and renued in many countreyes, where notwithstanding it was planted many yeares afore: As this countrie of ours in ancient time called Britanie, was first instructed in the faith by the preaching of Ioseph of Arimathea, as Gildas saith: or as Nicephorus saith, by Simō Zelotes: yet after that, the foundation of the faith thus begun,Fox p. 106. it was confirmed afterward in king Lucius daies, by the preaching of Fagane & Damiane, which at Lucius request were sent into the land from Eleutherius, B. of Rome: and so may it come to passe in other countreyes: a second preaching therefore taketh not away the former, but confirmeth and reuiueth it.

The Protestants.

THat the Gospell was by the Apostles preached to all the knowen and inhabited nations of the worlde, we cannot but affirme, being so taught by the scriptures.

Argum. 1. Our Sauiour saith to his Apostles, Ye shalbe my witnesses to the vttermost partes of the earth, Act. 1.8. which is spoken to the persons of the Apostles, not in them to all Pastors and preachers▪ as some expound it: for in the same vers. there is mention made of the comming of the holy Ghost, and howe first they should begin to witnesse at Ierusalem: which things were indeede so accomplished in the Apostles.

Saint Paul also Rom. 10.18. expoundeth that place of the Psalme, Their sound is gone forth into all the worlde, of the Apostles.

p. 618Agayne, seeing the Apostolicall calling and gift is now ceased, neither are we to looke that men should be immediatly called from heauen, and the preaching of the Gospell to all nations is an Apostolicall worke, for the which the Apostles also receiued the gifts of tongues: seeing now we hauehave neither Apostolike men, nor Apostolike giftes, wee are not to doubt, but that this promise and prophesie of the vniuersall preaching of the Gospell, is performed already.

Argum. 2. It appeareth in Ecclesiasticall histories, that the Apostles dispersed themselues into all partes of the worlde, eueryevery where preaching the Gospell. Thomas preached to the Parthians, Medes, Persians, also to the Germanes: Fox. p. 32.Simon Zelotes, in Mauritania, Africa, and in Britania: Iudas, called Thaddaeus, in Mesopotamia: Mark, in Aegypt: Bartholomaeus to the Indians: Andrew preached to the Scythians, Sogdians, Aethopians: So that there were fewe or no knowen countreyes in the world, which heard not of the fame of the Gospell.

But here two things must be obserued: First, that the Gospel was to bee preached in the habitable or knowen world: the word is foreign: Many countreyes are inhabited now that were not habitable then,Matt. 24.14Matt 24:14 or at the least not inhabited: wherefore it was sufficient, that the people of the world heard of the Gospel, howsoeuer afterward they were propagated into other vnknowen places. Secondly, as Augustine sayth, Omnes gentes promissae sunt, non omnes homines omnium gentium: All nations were promised to heare of the Gospel, not all the men and inhabitants of eueryevery nation.Epistol. 80. And so we doubt not but the Apostles did lay the foundation of fayth through the whole worlde, and were first planters of the Churches in eueryevery nation. But their plantings were watered and encreased, and continued by others.

Wherefore, seeing the world hath once already beene generally lightened with the truth of the Gospell, we are not to looke any more for a solemne legacie and ambassage to be sent from the Lord vntounto all nations: But those countreyes rather, which somtime had the trueth, and now hauehave lost it, ought now to seeke vntounto those places that hauehave it, as the Queene of Saba went a long iourney to heare Salomons wisdome: They therefore that yet doe expect an vniuersall preaching, may sooner see Christ comming in the cloudes, then hauehave their expectation satisfied.

THE SECOND QVESTION, OF THE comming of Henoch and Elias before the day of iudgement.

The Papists.

error 107 THeir common and receiued opinion is, that Henoch and Elias doe yet liue in their bodies in Paradise, and shall come in person, to oppose themselues p. 619against Antichrist, and by their preaching to conuert the Iewes, Rhemist. Apocal. 11. sect. 4.

Argum. Malachie 4.5. I will send you Eliah the Prophet, before the great and fearefull day of the Lorde. These are also the two witnesses spoken of, Apocal. 11.3. Which shall be slaine and rise vp againe the third day. Ergo, Eliah and Henoch shall come before the day of the Lorde, Bellarm. de Roman. pontif. 3.6.

Ans. First, the prophesie of Malachie was fulfilled in Iohn Baptist, who came in the spirite of Elias, as it is thrise in the Gospell applied: once by the Angel, Luk. 1.16. twise by our Sauiour Christ, Matth. 11.14. & 17.13.

Bellarmine saith, it is not properly vnderstoode of Iohn Baptist, but onelyonly in an allegorie. First, the Prophet speaketh of the great and fearefull day of the Lord: but the comming of Christ was the acceptable time.

Ans. Here the Iesuite bewrayeth great ignorance: As though the comming of Christ in the flesh, as it brought comfort to the Elect, & to as many as were ordeined to saluation, was not also hastening of the iudgement of God against the wicked: and therefore Iohn saith, The axe was laide to the roote of the tree, Matth. 3.10. and that Christ came with his fanne in his hand, verse 12. The Apostle, Heb. 12.26. applieth that saying of the Prophet: Once againe wil I shake not onelyonly the heauens, but the earth, to the preaching of the Gospell: wee see then in what sence the first comming of Christ is called a fearefull and terrible day.

Ans. Secondly, by the two witnesses, is vnderstood the small, yet sufficient number of the true seruants of God, which shall witnesse the truth euen in the whottest persecution of Antichrist: there is no mention made of Henoch or Elias. And if you will needs vnderstand that literally, of their rising againe, why not the rest also, how fire shall proceede out of their mouthes to consume the wicked, and they shall turne water into blood? The meaning is nothing else, but that God will alwaies hauehave faithfull witnesses in his Church, which shall alwaies stand vp, in the stead of the Prophets and holy men gone before.

The Protestants.

LIke as the Pharisies deceiued the Iewes with vaine expectation of Elias, and so hindred their beliefe in Christ: so the Papists would not hauehave men to acknowledge the manifestation of Antichrist, vnderunder this false pretence, that Henoch and Elias must first come before Antichrist bee reuealed, which wee doe hold as a Iewish fable and popish dreame.

Argum. 1. The Prophesie of Elias comming is properly fulfilled in Iohn Baptist, and therefore wee are not to looke for any other accomplishment thereof: neither now is there any Paradise remaining but Heauen, 2. Corinth. 12.4. And to affirme that Henoch and Elias went vp to Heauen in their bodies, before the ascension of Christ, out of Scripture it cannot be proued: it is p. 620euident that they were taken vp aliue into heauen, but not that they continued aliue.

Argum. 2. The varietie of opinions concerning the personall appearance of Henoch and Elias, declare that it is an vncertaine thing, and but deuised of men. Hilarye saith, they shalbe Moses and Elias: Chrysostome granteth that Elias shall come, but not Henoch. Iustine thinketh that not onelyonly Henoch and Elias are aliue, but all those, whose bodies rose at the resurrection of Christ: Hippolytus is of opinion, that Iohn the Diuine shall come with them and some say Ieremie also, whose death is not read of, Fulk. Apocal. 11. sect. 4. And thus it is no meruaile, if men run mad as it were in their foolish conceites, hauing no warrant for their opinions out of Scriptures.

The nation of the Iewes wee grant, according to the manifest prophesie of Saint Paul, Rom. 11.Rom 11shall in the end be conuerted: but not in such sort, by the personall preaching of Moses and Elias: for the Apostle setting downe at large the mysterie of their calling, would not hauehave left out so necessarie a thing.

Augustine by the two witnesses, vnderstandeth the two testaments, the Old and the new. But hee denieth vtterly, that any shall rise before the comming of Christ:In Apocal. Homil. 8. as the Apostle saith, 1. Corinth. 15.23. The first fruites is Christ, Then they that are Christs at his comming, but not before. Vnde (saith he) excluditur omnis suspicio quorundam, qui putant hos duos testes duos viros esse, & ante aduentum Christi coelum in nubibus ascendisse. Their suspition therefore, or opinion is vtterly excluded, which thinke these two witnesses to bee two men, which should ascend into heauen before the comming of Christ. Augustine we see is flat against them.

THE THIRD PART, WHETHER THE most grieuous persecutions that euer were, shall be toward the end of the world.

The Papists.

error 108 THe most grieuous persecution (say they) that euer was, shall be vnderunder Antichrist, who is not yet come, but shall bee reuealed toward the end of the world, and shall raigne vponupon the earth three yeares and an halfe, making great hauock of the Church of God. Bellarmine de Roman. pontifi. lib. 3. cap. 7.

Argum. Matth. 24.21. There shall bee▪ then such great tribulation in the world, as was not since the beginning of the world, neither shall bee: Ergo ▪ the greatest persecution toward the end of the world.

Ans. 1. It is plaine by the text, that this great tribulation is prophesied to come vponupon the Iewes: for in the next verse before he saith, pray that your flight be not in the winter: And then it followeth, there shall bee then, or as Marke saith, In those dayes, there shall be such tribulation, 13.19. and in the 17. verse Woe shall be to them that giuegive suck in those dayes. Which must needes bee p. 621vnderstoode of the destruction of Ierusalem: for at the comming of Christ, there shall be one and the same case of all, whether of those that giuegive suck, or of those that giuegive none.

Secondly, it cannot be meant of the last tribulation in the world, because the words are, that as there was none such since the beginning of the world, so there shall be none such after. Ergo, there shall be tribulation after, though none such.

The Protestants.

OVr hope and trust is, that the greatest persecution of the Church of God is ouerpast: because the kingdome or rather tyrannie of Antichrist beginneth to decay, and wee trust, shall more and more bee shaken, till it come to vtter ruine.

Argum. 1. The Scripture telleth vsus, that hard vponupon the end of the worlde there shall bee great securitie, men shall say, Peace peace vntounto themselues, 1. Thesal. 5.4. They shall eate and drinke, marrie and bee married, as it was in the dayes of Noah, Matth. 24.38. And therefore Luke saith, 21.34. Take heede you be not ouercome of surfeiting and drunkennes, least this day come vponupon you vnawares, For as a snare shall it come, &c. All this proueth, that there shall be rather generall securitie, as in the dayes of Noah, then generall tribulation. And there is greater danger of surfeiting & wantonnes in time of prosperitie and abundance, then in the dayes of persecution.

Also the text is plaine, speaking of warres, troubles and persecutions, but the end shall not be yet, Mark. 13.7. Wherefore it appeareth, that the troubles and persecutions of the Church, shall be well slaked toward the end of the world.

Argum. 2. Antichrist, though he shall not vtterly bee extinguished before the comming of Christ, yet shall be deadly wounded: and hee shall begin to be iudged euen in this world, Apocal. 16.6. God shal giuegive them blood to drink, Apocal. 17.16. The ten hornes, that is the kinges of the earth, shall hate the whore and eate her flesh. The Church of God shall reward her, as she hath rewarded vsus, and giuegive her double according to her workes, Apocal. 18.6. By these places it is gathered, that Antichrist shal hauehave a great ouerthrow before the comming of Christ, who shall vtterly abolish him with the brightnes of his comming, 2. Thes. 2.8.

Antichrist is alreadie come▪ and hath raged a long time against the Church: The persecutions of the heathen did neither continue so long, neither were in exquisite crueltie and bitternes to be compared to the outragious practises of the Antichrist of Rome, and his adherents against the Church of God: which would fill a whole volume by themselues▪ nay not one, but many and infinite volumes to be declared at large.

Augustine saith, Prima persecutio violen… … tormentis, In Psal. 9.Ps 9…lterafraudulenta est per haereticos, tertia superest per Antichristum … ▪ qu… nihil est …ericulosius, quia & violenta & fraudulenta erit. The first persecution of the p. 622Church was violent with torments: the second was by fraudulent heretikes: the third shal be vnderunder Antichrist, the worst of all, it shal be both violent, and fraudulent. This persecution vnderunder the Popes of Rome, the Church of God endured a great while: who both dealt fraudulentlie, in poysoning them with corrupt doctrine, and cruellie also, in punishing with sword and fire the innocent members of Christ: wherefore seeing it is a plaine case, that Antichrist is, and hath been many a day reuealed to the world, and that the Church of God beginneth to hauehave some respit and libertie from his thraldome; wee doubt not, but that the greatest stormes of persecution are ouerpast, if by our sinnes wee bring not back againe the thick and mistie cloude vponupon vsus.

THE SECOND PART OF THIS CONtrouersie, about the manner of Christs comming to iudgement.

The Papists.

error 109 1. THe faithful shal iudge and giuegive sentence with Christ (say they) at the latter day, Rhemist. 1. Corinth. 6. vers. 2. They shall sit in thrones with Christ, Matth. 19. vers. 28. Ergo, iudge together with him, Rhemist. ibid.

The Protestants.

Ans. 1. TRue it is, that the Saints shal iudge the world, 1. Corinth. 6.2. But only Christ shall giuegive sentence, Matth. 25. and is properly and onelie the iudge of the world: for the father hath committed al iudgemēt to the Sonne, Iohn 5.22. If all, then there is no part left for any other. The Apostles therefore and Saints are said to iudge, as Christ saith of his word, that hee will not iudge the vnbeleeuers, but his word shall iudge them in the last day, Iohn 12.48. That is, shall bee a witnesse against them, accuse them, lay in matter of iudgement against them. So the word preached by the Saints vponupon earth, and practised in their liues, shall bee the condemnation of the worlde. And not onelyonly so, but they shall bee aduanced to greater honor: They shall sit in thrones and seates: that is, they shall not stand amongst the wicked to receiue sentence, but shall meete Christ in the ayre, and bee caught vp in the cloudes, 1. Thess. 4.17. Yea, they shall in the sight and beholding of the vngodly enter into the kingdome of God, Luk. 13.28. But in any other sence they cannot be iudges of the world: for shall we thinke, that Christ in that day shall neede vnderunder officers and iudges, as Moses did? Exod. …8. Augustine saith, Sancti sedebunt cum domino attendere, In Psal. 121Ps 121qui fecerunt misericordia…: The Saints shall …it with the Lord, not to iudge, but to marke and attend, and to witnesse, who hauehave followed the workes of m…cie.

p. 623The Papists.

2 THey are so bold as to appoint the place, where Christ shall appeare, namely error 110 in the East: for his comming shall bee as the lightening that shineth from East to West, Matth. 24.27. Bellarm. de cultu sanctor. lib. 3. cap. 3.

The Protestants.

Ans. FIrst, by that similitude Christ onelyonly sheweth the suddennes of his comming: therefore it must be prest no further, then to that purpose for the which it serueth. Secondly, our Sauiour saith plainely, that the kingdome of God commeth not with obseruation, Luk. 17.20. either of time, or place: And therfore, when men say vntounto vsus, Behold here, or beholde there, we ought not to beleeue them, vers. 23. As though they would point out Christs comming with the finger, either in the East or West. Whereas Mathew therefore nameth the East and West, in the similitude of the lightening, Luke leaueth them out, saying, As the lightening shineth from one part of the Heauen to the other, 17.24. Least we should thinke any great matter to be in nomination of those partes.

Augustine saith notably, Non ab Oriente veniet, nec Occidente: quare? quia Deus iudex est: si in aliquo loco esset, non esset Deus: In Psal. 74.Ps 74quia vero Deus iudex est, non homo, noli illum expectare de locis: He will not come, either from the East, or from the West: why so? Because God is iudge: if he were tied to any place, hee were not God: but because God is iudge, and not a meere man: wee must not looke for him from any place.

The Papists.

3. THe Sonne of man shall appeare in the day of iudgement, with the signe error 111 of the Crosse borne before him. Then shall the signe of the Sonne of man appeare in Heauen, Matth. 24.3. that is (say they) the signe of the Crosse, Bellarm. de sanct. lib. 2. cap. 28. Rhemist. in hunc locum.

The Protestants.

Ans. 1. THe signe of the Sonne of man in the Heauens, is nothing else, but his conspicuous and glorious appearing, who shall come in great glorie, as a signe in the heauens to bee seene of all the worlde. It cannot signifie any such visible signe as they imagine: for Mark. 13.26. Luke 21.27. wee reade thus: Then shall they see the Sonne of man. So then, the signe of the Sonne of man, is the Sonne himselfe in his glorious appearing. Secondly, it is great presumption therefore, so boldly to affirme, that it shall be the signe of the Crosse, hauing no Scripture for it. Other signes wee finde, that Christ hath appeared p. 624with, as the signe of the rayne-bowe, Apocal. 10.1. with a two edged sworde, Apocal. 1.16. with a booke in his hand, Apocal. 10.2. We hauehave better reason, that Christ may appeare with those signes, by the which he hath sometime shewed himselfe, then they hauehave for the signe of the Crosse.

3 It is more like, that Christ at his comming should shew the markes and prints of the nailes and speare in his bodie, then the signe of the Crosse: for those were felt and seene in his bodie after his resurrection, so was not the other. But it is a loose coniecture, and a vaine surmise, without any ground of Scripture, that the woundes are either now in heauen to be seene in the glorious bodie of Christ, or that they shall bee beheld and looked vponupon in the daie of iudgement. The wicked in deed shall behold him, whom they pearced: but it followeth not thereupon that he should appeare as pearced. How is it possible, that either the bodie of Christ being perfectly glorified, should still retaine any spots or blemishes, or that they could be espyed in so glorious a bodie, which with the brightnes thereof shall obscure the Sunne?

Homil. de temp. 147.Augustine giueth this iudgement: Sic voluit resurgere Christus, sic voluit quibusdam dubitantibus exhibere in illa carne cicatrices vulneris vt sanaret vulnus incredulitatis. So it pleased Christ to arise, and to shew in his flesh vntounto some that doubted, the skarres of his woundes, to heale and take awaie the wound of their incredulitie or vnbeleefe. This then being the onelie cause, why Christ would at that time hauehave the printes and markes in his flesh to bee seene, namelie to confirme the faith of them which doubted: the cause being now ceased, for is it to bee thought that there are any doubtfull persons in heauen, which may be confirmed by beholding Christs woundes, or shall vnbeleeuers finde any reliefe in the day of iudgement? The cause being remoued, wee hauehave no warrant to thinke, that there are any such skarres, either now to bee seene in the glorious bodie of Christ, or which shall appeare in the day of iudgement. And seeing there is no ground for this opinion, the shewing forth also of the signe of the crosse in that day, is also but a wandring and a foolish conceite.

The Papists.

error 112 4. SVch is their boldnes, that they dare assigne the very yeare, monethmonth, and day of Christs comming to iudgement: for they say, that Antichrist shall raigne three yeares and an halfe, and one monethmonth, 1290. dayes, and counting 45. dayes after that, they shal see Christ comming in the cloudes: Blessed is hee, saith Daniel, that waiteth and commeth to the 1335. dayes, Dan. 12.12. Bellar. de pontif. Rom. lib. 3. cap. 8.

The Protestants.

Ans. 1. THe prophesie of Daniel we hauehave alreadie shewed, Controuersie 4. Quaest. 9. to hauehave been fulfilled before the first comming of Christ, p. 625in Antiochus that cruell tyrant and persecutor of the people of God: how hee should cause the daily sacrifice to cease 1290. dayes, that is, three yeares and seuen moneths, 2. Macchab. 11.33. And that 45. dayes after, Antiochus being dead, the Church should finde ease, 1. Macch. 6.16. Wherefore, seeing this prophesie hath once alreadie had his effect, it is not necessarie to looke for any other: as Augustine saith of another prophesie of Daniel, Quae prophetia si tempore primi aduentus impleta est, non cogit intelligi, Epistol. 80.quod etiam de fine seculi implebitur: Which prophesie if it hath been fulfilled in or before the first comming of Christ, it need not be vnderstoode of the latter.

2 This presumption of theirs is flat opposite and contrarie to Scripture, which saith, That the houre and day of Christs comming is not knowne to the Angels, nor to the Sonne of man, but to the Father onelyonly, Mark. 13.33. How then dare they presume beyond the knowledge of Angels?

Augustine saith, Vtiliter latere voluit Deus illum diem, In Psal. 36. conci. 1.Ps 36vt semper sit paratum cor ad expectandum, quòd esse venturum scit, & quando venturum sit, nescit: The Lorde to great purpose would hauehave that day kept secret, that our heart should bee in continuall expectation of that, which it is sure, shall come, but knoweth not when it shall come.

Thus hauehave I through the Lords gracious assistance, now at the length finished and brought to an end this long and tedious worke, which I trust shall not be so yrkesome to the Christian Reader, as it was wearisome and painefull to the flesh, in the collecting and compiling thereof: and yet not so painefull, but that God hath made me able and willing to endure this, and greater paines, and that with comfort for the good of his Church.

I excuse not, whatsoeuer hath fallen out of my pen in this worke, if I hauehave failed any where in the manner of handling: But as for the matter handled therein, I trust I hauehave throughout maintained the truth: in the prosecuting whereof, if sometime I chance to misse, I say with Augustine, Nunquam errari tutius existimo, quàm cum in amore nimio veritatis, Lib. 1. de mendac. cap. 1.& reiectione nimia falsitatis erratur: I thinke a man can neuer more safely erre, then when he erreth in the too much louelove of the truth, and the reiecting of falsehoode.

I hauehave labored in this worke, to set downe not onelyonly the chiefe and principall, but euen the most, and in a manner all the controuersies of religion, betweene vsus and the Papists, maintained this day: If any thing bee missing, I say againe with Augustine, Tale esse arbitratus sum cui mea responsio necessaria non fuisset, siue, quia ad rem de qua agitur, non pertinet, Defid. & operib. c. 27siue quod tam leue esset, vt à quolibet redargui facillimè posset: I thought it to be such, as vntounto the which mine answere was not needefull, either because it was not pertinent to the matter in hand, or else of so small moment, that eueryevery man might easilie answer vntounto it.

I hauehave no more to say, but this: If thou findest thy selfe any thing profited or helped (good Christian Reader) by these simple labou…s of mine, giuegive God p. 626the praise, and I will praise him with thee: but one thing, let mee pray thee: Quisquis legis nihil reprehendas, August.nisi cum totum perlegeris, atque ita forte minus reprehendes: Whosoeuer readest in this booke, reprehend nothing, before thou hast read the whole, and so perhaps thou wilt be more sparing in rephending. The Lorde giuegive vsus all grace to louelove the truth, that they which knowe it, may liue thereafter, and they which as yet knowe it not, may seeke for it: and wee all may embrace the Counsell of the wise man, to Buy the trueth, but in no wise to sell it: that is by all possible meanes to labour for it: and hauing attained thereunto, for no earthly respect, for feare or fauour to depart from it. The Lord God, Iesus Christ, Iehouah, Emmanuel, our blessed Sauiour and Redeemer, who is the way, the truth, and the life, giuegive vsus of his heauenlie grace, that wee may walke obediently in his waies, and constantly professe his truth, that in the end he may bring vsus to eternall life. Amen.

Soli Deo immortali patri, Filio cum Spiritu sancto sit omnis honor & gloria.