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 Religion troubled. 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; Scriptures marred, Psa. [...]6. in the right meaning by all Ievves. 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 [Page] would thus translate all: Thou wilt not forsake my soule in Hell. 4. Faultes most grosse in D. Bilson in 4. vvords The nipper of others, as arrogant in Ebrewe studies, shalbee 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, Act. a per­verted to blasphemie. 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 The third & last texte most bright. 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. S ^t. Paul the heads of doubt among Iewës. But D. Bilson dreameth of A mōstrous dreame. 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 Moses made vnperfect. 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 Danger fei­gned by D. Bilson after triumph. 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 [Page] 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, Most strāge miracles told by D. Bilson o [...] m [...]n that refused even plainest matters 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. All Ebrews reiected for their owne tongue. The strict proprietie of Psal. 16. 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 Bilsons re­iection of all Hebrewes would be ruine to all stay of Re­ligion. 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, [Page] will at once shew it selfe, maketh the eldest Rabbines 300. yeares later then the Apostles. Errour of 800. yeares for Rabbins age.

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 Without Massorites no Bible can ever be true­ly printed. 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 Of oth [...] Rabbins age. 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: Rabbins continued throughout all ages. 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 [Page] 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, That the Scribes knew no terme in Moses for Hell. 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. Of Greekes in all sortes.

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. The Sepru­agint:

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 The Apo­stles have al the Iewels of greeke e­legancy. 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 [Page] 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 & The greeke fathers com­pared hea­then most narowly w ^t Apostolique greeks. 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 S ^t. Luke. 16. teacheth D. Bilson teacheth greeke to all greeks. 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. [Page] 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.