conformed himself, and which had been long afore in old time uttered and declared by God, by so many prophecies and oracles, signs and tokens. Moreover, his will was to suffer extremity, for us that had deserved all extremity; for that kind of death was of all other most accursed and abominable, which death yet he chiefly chose to die for us, to the intent to take upon himself the grievous curse, wherein our sins had bound us, and thereby For all spiteto deliver us from the same curse. ful handlings, all reproaches and torments, for our salvation he counted light, and as things of nought, and so was contented to be despised, an abject, and to be accounted the basest of all men, that he might restore us which were utterly undone, to the hope of salvation that we had lost.

Mast. Hast thou any more to say of the death of Christ?

Scho. That Christ suffered not only a common death in the sight of men, but also was touched with the horror of eternal death: he fought and wrestled, as it were, hand to hand, with the whole army of hell: before the judgment-seat of God he put himself under the heavy judgment and grievous severity of God's punishment: he was driven into most hard distress: he for us suffered and went through horrible fears, and most bitter griefs of mind, to satisfy God's just judgment in all things, and to appease his wrath. For to sinners whose person Christ did here bear, not only the sorrows and pains of present death are due, but also of death to come and everlasting: so

when he did take upon him and bear both the guiltiness and just judgment of mankind, which was undone, and was already condemned, he was tormented with so great trouble and sorrow of mind, that he cried out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me!

Mast. Is not the Son of God hereby dishonoured and touched with some note of desperation?

Scho. He suffered all these things without any sin, much less did any desperation possess his soul. For he never ceased in the mean time to trust in his Father, and to have good hope of his safety. And being beset round about with fear, he was never dismayed or overwhelmed with sorrow; and wrestling with the whole power of hell, he subdued and overcame all the force that stood against him, and all the furious and violent assaults; and all these he took upon him, and utterly destroyed them; and himself remained nevertheless most blessed, and imparted his blessedness to us that put our trust in him; for if we had not by this his blessed death obtained salvation and life, we had all perished for ever in everlasting death.

Mast. But how could Christ, being God, have so great sorrow of mind and fearfulness?

Scho. This came to pass according to the state of his human nature, his Godhead in the mean time not putting forth the force of his power.

Mast. Now rehearse me briefly and in a sum, these most large benefits which the faithful re

ceive of the death of Christ, and his most grievous pain.

Scho. Briefly, with the one only sacrifice of his death he satisfied for our sins before God, and, appeasing the wrath of God, made us at one with him. With his blood, as with most pure washing, he hath washed and cleansed away all filth and spots of our souls; and defacing with everlasting forgetfulness the memory of our sins, that they shall no more come in the sight of God, he hath cancelled, made void, and done away the hand-writing whereby we were bound and convicted, and also the decree by the sentence whereof we were condemned. All these things hath he done by his death, both for the living, and for the dead that trusted in him while they lived. Finally, by the strength of his death he so bridleth and subdueth in them that cleave wholly to him by faith, the lusts which otherwise are unbridled and untamed, and so quencheth the burning heat of them, that they more easily obey and yield to the Spirit.

Mast. Why dost thou also add, that he was buried?

Scho. His dead and spiritless body was laid in the grave, that his death should be more evident, and that all men might certainly know it. For if he had by and by revived, many would have brought his death in debate and question, and so might it seem that it was likely to prove doubtful.

Mast. What meaneth that which followeth, of his descending into hell?

Scho. That as Christ in his body descended into the bowels of the earth, so, his soul severed from the body, he descended into hell: and that therewith also the virtue and efficacy of his death so pierced through to the dead, and to very hell itself, that both the souls of the unbelieving felt their most painful and just damnation for infidelity, and Satan himself, the prince of hell, felt that all the power of his tyranny and darkness was weakened, vanquished, and fallen to ruin. On the other side, the dead, which, while they lived, believed in Christ, understood that the work of their redemption was now finished, and understood and perceived the effect and strength thereof with most sweet and assured comfort.

REFORMATIO LEGUM, &c.

Of the Holy Trinity and Catholic Faith.

Of Christ and the Mysteries of our Redemption. Chap. 3.

...Who truly suffered, was crucified, dead, and buried, descended into Hell, and rose again the third day, and reconciled the Father to us through his blood, offering himself a victim not only for original sin, but also for all the sins which men have added to it of their own free-will.

Of Heresies.

Of the Death or Sleep of Souls, and of the Resurrection. Chap. 12.

Some impiously philosophize that the souls of men departing this life, when once they have left the body are either immersed in sleep or return to nothing until the Day of the last Judgment, and then when the Day of Judgment shall arrive, they will again be aroused from sleep, or rise again from death with their own bodies.... For in like manner as Jesus Christ was recalled to life in an entire, true, and perfect body, nor did his soul either perish or fall asleep; so we who are members of Christ live in the soul after death, but following our head shall rise again with souls and bodies at the last Judgment.