LIMBO'S battery, OR, An answer, to a Popish Pamphlet, OF Christs descense to Hell: Where-in what can bee alleged, for the local descending of His soul thither, after His Suffering, to liberate the patriarchs, out of any LIMBVS, is clearly refuted: Extorted at last, to a more public view, BY WILLIAM GVILD.  Aug. Tom. 7. lib. 2. de Nuptiis& Concup. c. 2. 
Verba recta ac veritatis luke fulgentia, tortuosis interpretationibus obscurare& depravare moliuntur.  Hieronymus Advers. Pelag. 
Ingemui, fateor, nobis minus inesse voluntatis ad propagandam veritatem, quam illis inest invidentia ad inculcandum mendacium.  
ANNO 1630.  
Aberdeen, Printed by Edward Raban.   

 crest with three towers flanked by two lions 
BON. ACCORD  
Insignia urbis abredoniae;    

TO THE TRVELIE NOBLE, Right Honourable, and Religious Lord, james, LORD DESKFORD.  
MY LORD,  
above three Yeares ago, this Popish demand, in the Iesuite's own Hand-wryting, being given to that most Religious Gentleman, and hopeful Branch, of that Noble stock, FRANCIS HAY, son to the earl of ERROLL; with no less bragging, than that all the Ministers were not able to answer it: Amongst the meanest of whom, it having pleased that worthy Gentle-man, to employ my pains; I drew up an answer, at that time, more to give himself contentment,( whose constancy they would haue brangled) than any-wayes to satisfy those, who by the more learned Travels of others, could never yet bee made sensible, in any point of their erroneous giddiness, by that inebriating Cup of their whorish Mother. always, since that time, how-so-ever, I never heard more of that purpose, and that the Demander restend silent; yet the busy Surmises of late, and causeless brags, of some of that Popish Crew, coming to mine ears; alleging in their vaunting and wanton humour, that a Demand had long a-goe been made to some Ministers, concerning their BIBLES translation, and a main Article of the CREED; where-vnto they were never, hither-to, able to reply: Together with the earnest desire of others, well-affected, hath made me to revise my pains, and of new to put Pen to Paper; and so to bring forth, to more public view, and more common benefit, what otherwise was only intended for a private use: whereby any, of indifferent judgement, may see, how justly they beltch forth their boisterous Brags, and heave with the style of Invincible,( as they did a-before their Spanish Armado) what-so-ever cometh from the Finger-tops of their ghostly Fathers: as if their brain could hatch nothing, but a perfect Pallas: tho with alike success of disappoyntment, that preparation, and their pains, are seen to symbolise. The LORD grant, that still HIS CHVRCHES Foes, may be as a rolling wheel, and as Stubble before the wind; whom He may persecute, 
Psal. 83.13.  with His Tempest, and make afraid, with His storm.  
These pains, then, Most Noble, and Religious Lord, I haue for this cause dedicated to your learned Patronage; as One, both in Blood, and Affection, most near, and entirely linked with that Noble Gentleman, who instigated me, first, to the taking of the same. And in respect your fervent love to RELIGION, is not only evident; but also your zealous and judicious Defence of the TRVETH, at all fit occasions is not our,( to all those that know Your Honour) never to bee wanting: And who is able, therefore, sufficiently, by Skill and Arte, to maintain against all Opposers, This, and what point so-ever else of sacred verity, which sheltereth itself under the Shield of Your learned patrociny. Wishing, also, that This may receive such acceptation, according to Your Lordships imbred courteous and gentle Disposition, that it may bee reputed, and remain, as a small, but sincere testimony, of the most respective duty, and entire affection of one, who with the apprecation of all happiness, shall ever continue  
Your Lordships devoted, WILLIAM GVILD.   

TO THE READER.  
COVRTEOVS READER,  
AS the Apostle distinguisheth, and( according to Augustine's witnessing, 
Bell. l. 3. de Eccles. c. 9.  cited by Bellarmine) as the orthodox church ever believed, and primitiuelie professed, that they made but two Estates of the church; one Militant on Earth, and another Triumphant in Heaven: So, altho our belief and Profession, bee jumplie agreeable; yet not only will our Adversaries haue a third estate of Christians, under the GOSPEL, after death, in purgatory; but also of the Fathers and patriarchs, under the Law, in an Hellish Limbo; and, that thither our Saviour behoved locally to descend, after His death, for their liberation. 
The state of the controversy.  So that herein standeth the question between us,( lest thou shouldst mistake the state there-of) Whether the souls of the patriarchs,& Godly under the Law, until CHRISTS death, were detained captive, in a part of Hell, called Limbus Patrum? And, That CHRIST descended locally in His soul thither, for their liberation? They hold the affirmative, and wee the negative; seeing David, speaking of himself, clearly doth say, 
Psal. 73.24.  Thou wilt guide me with Thy counsel, and thereafter( not enclose me in an Hellish Dungeon,) but receive me up in glory. Which made Augustine to profess accordingly, 
Aug. Epist. 99. ad Evodium.  That the souls of the just, before CHRIST'S death, were in Abraham's bosom, where they enjoyed constantly the blessed presence of the divine majesty. Wee controvert not, therefore, so much of CHRISTS descense into Hell; nor deny the same simply, and everie-way; especially seeing with their own great Master Durandus, 
Durand. in 3. Sent. Dist. 22. q. 3.  all PROTESTANTS aclowledge His descense thither virtually, and by effect. But wee deny mainlie the Popish end of His descense thither, whether virtually, or locally the same were affirmed. Yea, taking Hell( as it should be) properly, for the place of Torment only, and estate of the Damned,( all other Limboes being but imaginary chimeras.) It is the constant doctrine of all the Romanists with us, that except virtually, or by effect, CHRIST no-wyse descended locally into Hell, thus understood. Therefore, if we prove, that the patriarchs, before CHRIST'S death, were not in Hell,( as both Scripture, and most orthodox Fathers do witness) and consequently, that in Hell there was no such place of their detention, as a Limbus Patrum; Wee shall, without controversy, evince, that locally CHRIST descended not thither, for that end of their liberation: and so obtaining, that they were not in any such Limbus,& that CHRIST descended not in soul, to deliver them out of any such Limbus; For any other manner of His descense into Hell,( seeing both sides grant a descense virtual, and in effect to the place of the Damned) between them and us, there would rest no controversy, nor can they bee any way able vnjustlie to upbraid us, with any denial of a clear Article in the Creed, Of CHRISTS descense into Hell; this Popish Limbus only being taken out of the way, into which only, for the fore-sayd liberation, they affirm a local descending.  
Which detention of the holy patriarchs, and godly, in any such Hellish Prison, under the Law, is a doctrine, not only crossing the verity of Scripture, and abating from the force of Man's faith, and GOD'S mercy; but also, is no less derogatory to the efficacy of CHRIST'S merit,& virtue of His death,( who was that lamb, slain from the beginning of the world;) nor Man's satisfaction, in that Popish purgatory, under the GOSPEL now, is alike abasing of the same merit, and curtayling of the blessed power of His painful Passion: and so, are both sacrilegious Heresies, and accursed encroachings vpon the LORDS prerogative royal, and priestly pre-eminence.  
Thus, the matter and state of things being rightly considered, thou mayest the more profitably peruse these succinct ensuing pains●… And the LORD give thee understanding, and a sober mind, zealous for His TRVETH, and careful for thy preservation, from the seduction of deceitful error.  
Thine in CHRIST IESVS, W. G.   

The Contents of this Treatise.  

THAT the word [ Infernus] doth oftentimes signify the grave; and so, that both Infernus and Sepulchrum, in the latin, are both frequently found of one signification. CHAPTER I.  
That {αβγδ} and {αβγδ}, likewise, in the greek, are oftentimes put for one thing, and denotate the grave, in lyke-manner. CHAP. II.  
That Sheol and Keber, also, in the Hebrew, do frequently signify one thing, and that by both the grave is also meant. CHAP. III.  
Whether Hell, and Abraham's bosom, bee one thing, as the Romanists affirm? CHAP. IV.  
Whether the patriarchs,& just Men, were in Hell, or any part there-of, detained till CHRISTS suffering? CHAP. V.  
Whither CHRISTS soul went immediately, after His suffering on the cross. CHAP. VI.  
What is meant by the lower parts of the Earth. Ephes. 4.9. CHAP. VII.  
What is meant by the heart of the Earth. Matth. 12.40. CHAP. VIII.  
What is the meaning of leading captivity captive. Eph. 4.8. CHAP. IX.  
The true meaning of Hebr. 11.39. cleared. CHAP. X.  
The true exposition, also, of Heb. 9.8. and 10.19. set down, and fred from Popish wresting. CHAP. XI.  
That place of Zachariah, 9.11. explained, adduced chiefly for Limbus. CHAP. XII.  
That CHRIST suffered as well in soul, as in body: proven by clear Scriptures. CHAP. XIII.  
That CHRIST suffered in soul, as well as in body: proven out of the Fathers. CHAP. XIV.  
That CHRIST suffered in soul, against the Romanists: proven out of the Romanists themselves. CHAP. XV.  
What pains they were, which CHRIST suffered in His soul, for mankind. CHAP. XVI.  
That CHRIST suffered the Punishment both of damni& sensus. CHA. XVII.  
The Defence of Beza's Exposition, of Acts 2.27. CHAP. XVIII.  
The place of 1. Pet. 3.19. alleged for Limbus, clearly expounded, and vindicated from error. CHAP. XIX.  
In what sound sense, without controversy, it is confessed, and may bee yielded unto, both by Papist, and Protestant, That CHRIST descended to Hell. CHAP. XX.   
FINIS.   

The demand of a catholic, to the Protestant Preachours.  
I demand, How your two BIBLES can be both truly translated, in the second Chapter of the Acts, 27. vers. where-in, in one, printed at LONDON, 1598.( and in sundry others) is said of CHRISTS soul, Thou wilt not leave my soul in grave: In another, printed at LONDON, 1619. Thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell? I demand, then, if grave and Hell bee one thing, or no? Infernus and Sepulchrum? {αβγδ} and {αβγδ}? Sheol and Keber? And if they bee one thing in signification, I desire Testimonies, of authentic Authors, in the foresaid Languages, which hold this Opinion?  
If they be not one thing in signification, what moveth you to translate, against all antiquity, yea, against an Article of our Creed, That CHRIST His soul was in the grave?  
For we believe, that CHRIST descended unto Hell, not according to His body,( because indeed it was in a new Monument butted by joseph of Arimathea, 
Luke 23.53  as the Scripture witnesseth) therefore according to His soul, which went down, to Abrahams bosom, to deliver the patriarches, and the just, which were there detained captive. And this descending can not be to the grave, because saint Paul saith, 
Ephes. 4.9.  That he descended first to the lower parts of the earth; which is a place opposite to that where He ascended when he lead captivity captive; and is called in our Creed by the Apostles, Hell; and by our Saviour, The heart of the earth: 
Mat. 12.40.  For as jonas was three dayes and three nights in the Whales belly, so shall the son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. But the heart of the earth was not the grave; because as saint jerome saith, 
Hierom. in cap. 2. jonae.  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 dominus noster Salvatórque descendit, ut sanctorum animas, quae ibi tenebantur inclusae secum ad coelos victor abduceret.  
More-over; This place where-vnto CHRIST descended, can not be Heaven; because wee say not, that CHRIST descended into Heaven; but that he ascended, and lead captivity captive: which was the patriarches and Prophets, and the just, which died before CHRISTS suffering, and were not glorified, till the price of our Redemption was payed, by putting out, as saint Paul saith, the Hand-wryting of Ordinances, 
Coloss. 2.14.  that was against us, which was contrary to us; he even took it out of the way, and fastened it vpon the cross, &c. They were not then glorified before that time, because all those, as saint Paul saith, 
Hebr. 11.39.  through faith obtained good report, and rcceived not the Promise; GOD providing a better thing for us, that they without us should not bee made perfect. And the reason is which saint Paul giveth, saying, That the way unto 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 saith, That the entering to the holy Place, that is, 
Hebr. 10.19.  to Heaven, is a new way: but it had not been a new way, if any had entered before CHRIST our Saviour. Where-by it is evident, that CHRIST was the first that ascended, when He lead captivity captive, &c. And also, that he 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 saith.  
Farther: This descending of CHRIST unto Hell, 
Lib. 2. instit. cap. 6. §. 10.  can not bee understood of the suffering of the pains of Hell specially vpon the cross, according to John Calvines blasphemous doctrine; because in all the Scripture there is no mention made of such suffering: 
1. John. 1.7.  and saint John saith, that the Blood of CHRIST cleangeth us from all sin: and saint Paul to the Ephesians saith, 
Ephes. 1.7.  We haue redemption through His Blood, even the forgiveness of sins, according to His rich Grace: and therefore I demand, Whether suffered CHRIST vpon the cross, Poenam damni, or sensus, or both?  
he suffered not the first, because His soul was ever blessed: he suffered not the second, because he suffered not vpon the cross the pain of fire, nor utter darkness, in eternal Bands: neither suffered he the worm which death not; nor he was not in Hell, in company with the wicked spirits, where is weeping, and gnashing of Teeth: for these are the pains of Hell, where-of mention is in Scripture.  
thirdly: If He suffered both poenam damni, and sensus, I desire Scripture for the same: for, according to Theologues, all the pains of Hell are comprehended under these two terms, Poena damni,& sensus?  
finally: It can not bee said, that when the Scripture saith, Thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell; that it is to bee understood, 
In his Bible, 1556.  as Beza interpreteth it, Thou wilt not leave my Carcase in the grave: because the soul, is not the Carcase; and grave, is not Hell.  
There-after, the soul in that place, can not bee taken for the body; because it is distinguished from the body, where-of it is said, that it shall not see Corruption; 
Act 2.27.  nor was His soul in grave at any time of those three dayes, where-in he descended unto Hell; except immediately before His Glorious Resurrection.   

LIMBO'S battery, OR An answer to a popish Pamphlet, or demand, Concerning CHRISTS descense into Hell.  

THE POPISH DEMAND.  
I demand; How your two BIBLES can bee both truly translated, in the second Chapter of th' Acts, vers. 27. Where-in, in one, printed at London, 1598.( and in sundry others) is said of CHRISTS soul, Thou wilt not leave my soul in grave: In another, printed at London, 1619. Thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell? I demand, then, if grave and Hell bee one thing, or no? Infernus, and Sepulchrum? {αβγδ}, and {αβγδ}? Sheol, and Keber? And if they bee one thing in signification, I desire testimonies of authentic Authors, in the foresaid Languages, which hold this Opinion, &c.  

THE PROTESTANT REPLY.  

CHAPTER I. That the word INFERNVS, doth oftentimes signify the grave: and so, that both INFERNVS and SEPVLCHRVM, are frequently of one signification.  
WHere-as it is first demanded, How our two BIBLES can bee both truly translated, Act. 2.27. where-in, in one, printed at LONDON, 1598. it is said, Thou wilt not leave my soul in grave: And in another, printed also at LONDON, 1619. it is said, Thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell? The Demaunde● there-fore, desireth to bee resolved; If Infernus and Sepulchrum, or Hell and grave, {αβγδ} and {αβγδ}, Sheol and Keber, bee one in signification? And if they bee, he requireth Testimonies of authentic Authors, in the foresaid Languages, which hold this Opinion.  
Where-in, before we satisfy his desire, wee must put him in mind, of as great diversity, in translation of this selfsame testimony, in their own BIBLES: Their vulgar translation, printed at LIONS, 1546. translating that place of the psalm, cited Act. 2.27. after this manner, 
Psal. 16.10.  Non derelinques animam meam in Inferno, or Hell. But their interlinear BIBLE, set forth at the expenses of their catholic King, and approven by the Censure of the university of LOVANE, printed at antwerp, 1572. translating that place of the psalm thus, Non derelinq●●es animam meam in Sepulchro, or the grave. And so, in our translation, wee are not found singular.  
But, 
Lyra in Isai 5. accipitur autem Infernus in Scriptura dupliciter: uno modo profossa, ubi ponuntur mortuorum cadavera: alio modo pro loco ubi descendunt ainae damnatorum.  to satisfy this demand in particular; Whether Infernus and Sepulchrum, or grave and Hell, be one thing in signification? I answer shortly, in their own LYRA his words, That Infernus is taken in Scripture, not only for the place of the Damned; but also for the Pit, or grave,( saith he) where the bodies of the dead are laid. And, lest that LYRA should seem to haue spoken so without warrant, I will clear the truth of his speech, 1. by Scripture, and their own translation there-of, 2. by Fathers, 3. by themselves.  
1. In Scripture, then, wee find, that, PSAL. 89.48. it is said, What man is he that liveth, that shall not see Death? or, deliver his soul è manu Inferi? Which must bee rendered( as PAGNIN and VATABLVS expound it) out of the hand, or power, of the grave: because if Hell, or place of the damned, were signified there-by, it might bee answered, That the Soule● of the godly shall bee delivered è manu Inferi: and so the question, Quis homo?( excepting none) should bee unfitting, and fal●e.  
again, PSAL. 141.7. Our bones are scattered( saith the PSALMIST) secus Infernum, or, ad as Inferni: which PAGNIN, and EMMANVEL SA, the jesuit, expound to bee Sepulchrum, or the mouth of the grave: because, do what Popish Sophists can do, they can not bee so absurd, as other-wise to make the dispersion of the bones of dead men, to bee in the infernal place of the punishment of Souls.  
2. Secondlie; by testimony of Fathers, who lived within the first ●00 yeares, wee will prove, that Infernus and Sepulchrum, are oft put for one.  
1. ORIGEN( who lived Anno 230.) saith thus; 
Orig. tract. 35. in Math. cap. 27.  Qui illum post diem tertium revocavit ab inferis,& nos revocabit tempore oportuno: that is, he who raised, or recalled, CHRIST, after the third day, from the infernal partes; will also raise, or recall, us from thence, in the own time. Now, it is from the grave, and not from Hell, that the godly are raised, or called forth, at the last day: There-fore, by INFERI, the Graues, and not Hell, must bee understood.  
2. HILARIVS also( who lived Anno 360.) speaketh in this manner; 
Hilar. de trinit. lib. 11  CHRISTI caro( saith he) vivificata per se etiam, ex inferno exiit: that is, CHRIST'S Flesh being quickened by himself, came out of the grave.  
3. augustine likewise( who lived Anno 410.) saith thus; 
Aug. orat. cont. Iudeos, Pagan.& Artan. tom. 6. cap. 17.  Nonne inferna CHRISTO testimonium perhibuerunt? &c. that is. Did not the Graues( saith he) give testimony to CHRIST, when losing their power, they reserved lazarus,( whom they had received to dissolve) for four dayes together, that they might restore him safe again, when they heard the voice of the LORD commanding it?  

Prim. in Hebr. 13.  4. PRIMASIVS in like manner,( who lived Anno 450.) by way of explication, saith; Deus Pater Filium reduxit è mortuis, hoc est, de Inferno, vel de Sepultura: that is, GOD the Father( saith he) brought His son from the dead, that is, from the infernal place, or grave.  

ruffian. in expos. Symboli.  Whence it is, that RVFFINVS,( who lived Anno 390.) having declared, in his Exposition of the Creed, That in the symbol of the Church of Rome in his time, neither in the eastern Churches, there was no such Article, as, he descended unto Hell. Yet, he presently subjoineth, That where it is found, Vis verbi( saith he) eadem videtur esse in eo, quod Sepultus dicitur: that is, That the force, or meaning of the word, seemeth to bee the same, with that where-in it is said, that he was butted.  
Last of all, out of themselves, and jesuitical own confessions, wee will prove, that Infernus and Sepulchrum, are oftentimes one.  
Omitting, therefore, Lyra his fore-cited testimony, Alcuinus, 
Alcuin. in Gen. interrog. 256.  an ancient Doctor, moving the question, howe that speech of Iaakob should bee understood, Genes. 37.35. Descendam ad Filium cum luctu in Infernum. Inferni nomine( saith he) Sepulchrum significavit: that is, By the word Infernus, he signified the grave,( saith he.) So saith the jesuit, Gaspar Sanctius; 
Gasp. Zanctius, in Act. 2. Sect. 56.  Est in Scriptura frequens, Infernum pro Sepultura, atque adeo pro morte sumi: that is, It is usual( saith he) that the word Infernus, in Scripture, is taken for burial, and for Death itself. 

Emm. Sa, in Indice Phraseon, Sac. Scripturae.  
Alphonsus Mend. controv. Theol. q. 1. positiv. Sect. 5.   And emmanuel Sa particularizeth sixteen places in the old Testament, where Infernus is put for the grave. Imo fear semper Inferni nomen Sepulchrum sonat in Veteri Testamento, saith ALPHONSVS MENDOZA: that is to say, Yea, almost ever the name Infernus, signifieth the grave, in the old Testament.  

Andrad. deafen. council. tried. l. 2.  And, to conclude; Andradius, the defender of the council of Trent, speaking of this same place of the Acts, saith; Nullum erit inter Latina Graecaq́ue exemplaria dissidium, si animadvertamus INFERNVM hoc loco pro morte atque Sepulchro Hebreorum dicendi more usurpari: that is, There will be no discord between the latin and greek Copies, if wee remark that the word Infernus, after the Hebrew phrase, is taken for Death, and the grave.  
So that, I hope, wee haue satisfied, to the full, the jesuits first demand, Whether Infernus and Sepurchrum bee one in signification; and haue given him authentic Authors, according to his desire, and whom he can not reject, who hold this Opinion.   

CHAP. II. That {αβγδ} and {αβγδ} are frequently put for one, and are of alike and the same signification.  
THe jesuits next Question, being, Whether {αβγδ} and {αβγδ} bee all one thing? and where-in he desireth alike proof, and evidence, as in the former, wee are, there-fore, to prove the same, 1. by Scripture, 2. by the Fathers, 3. out of the Liturgies of the greek Church; and last, by their own Confessions.  
First, then, for proof by Scripture: Revel 20.13.14. it is said, That as the Sea gave up her dead, ( which were butted in the waters;) So {αβγδ} gave up her dead,( which were butted in the earth.) Which therefore, can not bee Hell, which containeth no dead bodies to surrender; but only the grave, Death proper jail.  
again, it is said, verse 14 That Death and {αβγδ} were both casten into the fiery Lake, which is Hell, or the second Death. Now, 〈…〉 {αβγδ} were Hell itself there, and not the grave, or state of corruption, then Hell should bee said t●… bee casten into Hell, or the fyer●… Lake; which were unfitting. Therefore, it seemeth, that Basil of Selencia had relation to this place, wh●… he bringeth in CHRIST, saying I will teach {αβγδ}, that it mu●… expect the resurrestion to succe●… unto it. Now, wee know, th●… what succeedeth, importeth th●… abrogating of that which praece●…ded. Therefore, by {αβγδ}, H●… can not bee meant; because the●…surrection can not bee said to succeed there-to, but it rather in full impletion to the resurrection, but the grave is fitly meant; because after the resurrection, there shall be no more corruption of bodies, nor place destinate or proper for that use.  
Secondlie, for probation out of the Fathers, that {αβγδ} and {αβγδ} are all one.  
1. gregory Nyssene, 
Greg. Nyssen. in Pasch.& Christi resur. tom. 2. oper. Gracolat. p. 824,  moving the question, how CHRIST could bee at one time, hoth in {αβγδ}, and in PARADISE? he answereth, That he was in {αβγδ} only with His body, which was dead; but in His soul, he brought the thief into possession of PARADISE. now, seeing all confess, that the body of CHRIST lay only in the grave; therefore it followeth, that {αβγδ} and the grave here are all but one thing.  
2. Chrysostome also saith, That our Saviour spoyled {αβγδ}, by descending into {αβγδ}: 
Chrys. orae catechet. in S. Pascha tom. 5. oper. Chrys. edit. San●●, p. 916 {αβγδ}. Caesar. dial. 4. {αβγδ}. Athan. Graecolat. tom. 2. p, 59. tract. de defin.  he made i●… bitter,( saith he) when it tasted of His Flesh. Now, all consent, that the grave only tasted o●… CHRIST'S Flesh; there-fore {αβγδ}, which was made bitter by that tasting, was only CHRISTS grave. And there-fore the sam●… Father saith a little after, It received a body, and lighted vpon GOD: It received Earth●… and met with Heaven: It received that which it saw, and fel●… vpon that which it saw not.  
3. Caesarius also saith, that {αβγδ}, where-in the divine body was hidden by burial, did laven al●… man( saith he) unto resurrection, and life.  
4. Athanasius likewise, or the Author of the Definitions amongs●… his works, saith thus of CHRIST; That he was the first-begotten o●… the dead; because he was the first that rose from {αβγδ}; as wee shall also rise( saith he) at His second coming. Now, it is well a-nough known, that our bodies shall rise at His second coming, not from Hell, but from the grave: there-fore by {αβγδ}, the grave is understood.  
5. Last of all, saith the two Cyrills: he of Alexandria, 
Cyril. Alex, Glaphyr. in Gen. l. 5. p. 121.  That CHRIST was raised up for us: For,( saith he) he could not bee detained by the gates of {αβγδ},( or power of the grave.) And cyril of jerusalem, having said, 
Cyril. Hierosol. catech. 14.  That our Saviour descended into {αβγδ}, doth presently subjoin, as an explanation, {αβγδ}: For he descended unto Death( saith he.)  
thirdly: To qualify that {αβγδ} and {αβγδ}, are all one in the Liturgies of the graecian Church at this day, who best know the signification of greek words, let these two instances testify.  
In one of these Liturgies they sing thus, 
Graeci in Octoecho. Anastas.  {αβγδ}: that is; The corruption-working palace of the grave was dissolved, when Thou, O LORD, arose out of the tomb. Where wee see, that the work of corruption is attributed to {αβγδ}, which is the property only of the grave, and not of Hell, where there is no consuming, by any putrefaction.  

Bibliothee. tom. 6. par. ed. an. 1589 col. 128.  again, in another liturgy, these are their words; {αβγδ}: that is; Thou who spoyledst {αβγδ}, or the grave, by Thy burial there-in, bee mindful on me.  
Fourthlie, for evidence out of themselves, that {αβγδ} and {αβγδ} are often put for one, our probation shall bee, 1. from their dictionary direction, 2. from their local expositions of Scripture, 3. from their reconciling of places seeming contrarious, and last, from force of argument, out of Bellarmines own confession.  
As for the first: In the greek dictionary, set out by themselves, 
Lexic. Graecol. in sacro appar. Biblior. Reg. Antverpia, anno 1572.  for the better understanding of the Bible, it is intimated unto us, that {αβγδ} doth not only signify that which is the place of the damned, but the grave also; as is clear there, in the word {αβγδ}.  
Next, for local exposition of Scripture: In the old Testament, where the Septuagint, in the greek, Psal. 89.48. hath {αβγδ}; Pagnin expoundeth it, E manu Sepulchri. As also, Psal. 141.7. where the Septuagint hath {αβγδ}; the fore-named Pagnin, and Emmanuel Sa, the jesuit, do translate Sepulchrum, or the grave. likewise, in the New Testament, where it is, 1. Cor. 15.55. O, {αβγδ}, where is thy victory? Pagnin, and Arias Montanus, expound the same, the grave.  
thirdly, for reconciling of discordant-seeming places, especially of that, Acts 2.24. some reading, the dolours of Death; and others, the dolours of Hell: 
Andrad. deafen. tried. fid. l. 2.  ANDRADIVS saith, That will bee no disagreement between the latin and greek Copies, if wee remark,( saith he) that {αβγδ}, in this place is used for Death, and the grave, according to the Hebrew phrase of speech, Psal. 15. which Peter presently after citeth, saying, Because Thou wilt not leave my soul {αβγδ}, or in the grave.  
Last, by force of argument, out of Bellarmines own confession, wee prove it thus: The Septuagint,( saith Bellarmine) doth everiewhere put bades for sheol, 
Bell. l. 4. de Christo c. 10  in the interpretation. But the Septuagint translating sheol in hades, taketh hades oftentimes for the grave. ERGO, by sheol, or hades, in the Septuagint, oftentimes the grave is signified. The minor resteth only to bee proven, which I do, by these instances following: Genes. 44.31. In the Septuagint,( where the Hebrew word is Sbeol) Iaakobs sons say, Wee shall bring down the gray hairs of our Father, with sorrow, {αβγδ}: which is, the grave; because no lower place can bee understood, than that, where-vnto gray hairs do go down: Hell being a place for souls only immediately after death; and not for dead bodies, or any parte there-of. There-fore, Tobi 3.10. where it is said, I shall bring my Fathers old age with sorrow, {αβγδ}, ad infernum; it is clearly set down, Chap. 6. vers. 14. what he meaneth by {αβγδ} saying, I shall bring my Fathers life with sorrow, {αβγδ}, to the grave, saith ●●e Text. So, 1. Kings, 2.6. DAVID ●ineth charge to SALOMON, concerning joab: Let not his hoary head,( saith he) go down to {αβγδ} in peace. And, vers. 9. concerning SHIMEI, he saith, His hoary head bring thou down to {αβγδ} with blood. In both which places, by SHEOL in the Hebrew, and HADES in the greek, no-thing else can bee understood, but the grave, seeing thither only the hoary head, or carcases of the dead, and slain, do descend allanerlie. There-fore, Isai 14.11. after these words of the Prophet, Thy pomp is brought down to SHEOL, or, as the greek hath, HADES, immediately is subjoined the description of the grave; to show, that by Sheol or Hades, no-thing but the grave is there to bee understood: saying, The worm is spread under thee, and the worms do cover thee: which 〈◇〉 know to bee done in thee, bye only, and not in the place of the damned.  
So that the jesuit, I hope, may, in this, also, rest fully satisfied, according to that parte of his demand, That out of authentic Authors, HADES and TAPHOS, are both one. So that it resteth now only, to show, if SHEOL and KEBER, bee likewise one, according to his inquiry.   

CHAP. III. That SHEOL and KEBER( in the Hebrew) are frequently put for one, and are of alike, and the same, signication.  
THE Probation, there-fore, that SHEOL and KEBER,( which properly signify the grave) do frequently signify one thing, shall bee, 1. out of Scripture itself: 2. out of Popish Expounders of Scriptures themselves: and 3. out of rabbinical Interpreters of the old Testament, who best know the proper signification of their own Language.  
First, then, for scriptural proof. In the 88. psalm, that same which is Sheol in the third verse, is called Keber in the 5. and 11. verses: which Arias Montanus testifieth to bee true, by expounding both to bee Sepulchrum, or the grave. There-fore, Sheol and Keber are both of one signification.  
again, Psal. 141. verse 7. the Prophet saith, Our Bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol. Which Pagnin, and the jesuit, Emmanuel Sa, declare to bee all one with Keber, and to signify the grave only; because it is vndenyable, that the bones of the dead are scattered only at the mouth of the Graues, when they are opened, and cast up; and not in any infernal place, destinate for souls.  
likewise, in all the praeceeding places, where-in wee proved a-before, Hades to bee put for the grave, the hebrew Text hath Sheol. Whence wee infer, That in all these places, as Hades and Taphos are all one; so Sheol and Keber are all one: which can not bee avoided.  
There-fore, where job saith, If I wait, 
job, 17.13.  Sheol is my House; to show, that Keber, or the grave,( as Arias Montanus expoundeth it) is signified there-by; for this cause he subjoineth the properties thereof, putrefaction, and consumption, saying, I said to Corruption, Thou art my Father: and to the worm, Thou art my Mother, and Sister.  
Secondlie, For proof out of Popish Expounders of Scripture, that Sheol signifieth the grave, as well as Keber, and so, consequently, that both are of one signification, Lyra's words are clear, saying, In Hebreo pro Inferno ponitur SHEOL, 
Lyra, in Psal. 114.  quod non solum significat Infernum, said etiam Fossam, seu Sepulturam, ut hic: that is, In the Hebrew,( saith he) for Infernus, is put Sheol; which doth not only signify Hell, but also the grave, or burial place, as the meaning is here.  
again: The Hebrew word SHEOL, properly signifieth the grave,( saith both jansenius, on Prov. 15.12. and Arias Montanus, in his answer to lo à Castro) and Hell, metaphoricallie. Yea, where-so-ever saint jerome( saith Augustinus Stenchus) or the Septuagint, haue translated Infernus, or Hades, 
Aug. Stench. in Gen. 37.35  it is in the Hebrew SHEOL: That is,( saith he) the Ditch, or grave.  
thirdly, ( ut de Hebreis ad Hebreos provocetur) for proof out of the rabbinical Doctors of the Iewes, and Masters of that Language, That Sheol and Keber,( which signify the grave) are all one, let these four, most famous amongst them, give a full testimony. R. Aben Ezra, on Genesis 37.35. interpreteth Sheol in that place, by Keber, or the grave: and so doth R. Salomo jarchi the same, saying, Iuxta proprietatem ejus, significatio est Sepulchrum: that is, According to the proper signification there-of,( saith he) it denotateth the grave. R. Mardochai Nathan, in his Hebrew Concordance, also, giveth no other exposition of Sheol, psalm 31. verse 17. but Keber, or the grave. And Kimchi, in his Radicibus, doth, in lyke-manner, expound Sheol, psalm 16. verse 10. to bee nothing else, but KEBER, or the GRAVE.  
This only is to bee remarked, that when Sheol doth signify the grave, that the term of [ grave] must bee taken in as large a meaning, as it is in that speech of our SAVIOVRS, John 5. verse 28. where it is said, that all that are in the Graues, shall hear His voice, and come forth. By which Origen showeth, 
Orig. in Isai l. 28. citat. ab Euseb. in apol. pro Origine.  That not only builded tombs, or digged Graues in the earth, are to bee understood; but every place( saith he) where-in a man's body lieth, either entire, or in parte: it being no absurdity, that all those places, where-in any parte of the body dispersed doth lie, should bee called the Sepulchre there-of.  
So that Bellarmines reason is ridiculous, 
Bell. l. 4. de Christo, c. 10. §. jam vero.  why Genesis 37. Sheol can not bee interpnted the grave; when Iaakob saith, I will go mourning to my son, unto the grave▪ for( saith he) the wild beasts haue devoured him( as Iaakob thought,) and so he had no grave. Not considering, that Sheol is taken, not only for a formal, or digged grave in the earth; but also for that which is in place of a grave to one, or where-so-ever the body, or any parte there-of is, in what-so-ever manner, whether the mothers womb, as is said in ieremy, 
jer. 20.17.  O that my Mothers womb had been my grave,( saith he:) or the belly of a Beast, as it is called in jonas, Out of the belly of Sheol I cried,( saith he:) meaning there-by the belly of the Whale, where-in his body was, in a sort, entombed. neither meaned Iaakob, that he would go to that grave, where his son was; but unto his son by Death, and so to the grave, as was said to ABRAHAM, Gen. 15.15.  
Thus is the IESVITS demand, in all the particulars, answered; and Infernus and Sepulchrum, {αβγδ} and {αβγδ}, Sheol and Keber, proven to bee frequently of one signification.     

THE POPISH CONFESSION, OF Christs Descense to Hell.  
FOR wee believe, that CHRIST descended into Hell, not according to His body,( because, indeed, it was in a new Monument butted by joseph of Arimathea, 
Luke 23.53.  as the Scripture witnesseth:) therefore, according to His soul, which went down, to Abrahams bosom, to deliver the patriarches, and the just, which were there detained captive, &c.  

THE PROTESTANT REPLY.  

CHAP. IV. Whether Hell and Abraham bosom, bee all one thing.  
IN the Examination of this Popi●… Confession, we sh●… first inquire, Whether Hell& Abraham's bosom, be all one? as the jesuit would haue i●… Secondlie, Whether the Patriarch●… and just men, were in Hell, befor●… CHRIST'S suffering? And last, Whether CHRIST'S Soul●… went to Hell, for their liberation, and was there locally, till His resurrection? As to the first.  
I may shortly reply in Augustine's words, I haue not, hitherto, found, and yet I inquire; 
Aug. l. 12. de Genesi. ad literam.  neither do I remember,( saith he) that the canonical Scripture doth any way put Hell in the good parte. Now, that the bosom of Abraham, and that Rest, unto which the Godly poor man was carried, by the Angels, should not bee taken in the good parte, I know not, whether any good man can endure to hear? and, there-fore, how wee may believe, that it is in Hell, I do not see,( saith this holy Father.)  
The truth hereof, likewise, will more clearly appear, if wee consider these poyntes following: 1. Why it is so called: 2. Where it is: and 3. What it is.  
If wee consult, then, with CHRIST'S own Mouth, in the first, opened in holy Scripture, wee shall find, that in the gospel to bee in Abraham's bosom,( as is said of Lazarus) and to sit down with Abraham, 
mat. 8.11.  in the kingdom of Heaven,( as CHRIST prophesyeth of believing Gentiles) are both Metaphoricall speeches, taken from banqueting; and where-by is signified, the fruition of those celestial joys, where-with the LORD'S Elect shall bee satiate in that heavenly kingdom: There-fore, it is said in saint luke, Blessed is he, who shall eat Bread in the kingdom of GOD. 
Luke 14.15.  And again, I appoint to you a kingdom,( saith our Saviour) as My Father hath appoynted unto me; 
Luke 22.29.  that ye may eat and drink at My Table, in My kingdom. Now, in banqueting wee see,( as in the example of John, who learned in CHRIST'S bosom) that, 
John 13.23.  amongst the Iewes, to rest, or lean in the bosom, was a sign of most special love, Advauncement, and nearest conjunction of familiarity; and, therefore, did denotate in Lazarus, not only his happy Admission, and Assumption, unto that heavenly Estate; but also his high Advancement there-in, and nearest Association, with the most excellent and rarest saints of GOD,( such as ABRAHAM was) in the joyful participation with them of the satiety of bliss, in that heavenly kingdom: So that, for this cause, the happy estate of Lazarus soul in glory, is so compared in Scripture, and called, Abraham's bosom.  
There-fore doth the jesuit, Maldonat, comment thus, on this place, saying, I believe, 
Maldon. in luke. 16.  that the metaphor( saith he) is taken from those, who sit down at Banquet, whose order was this; That to whom-so-ever one sate nearest, he did lean in his bosom; even as saint John is said to haue learned in CHRIST'S bosom, at the last Supper. There-fore, because that which is in our bosom, is as it were most near and dear unto us; and he who loveth any, taketh then most pleasure, when he leaneth in their bosom, whom he loveth: as John doth show the same; who, when he had said, There was a certain Disciple, who learned in IESUS bosom; as it were for explications sake, he addeth, whom IESUS loved. Hence, there-fore, it is,( saith he) that the bosom is taken for the place of greatest pleasure, and of nearest conjunction, with the person beloved.  
Seeing, there-fore, this metaphor is taken from banqueting,( as both Scripture showeth, and their own jesuit confesseth) howe fitly the hilaritie of royal feasting, agreeth with a dark place, or a hellish Limbus, or sorteth with the want, and with-drawing of his presence, who hath assembled his Guests, let the judicious consider: Or, in such cheerful banqueting, if an afflicting expecctation only, or longing for future Good delayed, hath correspondence with a joyful, and present saturation of good things bestowed. And if ABRAHAM himself, in opposing the estates of these two after death, cleareth not unto us, That as the rich Glutton had already, before, received his good things, in his life; so had lazarus, even then, received his good things, after his death, saying, Now he is comforted, and thou tormented. Which speech could not haue been true, if lazarus, in any hellish Limbus, had been depryved of the Vision of GOD; for, so, lazarus had been afflicted, and not comforted; seeing( as saith SALOMON) that hope, 
Prov. 13.12  which is differred, afflicteth the soul: and Dives alone, also, had not been in torment; because( as their own Adrian Florentinus affirmeth) this punishment of loss, 
Adrian. Flor. in 4. sent. agens de indulge.  is the greatest torment, saying, The want of the sight of GOD, according to the esteem of all the saints of GOD, is reputed, of all torments, or pains, to bee the very greatest.  
Having, then, set down the reason, why the bliss-full estate of the godly, after death, is called Abraham's bosom, which over-turneth Limbus; wee haue next to consider, where it is: where-anent, if wee consult Ambrose and Beda, 
mauled. in luke. 16.  Maldonat will tell us, that Ambrose and Beda,( saith he) seemeth to place it in Heaven: And gregory Nazianzen, 
Greg. Nazian. ora. 10 in laudem mortui fraetris Caesarij.  also, will declare unto us, That it is, where the Angels, and glorified Spirites, are now; saying of his Brother Caesarius, I wish, that thou mayest pierce the Heavens,( saith he) and mayest rest in Abraham's bosom; where thou mayest behold the company of Angels, and the glorious shining of the blessed saints. For which cause, also, it is said in luke, that Lazarus was carried, by the Angels, into Abraham's bosom.  
antiquity, also, last of all, being enquired what it is, they will show, not only, that it is in Heaven, and where the Angels, and glorified Spirites are; but, also, that it is Heaven itself; and, so, no parte of Hell: 
Chrysost. hom. 27. in Matth.  There-fore( saith Chrysostome) he called that heavenly kingdom not by its own name,( saith he) but by the name of Abraham's bosom. Fulgentius, 
Fulgen. ad Venantiam.  likewise, calleth it a place,( not temporary) but of eternal Rest. Dionysius Areopagita, in like manner, 
Dion. Areo. Hierar. Eccl. c. 2.& 7.  defineth the same, to bee those divine, and blessed Mansions, which receiveth all those,( saith he) who are to see GOD; and where-in is never-fading, and most blessed Perfection. And, that great Doctor of the Church, augustine, 
Aug. quaest. Evang. l. 2. c. 38.  he saith, that Abraham's bosom, is the Rest of the blessed poor, whose is the kingdom of Heaven; and into which, after this life,( saith he) they are received.  
And, to conclude this point: unto this truth, the Romish Doctors themselves, are forced to subscribe; CARTHVSIAN saying, By Abraham's bosom, 
Carthus. in luke. 16.  is meaned( saith he) the Rest of the saints, which they haue in their native country. Whence saint Martin did say, The bosom of Abraham shall receive me. Sadoletus, also( who was the Pope's Legate, to the French King, at the council of Trent) declareth unto us, saying, 
Sadol. l. 3. Ep. 5. Histor. council. tried. l. 1. pag. 103.  If any place bee sought out, to bee signified hereby, the bosom of Abraham is the kingdom of Heaven( saith he.) And, in like manner; I greatly suspect, 
mauled. in luke. 16. ( saith Maldonat) that the highest HEAVEN is signified there-by.  
Then, to retort vpon themselves: Those who immediately are received into Abraham's bosom, are received into Heaven, and into celestial joy. But the patriarchs, and godly under the Lawe, were received into Abraham's bosom: There-fore, into Heaven, and into celestial joy. The mayor is proven, by the Fathers, and the Romish Doctors their own Exposition: The Minor is also, by their own confession: there-fore, the Conclusion inevitablie followed.  
So that wee may safely now●… close, with AVGVSINES words, saying, It appeareth sufficiently, 
Aug. Ep. 99. ad Evodium.  that the bosom of so great happiness, is n●… parte, or member, of Hell,( saith he.) And, so, the jesuit hath, herein, shot wide of his mark.   

CHAP. V. Whether the patriarchs, and just Men, were in Hell, before CHRIST'S suffering?  
FOR Resolution hereof, Whether the patriarchs, and just Men, were in Hell, detained captive, before the suffering of CHRIST? If wee first consult with the Mouth of GOD, opened in holy Scripture, and herein address ourselves, to the Lawe and testimony, the holy Psalmist will, even in his own person, show us that comfortable Assurance, which the godly had, of a glorious Estate in Heaven, after the finishing of their Course, where-in they were conducted, by the spirit of GOD, on earth, saying, 
Psal. 73.24.  Thou wilt guide me, with Thy counsel, and after, receive me into glory: Where glory in Heaven, after Grace on earth, showeth the only twofold Estate of the saints and patriarchs, under the Lawe, without any mention of a Popish Limbus.  
neither was ever, according to Scripture*, 
Coloss. 1.20  or orthodox belief, any other distinction known, of the church of the ELECT, from the beginning, but Militant on earth, and triumphant in Heaven: and, consequently, no middle estate, in any infernal place of Hellish captivity, Whence it is, that,( as saint augustine showeth, 
Bell. l. 3. de Eccles. c. 9. §. addit.  and BELLARMINE citeth him) this was the reply of the sound catholics, against the Donatistes; who said they made two Churches: answering, that there was but one Church of CHRIST; but they distinguished only the two estates there-of; The one militant, and mixed with the Wicked on earth; and the other triumphant, free of that mixture, in the Heavens: No mention being made of a third condition, in Limbo, before the coming of CHRIST; nor in purgatory now: For, so, the Donatistes had vp-brayded the sound catholics, That they had made three Churches; and their reply had been, That they distinguished only the three estates there-of.  
For farther resolution of which point, AVGVSTINE'S words may suffice, in his 99. Epistle, to Evodius; where he saith, That he found not what profit could redound, by CHRIST'S Descense unto Hell, to the just Men, which were in ABRAHAM'S bosom; from whom he could never see, that the LORD departed, according to the blessed presence of His deity. Whence wee argue.  
If the patriarchs, and just Men, were al-readie happy in their souls, before CHRIST'S suffering, and in ABRAHAM'S bosom,( which is Heaven, as is formerly proven) and there enjoyed the blessed Vision of GOD continually, without getting any new benefit or profit, by CHRISTS Descense to Hell: then it will follow, that they were not in any infernal Prison of Hell, captivated, and wanting that blessed Presence, or Vision, till by CHRIST'S Descense into Hell, they were liberate, and, so, received that benefit, or profit, there-by.  
But, according to augustine his testimony, they were al-readie happy in their souls, both for Place,( being in Heaven) and for Presence,( enjoying the Vision of GOD.)  
There-fore, they were not in any Prison of Hell, wanting that blessed Vision, till by CHRIST'S Descense, they were liberate, and received that great benefit.  
Besides, if wee consider the praises, which GOD'S Mouth giveth to those His oddest Servants; and the rare Testimonies, 
Gen. 6.19. 2. Pet. 2.7. John 8.56. Hebr. 3.2. 1. King. 14.8  of their match-lesse, and singular holinesse, as the margin cleareth: And, if with these Testimonies, wee consider what is said to haue been by GOD laid up for them, and which they, even in a firm hope, after death, expected,( as Hebr. 11. 
Hebr. 11.4.5.7.10.16.17.24.35.  showeth;) to wit, A solid city, A glorious Recompense, and, An heavenly country: which, as they sought for it in their life; so they arryved at the same, as well as wee do, at their death 
Hab. 2.4. , living by faith, as well as wee, and 
1. Thess. 4.16.  dying in CHRIST, as well as wee. If wee consider, then,( I say) all these former duly, wee will find it a groundless, and uncharitable conceit, against scriptural evidence, and Reason, to incarcerate such heavenly livers on earth, so long after death, in an hellish Prison.  
What a store, also, of constant and glorious Martyres, haue been amongst them? Of whom it is witnessed, That the world was not worthy to haue such into it, for the short time of their life. And shall wee not think, then, that Hell was much less worthy to haue had their noblest parte, which is their souls, so many thousands, or hundreds of yeares, after their death, detained there-in captive?  
What should the dry branch, then, of the best now look for, if this should haue been done unto such green Trees? Or, what injustice should it bee counted, in the most just GOD, who is as ready to reward the Good with glory, as the Wicked with Torment,( saith their own BELLARMINE) not only so long to haue delayed His rarest saints, and Servantes, of their due reward promised;( who forbiddeth us, to delay but one night, to give our hirelings their Wages:) but, also, to haue imprisoned their holiest souls, in so infernal a Prison, under so long captivity: and to haue inflicted vpon them, so great a part of the punishment even of the Wicked, which is Poena Damni; depryving them, after death, of the blessed Vision of HIS Face, which some of them, even in their lyfetyme, were so earnest to haue had a glance of?   

CHAP. VI. Whither CHRIST'S soul went, after His suffering on the cross.  
HAving thus fred the souls of the patriarchs, and just Men, before the suffering of CHRIST, of any infernal Prison, wee are to make our next search, Whither CHRIST'S soul went, after His painful Passion: Which, by His own answer to the thief, is clear, To haue been to PARADISE, saying, This day thou shall bee with me in Paradise. Which entry into PARADISE, was not according to His deity; because, so, he was ever There: and, there-fore, this, as a fond error in Euthymius, 
Bell. l. 1. de sanct. c. 3. §. Euthymius.  Bellarmine refuteth. neither was it in that parte of His humanity, which was corporal, and committed to the grave; but in His soul, or spiritual parte, as all do confess.  
There resteth only, then, to find out, what is meaned by PARADISE; where-by wee may more clearly understand, whither the soul of CHRIST went, after His painful Suffering: Where-in, first, wee shall show, out of the Apostle, That PARADISE spoken of in the gospel, is the third Heaven, and Mansion-place of eternal blessedness. And, this wee shall confirm, likewise, out of Romanists themselves.  
Secondlie, That this PARADISE, which is the third Heaven, is that same thing, which was promised unto the thief vpon the cross.  
thirdly, that this which was promised to the thief, is not only a blessed estate of soul, but, also, in that same Place of blessedness, where the souls of the godly, with GOD, and His Angels, haue their perpetual Abode. All which shall bee proven out of Fathers, and the Romanists own Doctors.  
First, then, the Apostle speaking of the abundance of Revelations, which were given unto him, he telleth us, 
2. Cor. 12.2.4.  That he was caught up, into PARADISE. Which thing expressing again, in other words, he saith, That he was caught up, into the third HEAVEN. Showing, here-by, both these, to bee one. There-fore, saith Aquinas, writing vpon that place, Non oportet nos aliud intelligere per Coelum,& aliud per Paradisum; said unum& idem per utrumque: that is, Wee must not understand another thing by Heaven, and another thing by Paradise; but one, and the same thing, by both. This same, also, doth Carthusian, and Catharinus, affirm, with sundry other Authors: So that wee see PARADISE, and the supremest, or third Heaven, to bee all one.  
Next, that this same Paradise, or Third Heaven, where-of the Apostle speaketh, is that same thing, which was promised, by CHRIST, unto the thief, let these ensuing testify. Ambrose, on that place of the Apostle, saith, That the Apostle was caught up, in Paradisum coelestem,( saith he) in quo latroni dixit dominus, quod futurus esset cum eo: that is, In that heavenly Paradise, where-in our LORD said unto the thief, that he should bee with Him. In like manner saith THEOPHYLACT, Raptus est in eundem, quem dominus Latroni promisit●● that is, The Apostle ( saith he) was caught up int●… that same Paradise, which ou●… LORD promised to the thief. The like doth Arboreus, also, and Cajetane, clearly affirm.  
thirdly, that this which was promised to the thief, as Part-taker with CHRIST, was not only a blessed Estate of soul, in any place,( as the romanists would haue it:) but, also, in that same Place of blessedness, in particular, where the souls of the godly, with GOD, and His Angels, haue their perpetual Abode, these places ensuing justify. saint Ambrose calleth it, 
Amb. in 2. Cor. 12.& sic caeteri.  That heavenly HIERVSALEM, and those celestial Places, where-vnto our Bodies,( saith he) at the Resurrection, shall bee lifted up: which shall bee not only to an Estate of glory, but( as the local vp-lifting testifieth) to the place of glory. Sedulius, also, calleth it, That Place, ubi Angelicae virtutes continentur: that is, where the angelical Powers do inhabit. Haymo, in like manner, calleth it, That Place, ubi Angeli,& ainae Sanctorum, in contemplatione DEI sunt positae▪ that is, where the Angels, and souls of the saints, are placed, to contemplate GOD. Cajetane, also, calleth it, Supremum Coelum,& locum illum summum, in quo deus, & Beati, babitare dicuntur: that is, The highest Heaven, and that Place,( saith he) which is above all, where-in GOD, and the Blessed, are said to inhabit. Carthusian, likewise, calleth it, Locum Beatorum, The Place where the Blessed remain. Where-of it is spoken, Revel. 2.7. saying, To him that over-commeth, will I give to eat of the three of life, which is in the midst of the PARADISE of GOD.  
BELLARMINE, likewise establishing a conformity, betwee●… CHRIST, and His Members, i●… their estate, between their death and resurrection, hath these words CHRIST, immediately after death, was not( saith he) blessed in body, 
Bell. l. 1. de sanct. c. 4. §. tertio.  but restend thre●… dayes in the grave: not-withstanding, in the mean time, he was blessed in His soul, and in Paradise; for so Him-self●… said, This day thou shalt bee with me in Paradise. Therefore, likewise, the saints t●… bee conform with CHRIST,( saith he) while they rest i●… their Graues, according to their Bodies: yet, in their souls, they are happy, and blessed, i●… Paradise.  
Whence wee infer: If th●… Members of CHRIST bee herein conform to their Head▪ That, Where His soul was, during the time of His Bodies lying in the grave, till His Resurrection; so should theirs bee, till their resurrection: Then, it will follow, That, as His soul was in PARADISE, till His Resurrection, which was not only a bliss-full Estate,( say wee) but in the proper place of bliss also, as hath been proven: Even so should their Souls bee, who are His Members, in that Estate, and Place of bliss, likewise, till their resurrection. All which holdeth well, and orthodox, and militateth strongly against the grecian error, which BELLARMINE impugneth. But, on the contrary, if these two bee separated,( as the romanists would haue them) to wit, that CHRIST'S soul, between His Death and Resurrection, was in the Estate of bliss; but not in the proper place of bliss, which is HEAVEN; but rather, in the contrary, and opposite place there-to, which is Hell: Then, the conformity will no wise hold, between CHRIST, and His glorified Members, except they make the souls of the godly, after death, during the time of the abode of their Bodies in the grave, to their resurrection, to bee blessed, only in Estate; but, yet, locally, to remain in Hell,( as they say CHRIST'S did:) quite opposite to HEAVEN: And so, there-by, they shall jump, yea, fall, into a far lurder error, than the graecian heresy, who hold, That the blessed souls of the saints, remain in hide Receptacles, to the day of Iudgement.     

THE POPISH PROBATION, OF THEIR ASSERTION, CONCERNING Christs Descending into Hell.  
THIS Descending can not bee to the grave, because saint paul saith, That he descended, first, 
Ephes. 4.9.  to the lower partes of the earth: which is a place opposite to that whereunto he ascended, when he lead captivity captive; and is called, in our Creed, by the Apostles, Hell; and by our Saviour, The heart of the earth: For, as jonas was three dayes,& three nights, in the Whales belly; 
mat. 12.40  So shall the son of Man bee three dayes, and three nights, in the heart of the Earth, &c.  

THE PROTESTANT REPLY.  

CHAPTER VII. What is meant by The lower parts of the Earth. EPHES. 4.9.  
IN the due inquiry, What is the true meaning of these words, wee shall, first, consult with Scripture: secondlie, with Fathers: and thirdly, with the Romish Doctors themselves.  
First, then: 
Ezek. 32.24.  The Prophet EZEKIEL, in his thirtie-two Chapter, speaking of the destruction of egypt, and sundry other Nations, by the edge of the Sword; when he cometh to show their abasement, to the very grave, he calleth it, Their going down, to the nether partes of the Earth. And, to show what he meaneth there-by, he calleth it, The setting of their Bed amongst the midst of the slain. And again, 
Verse 25.  The placing of their Graues in the side of the Pit: and, 
Verse 23.  Their company, round about their Graues.  
Next, for the verdict of Fathers: augustine, on that same place, showeth, 
Aug. in Ephes. 4. Theophyl. in Ephes. 4.  That the apostles meaning is no other, But that CHRIST came from Heaven, to the Earth, for our sake; and, That His lowest humiliation there-on, was to the grave.  
THEOPHYLACT also, showeth, That the same is meant thereby, where-of old IAAKOB spake, when he said, ye will bring my gray hairs, with sorrow, to the grave. And, in like manner, EVTHYMIVS expoundeth the words, of the lower partes of the Earth, spoken of PSAL. 139.15. to bee the grave, saying, Compactum me vidisti in utero matris meae,& dissolutum iterum videbis in utero terrae.  
Last of all, what the Romish Doctors themselves, do mean●… by the lower partes of the Earth let us hear, even out their own mouths.  
Aquinas, then, saith, By the lower partes of the Earth, are understood, those which wee in habit,( saith he) which are called the lower partes, because they are beneath the Heaven, and the air; and to these the son of GOD is said to haue come down; not by local motion, but by taking vpon Him our low and humble earthly nature, according to that which is said, PHILIP. 2. That he emptied himself.  
In like manner,( saith LYRA) he descended, by His Incarnation, to the lower partes of the Earth: that is,( saith he) to the partes of this Earth, which are called Lower, in respect of other partes of the world.  
cardinal Cajetane saith, also, thus, The addition of the word[ Terrae] is for clearer understanding, to determine, what lower partes are meant; for the lowest parte of the world, is the Earth. For difference sake, then, of the lower partes of the Heaven, which is in the air, it is said, as if more clearly the Apostle had said, he descended first to the lowest parte of the world, which is the Earth,( saith Cajetane.)  
Last of all, saith Catharinus,( and, with him, Gorranus, and Carthusian,) he descended into the lower partes of the Earth: that is, to this world below, which is the Earth,& is lower than the elements, by taking our human nature vpon Him,( as saith the fore-named Carthusian.)  
More-over: If by the 
{αβγδ}.  lower partes of the Earth, the jesuit would haue, of force, Hell to bee understood, and not the habitacle Earth, nor CHRIST'S Incarnation, or intombing there-on, then must he grant, That much more, by the 
{αβγδ}.  lowest partes,( which is the superlative) must Hell bee understood: and yet this, I think, he will not bee so absurd as yield. There-fore, much less, by the lower partes,( which is the comparative) can he urge us to understand the other: For, DAVID, speaking of his conception, 
Psal. 139.15.  and framing secretly, in his Mothers womb, saith, That he was curiously wrought, and his substance fashioned in the lowest partes of the Earth. Which, I hope, none will bee so absurd, as to say, this was in Hell. For this cause it is,( comparing this place, with the other,) that some do hold, That by the lower partes, in that apostolical speech, the womb of the blessed virgin is meaned, where-in CHRIST, by His Conception, humbled himself so low, by taking vpon Him our base and earthly nature.   

CHAP. VIII. What is meant, by the heart of the Earth. MATTH. 12.40.  
WHere-as the jesuit, by the heart of the Earth, in that speech of our saviour, would haue Hell to be understood, and not the grave, I will oppose unto him, for his full conviction, first, The scope of the place, out of his own Expositors: secondlie, The authority of Fathers: thirdly, The Expositions of his own Doctors: and, last, The like phrases of Scripture.  
First, then: His Exposition is against the scope of the place, directly: For, the Pharisees desired, to see a sign; that is, visibly some evident and sensible Miracle: To whom CHRIST answereth, That he would give them no other sign, but the sign of the Prophet jonas, &c. Which could not bee the Descense of CHRIST'S soul into Hell, and the return there-of from thence; because that was all-to-gether invisible unto them; and, so, no sign at all: but it was His Death, burial, and Resurrection again from the grave, which was visible, and is clearly meant there-by, according as their own Ferus, on this place, commenteth, saying, That as jonas, being casten into the Sea, and swallowed by a Whale, seemed a dead Man, and quite perished; and, yet, not-with-standing, within three dayes, he was far otherwise seen; to wit, alive, being casten forth, vpon the Shore of Ninive: So, altho the son of Man, being crucifixed, and laid in the grave, seemed as one quite destroyed, and wholly over-come by Death: yet, not-with-standing,( saith he) he should bee seen alive again, vpon the third day, and powerfully to arise again, as a triumphant Victor. So, in that he was seen to rise,( as Ferus saith,) there-fore His Resurrection from the grave, and not His souls Descense to Hell, or return from thence, was a sign unto them.  
Secondlie: The Iesuites gloss is close contrary to the Exposition of Fathers: For, Chrysostome, commenting on this place, saith thus, Non enim ait in terra, 
Chrysost. hom. 44. in Matth. 12.  said in cord terrae, ut Sepulchrum denotet: that is, he saith not, in the Earth, but in the heart of the Earth; to signify His grave there-by.  
gregory Nyssene, in like manner, saith, That while the deity was with CHRIST'S soul in Paradise indivisiblie, 
Greg. Nyss. in Epist. ad Eustath. pag. 1093.  making way, by the thief, for an Entrance unto Man-kynd thither; it was with His body, likewise, in the heart of the Earth; destroing him that had power of Death.  
Anselmus, also, saith, 
Ansel. in Matth. 12.  Fuit in cord terrae, in Sepulchro scilicet: that is, he was in the heart of the earth; to wit, in the grave.  
Euthymius saith, also, Cor vero terrae intelligit ejus profunditatem, 
Euthym. in Matth. 12.  nam in profunditate illius lapidis incisum erat Sepulchrum: that is, The heart of the Earth, signifieth the profundity there-of: For, in the profundity of the rock, was His grave hewn out.  
Ignatius, also, interpreteth Cor terrae, {αβγδ}: 
Ignatius ad Trallianos. Hierom. in cap. 2. jove. tertul. lib. de anima, cap. 31.  that is, His burial under the Ground. So, also, doth Ireneus apply these words, to CHRIST'S burial: with whom consenteth saint jerome, and Tertullian.  
thirdly: The Iesuites Sense of these words, is sensibly against the Expositions of his own Doctors.  
For, thus saith Lyra, The son of Man shall bee in the heart of the Earth: 
Lyra in Matth. 12.40.  that is, In the grave( saith he.)  
Carthusian, also, vpon the same place, saith, The son of Man shall be in the heart of the Earth: that is,( saith he) under the Earth; to wit, in His grave, three dayes, and three nights.  
Arboreus, also, their Parisian Doctor, thus commenteth, CHRIST telleth,( saith he) that he was to bee three dayes, and three nights, in the heart of the Earth: meaning, that he was to bee in His grave.  
Last of all: Let the like opposition bee seen, of the Iesuites Exposition, to other alike phrases of Scripture.  
deut. 4. verse 11. the Hebrew hath, Et Mons ardebat usque ad cor Coeli: which the Septuagint interpreteth, {αβγδ}: and the latin, usque ad Coelum, Even to the Heaven. And, yet, who will say, then, that the mountain burned, even to the most inward parte of Heaven, as the heart is in the most inward parte of the body?  
So, likewise, 2. SAM. 18.14. while absalon was alive, BELEB, or in the heart of the oak, that joab slue him. And, yet, I hope, that none will say, That by the heart of the oak, the most inward parte, within the bark, and body of the same, is any ways meaned, Sicut Cor est in medio animalis. Where-fore it is, that the vulgar Translation hath, berens in quercu; or, sticking in the oak.  
In like manner, EZEK. 27. verse 4. TYRVS is said, to haue its borders, in the heart of the Seas, because, as Vatablus saith, undique Mari alluebatur. And, yet, I hope, the Iesuite himself, will not say, that it was so in the Sea, as the heart of any living creature is in the midst of the body, which wrappeth it close about. Therefore, to say, That by the heart of the Earth, Hell is understood, because, as the Heart, is in the midst of the body, so it is in the center of the Earth, is but miere dotage, seeing that a metaphor is, oftentimes, diversly considered: neither hath it ever for a ground, one, and the same property, of the thing, whence it is taken.     

THE POPISH father PROBATION, Of Christs Descending to Hell, for delivering the patriarchs, and just men, from thence.  
MOre-over: This place, where-vnto CHRIST descended, can not bee Heaven; because wee say not, that CHRIST descended into Heaven; but, that he ascended, and lead captivity captive: 
Eph. 4.9. Col. 2.14.  which was the patriarchs, and Prophets, and the just, which died before CHRISTS suffering, and were not glorified, till the price of our Redemption was payed, by putting out, as saint Paul saith, the Hand-wryting of Ordinances, that was against us, which was contrary to us; he even took it out of the way, and fastened it vpon the cross, &c. They were not, then, glorified, before that time, because all those, as saint Paul saith, 
Heb. 11.39.  through faith, obtained good report, and received not the Promise; GOD providing a better thing for us, that they, without us, should not bee made perfect. And the reason is which saint Paul giveth, 
Heb. 9.8.  saying, That the way unto the Holiest of all, was not yet opened, while as yet the first Tabernacle was standing: for which cause the same Apostle saith, That the entering to the holy Place, that is, 
Heb. 10.19.  to Heaven, is a new way: but it had not been a new way, if any had entered before CHRIST our Saviour. Where-by it is evident, that CHRIST was the first that ascended, when He lead captivity captive, &c. And also, that he 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 saith.  

THE PROTESTANT REPLY.  

CHAP. IX. What is meant, by Leading captivity captive. Epbes. 4.8.  
BY this speech of the Apostle,( and of the Prophet before him) what is meant, wee shall, 
Psal. 68.18.  first, clear out of Scripture: secondlie, out of the Fathers: and thirdly, against the Iesuite, out of his own Doctors.  
In scripture, then: in the book of the IVDGES, wee find the very same phrase of speech, used by DEBORAH, in her Song, after the victory over Sisera, 
judge. 5.12.  saying, arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam. Where, by his leading of his captivity captive, is no-thing else meant,( as all confess) but those his Enemies, against whom he had foughten; and, over-comming them, had taken them captive, to bee lead away, and triumphed over.  
So, likewise, 2. CHRON. 28. verse 11. the Prophet ODED exhorting the people to mercy, saith unto them, Now hear me, there-fore,& reducite Captivitatem, quam duxistis captivam, and deliver back the captives again, which ye haue taken captive. Where, in like manner, by captivity taken captive, are no others meant, but such as in an hostile, and cruel manner, as Foes, they had subdued, and detained in slavery.  
now, to apply: Let any man judge, whether the jesuit more rightly expoundeth the captivity, which CHRIST, in like manner, is said to lead captive, to bee the holy patriarchs, the friends of GOD, and willing elects; and not His Foes, or repining Rebells; for whom he was ever by Protection, but not against by Oppugnation; and, who were to bee Triumphers, with Him, but not triumphed over by Him. Or whether we more rightly expound the same, according to the former places of scripture, to bee CHRIST'S Foes, and ours, to wit, The Dominion of sin, the tyranny of Satan, the sting of Death, the Curse of the Law, the victory of the grave, and Power of Hell, &c. All which Enemies, our saviour hath foughten against, subdued, captivated, and triumphed over, freeing all His Chosen, henceforth, both from their fear, and force.  
Secondlie: Let us see what the Fathers mean, by this captivity.  
Philo Carpathius,( who lived Anno 410.) on the fift of the CANTICLES, saith thus, in the person of CHRIST, I sleep, to wit, on the cross, and My Heart waketh, when MY divinity spoyled Hell, and brought ritc●… spoils thence, of the Triumph( to wit) of ever-lasting Death over-come,( saith he) and the Devils power over-throwne.  
Also, Having taken captive the Tyrant of captivity, 
Athan. tom. 1. de salutari adventu CHRISTI. ( sayet●… athanasius) he ascende●… vpon high.  
likewise, 
tertul. l. 5. cont. martion.  he hath lead captivity captive, that is,( saith tertullian) Death, and that slavery, under which Man was held.  
augustine, in like manner, saith thus, 
Aug. in Psal. 67.  But what is this captivity? either( saith he) because he over-came Death, which kept them captive before, over whom it reigned; or men themselves, which were captivated by the devil: Capti quia subjugati( saith he) sub leave illud jugum missi liberati à peccato, cujus servi erant,& justitiae servi facti, cujus liberi erant: that is, Taken captive, because subdued, and put under that light yoke, being fred from sin, whose Servauntes they were, and made the Servants of righteousness, where-from they were free.  
THEOPHYLACT, also, saith, 
Theoph. in Ephes. 4.9.  Qualem autem captivitatem dicit?( saith he) and then answereth, Diaboli captivum enim cepit, Satanam,& Mortem,& Maledictionem,& Peccatum, &c: that is, What captivity speaketh he of?( saith he) even of the devil; for he took Satan captive, and Death, and the Curse, and sin, &c.  
hilary, likewise, saith, 
Hil. in Ps. 67  Omnes quoque inimicas virtutes, mundiq́ue potestates, principesq́ue aeris hujus, ostentui reddidit: that is, he made triumphant show, of all the Enemie-forces, and Powers of the World, and Principalities of the air.  
In like manner, HAYMO,( who lived, 
Haymo in Ephes. 4.9.  Anno 800.) declareth, that this was the orthodox Exposition taught in his time, he lead captivity captive: Id est, Diabolum duxit captivum,( saith he) & captivavit eum auferendo ab illo potestatem, quam tenebat in hoc mundo, juxta illud, nunc Princeps hujus mundi ejicitur for as: that is, he lead the devil captive, and took him captive, by taking away from him, that power which he had in this world, according to that saying, Now the Prince of this World is casten forth.  
Last of all, let us hear what some of the Romish Doctors call this captivity, which CHRIST lead captive.  
ARBOREVS, that Parisian Doctor, saith, 
arbour. in Ephes. 4.9.  By this captivity( saith he) without any absurdity, may bee understood, that intolerable servitude of sin, and death, from which, CHRIST, by His Grace, hath fred vs.  
LYRA, in his interlineare gloss, expoundeth it, 
Lyra in Psal. 67.  Those who were captive under the Law, or the devil, by sin, or rather sin, and Man's subjection, there-by, to Satan, and the Curse of the Lawe, were those our Enemies, which CHRIST lead captive.  
likewise, LOMBARD, their Master of Sentences, his Exposition of this place, is just conform with AVGVSTINE'S, and no word there-in of the patriarchs freedom from Limbo.   

CHAP. X. The meaning of HEB. 11.39. cleared.  
THE Iesuite proceedeth, next, to prove, by four several texts of scripture, That the souls of the patriarchs, and of the just, were not glorified, nor admitted unto HEAVEN, before CHRIST suffered. All which, in order, let us, severally, examine.  
The first is, Because( saith he) all those, through faith, obtained good report,( as saint Paul showeth) but received not the Promise: GOD providing a better thing for us; that they, without us, should not bee made perfect. Where, in understanding by the Promise, the glorifying of their souls, after the suffering of CHRIST, being fred out of Limbo, howe far he debordeth from the meaning of the Apostle, and of the holy GHOST, let the Verdict of antiquity, agreeing in one voice, and the conjunct Expositions of his own schoolmen, declare: and, so, howe this Text maketh no-wyse for his purpose.  
First, then, concerning antiquity, Bellarmine saveth us pains, in the several citation, or recitation of them, while as he setteth down, in this point, what is their common Exposition, and vnanime consent, saying, Or by the Promise, 
Bell. l. 1. de sanct. c. 3. §. 3. ( saith Bellarmine) is understood, the perfect Beatitude both of body and soul, which, as yet, the Fathers haue not; that the same might not bee without vs. And this( saith Bellarmine) is the common Exposition of the Fathers vpon this place: For he saith not, That they should not bee rewarded without us,( saith Bellarmine) but that they should not receive the full reward both in soul and body, or bee so perfected without us; but wee, and they, shall bee perfected so to-gether, at the last Resurrection.  
Next, for the conjunct Exposition of the Romish schoolmen,( beside Bellarmine, whom wee haue heard) Ribera, the Iesuite, 
Ribera in Heb. 11.39.  no less ingenuouslie confesseth, That the Apostle speaketh, De consummata beatitudine Corporis& ainae,( saith he) in die extremi judicii: that is, Of the perfect happiness, both of the body and the soul, at the Day of the last Iudgement.  
Arboreus, also, saith, Quod consummatio illa est absolutissima Corporis& ainae perfectio: that is, 
Arb. in Heb. 11.39.  That most absolute consummation, is the perfection both of soul and body.  
likewise, saith Carthusian, They received not the Promise, 
Cart. in Heb. 11.39.  that is,( saith he) Corporis stolam, seu glorificationem: that is, The glorifying of their Bodies, till the day of Iudgement: but then, all of us shall bee raised,( saith he) and glorified together, that so wee may congratulate, one another, mutually, of so great an happiness.  
So that it is clear, That by receyving the Promise, is not meant the glorifying of the souls of the godly patriarchs, which they attained not unto, till after CHRISTS suffering, and their delivering from Limbo; but the perfect glorifying of their Bodies and souls, which they, with all others the Elect, shall attain unto, only at the general Resurrection. So that the sense of this Text, by the jesuit, hath been sensibly miss-taken.   

CHAP. XI. The true meaning of HEB. 9.8. and 10.19. expounded.  
THE next two texts, that the jesuit adduceth, for the same purpose, are HEB. 9.8. and 10.19. where he saith, That saint paul giveth the reason, why, before CHRIST'S suffering, none went to Heaven, Because the way to the Holiest, was not yet opened, while as yet the first Tabernacle was standing: and for that cause he saith, that The entry to the holy Place,( that is, to Heaven) is called a new Way; which it had not been, if any had entred there-in before CHRIST our Saviour.  
To whom I answer; That as in the former, so both in the scope, and sense of these words, the jesuit is a gross miss-taker; these being speeches, only of a clear opposition of the Iewisb Rites, and legal Sacrifices, performed in the mosaical, and typical Tabernacle, unto CHRIST'S only one, and All-sufficient Sacrifice, perfected in that most excellent Tabernacle, and Temple of His own body: and showing, that it was not by any efficacy of the one, but by virtue only of the other, that any entry into Heaven is. So, that these speeches, and the scope of them, is only to debar any confidence in legal observations, from having any share with CHRIST, in the work of Man's Salvation, effectuated only by His Death and Passion: and to show, that at the Death of the son of GOD only, was the clear opening, and manifestation to all men, of the true way to HEAVEN, even CHRIST Crucified. 
Aquin. in Heb. 9.8.  Qui latebat ante,( saith AQVINAS) sub figuris literae obumbratus: but by whose Death( saith CAJETAN) Via sanctorum ad coelestem Patriam aperta est: that is, 
Cajetan in Heb. 9.8.  The way of the saints unto their heavenly country, was opened: the legal Sacrifices, by that only one Sacrifice, henceforth ceasing; and the veil of the Temple( saith he) being also rent, from the top, to the bottom.  
This Opening, then, is the full, free, and clear manifestation, and exhibition to all Men, jew and gentle, Of CHRIST IESUS Crucified, as the only salve for sin, and Saviour of the world: and, therefore, 
{αβγδ} Rev. 5.3.  is the word [ manifesting] and not [ opening] used by the holy Ghost, in the original; where-as, the jesuit depraveth the Text, both in Scope and words: who, in place of that which the Apostle saith, That the Way to Heaven, was not manifested, in regard of Knowledge; 
{αβγδ}.  hath set down, That the Way was not opened, in regard of entry: and the Scope of the Apostle, being to institute the comparison of the People, and knowledge of Salvation, under both Covenants; but not to show, That the souls of the patriarchs, and just Men, entred not into Heaven, till after CHRIST'S suffering.  
The cause, likewise, wherefore this Way so opened, or manifested, is called, a new Way, the Iesuit's own schoolmen may give him resolution: Therefore,( saith CAjETAN) Viam quidem nova● appellat, contra vetustatem peccati: He●… calleth it, A new Way, in opposition to the old way of sin: That, 
Rom. 5.21. ( as the Apostle saith) as sin hath reigned unto Death,( which was the old way) so Grace might reign through righteousness, unto eternal life, through CHRIST( which is the new Way.)  
again, Ne introitum corporalem intelligeres explicavit eundem esse per viam novam,( saith this same cardinal:) that is, Lest any should think, that a corporal entry were understood,( as was to the Holiest of old.) The Apostle showeth, That wee must enter by a new Way; seeing it is a spiritual entry, which is required by faith, and the Way itself is spiritual; to wit, righteousness, and Holinesse, through CHRIST.  
AQVINAS, also saith, 
Aquin. in Heb. 10.19.  That the new and only Way, now to ascend into Heaven, is, CHRISTO tanquam membrum capiti suo adherere: that is, To adhere to CHRIST, the Head, as a Member of His body: And therefore, he showeth, That who-so-ever now walketh in that New Way of faith, it shall bee said unto him, I shall write vpon him My new Name, and the Name of the new HIERVSALEM.  
CARTHVSIAN, also, giveth this reason, why it is called a new Way: Because,( saith he) it was first devysed by CHRIST, no Man, nor angel, being able to find out a way, to reconcile Man to GOD,( the Covenant of works, as the old Way, failing) but only the lamb, CHRIST IESVS,( saith he) by the veil of His Flesh, and His suffering there-in, manifesting the same unto vs.  
This way, then, wee see, is called, a new Way; not but that it was in being and existence before, but by way of clearer, and nearer patefaction: therefore, the greek word is {αβγδ}, signifying, a renewing, by making, that which was before, in being, a new Way, as it were, in clearness, and understanding: CHRIST IESVS, being still that lamb of GOD, which was slain from the beginning: As also, in opposition to that old way of sin, and to that legal, impassable; yea, impossible way of works: and not that it importeth, that the souls of the patriarchs, who relay on that only Sacrifice of CHRIST to come, and embraced the promise there-of, were al-together depryved of celestial entry, till by His Ascention, he opened that way, and made it new unto them: CHRIST IESVS, being ever like the sun in the Firmament, effectually spreading the beams of His saving Grace, as well backward, as forward, even unto both ends of the world: and being, no less, a comfortable ante meridian sun, to them in their dimmer forenoon, nor a postmeridian Sun, to us in our clear Horizon, Even CHRIST IESVS, yesterday, and to day, and the same, for ever.  
For farther discovery, likewise, of this Popish error, In denying any entry to the souls of the patriarchs, and just Men, before CHRIST'S Ascention, I must mutually demand:  
1. Whether doth not the Scripture testify clearly, 
Gen. 5.24.  that Enoch, before CHRIST'S Ascention, was taken up to Heaven, seeing it is said, That the LORD took him up to himself: using the same word there, which is used hereafter in the rapt of Elias?  
2. Whether did not Elias enter into Heaven, likewise, 
2. Kings 2.11.  before CHRIST'S Ascention, seeing it is clearly said, in express words, That Elias went up into Heaven? where-of Mattathias, on his Death-bed, when he put his sons in mind, said, 
Machab. 2.58.  That Elias, being fervent, and Zealous, for the Law, was assumed up into Heaven.  
3. Whether did not Moses, also, before CHRIST'S Ascention, enter into Heaven,( whose body was so dignified, by an Archangels burying of the same, 
Matth. 17.  and whose name is so highly praised, Heb. 3.5.) seeing with Elias he was seen in glory, at CHRIST'S Transfiguration?  
4. Did not the soul of the thief, likewise, on the cross, 
Matth. 26.  that same day of his death, enter into Heaven, before CHRIST'S corporal Ascention,( as hath been proven before) according to CHRIST'S promise unto him, This day thou shalt bee with me in Paradise?  
To say, then, that no soul entred into Heaven, before CHRIST'S Ascention, is blasphemously to restrain, lessen, and embase the virtue of His Passion, which reacheth( as is said) to all times, and Persons, and to make the sin of Adam more powerful to Condemnation, than CHRIST His obedience is unto Salvation; the ones Fall casting his posterity, immediately after death, to Hell; but the others righteousness, not bringing the faithful, but after hundreds of Yeares, to the glory of Heaven.   

CHAP. XII. The place of zachary, 9.11. explained, and fred from Popish wresting.  
THE last place, which the jesuit adduceth, for his probation, of the delivery of the souls of the patriarchs, and just Men, out of his imaginatie Limbus, after CHRIST'S suffering, is that place of Zachariah, Vt educeret vinctos suos de lacu,( saith he) ubi non erit aqua: that is, That he might bring forth 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 sinful mankind, by the Blood of CHRIST, out of the Prison of that spiritual thraldom, where-in all men were, through Adams fall, and by the means of sin, saint Augustine doth thus clearly expound: 
August. de civit. DEI, l. 18. c. 35.  What may bee understood by this Pit,( saith he) divers expositions may bee thought vpon, agreeable to the true faith: but, it seemeth to me, that none better can bee than this; That there-by is understood, the dry and barren deepness of Man's misery, where the Waters of righteousness flow not; but where-in is the puddle of iniquity.  
THEODORET, likewise, after he hath expounded this Pit, to bee eternal Death, then he subjoineth, saying, And when Men were bound( saith he) in this Pit, our LORD IESVS CHRIST he loosed them, and brought them forth; and by His precious Blood, he delivered them, and brought them forth to the way of life, when he gave unto them the new Covenant.  
saint jerome, also, saith, That it is thus understood,( saith he) By the Blood of Thy Suffering, in mercy thou deliveredst them, who were bound Prisoners, in the Prison of Hell, where-in there is no mercy.  
saint cyril, likewise, hath this Exposition, By which words,( saith he) wee affirm, either that Hell is understood, where-in is no life,( for wee may take Water for the symbol of life) or else, wee will interpret the Pit, most fitly, to bee the deceyving of false gods; for idolatry, is a Pit, truly, in which who-so-ever falleth, he shall bee depryved of eternal life.  
So, whether Man's misery, or eternal Death, or Hell, or heathen idolatry, bee meant by this Pit, yet any such Limbus, is no ways there-by signified.  

Bell. lib. 1. de purge. cap. 3.  Next: if wee consult with Bellarmine, he showeth us, that no such thing as Limbus Patrum, can bee meant there-by: where-of he giveth this reason, Because( saith he) There is aqua consolationis in Limbo; that is, There is the Water of Comfort, or Refreshment, in Limbus; where-as in this pit 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 proof of purgatory.  
likewise, 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 only so long detained in that hellish prison, but that they lay chained, or in Fetters, so many thousands or hundreds of Yeares, in that infernal Pit. Which estate, if it bee all one, with being in Abraham's bosom, as the jesuit confessed before, which is a place of receyving comfort, and enjoying good things,( as the Scripture showeth) let any Man judge.  
Out of all which places, then, which haue been formerly adduced, it is evident, how impertinentlie, and to no purpose, the jesuit hath adduced the authority of wrested Scripture, for his Popish Limbus, and liberating of the patriarchs therefrom; and howe Foxe-lyke, only there-in, Vitreum vas lambit pultem haud attigit.     

THE IESVITS IMPVGNING OF CALVINES EXPOSITION, OF THE Article of Christs Descending into Hell.  
FArther: This descending of CHRIST into Hell, can not bee understood of the suffering of the pains of Hell in His soul, specially vpon the cross, 
Calvin. instet. c. 16. §. 10.  according to John Calvines blasphemous doctrine; because in all the Scripture there is no mention made of such suffering: and saint John saith, 
1. John 1.7.  that the Blood of CHRIST cleanseth us from all sin: and saint Paul, to the Ephesians, saith, We haue redemption, 
Ephes. 1.7.  through His Blood; even the forgiveness of sins, according to His rich Grace: and, therefore, I demand, Whether suffered CHRIST vpon the cross in His soul, Poenam damni, or sensus, or both?  
he suffered not the first, because His soul was ever blessed: he suffered not the second, because he suffered not vpon the cross the pain of fire, nor utter darkness, in eternal Bands: neither suffered he the worm which death not; nor he was not in Hell, in company with the wicked spirits, where is weeping, and gnashing of Teeth: for these are the pains of Hell, where-of mention is in Scripture.  
thirdly: If He suffered both poenam damni, and sensus, I desire Scripture for the same: for, according to Theologues, all the pains of Hell are comprehended under these two terms, Poena damni,& sensus?  

AN answer TO THE IESVIT, IN DEFENCE OF CALVINE.  

CHAP. XIII. That CHRIST suffered in soul, as well as in body, proven out of Scripture.  
FIRST, then, we maintain, with CALVINE, That CHRIST suffered in soul, as well as in body; and, That {αβγδ}, & proprio sensu, and not per assistentiam, or by sympathy, with the body only, that so as perfect Man, consisting of both, perfectly he might redeem mankind, who had sinned in both; and consequently who, according to justice, in both, should haue been punished respectiuelie. Seeing, there-fore, he was not only our Redeemer, by power to deliver, but our Cautioner, also, in justice, to satisfy, it became Him to satisfy for what-so-ever wee should haue suffered, and fulfil our obliedgement: wherefore( saith Isidore) DEI verbum, 
Isidor. Pelusiotae Epist. 189.  ut verè humanitatem induit, ita verè omnia, quae in hominem cadunt, explevit: that is, The incarnate Word of GOD, as he truly put on our humanity, so truly did he fulfil all things, which should befall Man. It being, also, requisite, that as that double Death over-came the first Adam; so the same, by suffering, should bee vanquished by the Second. So that who-so-ever they be, that deny His souls sufferings,( as the jesuit doth, referring all to His corporal Blood-shed) they deny His special suffering; which may bee called, The very soul of His suffering; and will bee forced to grant one of these two: either, that in His suffering, something more grievous, than any corporal death, did distress Him; or else,( which were open blasphemy) that of all Men, he had least courage, and was most dismayed for Death. And if the first( which must of necessity) bee granted, then, beyond corporal and ordinary death, what can bee understood, but such spiritual and Soules-suffering, which from an angry GOD doth proceed against sin, and which was that bitter Cup, where-of the son of GOD'S love drank, for the sins of the World?  
The verity where-of is farther confirmed, first, by Scripture: secondlie, by Fathers: and thirdly, by the Confession of romanists themselves.  
In Scripture, wee haue prefiguring things, fore-shadowing; typical speeches, fore-signifying; Evident Prophecies, fore-telling; CHRIST'S own words, declaring; Evangelicall harmony, witnessing; and apostolical Epistles, proclaiming the same.  
First, then, what else was foreshadowed, by the roasting of that paschal lamb, 
Exod. 12.  but that tormenting agony, which CHRIST, our Passe-over, suffered in soul, when His sympathising body, rained down that bloody Sweat in the Garden of Gethsemanie? because, 
Greg. 11.3. Moralium. ( as Pope gregory saith) Rubigo peccati purgari non potuit, nisi igne tormenti: that is, The rust of sin, could not bee purged away, but by the fire of torment. What else, likewise, did all other Sacrifices for sin, prefigure in their Denomination, Immolation, and Exclusion from the holiest Place, being called sins, and Sacrifices for sin, and, next, being wholly burnt with fire, and no part of them ever brought within the Holiest of all? likewise, that brazen Serpent, erected on a three, did not only prefigure the death of CHRIST; but also the cursed death of the cross, and, consequently, that CHRIST should bee( as he is called, GALAT. Chapter 3. Verse 13.) made a Curse for us; and where-by, emphaticklie, all that is comprehended, which GOD useth, as a revenge of sin. For which cause, it is said, 
Deut. 21.23.  Cursed is he( of GOD) that is hanged on a three.  
Next, for typical speeches, 
Psal. 22.1.14.  fore-signifying: doth not DAVID typicallie express our SAVIOVR'S distress, and spiritual desertion, when he crieth out in that psalm, as CHRIST did on the cross, My GOD, my GOD, why hast Thou forsaken me? And again, mine Heart is like wax, it is melted, in the midst of my Bowels; and Thou hast brought me into the dust of Death.  
ieremy, likewise, in that Threnodicall Song, 
Lam. 1.12.  expresseth he not that matchless Sorrow, where-vvith the sad soul of CHRIST was afflicted, immediately by GOD, when it was heavy to the very death? while as he saith, behold, and see, if there bee any sorrow, like to My sorrow, which is done to me, where-with the LORD hath afflicted me, in the day of His fierce wrath. And overdoing of his agony, 
Lam. 2.11.  and bloody sweat, From above( saith he) he hath sent fire, into My Bones: mine Eyes do fail, with Tears: My Bowels are troubled, and My Liver is powred vpon the Earth.( and for the word {αβγδ}, used by the Evangelistes,) he hath compassed me( saith the Prophet) with gull, 
Lam. 3.5.13.15.  and travel: he hath caused the arrows of His Quiver to enter into My reins: he hath filled me with bitterness, and made me drunk with wormwood.  
thirdly, for evident Prophesies, fore-telling: 
Isai. 53.3.10.6.  doth not that Evangelicall Prophet Isaias declare, That he should bee a Man of sorrows,( which ceazeth on the soul) and acquainted with griefs, even accounted as smitten of GOD, and afflicted by Him: and, That he should make His soul an offering for sin: for the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all?  
Fourthlie: Doth not CHRIST'S own words clearly declare, That he suffered in His soul, when he said, My soul is heavy, unto the very death? Also, Father, let this Cup pass from me? And when rucfullie he cried out vpon the cross, My GOD, My GOD, why hast Thou forsaken me?  
Fyftlie; for Evangelicall witnessing: 
mat. 26.37. Luke 22.44 Mark 14.33  do they not, in full consent, and harmony, show, That he was not only exceeding sorrowful, but,( as the word {αβγδ} hath) gird about, or compassed, every where, with sorrow? and not only so; but with fear astonished: and not only astonished; but so deeply distressed, ( as Franciscus Lucas expoundeth {αβγδ}) Vt quasi exanimis,& extra se fuerit: and not only so, but in a fearful, amazing, and agonizing perplexity.  
Last of all, for apostolical proclaiming of this truth, in their Epistolicke writings: 
Gal. 3.13.  saint Paul telleth us, That CHRIST redeemed us from the Curse of the Lawe; being made a Curse for vs. Where-by,( as is said before) all is comprehended, whatso-ever GOD inflicteth on soul or body, as a full Revenge of sin. 
Heb. 5.7.  As also, That in the dayes of His Flesh, he offered up Prayers, and Supplications, with strong crying, and tears, unto Him that was able to save Him from death; and was heard, in that which he feared.   

CHAP. XIV. That CHRIST suffered in soul, as well as in body: proven out of the Fathers.  
AS scripture, so many ways Authorizeth the truth; so doth the verdict of Fathers homolate here-in, with vs.  

Amb. l. 2. de fide ad Gratian. c. 3.  Therefore, saith saint Ambrose, Quia suscepit animam, suscepit& ainae passions: that is, Because he assumed, or vnder-tooke a soul for us, therefore, also, he vnder-tooke the sufferings of the soul.  

iron. l. 5. c. 2.  again, saith Ireneus, ( as he is cited by Theodoret, in his third Dialogue) Proprio sanguine redemit nos dominus,& dedit animam pro animabus nostris,& carnem suam pro carnibus nostris: that is, With His own Blood, hath our LORD redeemed us, and hath given His soul, for our souls, and His Flesh, for our flesh.  
likewise, saith saint jerome, Sicut corpus flagellatum ac laceratum, 
Hieron. in Isai. 53.  signa injuriae in vibicibus ac livore portabat, ita& animam verè doluisse pro nobis perspicuum est: that is, As His body, which was scourged, and torn, did bear the tokens of wrong, in His stripes and wounding; so it is evident, that His soul was truly sorrowful for vs.  
In like manner, saith cyril, 
Cyril. lib. de recta fide ad Theodosium.  Nemine cogente à seipso propriam animam posuit pro nobis, ut tam viventibus quam mortuis dominaretur, carnem quidem suam pretiam plane sufficiens pro omnium carne solvens,& animam pro redemptione ainae quorumcunque: that is, No man compelling Him, he laid down His own life for us, that so he might bee LORD over both living and dead; making His Flesh a sufficient price for the Redemption of all our flesh; and His soul, for the Redemption of all our souls.  

Ambros. in luke. l. 10.  Yea, saint Ambrose goeth farther, and saith, That he could not haue been so perfect a Saviour, except he had thus suffered in His soul: Minus enim contulerat mihi, ( saith he) nisi meum suscepisset affectum; ergo pro me doluit, qui pro se nihil habuit quod doleret,& sequestrata delectatione divinitatis aeternae, taedio meae infirmitatis afficitur; suscepit enim tristitiam meam ut mihi suam laetitiam largiretur,& vestigiis nostris descendit usque ad mortis aerumnam, at nos suis vestigiis revocaret ad vitam: that is, he had bestowed the less vpon me, or avayled me less, except he had vnder-taken mine affections; therefore, he was sorrowful for me, who had nothing to bee sorrowful for himself; and laying aside the pleasure of His eternal deity, he was affencted with the grief of mine infirmity; for he did undergo the sorrow that was due to me, that he might bestow His joy vpon me: and by our foot-steps he descended to the very sorrows of Death, that by His foot-steps he might bring us back again to life.  
Last of all: if they will either reverence the Sentence of a great and canonised Pope, or fear his Curse and Thunder-bolt, let them hear what Damasus decreeth; 
Damasus ut citatur à Theodoreto Dial. 3.  Si quis dixerit ( saith he) quia in passione crucis dolorem pertulit Filius DEI deus,& non caro cum anima, quam induit servi farinam, quam sibimet assumpsit; sicut Scriptura dicit, anathema sit: that is, If any man will say, that in His suffering on the cross, the son of GOD, being GOD, suffered the dolour of the cross, and that His Flesh, and His soul suffered not together, in that shape of a Servant, which he put on, and assumed, as the Scripture telleth us; Let him bee accursed.   

CHAP. XV. That CHRIST suffered in soul, as well as in body; proven out of the Romanists themselves.  
AS the FATHERS haue here-in born witness to the TRVETH, so do the Romanists own Doctors plead the TRVETH for vs.  
Their canonised Aquinas, then, out of the words of the 87 psalm, first proveth, that CHRIST'S soul was passable, or subject to suffering, saying, Dicit ex persona CHRISTI, repleta est malis anima mea, non quidem peccatis, said humanis malis: id est, doloribus, ut glossa ibi exponit; sic ergo anima CHRISTI fuit passibilis: that is, The Psalmist saith in the person of CHRIST, My soul is filled with evil; which were not sins, but human evils: that is, As the gloss expoundeth with Dolours, or griefs, therefore, by being so, the soul of CHRIST( saith he) was subject to suffering.  
again, actually, that it did suffer, 
Aquin. part. 3. q. 46. art. 7.  in the whole essence there-of, he saith, Si intelligamus totam animam ratione suae essentiae, sic manifestum est totam animam CHRISTI passam esse: that is, If wee understand ( saith he) the whole soul, in respect of the essence there-of, it is manifest, that the whole soul of CHRIST did suffer.  
likewise, that it suffered in all the powers and faculties thereof, he saith, 
Idem p. 3. q. 15. art. 4.  Secundum illum modum passionnis qua potentia aliqua dicitur pati ex parte sui subjecti, sic omnes potentiae ainae CHRISTI patiebantur: that is, According to that manner of suffering, ( saith he) where-by any faculty of the soul is said to suffer, by reason of its subject; so all the powers or faculties of CHRIST'S soul did suffer.  
Last of all, he showeth us, 
Idem p. 3. q. 46. art. 6.  what it did suffer, saying, In anima per tristitiam, tedium& timorem, ut in corpore per vulnera& flagella passus est: that is, he suffered in His soul, ( saith he) by Sorrow, grief, and fear; even as he suffered in His body, wounding and whipping.  
Pererius, likewise, 
Perer. in Exod. 12. disp. 7.  speaking of CHRIST'S desertion on the cross, saith, christus nullam tunc habuit in parte inferiori consolationem, neque à parte superiori ainae, nec adeo, quod significavit ipse dicens, DEUS Meus, DEUS Meus, ut quid dereliquisti Me? that is, CHRIST, at that time, had no comfort in the inferior part of His soul, neither from the superior part there-of, neither from GOD; which himself signified, saying, My GOD, My GOD, why hast Thou forsaken me? Therefore, wee see, that this sorrow without comfort, this perturbation inward, and distresse-full agony, was not His corporal, but His souls suffering.  
likewise, Bellarmine himself, speaketh to the same purpose, 
Bellarminus  saying, christus non tantum non permisit ut redundaret ex parte superiore gaudium in partem inferiorem, said etiam non avertit cogitationem a morte imminente, defixit mentem in omnia tormenta impendentia: that is, CHRIST not only permitted not, that j●y should proceed from the superior part of His soul, to the inferior; but, also, he turned not away His thoughts from death, which was imminent, but steadfastly fixed His mind, vpon all the torments that were hanging above His head.  
And last of all, Carthusian saith, 
earth. in Matth. 27.  That His soul was so vehemently vexed, Vt nulla fieret pro tunc redundantia consolationis& alleviationis à superiore parte, in partem ejus inferiorem: that is, That at that time, ( saith he) there was no supply of comfort and relief, from the superior part of His soul, to the inferior part there-of.   

CHAP. XVI. What pains they were, which CHRIST suffered in His soul, for mankind.  
NEXT, to this Conclusion, thus established, to wit, That CHRIST suffered in soul, as well as in body, wee must consider,( to satisfy the jesuits Demand) what sort of pains he suffered there-in for vs.  
Aquinas, therefore, telleth us, That they far exceeded all the pains that men can suffer in this life; 
Aquin. part. 3. q. 46. art. 6.  not only for the sharpness, and universality of the same; but, also, in respect of the quickness of the sense, and the strong and true apprehension of the Sufferer; as, also, the requisite measure of the pain, made proportionable to the greatness of the Fruit, which unto all abundantly, was ever to redound. The reason of which acrimony, and matchless excess of souls pain, was( as saint basil giveth the reason, saying) christus cum Angore crucem suscipit, passionemque pavor anticipat. Quare? Nimirum quia christus contra viventem adhuc mortem armatur, cumq́ue nondum soluta tyrannide manus conserit, etenim imperium quod in homines jam ind ab Adamo obtinebat, etiamnum ostentabat: that is, CHRIST vnder-goeth the cross, with such distresse-full grief and such fear fore-goes His suffering. Wherefore? Because( saith he) CHRIST was armed against Death, as yet living, and in full vigour; and he encountereth with his tyranny, as yet no-wayes over-come; for as yet Death was showing his dominiring power, which hither-to from Adams time, it had obtained over mankind.  
As wee see, then, what those pains were, and how great in the general; so let us consider, how they are called, or describe, in particular.  

Acts 2.  The Apostle calleth them, The Dolours of Death: which the vulgar Translation termeth, Dolores Inferni; or, The Dolours, and pains of Hell: and,( as cardinal Cajetan affirmeth) the pains of Hell, truly.  

Salm. in acta tract. 13.  Salmeron, also, the jesuit, calleth them, expressly, The pains of Hell, with which the soul of our Saviour was so mightily distressed, saying, Superest ut intelligamus de doloribus acerbissimis passionnis, quos ob id metaphorice inferni vocat, qui tamen finiti sunt in morte: that is, It resteth,( saith he) that we understand hereby, the most bitter pains of His Passion; which for that cause, are by way of similitude, called, The pains of Hell; which, not-with-standing, were finished at His Death.  
saint gregory, likewise, a Pope, alluding to Hell, 
Greg. 11.3. Moralium.  calleth those pains of CHRIST'S Passion, The pains of fiery Torment, saying, Iuxta semetipsum, frustra afflictus est, juxta vero acta nostra, non frustra, rubigo quip peccati purgari non potuit, nisi igne tormenti: that is, Considering His own deserving, he was causeleslie afflicted; but not so, considering it was for our deeds: therefore it was, that the rust of sin, could not bee purged away, but by a fiery torment.  
A strange thing, then, it is, that in a Pope, a cardinal, and a jesuit, it shall bee thought no blasphemy, to affirm, That CHRIST suffered the pains of Hell, in His painful Passion: but for Calvine, or any Protestant, to affirm, That by His Descense to Hell, His souls sufferings are understood, it is grossest blasphemy.  
But, wee must consider, that the pains due to Man for sin, being divyded in these two, to wit, the pains of the body, and pains of the soul, and that CHRIST IESVS, our LORD, is not only a Redeemer to us, but, also, a Cautioner for us; and( as Aquinas showeth) in our place; for which cause, 
Aquin. loco quo supra.  He ascrybeth to himself, our sins, saying, in that 21 psalm; Verba elictorum meorum: therefore, it was just, and requisite, that what man's sins deserved, 
Isidor. Pelus. Ep. 189.  who was principal,( as Isidore saith) that the incarnate Word, and son of GOD, who hath truly put on our humanity, as our Cautioner, should fulfil, and satisfy plenarlie: or, 
Calvin. l. 2. instit. c. 16. §. 10.  as Calvine suteablie saith, Vt dependeret ille omnes quae ab illis expetendae erant poenas, hoc unico excepto, quod doloribus mortis non poterat detineri: that is, That He should undergo all the punishment, which man should haue vnder-gone, this only one thing being excepted, that He could not be holden, by the dolours of Death. And, therefore, it is no marvel, if he suffered such a death, as by an angry GOD is inflicted on sinners, subject to a sense of wrath, and rigour of divine revenge; which, indeed, to a dejected soul, suffering for its own sins, is an Hell vpon Earth.  
Next, that wee affirm, that GOD was wrath with the son of His love, but that His well-beloved endured such punishment, at His Fathers hands, for us, as they do for their sins, who find an angry GOD dealing against them: for which cause, he is, therefore, said, to bee counted as smitten of GOD, and sore afflicted; being strike so, as our Cautioner, and yet by the hand of a loving Father.  
And that this apprehension, and sense of wrath against sin, is called, in Scripture, a very Hell to the soul,( as is said) and, a descending, or humiliation there-to, is manifest, by plain proof of Scripture; where David, in the 88 psalm, after he hath said, in the sixth verse, Thou hast laid me into the lowest Pit, in darkness, and in the deep: in the very next verse, he subjoineth, what he meaneth by the former words, in similitude, saying, Thy wrath lieth hard vpon me, and Thou hast afflicted me, with all Thy waves. So that the laying of him into the lowest Pit, or making him to descend into Hell, and the laying of His wrath hard vpon him, is both there put for one.   

CHAP. XVII. That CHRIST suffered the punishment both of damni and sensus.  
AFter that the Iesuite hath denied in CHRIST, any souls sufferings, and counted it blasphemy, to say, that he suffered the pains of Hell in any manner; he there-after demandeth, if he suffered any such, Whether it was poena damni, or poena sensus? for under these two all Theologues( saith he) comprehend the whole pains of Hell.  
To whom, punctuallie, to answer, we affirm, That our Saviour in His soul suffered, in a manner, and by analogy, both: the one manifested by His agony, and bloody Sweat, in Gethsemanie, and the other expressed by His rueful complaint, and Cry, vpon Mount Calvarie, the pain of sense being so sensible to Him, that he telleth His Disciples, that His soul was compassed about with Sorrow, and exceeding dolorous, to the very death. And they again tell us, That he was extremely dejected, sore amazed, and grievouslie distressed; praying with strong cries, to bee delivered from that which he feared; and with many tears, that that Cup might pass from Him. The drinking where-of, to the soul, was such a bitter Potion, that that Vinegar& gull on the cross, had with it no proportion: the approaching where-of,( being the sense of divine wrath) made Him so to fear, to kneel, to fall, to cry, to weep, to sweat, to bleed, and every way to bee in such a dreadful agony.  
And, as to a privatiue Punishment, or poena damni, what else meant our Saviour's words, ruefullie crying on the cross, My GOD, My GOD, why hast Thou forsaken me? ubi nulla fuit in tanta necessitate virtutis exhibitio,( as faith saint BERNARD) nulla ostensio majestatis: that is, 
Bern. Serm. 5. de verbis Isaiae.  In which woeful desertion, there was no exhibition,( saith he) in so great a necessity of any divine power, neither any manifestation of any such majesty. And, Giving us to understand, 
Bell. l. 4. de CHRISTO, c. 8. ( saith BELLARMINE) that most grievous and true were the dolours that He suffered for us: Vtq́ue hoins extrema patientis supplicia,& à DEO derelicti personam exprimat, saith the jesuit MALDONAT: that is, That so he might express the punishment of a man, suffering in greatest extremity, and the person of one left, and deserted of GOD.  
Next, to the places of Scripture, where-by the jesuit would haue all our Redemption ascribed to the Blood of CHRIST allanerlie; that is, to His corporal sufferings only, where-in was the effusion there-of: I answer, first, Altho in these places cited, no mention bee but of His bodily suffering, yet it followeth not, that there is no mention of any other sufferings, in none other place,( the contrary whereof is evident, in many partes of Scripture 
Psal. 22.1. Isai. 53.3.10.16. Matth. 26.37. Gal. 3.13. :) Nec ab unius affirmatione legittime concluditur negatio alterius.  
Secondlie: To attribute our whole Redemption to the Blood, and corporal death of CHRIST, is false; for, our justification being a part there-of, is distinctly attributed, Rom. 4.25. to His Resurrection, the Apostle there saying, Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.  
thirdly: By Blood in these places, is meant a bloody death: which bloody death, is that of the cross: and which death of the cross, because it is accursed, doth comprehend not only the death of the body, but it hath joined with it, the Curse of the Law. For which cause, it is said, That CHRIST was made a Curse for us: and this Curse, wee know, is extensive, not only to the body, but to the soul likewise. Therefore, both Ireneus, 
iron. l. 5. c. 2. Theod. Dial. 3. & Theodoret, when they haue shown, that by His own Blood, our Saviour hath redeemed us, they immediately subjoin, and conjoin, His souls sufferings therewith, saying, Ipso dante animam pro animabus nostris,& corpus suum pro corporibus nostris.  
neither think I, that the jesuit himself can bee so gross, as to exclude from the work of our Redemption, the other corporal sufferings of CHRIST, which were not bloody at all, as His weariness, hungering, Thirsting, Weeping, Binding, buffeting, Mocking, Spitting, railings, &c, with many the like; except he would accuse the wisdom of GOD, as doing that, which, in such a work, was but al-to-gether superfluous. And, therefore, in such speeches, of necessity, by a part, must bee understood the whole.  
Next, where-as the jesuit intendeth to prove, that CHRIST suffered neither poenam damni, nor sensus: non damni, Because( saith he) His soul was ever blessed, to wit, in enjoying the vision of GOD; where-from the wicked, who suffer poenam damni, are altogether debarred. To whom I answer, 
Aquin. part. 3. q. 46. art. 8  in his own Aquinas words; Quod gaudium fruitionis, non contrariatur direct dolori passionnis, quia non sunt de eodem: that is, The joy of fruition, is not directly contrary to the dolour of His suffering, because they are not conversant about the same thing. For, as he saith, in his conclusion, Quanquam tota anima CHRISTI per essentiam DEO frueretur in passione, non tamen secundum omnes suas potentias, said solum superior pars in illo rationis proprio actu beatorum fruitione fruebatur: that is, Altho the whole soul of CHRIST, according to the essence there-of, enjoyed GOD in the Passion, yet it did not so according to all the powers there-of, but only the superior part, in the proper act of reason, is that which enjoyed the fruition of the Blessed.  
Next, saith the jesuit, CHRIST suffered not poenam sensus, because he suffered not the pain of fire, nor utter darkness in eternal bands, &c. To whom, likewise, I may answer, 
Bell. l. 4. de CHRISTO, c. 8.  in his Bellarmines own words, saying, That the price of our Redemption, payed by CHRIST, ought not( saith he) to bee weighed by the quality, or endurance of the pains suffered, but by the dignity of the Person Sufferer.  
again: How was not the soul of CHRIST destitute of the bliss-full Vision of GOD, at least in the consequence there-of, which is the sense of heavenly joy, when he complaineth, that he was forsaken? which could not befall to one that still had enjoyed that Vision, and that sort there-of which they want, who are said to suffer poenam damni: which Vision, is that perfect and clear sight of GOD, in the Heavens with joy, where the soul is subject to no evil of pain; where-of the Psalmist, in CHRIST'S Person, 
Psal. 87. Aquin. part. 3. q. 15. a. 4.  proclaimed his soul, to haue been full, as Aquinas doth show.  
again: What were those pains where-of he declared himself so sensible there-of in His soul, in His agony, and complaint on the cross, if they were not poena sensus? as also those dolours where-from he was loosed, and which are called, Dolores inferni: if he was sensible of them, were they not poena sensus? And in particular, as for the pain of fire,( which is metaphoricallie, and not materiallie understood) if he comprehend the positive pains of Hell, under the same, let him hear a Pope, declaring, That CHRIST suffered such, saying, Rubigo quip peccati purgari non potuit, nisi igne tormenti: that is, The rust of sin( saith he) could no otherwise be purged by CHRIST, but by the fire of Torment.  
And, as for the eternity of endurance, it is a chyldish, and sophistical form of reasoning, to argue from that which is accidental, to a thing, to the denial of a thing itself: as, because the pains which CHRIST suffered in His soul, were not eternal for endurance, therefore they were not such, as are signified by CHRIST'S descense into Hell: for so might one conclude, That CHRIST'S corporal death, was not the true death, that Adam, or other men died, because others continued more lingringlie in the pains of death than he, as the sleeves did, who were crucifixed with Him: and because the power of Death hath detained other men so many Ages under the same, where-as he was not detained, not three dayes: therefore, altho CHRIST'S sufferings were not eternal in endurance, yet if they were the same in the quality, and kind, with those which wee should haue suffered in eternity, it sufficeth, because wee must consider, that those pains which CHRIST endured had an end, not of their own nature, but by the power of CHRIST, who over-came them, and which otherwise had been eternal.   

CHAP. XVIII. The defence of Beza, his interpretation of ACT. 2.27. against the foresaid jesuit.  

The Iesuit's Challenge of BEZA'S Exposition.  
finally: It can not bee said, that when the Scripture saith, Thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell; that it is to bee understood, as Beza interpreteth it, Thou wilt not leave my Carcase in the grave: because the soul, is not the Carcase; and grave, is not Hell.  
There-after, the soul in that place, can not bee taken for the body; because it is distinguished from the body, where-of it is said, that it shall not see Corruption, &c.   

The defence of Beza.  
FOR answer: As to the last word, {αβγδ}, seeing wee haue already shown at length, what the same doth signify, and howe justly it may bee expounded, as Beza interpreteth it [ the grave:] therefore, wee remit the Reader, to the proper place, where he may see the jesuit answered, and himself to receive clear satisfaction.  
As to the second word, {αβγδ}, which Beza interpreteth, body, or( as the jesuit saith) Carcase, the original, 
Psal. 16.10.  in that prophetical psalm, out of which the Apostle citeth the foresaid testimony, is, nephesh: which Bellarmine himself doth grant oftentimes to signify, 
Bell. l. 4. de CHRISTO, c. 12. §. ad 3.  the body, or flesh of man, As is evident( saith he) out of sundry parts of Scripture: and the rabbinical Doctors they testify the same. And that same which the Hebrewes call nephesh, the greek, or Septuagint,( according to which, the Apostle citeth that testimony) hath {αβγδ}. between which words, nephesh, and {αβγδ}, altho Bellarmine would bear us in hand, that there is a great difference; Nephesh being more general( saith he) and signifying either the whole Man, or the soul, or the body apart: but that {αβγδ}, or anima, is only put for the soul alone. And yet( contrary to Bellarmine's assertion) it is evident, that nephesh, when it is translated {αβγδ}, by the Septuagint, and anima, by the vulgar; that then it often times signifieth the body only, or fleshly part of Man; as in that place of Genesis, 37. Non interficiamus animam ejus; the Hebrew being nephesh, the greek {αβγδ}, and the latin, Anima; ubi anima ( saith Bellarmine himself) non pro anima proprie dicta, 
Bell. loco quo supra.  nec pro homine per tropum,( nam repugnat pronomen ejus) said pro ipsa carne proprie accipitur. So, Numbers, 23.10. {αβγδ}, or moriatur anima mea( saith BALAAM) morte justorum. Where, wee see, that to die, is attributed to {αβγδ}, or anima: which cannot be competent to the soul, which is immortal, but to the body, which only is subject to death. The same is evident, likewise, out of the collation of Numbers, 19.13. where it is said, {αβγδ}; which the vulgar latin translateth, Omnis qui tetigerit humanae ainae morticinium: which being compared with the eleventh verse, where it is said, in like manner, {αβγδ}: which the vulgar rendereth, Qui tetigerit cadaver hoins mortui. The collation of these places,( I say) doth clearly show, that nephesh, or {αβγδ}, which is called anima, in the one, is directly rendered cadaver in the other. So that not only doth nephesh, but {αβγδ}, and anima, likewise, oftentimes signify the very Carcase of Man, as the poet, also, verifieth, saying, Animamq́ue sepulchro condimus. 
Virg. Aeneiad. 3. Aug. Epist. 157. ad Optatum. Levit. 21.11  The reason of which sort of speech, Augustine prettielie giveth, saying, Where the Law saith, That he is defiled, who shall go to a dead soul; that is,( saith he) to the Carcase of a dead Man; so that by the name of a dead soul, the dead body may bee understood, which did contain the soul; even as when the people are absent, which are the Church, yet the place, never-the-lesse, is still termed the Church.( saith he.)  
So that the Argument drawn from the word {αβγδ}, doth no-wyse impede, that these words, ACT. 2.27. should bee thus expounded; that is, either, that Thou wilt not leave me in the grave, as ROM. 13.1. it is said, Let every soul bee subject to the higher Powers: that is, Let every one bee subject. And again, ACT. 2.31. where the greek hath, That His soul was not left; the old vulgar latin hath, That he was not left. Or else,( according to Beza) it may bee expounded, as the instances of GEN. 37. and NVNBERS 19. formerly doth teach, saying, Thou wilt not leave my body in the grave.  
And, farther, to clear Beza, that he is not singular herein, in expounding so, nor was the first Author of this interpretation, let the jesuit haue recourse to his own writers; and he shall find Isidorus Clarius, saying on the same second of the ACTS, That the words[ my soul in Hell] according to the Hebrew phrase,( saith he) is there put for[ my body in the grave.]  
Also, Non relinquos animam meam, hoc est, corpus meum in sepulchro,( saith ARIAS MONTANVS, in psalm 16. 
Arias mount. in Hebraicae Linguae Idiotismis voice, anima, in sacra Bib. apparatu. edit. Antwerp. An. 1572. ) And to the same sense, doth the exposition of Sheol, in the same psalm, being rendered Sepulchrum; in their interlinear Bible,( approved by the university of LOVANE, and generally authorised) inevitablie enforce, seeing wee know it is dead Bodies, and not souls, that go to the grave. And, therefore, Vatablus, in his Notes vpon the same place of the psalm, expoundeth the word, Anima, to bee the body,( by comparing it with LEVIT. 21.1.)  
So that the sense of that place of the ACTS, or PSALMIST, whence it is taken, may, according to BEZA'S Exposition, bee orthodoxlie this: That altho our Saviour's body went down to the grave, or place of Corruption, and continued there, in that state of humiliation, as it were under Deaths dominion, three dayes almost; yet His body was not to bee left in the grave,( as other mens are) but here-in it was to bee privileged beyond all mankind,( as the Psalmist fore-prophesied) not only in the short losing, and delivery there-of, from Deaths Dominion, or the grave; but also, that while His blessed body lay there, it should see no Corruption: and so that corruption-working power there-of,( as the eastern liturgy hath) had no power over Him.    

CHAP. XIX. The place of 1. PETER, 3.19. expounded, and vindicated from Popish gross wresting.  
THUS, having answered, fully, the jesuit, in his earnest Plea, for his Popish Limbus; there resteth only,( at the desire of some well-affected) that the place of Peter,( which is the Papists Achilles) may receive alike solution, being, by Bellarmine, for this purpose, so much urged, and by our Papists, amongst us, so much and usually upbraided: the passingby where-of, by our fore-named Demander, is much to bee admired.  
The Text of Scripture, then, is this: Being put to death, 
1. Pet. 3.19.  in the flesh, but quickened in the Spirit, by which also he went, and preached to the Spirites in Prison; which, some-tymes, were disobedient, when once the long suffering of GOD waited in the dayes of Noah.  
In clearing of which Text, these points being considered, it shall easily( GOD willing) appear, that it maketh nothing for them.  
1. By what Spirit CHRIST went; to wit, That it was not in His human soul, but by His Divine Spirit.  
2. To what Spirites he went; to wit, That those were not the godly, or just; but the wicked, and impenitent.  
3. The time when CHRIST went unto them; to wit, Before the deluge, and not after His own Suffering.  
4. The manner how he went; to wit, Mediatelie, by the ministry of Noah, and not immediately, in His human soul.  
5. The cause wherefore He went; to wit, To preach Repentance, unto them being on Earth: but not to deliver them, out of any hellish Limbo.  
6. The place, where these Spirits were, even when Peter speaketh of them, after CHRIST'S Ascension; to wit, In the Prison of Hell, of the Damned, for the abuse of GOD'S long suffering: and from which place there is no liberation.  
All which poyntes, GOD willing, wee shall clear, and confirm: first, By Scripture: secondlie, By Fathers: and thirdly, By Romanists themselves.  
The first, and main point, then, to bee considered, is, By what Spirit CHRIST went? To which question, the Apostle himself answereth; to wit, By which he was quickened. And if it bee farther asked, By what Spirit was he quickened? saint Paul will tell us, That it was By the Spirit of GOD; 
Rom. 8.11.  which shall, also, quicken our mortal Bodies,( saith he.)  
Next, to Scripture, if wee consult with antiquity, 
Aug. Ep. 99. 〈◇〉 Evod.  Augustine will tell us, That it is CHRIST'S divine Spirit, that is meant here. Beda, 
Beda in 1. Pet. 3.  likewise, telleth us, That it was by the holy Spirit in Noah,( saith he) who went, and preached to the Wicked of that Age; that they might bee converted to a better course of life. OEcumenius, also, declareth, That it is the Spirit of His God-head, that is spoken of, saying, Mortificatus quidem natura carnis, id est, humana, resurrexit autem virtute Deitatis, est enim deus Spiritus: that is, he died( saith he) according to the flesh, that is, according to His human Nature; but he rose again, by the power of His deity; for this Spirit, is GOD.  
Last of all, if wee en quyre their own Doctors, 
earth. in 1. Pet. 3.  Cartbusian declareth, That it was, Per Spiritus sancti missionem seu inspirationem,( saith he.) And again, Per suae miserationis effectum spiritualiter veniens,& Spiritu sancto operant adveniens,( saith he:) that is, That it was by the sending, or inspiration of the holy Ghost; and spiritually by the work of mercy, that he came. Aquinas, also, showeth, That it was, 
Aquin. pa● 3. q. 52. art. 2.  Spiritu suae divinitatis,( saith he) per ora justorum: that is, That it was in His Divine Spirit, by the mouths of just men. Lyra, likewise, saith, That it was, Per Spiritum sanctum in Noe,& caeteris bonis. And, to come to later schoolmen, the jesuit Salmeron, confesseth, That the Spirit, 
Salm. in 1. Pet. 3.  where-by he was quickened, and went to preach by, was the holy Ghost. And, in lyke-manner, Andradius telleth us, 
Andrad. defence. Con. tried. l. 2.  That it was the same Spirit, whereby he came of old: that wee may understand,( saith he) that it is not now of late, that he took a care of His Church. By all which, wee conclude, that it was not by the human soul of CHRIST, but His Divine Spirit, that he went to those Spirits, which Peter speaketh of.  
The second point, is, To what Spirits he went? which will evidently appear, that they were not the patriarchs, or lust Men, by the opposition of the Titles, which in Scripture are given to the one, and the other. 
Heb. 11.8.17.  For, the one are praised for faith, and Obedience: but those Spirits, are called incredulous, and disobedient. again, the patriarchs, and godly, they knew the day of their gracious visitation: but of those, it is said, That they abused the long suffering of GOD, which waited for their conversion.  
In lyke-maner, if wee consider, what they are said to bee, by Fathers, and romanists themselves; Augustine doth show us, That it was they, who were captives to sin. And Beda, most clearly, saith, That they were the Wicked, and the carnal livers,( saith he) in the age of Noah. Carthusian, in lyke-manner, saith, That they were, Increduli,& iniqui illius temporis: that is, The misbelievers, and wicked of that age. And so saith, likewise, Lyra. And Andradius professeth, That they are those Spirits, that would not believe Noah, giving good counsel,( saith he) when the ark was a-building before their eyes, to call them to Repentance.  
The third point, is, the time when CHRIST went; which Scripture clearly pointeth out, to haue been in the dayes of Noah. Augustine, also, resolveth this,( whom Aquinas doth follow) saying, That it was in Noah's time, and from the beginning of the World, before ever he came in the flesh, to die there-in, for vs. Beda, likewise, saith, he who in our times preached the way of life, to the World; even he himself, also, before the Flood, coming in the Spirit, preached to the Vnbelievers.  
Their own Carthusian, also, showeth, that this is the scope of the apostles words, Asserere quod christus,( saith he) qui nostris temporibus carne indutus veniens, praedicabat bominibus iter salutis, ipse etiam& ante diluvium eis qui tunc increduli erant, spiritu veniens praedicabat: which are the words of Beda. Andradius, also, showeth,( as a-before) That it was, while the ark was a-building, before their eyes, to call them to repentance. Which Aquinas, and Lyra, homologate accordingly.  
The fourth point, is, the manner, how CHRIST went: Beda( and Walafridus Strabus, after him) say, That it was by Noah: and so, by a mediate ministry; and not by CHRIST immediately: for by His holy Spirit, He was in Noah,( saith he) and the rest of the holy men, that were at that time: who by their good conversation, preached to the Wicked of that Age; that they might bee converted. Aquinas, also, saith, 
Aquin. loco quo supra.  His inquam praedicavit, qui increduli fuerant aliquando, Noae scilicet praedicanti: that is, he preached unto them,( saith he) who were incredulous of old, to wit, to Noah, when he preached to them. Carthusian, likewise, saith, Spiritu sancto operant adveniens praedicavit per Noae ut infra in●uitur: that is, coming by the operation of the holy Spirit, he preached by Noah: as hereafter is given to understand. And Lyra, in lyke-manner, saith, Spiritu veniens praedicavit( scilicet) per Noae.  
With these clear Testimonies, also, agreeth the phrase of Scripture, as Nehem. 9.30. where the Levites do thus confess unto the LORD, saying, Yet many yeare●… didst Thou forbear them, 
2. Sam. 23.2.  and testified against them, by Thy Spirit, in the Prophets: yet would they not give ear. Which made that royal Prophet to say, The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and His Word was in my Tongue. likewise, Zach. 7.12, 〈…〉 is said, That the people endured their Hearts, left they should hear●… the words, which the LORD of hosts had sent in His Spirit, by the former Prophets. And last, in a more particular manner, in this same Epistle of Peter, 
1. Pet. 1.11. 2. Pet. 2.5.  it is called, The Spirit of CHRIST, which spake in the Prophets; amongst whom, Noah( saith the Apostle) was a Preacher of righteousness.  
And so, hereby, the mayn●… doubt is solved; to wit, that these words of Peter, are to bee referre●… to CHRIST'S preaching, mediatelie●… only by the ministry of Noah, vnt●… the wicked then livng, before the deluge: and not to His own preaching, immedatelie, in His soul, after His suffering, to the souls of the patriarchs, or others, in any part of Hell.  
The fift point, is, the cause wherefore CHRIST went to those Spirits, of whom saint Peter speaketh: Where-in the Apostle himself giveth the resolution, when he saith, That he preached to them, for this end,( as Beda saith) That they might bee converted to a better course of life. The like saith, also, Carthusian,& Lyra, calling this preaching, An exhorting of them to repentance: as Andradius termeth it, Noah's giving them good counsel, for their amendment. So, that it was not, for the delivery of those Spirits, out of any part of Hell, long after their death, that CHRIST is said, in Spirit, to haue gone unto them;( for of any such end or errand, there is not a title in the Text) but in Noah's time, and by his ministry, that he preached unto them repentance, and amendment of life: the practise of both which, wee know, belongeth only to this life, and our condition on earth.  
The sixth, and last point, is, the place where those spirites are said to bee, even when Peter wrote this Epistle, long after CHRIST'S ascention: which saint Peter himself telleth, that it was, in Prison. Where wee haue to remark, first, that by Prison in Scripture, when it speaketh of imprisoning of Spirits,( as in this place) is only meant the Hell of the Damned; as is evidenr, Rev. 20.7. and Iude 1.6. which is therefore called, in the interlinear gloss, The Prison of darkness, and despair. Into which Hell of the Damned, the Papists themselves will not say, That the souls of the just were, neither that CHRIST'S soul descended to that place, to free any there-from: And so this speech of Peters, can no-wyse make for Limbus.  
Next, the Apostle speaketh here of the present time, when he wote, saying, That are in Prison, as the words import, {αβγδ}, scilicet, {αβγδ}: which may bee confirmed, by the like form of speech, everie-where in Scripture, as Matth. 6.9. {αβγδ}, scilicet, {αβγδ}: and John 5.28. {αβγδ}, scilicet, {αβγδ}: as also, mat. 24.16.17.18. Heb. 12.23. &c. and frequently else-where.  
And in conclusion, for confirming the truth hereof, out of the mouth of an adversary, let Andradius own words bee heard, who wrote in defence of the council of Trent, Praedicavit Spiritibus illis, 
Andrad. l. 2. defence. council. tried. ( saith he) qui nunc in carcere, meritas jam infidelitatis poenas luunt: that is, he preached unto them,( saith Andradius) who even now being in Prison, are justly at this very instant, suffering the punishment of their infidelity.   

CHAP. XX. In what sound sense( beside Calvine's former exposition) it may, without controversy, bee yielded unto, both by Papist,& Protestant, That CHRIST descended unto Hell.  
HAving, then, sufficiently battered any Popish, or chimerical Limbo; and it resting, therefore, that by Hell, no such imaginary Prison can bee understood, but properly the place or estate of the Damned; It remaineth to consider, in what sound sense, it may bee said, That CHRIST descended into Hell,( beside the former exposition of Calvine's) which neither Papist nor Protestant, can deny.  
This Descense, therefore, is in a virtual manner or efficacy, whereby through the powerful operation of His Death and Passion, as Death and the grave, so Hell was over-come, Death losing its sting, the grave its victory, and Hell the dominion there-of.  
Heere-vnto Scripture comformeth, councils conclude, Fathers consent, Romanists yield, and Protestants grant.  
This is it, therefore, which the Apostle affirmeth, when he saith, That he spoyled Principalities and Powers, 
Coloss. 2.15.  and made a show of them openly, triumphing over them.  
This, also, that famous council of Alexandria professed, and wrote unto Nestorius, in their Confession of faith. 
council. Eph. c. 26. council. Chalced. Act. 5. council. Constant. collat. 6.  The like, also, did that third general council at Ephesus, the fourth at Chalcedon, and the fift at Constantinople, vnanimlie aclowledge, That CHRIST, by His divine operation, and the powerful efficacy of His Passion, spoyled Hell: or( as wee say vulgarlie) herried the same; whether Inferi, bee taken for the grave, or place of the dead, or for the estate of punishment, and place of the Damned; the one where-of he hath over-come, by alteration of the nature there-of, and spoiling it of victory; and the other, by way of prevention, defrauding it of its Prey.  
This is the only way, likewise, 
Bell. l. 4. de CHRISTO, c. 15. Durand. in 3. Sent. Dist. 22. q. 3. ( as BELLARMINE granteth) That the Romanists great Master DVRANDVS affirmeth our SAVIOUR'S descense into Hell; to wit, not properly, and in substance; but virtually, and by effect; in that, without any local motion, the power of His Death did reach thereunto; as GOD is said to descend,( saith augustine) when he doth any thing on Earth, 
Aug. de civit. DEI, l. 16. c. 5.  which being wonderfully effectuated, beyond the common course of Nature, may in some sort manifest His presence. otherwise,( saith DVRAND) His soul had been in two places together, seeing he said to the thief, This day thou shalt bee with me, in Paradise. But this( saith DVRAND) is al-to-gether absurd.  
This, likewise, is the doctrine of THOMAS AQVINAS, 
Aquin. part. 3. q. 53. art. 2.  and the other schoolmen, That virtually only, and not locally, CHRIST descended to the place of the Damned. And which BELLARMINE himself, 
Bell. recog. in l. 4. de CHRISTO.  in his Recognitions, acknowledgeth to bee a truth, by all to bee professed.  
And last, to this, as orthodox verity, do our Divines subscryue: Therefore, 
Chamier. lib. 5. de CHRISTO, cap. 3.  saith late CHAMIER, Praeterea cum dicimus descendit ad inferos, significamus efficaciam mortis CHRISTI, qua devicti sunt inferi: that is, More-over, when wee say, he descended into Hell, wee signify there-by, the efficacy of CHRIST'S death, where-by he over-came Hell. The fruit of which victory, not only pertaineth to them( saith he) who were to come after; but also to them who long had gone before▪     
FINIS.   

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