A08483:254
An exposition of the Symbol of the ApostlesAn exposition of the Symbole of the Apostles
An exposition of the Symbol of the Apostles, or rather of the articles of faith In which the chief points of the everlasting and free covenant between God and the faithful is briefly and plainly handled. Gathered out of the catechising sermons of Gasper Oleuvian Trevir, and now translated out of the Latin tongue into the English for the benefit of Christ his Church. By John Field.An exposition of the Symbole of the Apostles, or rather of the articles of faith In which the chiefe points of the euerlasting and free couenant betweene God and the faithfull is briefly and plainly handled. Gathered out of the catechising sermons of Gasper Oleuvian Treuir, and now translated out of the Latine tongue into the English for the benefite of Christ his Church. By Iohn Fielde.
London: printed by H. Middleton for Thomas Man, 1581
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
There is no doubt but that the descending of Christ into hell, is the lowest and extremest degree of Christs humiliation, whereby he hath humbled himself for us, and as it were ⟨p. 172⟩put off his glory, making himself of no reputation. Acts 2. Now we must see what manner of humiliation that is, by the things that are signified by his descension into hell. The significations are these; hell signifieth the grave, secondly by translation, the place of the damned, thirdly extreme sorrows. Psalm. 18 1. Sam. 2. fourthly it is taken for the condition, which is in burial and which followeth the same; or else for that same full state of extreme ignominy, to wit, whiles they that are buried, lie oppressed and as it were swallowed up of death, Isaiah 14.11.15.16.17. Of the first signification we have said, why the descension into hell must not be taken simply for burial in this place. The other signification also to wit, the descension to the place of the damned, we have showed not to agree to this article. There remaineth two significations, to wit, the sorrows of mind and that same state or condition, which followeth those sorrows and burying it self. In the first signification Christ in his whole passion, not only in his body, but in his soul especially felt those same horrible anguishes which Peter calleth the sorrows of death, Acts 2. In the very entrance of this most fearful bottomless pit the voice of Christ doth witness this very thing, Matth. 26. My soul is heavy unto death: in the proceeding into the same bottomless gulf, the drops of blood do also witness a greater anguish of the mind, which fell from his face upon the earth, Luke 22. And from the very bottom of this gulf proceeded that voice ⟨p. 173⟩of Christ witnessing his extreme torments: O God my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Matth. 27. In very deed because we have not only sinned in body but principally also in soul and deserved the wrath of God: it behoved our pledge Christ, before that righteous tribunal seat of God to feel the wrath of God not only in body, but also in soul, and to appease it, that he might be the redeemer not only of the body, but also of the soul.