15.6 1. Cor. 1.10 11 3 3 4. Eph. 4.3 4 5 Phil. 3.16 that concerne Gods worship the saluation of mens soules and the good constitution of the Church because by the meanes and occasion of discord and dissention such as be without are scandalized and still kept out of the Church and those that are within are so pittifully distracted that either they are driuen out of the Church or if they stay still in it they prooue no better then dull or dead members of the Church much like the parts of a blasted body for lacke of true deuotion and spirituall life For whilest wee contend about veritie wee loose vnitie and striuing about the shaddowes of ceremonie and circumstance we slip from the body and substance opinion oppresseth pietie faction vndermineth faith controuersie quelleth charitie and reasoning rooteth vp religion Sect. 3. The procuring furthering and preseruing of Vnitie and Concord in the Church appertaineth principally vnto the Christian Prince Isay 49.23 Exod. 4.16 22.8 Psal 82.1.6 Ioh. 10.34 35 Math. 5.9 2. Tim. 2.24 25. whom God hath called to be a nursing-father vnto his Church and hath honoured most highly with the stile of the Son of the most high and euen of a God to put him in minde of his care and studie for the things of God and the good of his Church which principally consisteth in the Vnitie thereof and next it appertaineth vnto the Pastors who are to ioyne with the Prince in this glorious worke whom of all other it becommeth least to be men of strife and contention or instruments of discord and diuision seeing that the God of peace hath called them to bee Messengers and makers of peace and Vnion Sect. 4. Amongst the many particular Churches that are at this day diuided from themselues one from another whether in doctrine or discipline in substance or circumstance there is a difference in perfection and I thinke no man doubteth of it but that one Church may be of a more perfit and complete constitution then another Church yea we are so farre from doubting any thing of this point that euery professour holdeth the Church that he is off to be the more perfit then that which hee disclaimeth Sect. 5. It beeing most certaine that the particular diuided Churches are not alike perfit it standeth the lesse perfit in hand to conforme it selfe vnto that which shall by the light of Gods word and good reason appeare to bee more perfit both because our Sauiour Christ commandeth all Christians to aspire vnto perfection saying Mat. 5.48 Phil. 3.15.16 Coloss 1.28 Heb. 6.1 Bee ye therefore perfit as your Father which is in heauen is perfit and the Apostle exhorteth all men to bee led forward to perfection and because that this is the only way to knit vp the Churches in Concord and Vnitie and to draw them to an vniformitie Sect. 6. Amongst the particular reformed Churches that of England is more perfit and complete in many respects then any Church reformed after the fashion of Geneua contrary to the petitioners assertion and namely then that of Scotland whose forme and constitution was meerely Geneuian before that our sacred Soueraigne diuinely enspired began the second reformation thereof tending to the conformation of it with England or rather with the Primitiue whereunto it is much more like then the other Sect. 7. The perfection of the english Church is apparent whether we compare her with the Church of God and the blessed Spirits in heauen or with the Church of God beleeuing men on earth before Christs time in his time or after his time or whether we respect the warrant and authoritie of Gods word or mans of diuinitie or humanity of Scripture or nature of religion or reason or whether wee respect her essentiall perfections and parts for piety or charity faith or repentance deuotion or reuerence illumination or sanctification doctrine or discipline substance or circumstance seruice or ceremonie order or decency the honour and dignity of Prince or of Pastors with the edification and consolation of the whole people Sect. 8. Considering that the pregnantest proofe that can be brought of a particular Churches perfection The Church of England more diuine and God-like then the Geneuian and painting out as it were to the life the analogie and affinitie likenesse or resemblance that it hath with that Church which is knowne to bee absolutely the most diuine compleate and perfit I shall therefore prooue in this present discourse by many places of Scripture especially of that most diuine part of it called the Reuelation of Saint Iohn the diuine that the Church of England is much more diuine and farre liker the Church of God in heauen then any Geneuian Church is and therefore much more perfit contrary to to the Petitionerslate assertion For seeing that as oft as in praying the Lords prayer we say Mat. 6.9.10 thy will bee done in earth as it is in heauen wee doe desire of God with all our hearts that his Church on earth militant may bee euery day more and more conformable and like vnto his Church in heauen triumphant which wee beleeue and confesse to be the most perfit it must needs follow that the more conforme a Church on earth bee vnto the Church in heauen the more it findeth and feeleth the efficacie and force of our Lords prayer and the neerer that it doth resemble the Church in heauen the perfiter must it be for that thing is the more perfit which is the more like vnto the most perfit And that the Church of England is much liker the Church that is aboue then the Geneuian is it may appeare by comparing the constitutions of the two Churches together And first I say that the Church of England is liker vnto Gods Church in heauen then any other Church Geneuian or Romane as beeing more diuine and God-like in respect of the supreme Gouernour For like as the Soueraigne gouernour of the Church in heauen consisting of those blessed Spirits which Saint Iohn saw almost beyond number in the presence of the throne of God seruing him day and night in his Temple Ruele 4 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. 5.8 9 10 11 14. 7.9 10 11 12 13 14 15 19.1 21.1 2 3. Exod. 15.18 1. Sam. 8.7 Psal 2.6 30 9 22.28 24.7 8 9 10. 29.10 Gen. 2.20 Exod. 3.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. 4.16 7.1 22.28 Psal 82.1.6 95.3 50.1 is such a one as is both God and King so the Soueraigne Gouernour of the Church of England is such a one as is both a King and a God on earth for in the holy Scripture wee know that Kings are called Gods as God himselfe is called a King And euen God himself hath called Kings by this name not any creature for Adam gaue al other things their names but could not giue this for none but God can giue this
Catholikes of the name of Iames by your Maiesties subiect and seruant of the same Name shall be God willing shortly published for the first laïck fruits of that begunne Colledge which beareth the name of King Iames whereof I am to bee a Fellow The which premisses beeing considered I hope the more easily to gaine the Church of Scotlands good opinion and that they shall not charge me with incapacitie to handle such a weighty argument as this hauing written so much in matters belonging to Church and Religion To be briefe thus haue I spent these seuenteene yeares yeares of my priuate obscure life since I proceeded Master of Artes and went beyond sea in giuing my selfe to studie and contemplation endeauouring to know much and to contentation in no wise coueting after much and to Temperance and Continency Whereof I take the all-knowing God and his chaste Angels to witnes And now these my poore labours such as they are I most humbly lay downe at your Royal feet begging your Maiesties most honourable patronage and acceptance and in praying the God of Vnitie and Veritie to giue them a blessing for the furthering of your most Christian desire and glorious designe so that we may euen in your owne happie daies see with our eyes the full accomplishment thereof to the glorie of his name the comfort of his Church the good of great Britaine and your Maiesties eternall honour So prayeth daily YOVR MAIESTIES Most humble subiect and seruant and euen the grandchilde of your most Noble Grandmothers and Mothers household seruant William Maxwell sonne to the Laird of Kirkonnell and in his life man at armes to the most Christian King IAMES MAXVVELL THE CONTENTS OF THESE TWO BOOKES 1 THat Vnitie and Concord in matters belonging to Gods Worship amongst Christians especially Protestants and more especially amongst Britaines both for reason of Church and reason of State is to bee by all meanes desired and endeauoured Sect. 1.2.3 2. That one Churches constitution is more perfit and complete then anothers and that the lesse perfit ought to cōforme it selfe vnto the more perfit Sect. 4.5 3. That the constitution of the Church of England is much more perfit then an Geneuian whatsoeuer or wheresoeuer Sect. 6. 4. That the Church of England is more Diuine and God-like in the supreme Gouernor the Soueraigne Prince then the Geneuian Sect. 7.8 5. That the Kingly power is immediately from God and not from man as both Romanes and Geneuians doe hold prooued by eight testimonies of Scripture and three irrefragable arguments Sect. 9. 6. That the kingly dignitie is absolutely greater then the priestly and of all other the diuinest contrary to the opinion of Romanes and Geneuians prooued by eight arguments Sect. 10. 7. That Kings are not meere lay-men but mixt of an ecclesiasticall and secular condition contrary to the opinion of Romanes Geneuians prooued by three arguments ten examples of Kings that haue exercised spirituall power for the good of the Church Sect. 11. 8. That Kings are Law-giuers to their people and haue power of God to make lawes for the good both of Church and Common-weale prooued by sixe arguments Sect. 12. 9. That Kings are to be honourable and magnificently maintained and that God hath allotted them a certaine portion of their subiects goods Sect. 13. 10. That Kings are indued with a Sacred immunitie from all manner of coercion and censure spirituall or temporall at their subiects hands prooued against Romanes and Geneuians by 17. arguments Sect. 14. 11. That the Church of England is more Angelicall or Angel-like in her secondary Gouernours of Archbishops and Bishops Sect. 15. 12. That their is an imparitie or inequalitie amongst Gods Ministers in the Church triumphant in heauen and that their hath beene alwaies the like imparitie in the Church militant on earth first vnder the Law then vnder the Gospel and aswell in the time of Christ and his Apostles as of their successours Sect. 15. 13. That the Church of England is more heauen-like for holinesse where the conueniency of holydaies besides the Sunday is prooued and demonstrated by vnanswerable arguments Sect. 16. 14. That the Church of England is more heauen-like then the Geneuian for humble reuerence where the conueniencie of the gestures of standing vp at the reading of the Gospel capping or bowing at the name of Iesus of kneeling at the rehearsing of the Law and especially at the receiuing of the holy Sacrament is declared and prooued Sect. 17. 15. That the Church of England is more heauen-like then the Geneuian for harmonie where the conueniency of Church-musicke consisting of voices and organes and other instruments is declared Sect. 18. 16 That the Church of England is more heauen-like then the Geneuian for habite where the conueniencie and decencie of Church-habites as of the Surplisse and Rotchet is prooued Sect. 19. 17. That the Church of England is more Heauen-like then the Geneuian for locall decencie Church-implements conueniency Church-seruice solemnitie and sacrament all ceremony where the conueniencie of a Font or the Ministration of Baptisme and of a standing Table for the celebration of the Lords Supper is declared and the vse of the ceremonie of the signe of the Crosse in Baptisme prooued most lawful and commendable by 13. arguments Sec. 20. 18. That the Church of England is more heauen-like then the Geneuian for honour of the Ministerie where the lawfulnesse of the stile of Priest amongst the Ministers of the Gospel and likewise of the stile of Lord conferred on the reuerend Gonernours of the Church is declared and the Geneuian-church gouernors of Lay-elders prooued to be a thing vnlawfull and absurd Sect. 21. 19. That the maintenance of the Ministerie is more diuine heauen-like and honourable in the church of England then in the Geneuian where the perpetuall maintenance of Tithes is prooued and the Geneuian sinne of sacriledge exagitated and shewed to be more hainous then heathenish Idolatrie Sect. 21. 20. The diuersitie and repugnancie of the opinions of diuines touching our Sauiours descending into hell breifly propounded Tract 2. 21. The doctrine of the church of England touching the foresaid point demonstrated to be only orthodoxall by a Ten-folde probation Tract 2. A Primitiue patterne for the Church of Scotland Sect. 1. VNitie and Concord amongst Christians especially amongst Protestants or reformed professours but more especially amongst Britaines Psal 133.1 2 3. Ioh. 17 20 21 22 23. 1. Pet. 3.8 Heb. 12.14 as they that are the worshippers of one and the same true God the seruants of one and the same only Sauiour Iesus Christ the children of one Church and the subiects of one and the same Soueraigne is in the iudgement of all them that are truely wise of all other things most to bee desired and endeauoured as a thing most pleasing to God and most profitable to man Sect. 2. Vnitie and Concord is to bee desired and endeauoured in all things but especially in those things Psal 122.6 Rom.
Booke Reuela 1.2.8 9 11 14 1 6.7 21 14 22 1 3 our Church angelspreaching of the Gospel to the Preaching of Angels which Saint Iohn heard the Pulpit answereth to Mount Sion whereon he saw the Lambe standing or rather to that Tree of life bearing twelue manner of fruites for from thence the word of life is delinered by the learned and reuerend Bishops as it were from the mouth of the Lambes twelue Apostles twelue times in the yeare the first Lords day of euery moneth To be briefe our Church-font with Holy-water for the celebration of Baptisme doth answer vnto that glassie Sea or riuer of water of life cleere as christall proceeding out of the throne of God of the Lamb our Euangelical Priests Crosse-siguing the baptized on the fore-head and our Angelicall Bishops sealing and confirming of the Virgin seruants of our God which by Baptisme had beene bathed and washed Reuela 4.6 6.9 7 2 3.4 14 1 2 3 4. and so made fit to follow the Lambe doe answer vnto the Angels signing and sealing of the Seruants of God on the fore-head our Sacrament all holy bread of life answereth to that hidden Manna of heauen promised to him that ouercommeth our Lords supper to the Lambes supper Reuela 2.17 6.9 8 3 4 5 19 13 11 1 19 19 9. our Church golden and siluer Basons and Cuppes for the ministration of the holy Sacrament to the Angels golden Censer and our Church Table for the ministration and celebration of the same Sacrament answereth vnto the Golden Altar which Saint Iohn sawe before Gods throne And who can say otherwise but that a Font and a Church-Table are two implements or instruments as requisite to be in enery Church for the ministration of the Sacraments as a Pulpit is requisite for the delinerie of Sermons and for the reading and preaching of the word And thus haue I made it apparent to all such as haue but common sense and vnderstanding that the Church of England is much and many degrees liker then the Geneuian to the Church that Saint Iohn saw in heauen so that as many of vs as doe loue heauen cannot but exceedingly like the forme of the English Church and better then that of Geneua and wee may well say it that the forme of the Church of England and not that of Geneua was reuealed and represented to our diuine Prophet For the Reuelation containeth a propheticall representation of the Church of Christ and of the forme and constitution thereof such as it was to bee after our Sauiours ascension in the two times of persecution and peace vntill his last comming to iudgement to confound his foes and to glorifie his friends and elect children as I doe shew more particularly in another worke in Latine entreating of the persecution and peace of the militant Church according to the holy prophesies of Daniel and Saint Iohn a booke that I began at the age of nineteene yeares wherein all the opinions of ancient and moderne writers and euen of the learned of both Religions touching the authors instruments duration beginning manner and ending of the persecution or troubles and of the tranquillity and peace of the Church are propounded and compared together with their reasons and arguments debated and many errours refuted Now because I haue said in this Section that the Church of England is liker to the Church of God in heauen in the matter of sacramentall or symbolicall ceremony then the Geneuian is and haue giuen an instance thereof in their Signing of Christs new-borne babes on the fore-head with the signe of the Crosse in Baptisme Ezech. 1 2 3 4 5 6. Reuelat. 7.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. like as the Angels in heauen are said in Ezekiel to signe them that sorrow and mourne vpon the fore thead with the Crosse-like letter Thau and in the Reuelation of Saint Iohn to signe the fore-heads of Gods seruants with the seale of God I haue thought good to insist a little longer vpon the matter of this ceremony and to prooue the lawfull commendable and Christian vse of it by many arguments and euen some new ones of our owne meditation Our first argument is thus both the Prophet Ezekiel in the old Testament and the Prophet S. Iohn in the new haue prophesied of the conuersion of the Iewes to the faith of Christ by the Angels signing of them in the fore-head as the letter of the word doth beare in both places the which the auncient Doctours of the Church haue vnderstood of the Signe of the Crosse to be receiued at the hands of the Church in their Baptisme as no diuine that euer read the Fathers dare deny whereby they shall professe that they are no more ashamed of his Crosse or scandalized at the ignominie of it as their forefathers had beene 1. Cor. 1.23 to whom it prooued a stumbling block as the Apostle speaketh but that they glorie in it and beleeue to be made blessed by it euen to bee saued by Christs suffering on that same Crosse which their forefathers had once set vp to slay and destroy him by Wherfore if our Geneuians would haue the Iewes to bee conuerted to their Church they must needes receiue from England or rather from the primitiue Church the sacred signe of the crosse that they may haue it to christen the Iewes with otherwise they will not goe to Geneua for Christendome nor to Scotland neither nor to any reformed Church of their fashion Secondly in all reason and common sense it is conuenient that the Iewes beeing conuerted should declare by some sensible signe that they are no more ashamed of Chrisls crosse but well ashamed of their owne cursed course in crucifying him that came to cure them and though there were not any mention at all made in holy Scripture of their signing or sealing in the foreshead as there is most expressely yet should it bee lawfull for them to declare by some externall gesture or act aswell as by words of mouth their Christian disposition of this kinde Thirdly as it tendeth much to the glory of God in that he can bring light out of darkenesse life out of death saluation out of destruction nobilitie and fame out of ignominy and shame and honour out of dishonour so it tendeth to the edification of the Church that this admirable working of our most glorious and wise God bee declared and made as notorious as it can be with all conueniencie both by words of profession and gestures of signification and consequently it tendeth to the edification of the Church that the Iewes should declare by the signe of the crosse that they doe acknowledge God to haue drawen admirably blessing and honour out of the dishonour and curse of the crosse and saluation out of destruction It is a most Christian confession for Iew or Gentile especially the Iew to confesse and acknowledge that the Crosse which they once set vp
subdue Sathan c. Written for the information and satisfaction of many mens mindes touching so weighty a matter but especially for the furthering of the Church of Scotlands full conformitie with that of England BY IAMES MAXVVELL Master of Artes c. PSAL. 122. verse 6. Pray for the peace of Ierusalem let them prosper that loue thee LONDON Printed by IOHN LEGATT Printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge 1617. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHERS IN GOD THE ARCHBISHOPS AND BISHOPS HIS VERY GOOD LORDS AND OTHER LEARNED AND GRAVE PASTOVRS OF THE CHVRCH OF SCOTLAND IAMES MAXWELL WISHETH PEACE VNITIE AND CONCORD FROM THE GOD OF CONCORD AND PRINCE OF PEACE AND HVMBLY DEDICATETH FOR A TESTIMONIE OF HIS DVTY THIS PRESENT TREATISE OF CHRISTS DESCENDING INTO HELL A Demonstration of Christs Descending into Hell LIke as the dissensions and differences in matter of faith betwene Christian and Christian Greeke and Latine Papist and Protestant haue prooued the greatest scandall and offence to those that are without the bosome of the Church and the greatest hinderance of both Iewes and Gentiles conuersion vnto Christ that euer the hand of hell brought into the world or the diuell did deuise so the contentions and dissentions the diuisions and differences arising betweene Protestant and Protestant which haue a number of new denominations such as sorrow and shame will not so much as once suffer me to mention haue prooued questionlesse the greatest scandall of our reformed profession and the chiefest cause of many Papists auersenesse from Reformation And this may sufficiently appeare by their daily obiecting and hitting vs in the teeth with our diuisions and differences and telling vs that our Church is so farre denoide of Vnitie that euen the reformed subiects of one the same Soueraigne cannot be brought to an agreement in the matters and manner of Gods worship Witnesse say they there repugnant expositions vpon that article or particle of faith touching Christs descending into hell their discrepant doctrines touching the Princes ecclesiasticall power their generall auersenesse from Prelacie with their differences in matter of ceremonie Sacramentall Ministerie and Church-sernice And what other thing else say they can it be but a manifest token of a weake and ruinous Religion to say no worse when as the professours thereof Mat. 12.25 Mark 3.24.25 Luk. 11.17 can neither agree with other Christians nor yet with themselues according to that saying of our Sauiour Euery kingdome or house diuided against it selfe shall be brought to desolation For the preuenting of which euill and the remooning of which cursed scandall and cause of offence seeing that Almighty God hath raised vp our Soueraigne and endued him with a most diuine Spirit both for pregnancie and peaceablenesse far beyond all the other Princes of the earth yea and far beyond many professed diuines Isay 41 5 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 20 21 25. and that hee hath euen chosen our Iacob and taken him from the endes of the earth and called him before the chiefe thereof to speake with the Euangelicall Prophet Isay to be the chiefe instrument of so glorious a worke let vs in the consideration thereof both acknowledge the inestimablenesse of the blessing that Almightie God offereth vs by the hand of his seruant for Concord and Vnitie especially in the matters of God is an inestimable blessing vnto man and a thing most acceptable and agreable vnto God and let vs likewise acknowledge the fanourable prouidence of God towards vs disposing all things as for our greatest good so for our chiefe comfort and contentment in that he hath beene graciously pleased to picke out a King of the North to be the Bringer and Brocher of this blessing vnto vs according to that in the Prophet saying I haue raised vp from the North and he shall come Isay 41.25 from the East Sunne shall he call vpon my name and euen such a King of the North as hath loued vs so deerely as hee hath done and who would not for all the kingdomes of the world bring the Church of God or his owne natiue Country into any corrupt or dishonourable condition No I dare take it vpon my soule that it is his zeale and loue towards the glorie of God the honour and credite of our Country and the happie and more perfit constitution of our Church that hath set him a worke about so blessed a businesse as the working of a perfit agreement and full conformitie betweene the Churches of these two kingdomes For I suppose that no man is so far deuoide of comon sense but seeth sufficiētly how that both Pietie Policie Religion of Church and Reason of State doe require that Britaines which are the worshippers of one true God the seruants of one Sauiour the children of one Church and the subiects of one and the same Soueraigne should agree in all things belonging to Gods worship especially in all matters of faith such as is this present point of Christs descending into hell The which though all Christians doe professe to beleeue according to the letter yet we can not say that our verball or literall profession thereof is seconded with a solide consent in the meaning and sense For first the Papists vnderstand it of Christs descending in his soule to a certaine region or habitacle of hell called Limbus Patrum to deliuer the fathers an opinion voide of all good warrant for we shall make it more then apparant In our Latine disputation of the seate of soules both by Scripture and Doctors by authoritie and arguments that the soules of the beleeuing people vnder the law went not downe into any corner of hell for all that they can say to the contrary and though Zuinglius ioyne with them herein but to Paradise And as for our Protestant writers we see how some namely the Geneuians expound it of Christs suffering the sorrowes of hell in his soule before his death denying his descending in soule after death into hell to deliuer the faithfull from descending thither and to conquer and binde Sathan in his owne strongest holde though Mr. Caluin did not denie his foresaid locall descending after death but acknowledged it others expound it idly of Christs buriall others of his continuance in the graue vnder the power thereof for three daies others of his translating into the state of the dead and others most ridiculously haue deliuered that by the descending of Christs soule into hell is to bee vnderstood no other thing but the ascending thereof into heauen all which opinions are false fanaticall and friuolous and the doctrine of the Church of England and of some other reformed Protestants of Germanie is only orthodoxe and true to wit that our Sauiours soule beeing seuered from the Bodie which lay in the graue three daies went downe into the very loathsome dungeon of the damned for our sakes and not into any superiour Limbus Patrum as Papists do dreame partly to deliuer his elect children from descending thither and