Answer to a Popish Pamphlet of Christs Descent to Hell, Part 4
THE POPISH FARDER PROBATION, Of Christs Descending to Hell, for delivering the Patriarches, and just men, from thence.
MOre-over: This place, where-vntounto CHRIST descended, can not bee Heaven; because wee saye not, that CHRIST descended into Heaven; but, that Hee ascended, and led Captivitie captiue:Eph. 4.9. Col. 2.14. which was the Patriarches, and Prophets, and the Iust, which died before CHRISTS suffering, and were not glorified, till the pryce of our Redemption was payed, by putting out, as Saynct Paul sayth, the Hand-wryting of Ordinances, that was agaynst vsus, which was contrarie to vsus; Hee even tooke it out of the way, and fastened it vponupon the Crosse, &c. They were not, then, glorified, before that tyme, because all those, as Saynct Paul sayeth,Heb. 11.39. through Fayth, obtayned good report, and received not the Promise; GOD provyding a better thing for vsus, that they, without vsus, should not bee made perfect. And the reason is which Saynct Paul giveth,Heb. 9.8. saying, That the way vntounto the Holiest of all, was not yet opened, while as yet the first Tabernacle was standing: for which cause the same Apostle sayeth, That the entering to the holie Place, that is,Heb. 10.19. to Heaven, is a new way: but it had not beene a new way, if anie had entered before CHRIST our Saviour. Where-by it is evident, that CHRIST was the first that ascended, when He led Captivitie captiue, &c. And also, that Hee descended first to the lower parts of the earth;Zach. 9.11. Ut educeret vinctos suos de lacu, in quo non erat aqua, as Zacharias the Prophet sayeth.
THE PROTESTANT REPLY.
CHAP. IX. What is meant, by Leading Captivitie captiue. Epbes. 4.8.
BY this speach of the Apostle, (and of the Prophet before him) what is meant, wee shall,Psal. 68.18. first, cleare out of Scripture: secondlie, out of the Fathers: and thirdlie, agaynst the Iesuite, out of his owne Doctors.
In SCRIPTVRE, then: in the Booke of the IVDGES, wee finde the verie same phrase of speach, vsed by DEBORAH, in her Song, after the victorie over Sisera, Iudg. 5.12.saying, Aryse, Barak, and leade thy Captivitie captiue, thou sonne of Abinoam. Where, by his leading of his Captivitie captiue, is no-thing else meant, (as all confesse) but those his Enemies, agaynst whome hee had foughten; and, over-comming them, had taken them captiue, to bee led awaye, and triumphed over.
So, lyke-wyse, 2. CHRON. 28. verse 11. the Prophet ODED exhorting the people to merciemercy, sayeth vntounto them, Now heare me, there-fore, & reducite Captivitatem, quam duxistis captivam, and deliver backe the Captiues agayne, which yee hauehave taken captiue. Where, in lyke manner, by Captivitie taken captiue, are no others meant, but such as in an hostile, and cruell manner, as Foes, they had subdued, and detayned in slaverie.
Nowe, to applye: Let anie man judge, whether the Iesuit more rightlie expoundeth the Captivitie, which CHRIST, in lyke manner, is sayde to leade captiue, to bee the holie PATRIARCHES, the Friendes of GOD, and willing Subjectes; and not His Foes, or repyning Rebells; for whom Hee was ever by Protection, but not agaynst by Oppugnation; and, who were to bee Triumphers, with Him, but not triumphed over by Him. Or whether we more rightlie expound the same, according to the former places of SCRIPTVRE, to bee CHRIST'S Foes, and ours, to wit, The Dominion of Sinne, the tyrannie of Satan, the sting of Death, the Curse of the Law, the Victorie of the Graue, and Power of Hell, &c. All which Enemies, our SAVIOVR hath foughten agaynst, subdued, captivated, and triumphed over, freeing all His Chosen, hence-foorth, both from their feare, and force.
Secondlie: Let vsus see what the Fathers meane, by this CAPTIVITIE.
Philo Carpathius, (who lived Anno 410.) on the fift of the CANTICLES, sayeth thus, in the person of CHRIST, I sleepe, to wit, on the Crosse, and My Heart waketh, when MY DIVINITIE spoyled Hell, and brought ritc… Spoyles thence, of the Triumph (to wit) of ever-lasting Death over-come, (sayeth hee) and the Devils power over-throwne.
Also, Having taken captiue the Tyrant of Captivitie, Athan. tom. 1. de salutari adventu CHRISTI.(sayet… ATHANASIVS) HEE ascende… vponupon high.
Lyke-wyse,Tertull. l. 5. cont. Marcion. HEE hath led Captivitie captiue, that is, (sayth TERTVLLIAN) Death, and that Slaverie, vnderunder which Man was helde.
AVGVSTINE, in lyke manner, sayeth thus,Aug. in Psal. 67. But what is this Captivitie? eyther (sayeth hee) because Hee over-came Death, which kept them captiue before, over whom it reigned; or men them-selues, which were captivated by the Devill: Capti quia subjugati (sayeth hee) sub leve illud jugum missi liberati à peccato, cujus servi erant, & justitiae servi facti, cujus liberi erant: that is, Taken captiue, because subdued, and put vnderunder that light Yoake, beeing fred from Sinne, whose Servauntes they were, and made the Servants of Righteousnesse, where-from they were free.
THEOPHYLACT, also, sayeth,Theoph. in Ephes. 4.9. Qualem autem captivitatem dicit? (sayeth hee) and then aunswereth, Diaboli captivum enim cepit, Satanam, & Mortem, & Maledictionem, & Peccatum, &c: that is, What Captivitie speaketh hee of? (sayeth hee) even of the Devill; for Hee tooke Satan captiue, and Death, and the Curse, and Sinne, &c.
HILARIE, lyke-wyse, sayeth,Hil. in Ps. 67 Omnes quoque inimicas virtutes, mundiq́ue potestates, principesq́ue aeris hujus, ostentui reddidit: that is, Hee made triumphant showe, of all the Enemie-forces, and Powers of the World, and Principalities of the Ayre.
In lyke manner, HAYMO, (who lived,Haymo in Ephes. 4.9. Anno 800.) declareth, that this was the orthodoxe Exposition taught in his tyme, Hee led Captivitie captiue: Id est, Diabolum duxit captivum, (sayeth hee) & captivavit eum auferendo ab illo potestatem, quam tenebat in hoc mundo, juxta illud, nunc Princeps hujus mundi ejicitur for as: that is, Hee led the Devill captiue, and tooke him captiue, by taking away from him, that power which hee had in this Worlde, according to that saying, Now the Prince of this World is casten foorth.
Last of all, let vsus heare what some of the Romish Doctors call this Captivitie, which CHRIST led captiue.
ARBOREVS, that Parisian Doctor, sayeth,Arbor. in Ephes. 4.9. By this Captivitie (sayeth hee) without anie absurditie, may bee vnderstood, that intollerable servitude of Sinne, and death, from which, CHRIST, by His Grace, hath fred vsus.
LYRA, in his interlineare Glosse, expoundeth it,Lyra in Psal. 67. Those who were captiue vnderunder the Law, or the Devill, by Sinne, or rather Sinne, and Man's subjection, there-by, to Satan, and the Curse of the Lawe, were those our Enemies, which CHRIST led captiue.
Lyke-wyse, LOMBARD, their Master of Sentences, his Exposition of this place, is just conforme with AVGVSTINE'S, and no word there-in of the PATRIARCHES freedome from Limbo.
CHAP. X. The meaning of HEB. 11.39. cleared.
THE Iesuite proceedeth, next, to proue, by foure severall Textes of SCRIPTVRE, That the Soules of the PATRIARCHES, and of the just, were not glorified, nor admitted vntounto HEAVEN, before CHRIST suffered. All which, in order, let vsus, severallie, examine.
The first is, Because (sayeth hee) all those, through Fayth, obtayned good reporte, (as Saynct Paul showeth) but received not the Promise: GOD provyding a better thing for vsus; that they, without vsus, should not bee made perfect. Where, in vnderstanding by the Promise, the glorifying of their Soules, after the suffering of CHRIST, beeing fred out of Limbo, howe farre hee debordeth from the meaning of the Apostle, and of the Holie GHOST, let the Verdict of ANTIQVITIE, agreeing in one voyce, and the conjunct Expositions of his owne Schoole-men, declare: and, so, howe this Text maketh no-wyse for his purpose.
First, then, concerning ANTIQVITIE, Bellarmine saveth vsus pains, in the severall citation, or recitation of them, whyle as hee setteth downe, in this poynt, what is their common Exposition, and vnanime consent, saying, Or by the Promise, Bell. l. 1. de sanct. c. 3. §. 3.(sayeth Bellarmine) is vnderstoode, the perfect Beatitude both of Bodie and Soule, which, as yet, the Fathers hauehave not; that the same might not bee without vsus. And this (sayeth Bellarmine) is the common Exposition of the Fathers vponupon this place: For hee sayeth not, That they should not bee rewarded without vsus, (sayeth Bellarmine) but that they should not receiue the full Rewarde both in Soule and Bodie, or bee so perfected without vsus; but wee, and they, shall bee perfected so to-gether, at the last Resurrection.
Next, for the conjunct Exposition of the Romish Schoole-men, (beside Bellarmine, whome wee hauehave heard) Ribera, the Iesuite, Ribera in Heb. 11.39.no lesse ingenuouslie confesseth, That the Apostle speaketh, De consummata beatitudine Corporis & Animae, (sayeth hee) in die extremi judicii: that is, Of the perfect Happinesse, both of the Bodie and the Soule, at the Day of the last Iudgement.
Arboreus, also, sayeth, Quod consummatio illa est absolutissima Corporis & Animae perfectio: that is,Arb. in Heb. 11.39. That most absolute consummation, is the perfection both of Soule and Bodie.
Lyke-wyse, sayeth Carthusian, They received not the Promise, Cart. in Heb. 11.39.that is, (sayeth hee) Corporis stolam, seu glorificationem: that is, The glorifying of their Bodies, till the day of Iudgement: but then, all of vsus shall bee raysed, (sayeth hee) and glorified together, that so wee may congratulate, one another, mutuallie, of so great an Happinesse.
So that it is cleare, That by receyving the Promise, is not meant the glorifying of the Soules of the Godlie Patriarches, which they attayned not vntounto, till after CHRISTS suffering, and their delivering from Limbo; but the perfect glorifying of their Bodies and Soules, which they, with all others the Elect, shall attayne vntounto, onelie at the generall Resurrection. So that the sense of this Text, by the Iesuit, hath beene sensiblie miss-taken.
CHAP. XI. The true meaning of HEB. 9.8. and 10.19. expounded.
THE next two Textes, that the Iesuit adduceth, for the same purpose, are HEB. 9.8. and 10.19. where hee sayeth, That Sainct PAVL giveth the reason, why, before CHRIST'S suffering, none went to Heaven, Because the way to the Holiest, was not yet opened, whyle as yet the first Tabernacle was standing: and for that cause hee sayth, that The entrie to the holie Place, (that is, to Heaven) is called a newe Way; which it had not beene, if anie had entred there-in before CHRIST our Saviour.
To whom I answere; That as in the former, so both in the scope, and sense of these words, the Iesuit is a grosse miss-taker; these beeing speaches, onlie of a cleare opposition of the Iewisb Rites, and legall Sacrifices, performed in the Mosaicall, and typicall Tabernacle, vntounto CHRIST'S onlie one, and All-sufficient Sacrifice, perfected in that most excellent Tabernacle, and Temple of His owne Bodie: and showing, that it was not by anie efficacie of the one, but by vertue onlie of the other, that anie entrie into Heaven is. So, that these Speaches, and the scope of them, is onlie to debarre anie confidence in legall observations, from having anie share with CHRIST, in the worke of Man's Salvation, effectuated onlie by His Death and Passion: and to show, that at the Death of the Sonne of GOD onlie, was the cleare opening, and manifestation to all men, of the true Waye to HEAVEN, even CHRIST Crucified.Aquin. in Heb. 9.8. Qui latebat ante, (sayeth AQVINAS) sub figuris literae obumbratus: but by whose Death (sayth CAJETAN) Via sanctorum ad coelestem Patriam aperta est: that is,Cajetan in Heb. 9.8. The Waye of the Saynctes vntounto their Heavenlie Countrey, was opened: the legall Sacrifices, by that onlie one Sacrifice, hence-foorth ceasing; and the Vayle of the Temple (sayeth hee) beeing also rent, from the top, to the bottome.
This Opening, then, is the full, free, and cleare manifestation, and exhibition to all Men, Iew and Gentile, Of CHRIST IESUS Crucified, as the onlie Salue for Sinne, and Saviour of the Worlde: and, therefore,foreign Rev. 5.3. is the word [manifesting] and not [opening] vsed by the holye Ghost, in the Originall; where-as, the Iesuit depraveth the Text, both in Scope and Wordes: who, in place of that which the Apostle sayeth, That the Way to Heaven, was not manifested, in regard of Knowledge; foreign.hath set downe, That the Way was not opened, in regarde of entrie: and the Scope of the Apostle, beeing to institute the comparison of the People, and knowledge of Salvation, vnderunder both Covenants; but not to show, That the Soules of the Patriarches, and just Men, entred not into Heaven, till after CHRIST'S suffering.
The cause, lyke-wyse, wherefore this Way so opened, or manifested, is called, a new Way, the Iesuit's owne Schoole-men may giuegive him resolution: Therefore, (sayth CAjETAN) Viam quidem nova… appellat, contra vetustatem peccati: He… calleth it, A new Way, in opposition to the olde way of Sinne: That, Rom. 5.21.(as the Apostle sayeth) as Sinne hath reigned vntounto Death, (which was the old way) so Grace might reigne through Righteousnesse, vntounto eternall Lyfe, through CHRIST (which is the new Way.)
Againe, Ne introitum corporalem intelligeres explicavit eundem esse per viam novam, (sayeth this same Cardinall:) that is, Lest anie should thinke, that a corporall entrie were vnderstood, (as was to the Holiest of olde.) The Apostle showeth, That wee must enter by a new Way; seeing it is a spirituall entrie, which is requyred by Fayth, and the Way it selfe is Spirituall; to wit, Righteousnesse, and Holinesse, through CHRIST.
AQVINAS, also sayeth,Aquin. in Heb. 10.19. That the newe and onelie Way, now to ascende into Heaven, is, CHRISTO tanquam membrum capiti suo adherere: that is, To adhere to CHRIST, the Head, as a Member of His Bodie: And therefore, hee showeth, That who-so-ever now walketh in that New Way of Fayth, it shall bee sayde vntounto him, I shall wryte vponupon him My newe Name, and the Name of the newe HIERVSALEM.
CARTHVSIAN, also, giveth this reason, why it is called a new Way: Because, (sayth hee) it was first devysed by CHRIST, no Man, nor Angell, beeing able to finde out a way, to reconcile Man to GOD, (the Covenant of Workes, as the olde Way, fayling) but onelie the Lambe, CHRIST IESVS, (sayeth hee) by the Vayle of His Flesh, and His suffering there-in, manifesting the same vntounto vsus.
This way, then, wee see, is called, a new Way; not but that it was in beeing and existence before, but by way of clearer, and nearer patefaction: therefore, the Greeke word is foreign, signifying, a renewing, by making, that which was before, in beeing, a new Way, as it were, in clearnesse, and vnderstanding: CHRIST IESVS, beeing still that Lambe of GOD, which was slayne from the beginning: As also, in opposition to that olde waye of Sinne, and to that legall, impassible; yea, impossible way of Workes: and not that it importeth, that the Soules of the PATRIARCHES, who relay on that onelie Sacrifice of CHRIST to come, and embraced the promise there-of, were al-together depryved of Coelestiall entrie, till by His Ascention, Hee opened that way, and made it new vntounto them: CHRIST IESVS, beeing ever lyke the Sunne in the Firmament, effectuallie spreading the Beames of His saving Grace, as well backward, as forward, even vntounto both endes of the Worlde: and beeing, no lesse, a comfortable ante meridian Sunne, to them in their dimmer fore-noone, nor a postmeridian Sun, to vsus in our clear Horizon, Even CHRIST IESVS, yesterday, and to day, and the same, for ever.
For farther discoverie, lykewyse, of this Popish errour, In denying anie entrie to the Soules of the Patriarches, and just Men, before CHRIST'S Ascention, I must mutuallie demaund:
1. Whether doeth not the Scripture testifie clearlie,Gen. 5.24. that Enoch, before CHRIST'S Ascention, was taken vp to Heaven, seeing it is sayde, That the LORD tooke him vp to Him-selfe: vsing the same word there, which is vsed heere-after in the rapt of Elias?
2. Whether did not Elias enter into Heaven, lyke-wyse,2. Kings 2.11. before CHRIST'S Ascention, seeing it is clearlie sayde, in expresse words, That Elias went vp into Heaven? where-of Mattathias, on his Death-bed, when hee put his Sonnes in mynde, sayde,Machab. 2.58. That Elias, beeing fervent, and Zealous, for the Law, was assumed vp into Heaven.
3. Whether did not Moses, also, before CHRIST'S Ascention, enter into Heaven, (whose Bodie was so dignified, by an Archangels burying of the same,Matth. 17. and whose name is so highlie praysed, Heb. 3.5.) seeing with Elias hee was seene in Glorie, at CHRIST'S Transfiguration?
4. Did not the Soule of the Thiefe, lyke-wyse, on the Crosse,Matth. 26. that same daye of his death, enter into Heaven, before CHRIST'S corporall Ascention, (as hath bene proven before) according to CHRIST'S promise vntounto him, This day thou shalt bee with Mee in Paradise?
To say, then, that no Soule entred into Heaven, before CHRIST'S Ascention, is blasphemouslie to restrayne, lessen, and imbase the vertue of His Passion, which reacheth (as is sayde) to all Tymes, and Persons, and to make the Sinne of Adam more powerfull to Condemnation, than CHRIST His obedience is vntounto Salvation; the ones Fall casting his Posteritie, immediatlie after death, to Hell; but the others Righteousnesse, not bringing the Faythfull, but after hundreths of Yeares, to the Glorie of Heaven.
CHAP. XII. The place of ZACHARIE, 9.11. explayned, and fred from Popish wresting.
THE last place, which the Iesuit adduceth, for his probation, of the deliverie of the Soules of the PATRIARCHES, and just Men, out of his imaginatie Limbus, after CHRIST'S suffering, is that place of Zachariah, Vt educeret vinctos suos de lacu, (sayth hee) ubi non erit aqua: that is, That Hee might bring foorth His Prisoners, out of the Pit, where-in there is no Water.
Which place, howe little it makes for his Hellish Limbus, I will, first, manifest out of the Fathers; and next, out of his grand Champion Bellarmine.
This Text, then, which speaketh of that gracious Deliverance of sinnefull Man-kynde, by the Blood of CHRIST, out of the Prison of that spirituall Thraldome, where-in all men were, through Adams fall, and by the meanes of Sinne, Saynct Augustine doeth thus clearlie expound:August. de civit. DEI, l. 18. c. 35. What may bee vnderstood by this Pit, (sayeth hee) diverse expositions may bee thought vponupon, agreeable to the true Fayth: but, it seemeth to mee, that none better can bee than this; That there-by is vnderstood, the drye and barren deepenesse of Man's Miserie, where the Waters of Righteousnesse flow not; but where-in is the puddle of Iniquitie.
THEODORET, lykewyse, after hee hath expounded this Pit, to bee eternall Death, then hee subjoyneth, saying, And when Men were bound (sayeth hee) in this Pit, our LORD IESVS CHRIST Hee loosed them, and brought them foorth; and by His precious Blood, Hee delivered them, and brought them foorth to the way of Lyfe, when Hee gaue vntounto them the new Covenant.
Saynct IEROME, also, sayeth, That it is thus vnderstood, (sayeth he) By the Blood of Thy Suffering, in MercieMercy thou deliveredst them, who were bound Prisoners, in the Prison of Hell, where-in there is no MercieMercy.
Saynct CYRILL, lykewyse, hath this Exposition, By which wordes, (sayeth hee) wee affirme, eyther that Hell is vnderstood, where-in is no lyfe, (for wee may take Water for the symboll of Lyfe) or else, wee will interprete the Pit, most fitlie, to bee the deceyving of false gods; for Idolatrie, is a Pit, truelie, in which who-so-ever falleth, hee shall bee depryved of eternall Lyfe.
So, whether Man's Miserie, or eternall Death, or Hell, or heathen Idolatrie, bee meant by this Pit, yet anie such Limbus, is no wayes there-by signified.
Bell. lib. 1. de Purg. cap. 3.Next: if wee consult with Bellarmine, hee showeth vsus, that no such thing as Limbus Patrum, can bee meant there-by: where-of hee giveth this reason, Because (sayth hee) There is aqua consolationis in Limbo; that is, There is the Water of Comfort, or Refreshment, in Limbus; where-as in this Pitte where-of Zachariah speaketh, there is no Water at all. Therefore it is, that Bellarmine taketh this place, for that cause, to fit better for the proofe of Purgatorie.
Lyke-wyse, those that are in this Pit, where-of the Prophet speaketh, are called Vincti, or fettered. Whence it would follow, if there-by Limbus were meant, that the Fathers were not onlie so long detayned in that hellish prison, but that they lay chayned, or in Fetters, so manie thousands or hundreths of Yeares, in that infernall Pit. Which estate, if it bee all one, with beeing in Abraham's Bosome, as the Iesuit confessed before, which is a place of receyving Comforte, and enjoying good things, (as the Scripture showeth) let anie Man judge.
Out of all which places, then, which hauehave beene formerlie adduced, it is evident, how impertinentlie, and to no purpose, the Iesuit hath adduced the Authoritie of wrested Scripture, for his Popish Limbus, and liberating of the PATRIARCHES therefrom; and howe Foxe-lyke, onlie there-in, Vitreum vas lambit pultem haud attigit.