Answer to a Popish Pamphlet of Christs Descent to Hell, Pamphlet
The Demaund of a Catholicke, to the Protestant Preachours.
I Demaund, How your two BIBLES can be both truelie translated, in the second Chapter of the Acts, 27. vers. where-in, in one, printed at LONDON, 1598. (and in sundrie others) is sayd of CHRISTS Soule, Thou wilt not leaue my Soule in Graue: In another, printed at LONDON, 1619. Thou wilt not leaue my Soule in Hell? I demaund, then, if Graue and Hell bee one thing, or no? Infernus and Sepulchrum? foreign and foreign? Sheol and Keber? And if they bee one thing in signification, I desire Testimonies, of authenticke Authors, in the fore-sayde Languages, which holde this Opinion?
If they be not one thing in signification, what moveth you to translate, agaynst all Antiquitie, yea, agaynst an Article of our Creed, That CHRIST His Soule was in the Graue?
For we belieue, that CHRIST descended vntounto Hell, not according to His Bodie, (because indeed it was in a new Monument buried by Ioseph of Arimathea, Luke 23.53as the Scripture witnesseth) therefore according to His Soule, which went downe, to Abrahams Bosome, to deliver the Patriarchs, and the Iust, which were there detayned captiue. And this descending can not be to the Graue, because Saynct Paul sayeth,Ephes. 4.9. That Hee descended first to the lower parts of the earth; which is a place opposite to that where He ascended when Hee led Captivitie captiue; and is called in our Creed by the Apostles, Hell; and by our Saviour, The heart of the earth: Mat. 12.40.For as Ionas was three dayes and three nights in the Whales bellie, so shall the Sonne of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. But the heart of the earth was not the Graue; because as Saynct Ierome sayeth,Hierom. in cap. 2. Ionae. Sicut cor in medio est animalis, ita infernus in medio terrae esse perhibetur. And in another place,Idem, in cap. 4. ad Ephes. Inferiora terrae infernus accipitur, ad quem DOMINVS noster Salvatórque descendit, ut sanctorum animas, quae ibi tenebantur inclusae secum ad coelos victor abduceret.
More-over; This place where-vntounto CHRIST descended, can not be Heaven; because wee say not, that CHRIST descended into Heaven; but that Hee ascended, and led Captivitie captiue: which was the Patriarchs 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,Coloss. 2.14. 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,Hebr. 11.39. through Fayth obtayned good report, and rcceived 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, saying, That the way vntounto the Holiest of all,Heb. 9.8. 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,Hebr. 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; Ut educeret vinctos suos de lacu, in quo non erat aqua, Zach. 9.11.as Zacharias the Prophet sayeth.
Farther: This descending of CHRIST vntounto Hell,Lib. 2. instit. cap. 6. §. 10. can not bee vnderstood of the suffering of the paynes of Hell speciallie vponupon the Crosse, according to Iohn Calvines blasphemous doctrine; because in all the Scripture there is no mention made of such suffering:1. Iohn. 1.7. and Saynct Iohn sayth, that the Blood of CHRIST cleangeth vsus from all sinne: and Saynct Paul to the Ephesians sayeth,Ephes. 1.7. We hauehave redemption through His Blood, even the forgiuenesse of sinnes, according to His rich Grace: and therefore I demaund, Whether suffered CHRIST vpō the Crosse, Poenam damni, or sensus, or both?
Hee suffered not the first, because His Soule was ever blessed: Hee suffered not the second, because Hee suffered not vponupon the Crosse the payne of Fyre, nor vtter Darknesse, in aeternall Bands: neyther suffered Hee the Worme which dieth not; nor Hee was not in Hell, in companie with the wicked spirits, where is weeping, and gnashing of Teeth: for these are the paynes of Hell, where-of mention is in Scripture.
Thirdlie: If He suffered both poenam damni, and sensus, I desire Scripture for the same: for, according to Theologues, all the paynes of Hell are comprehended vnderunder these two tearmes, Poena damni, & sensus?
Finallie: It can not bee sayde, that when the Scripture sayeth, Thou wilt not leaue my Soule in Hell; that it is to bee vnderstoode,In his Bible, 1556. as Beza interpreteth it, Thou wilt not leaue my Carcase in the Graue: because the Soule, is not the Carcase; and Graue, is not Hell.
There-after, the Soule in that place, can not bee taken for the Bodie; because it is distinguished from the Bodie, where-of it is sayde, that it shall not see Corruption;Act 2.27. nor was His Soule in Graue at anie tyme of those three dayes, where-in Hee descended vntounto Hell; except immediatelie before His Glorious Resurrection.