DOCTOR Bilson , inventing a new opinion that our Lord descended from Paradise to Gehenna , to triumph over the devils , troubled all Religion and learned writers . In religion thus he missed . Wee beleeve that Devils are yet in this world ; and the scriptures assure vs of that , Wherefore it where most ridiculous to feigne a iourney to Devils thether , where they were not . If some were , as carriers of soules , yet not as tormented , and dwellers there before the time .

Againe , Gehenna were an holy place , if the altar which sanctifieth all that it toucheth went thither . But none may so thinke . And Devils in this world knew Christ to be the holy one of God , and tremble . And no neede know we why he should goe to Gehenna for them , and God telleth all that we may know . Besides , soules in Hades holie and contrarie know all the others case , as men here that haue but a great ditch betwixt them : and they are much deceaved who thinke Hell to be in this world , lowe in the earth . Before Gods throne the wicked are tormented for euer and euer . So both sides knowe one the others case : that without comming to them , they see what is done . And our Lord would not haue taught vs , ( Luc. 16. ) that none can passe from one sort to the other , if he had bene to take that iourney . The Bible taught no such dream . Therefore it is but a dreame . And thus religion is disturbed . Scriptures D. Bilson brings three , as hauing no more ; the 16. Psal . Which is thus : Thou wilt not leaue my vitall soule to death , and , by a consequent , neyther my body in ayer , or graue : nor my soule among soules till the bodie see corruption .

So the generall consent of Ebrews sake the wordes . Yet hee would thus translate all : Thou wilt not forsake my soule in Hell. The nipper of others , as arrogant in Ebrewe studies , shal bee told that hee hath missed foure times in foure wordes . Hebrews shall iudge ; and for the 70. all Greekes , the rare Fathers .

The second scripture that he durst adventure vpon , is this : Him God raysed vp losing the sores of death . Saint Peter spake to Sadduces , that would not heare of soule , spirit , and Hell. And that the sores that made the soule leaue the body were by Gods power disannulled , and it receaued the soule and life : And therin Christ brake for vs the bandes of death . D. Bilson would haue death the second death , and that our Lordes soule had the second death . You know full well that his soule shall haue the second death for ever and ever , vnlesse he reuoke this blasphemie . It is great pitie that D. Bilson consulted not with others before such wordes fled through the hedge of his teeth . Higher blasphemies neuer were vttered . The third and last text of all that he durst trust , is cleane contrarie to his purpose , shewing the plain effect of the Ghospell . Say not in thy harte who can go vp to heauen , to bring Christ down ? Or who can go to the Deepe to bring Christ from the dead ? But if thou beleeue that Jesus is Lord , and that God raysed him from death , thou salt be saved .

The incarnation and resurrection , both made plaine , are by . St. Paul the heads of doubt among Iewës . But D. Bilson dreameth of a Hell here . Chrysostome and Oecumenius would haue taught him better . And these most Holy scriptures , the ioy of our soules , hath he most grievously corrupted .

Endles be the faultes in this marring of scripture , and no time would serue to write them . Moses now by him , hath not all Religion . For he could not father vpon him this doctrine of going from Paradise to Hell. So neither all the Prophets volumes .

And David once only ( and in a sence neuer known , till Doctor Bilsons daies ) teacheth that our Lorde going a victour , and triumpher ouer the powers of darknes from Paradise , as vnto greater danger by millions of degrees then before , doeth praise God that he did not forsake his soule in Hell , but losed the sores of the second death before him : and to that deepe our mindes must descend , by D. Bilson , if we will be saved .

Thus vile for wisdome he maketh the rocke of salvation . By D. Bilson our Lord hauing passed his danger here , where he praied vnto him that could saue him from danger , and being made perfect and gone through the veyle of his flesh into heauen , after all this was in greater danger then before , which needed a miracle of the God head to lose before him the sorrows of Hell. Otherwise the Humanity had not by it selfe gone through all , but had perished in the world invisible , saving that God did not forsake his soule in Hell.

And of this danger David must speake to the prophane world , before they beleeued the resurrection and scante the creation of visible things , and of spirits had heard little : and of soules immortalitie and Paradise ; and neuer heard where out of this world devils keepe . All these things being stepped ouer , a danger , after all was performed , must be holden from David by words neuer so before vnderstood ; to make the Scripture a nose of waxe and all the old Testament vnperfect : But for one place drawen beyond all wit. Also the Gospell must be vnperfect , omitting parte of beliefe . And all Saint Pauls fourteene Epistles , but for one terme Abyssus taken in the Devils sence , not in Heathen or 70. sense . So all fall . The generall consent of Ebrewes in Baba Bathra was cited that they make this sence , Psal . 16. He dyeth not of whom that is so spoken in strict proprietie , and Peter addeth but this , to die he was , but not to tarrie in death to corruption .

All Ebrewes Doctor Bilson reiecteth for their grammer sence of Sheol . None ever rejected all Latins for Latine , or French for the French : yet D. Bilson dareth reject all Hebrewes for Hebrew : such an Hebrician is he . By the same doctrine he might teach neuer to hope for sound knowledge in any parte of the lawe : no not for one letter : whether it hath the forme that God wrought in the two tables or a later invented . And for the very forme as Tau in Ezechiel mistaken , and Rempham , much coyle is kept . And in our daylie Hebrew Bibles , wordes 848. come in the margine by Gods authority , and yet checke not the text : & the French of Late translating the margine , Esai . 9. troubled some greatly , gathering a contradiction betwixt the old , and new translation . For all this no D. without Rabbins helpe can tell what wordes make the Bible .

A certeyn helper of D. Bilson who can assiste him to marre all learning and Religion , ( one whom you leaue though he be your Chapleyne to answere for himselfe ) he , as his learning and skill , will at once shew it selfe , maketh the eldest Rabbines 300. yeares later then the Apostles .

So the Massorites , observers of the Letters and shorte writtings , and little particles innumerable , often in one line , with millions of millions of notes , all they were nothing worth .

For we seeke how the Bible stood in Ezraes age not how 800. yeres after and all the Iewes hold that the Massorites began with Ezra . Neither could we otherwise say we had the Bible . Without help and knowledge of the Massorites , no printer can euer print the right Bible .

Rob. Steph. in Ester tenth putting the margine in the text , for Xerxes , committed a great faulte : and Plantins heyres will now print after the Massoreth , missing often hitherto . As in Daniel 8. all misse though the Massoreth els-where warned of that place : Bombergiana the lesse mention in the margine a right reading : but not yet printed in the text .

By the Massoreth all words be past corruption : who if they had not bene of Ezraes time , Bibles had infinitly disagreed : now they be sure , though copiers misse now & then . So 800. yeares in Rabbins age are missed to disgrace all certainty of Scripture . But wheras in the New Testament the Apostles still tell of Iewes matters , & all their speeches be in the Talmud ( as men of one common weale must agree in the same chiefe heades : ) this would neuer be by Iewes 300. yeres tossed from their own tongue and state , that Ierusalemy Talmud should be parcelled , by later men then the tongue 300. yeres : and that poore base men voide of wealth , leasure and liberty , should search all the law most curiously . Who would thinke so ? They say , that from age to age their Fathers left works : the chiefe sayings of all which the Ierusalemy Talmud and the Babylonian and Midras Rabba and such like record in the same words .

And Onkelos by all graunts is neare the Apostles time : & Vziel of their time , but a compiler of farre elder : and Targum Ierusalemy in Cyrillis age famous as auncient , called of him Samariticon , vpon Genes . 4. And seeing many thousand Levites had learning in their charge and all Israell ( saving hand-laborers ) frequented divinity schooles to heare and speak twise a weeke ; how should they omitt to write observations , such as we haue now , full of vnspeakeable labour and long study ? All that is in the new Testament is handled here & there in the Talmud ; and much largely : where , in knowen things our Lord would be short . So D. Bilson missed much for Rabbins , to the ruine of all Religion , and to augment Sathans blindnes .

An other matter of singular vse suffereth disgrace by D. Bilson . The Sadduces noted that Moses never named lyfe eternall , nor resurrection , nor place of ioy or tormente : nor any Prophets , but in visions . The Scribes graunt this ; yet bring matter from Moses for all this , and shew that the scoffing world was to be taught as beastes by the bellie openly , and closely to life . But when Prophets ceased and open prophecying , and iron-legged Macedones turned Iudah much to be Sadduces , & schooles were but of few : then they enacted tearmes of better hope , as world of soules , Iudgment day , Paradise , Gehenna , Resurrection , Feasting in heaven : and such . And this the newe Testament alloweth .

By D. Bilson all this were vaine , or he himselfe . He can find in the law a proper name for Hell. And how would hee haue vexed the Sadduces if hee had bene in their dayes ; All the Scribes had bene nothing to him .

Now after Ebrews let vs search Greek affaires . God advanced Greek with daylie increase , first when Iudah went to Babell , then Pisistratus tyrāt of Athens brought Homer into high vse & glory .

And many Poëts for sentences , comedies , and tragedies , florish daylie . So Physicians , Philosophers , Orators and Historiques for two hundred yeres paines , that the Greek tongue came to an vnspeakeable perfection of elegancie .

And the Iewes ( taught by Daniel that soone Grecia should reigne ) before hand studied Greeke . And God shewed the vse of their labour . For when the iron legged Macedonians began to reigne , they required , and had the Ebrew holy bookes all turned into Greeke , wherein the translaters shewed wit in applying most divinely heathen greeke to diuinity . And they shewed excellent skill in all Greeke kindes .

And when the Macedonians by 300 yeres government , had carried Greeke from the West over all , & Iewes with Greek Bible : then our Lord cometh and his Apostles to shew Greekes in their owne language and meaning all the mysteries of salvation : and gather all brave termes from heathen plainely to divine vse , 4000. several wordes into one little booke , that the most parte of woords are vsed but once , which is not so in the old Testament . The 70. did the like , who to one Ebrew word gaue eleven Greeke now & then , to shew Heathen all eloquence in their kinde .

To apply heathen Greeks to the Prophets and Apostles , the Greek Fathers laboured another 300. yeres , to shew how they had the same speeches still , though in matter not well carried . Iustine Martyr to heathen is much herein , and Clemens Alexandrinus hath contriued all heathen hither , being a store like Alexandrian Library .

Eusebius also is not a little in this sorte , and infinite others specially for the maine , the eternall state in Hades ; for good , as Abraham Luke 16. and Ioseph Gen. 37. and for wicked as Dives , Luk. 16. And as heathē 3000. yeres made Haden the lodge of all soules and the Philosophers helde it an happie thing to go soone thither . So in the Creede heathē would say that by to katelthein eis hadou , we meant a most happie passage from this world to God. And so all the Fathers place the happie Fathers in Hades , and meant no worse lodge . To dash all foure , thus ariseth Bilson .

Bilson leaueth heathen to their alleagers , and saith for Iosephes Hades , that the Greeke Fathers that placed his soule there as in Paradise , vnderstood not the 70. and that St. Luke . 16. teacheth to vnderstande Haden for Hell , because the rich man is in it : as though Abraham were not there also . And to conclude for heathen greeke , the 70. the Apostles , the Fathers , he disanulleth all common agreement for their Greeke , as though he had made a vowe to roote out all learning , with Religion . Witt also cometh in question . Our subscribing to Zuricke sayeth : Per inferos intelligimus paradisum , &c. most faithfully and learnedlie . Yet Doct. Bilson being told that Hades to the good is Paradise would needs prove that Christ went to Hell because he went to Hades . Yet whē all Greeke Doctors place all the Fathers in Hades ( and they place Christ no lower ) he will not haue them in Hell. And thus with strange dealing , he hath by preaching , and great sale of his errors , sought the destruction of Religion , of Scripture , of Ebrew tongue and learning , of all kindes of Greeke elegancie , and all proceeding in disputing ; by taking that for all his argument , that is truly affirmed to be cleane contrary .

To your G by order complaint was to be made , that you should with all your learning and might bring D. B. into the right way . It is a pitifull thing that Bishops should be found infinitly fulle● of error for the grounds of faith , and learned studies , then any other in all the Kingdome .

A mind that loved the truth and heard that the Greeke in the Creede for 3000. yeares vse , in our Lordes soules passage , is no more then to go hence to God , would make no more stirre , but wisely confesse that by Heathen Greeke the Creede penned for Heathen must be expounded . And that cleare plainnesse beseemeth a publike arbridgmēt of faith , such as to all the simple folke ought to be expounded . Your heart and confession by Maister King at Franck furt knoweth who hath cleared the trueth . And how can you suffer D. Bilson to deceaue the people ?

And D. Bilson being in high place should seeme flexible vnto the trueth : as his blame for stubburnes in heresie would be notorious . And if he would plainly & absolutely confesse that he hath bene deceaved , and that the Greeke in the Creede teacheth most certainly that our Lordes soule ascended vnto Paradise from the crosse , and never descended into Hell , this humilitie would be his high commendation , & cut of an infinite companie of his errors .

As you are holy Fathers and partakers of the heavenly callinge , kicke nor against the spurre . But say : let him be Anathema Maran Atha , that loveth not the trueth of Redemption . It is a most high iniurie against God and the Kinge , that the Church is led amisse by Bishops errors .

God giue all vs vnderstanding in all thinges , and garde our hearts and mindes in the knowledge and loue of our Lord and Saviour : that in all partes of holy doctrine we may nourish peace and trueth .