if they only signified, that he underwent the pains of hell, those pains which were due from us to God for the sins committed against God by us. But to this I shall retort (besides its novelty) only these two or three things briefly. First, that it is no less than blasphemy, to say in plain terms, that Christ underwent the very pains of hell which the souls that are chained up there do constantly undergo; as remorse of conscience, despair of God's favour, yea, and a continual sense of his anger and displeasure against his own sins for this would clearly accuse Christ of sin, and us therefore of blasphemy to speak it. But, secondly, though we should take this exposition in the largest and more favourable sense, that Christ underwent not the very pains of hell, but only pains equivalent to them of hell; yet, this cannot by any means be admitted as the interpretation of an article of our Creed, (nor therefore of this article in the thirty-nine;) for here the words plainly denote something subsequent or following after his death; things in the Creed concerning our Saviour being set down in order: first his conception, then his birth, then his sufferings, then his crucifixion, then his death, and after that his descent into hell: whereas this interpretation would bring us back over his death into his life again. Thirdly, As it cannot be admitted as the interpretation of this article in the Creed; so neither can it be admitted as an exposition of St. Peter's words in the Acts; when he says, "His soul was not left in hell:" for there the apostle is clearly speaking of the resurrection of Christ, and so of the place where his soul was before his resurrection, and not of what he endured when he was alive upon earth. And lastly, if this should be the meaning of the apostle, and the purport of this article of the Creed, the apostle could not so well have said, "His soul was not left in hell," as that hell was not left in his soul: neither could the Creed so well have expressed it, that he descended down into hell, as that hell ascended up to him. And so we must of necessity acknowledge, that both the apostle and composers of the Creed, (or St. Thomas' in particular, who is thought to have inserted this article,) used very improper expressions to reveal their minds to us: which let them that are the

Thomas ait, Descendit ad inferna, tertiâ die resurrexit à mortuis. — Aug. Serm. de Tempore, 115.

abettors of this opinion think; for my part I dare not. And thus have I endeavoured, not only to back this truth with reasons, but also to defend it against its adversaries; and I profess I know nothing in the world that can be said against it, but what I have endeavoured to give an answer to. Nay, the more I consider the arguments that are brought against it, the more I must confess myself confirmed in it; there being so much that may be said for it, and so little that can be said against it.

Neither is this a truth of yesterday's growth, but almost all the fathers of the primitive church have acknowledged and received it as an article of their faith. Though they much differ about the end of his going, yet that he did go thither they all agree. Some said he went to preach

there, others to loose such as himself thought fit, others to triumph over his conquered enemy the devil; but all affirm that he did go to hell. But passing by many others, I shall only empannel one jury of them, that bring in their verdict for this truth.

And the foreman is Ignatius", who saith expressly, He descended into hell alone, but ascended with a multitude.'

The next is Clemens Alexandrinus, whose opinion was not only that he descended, but that he descended on purpose to preach to the spirits there detained, saying, The Lord therefore descended for no other end, but only to preach the Gospel, either to all, or to the Jews only;' and adds, That at that time things were so ordered in hell, that all the souls that there heard the preaching, might either manifest their repentance, or acknowledge their punishment to be just, because they did not believe.'

The next is Tertullian, who saith, The God Christ,

-

* Καὶ κατῆλθεν εἰς ἅδην μόνος, ἀνῆλθε δὲ κατὰ πλήθους. — Ignat. Epist. ad Trallianos.

* Εἰ γ ̓ οὖν ὁ Κύριος δι ̓ οὐδὲν ἕτερον εἰς άδου κατῆλθεν, (the words of the Creed, ἢ διὰ τὸ ἐυαγγελίσασθαι, ὥσπες κατῆλθεν ἡτοι πάντας ἐυαγγελίσασθαι, ἢ μόνους Εβραίους. Clem. Alex. Strom. lib. vi. p. 638. B. Edit. Par. 1641.

ν Οὐχὶ καὶ ἐν ᾅδου ἡ αὐτὴ γέγονεν οἰκονομία, ἵνα κακεῖ πᾶσαι αἱ ψυχαὶ ἀκούσασαι τοῦ κηρύγματος τὴν μετάνοιαν ἐνδείξωνται, ἢ τὴν κόλασιν δικαίαν εἶναι δι ̓ ὧν οὐκ ἐπίστευσαν ὁμολογήσωσι. Ibid. p. 639. C.

• Christus Deus quia et homo mortuus secundùm Scripturas, et sepultus secus easdem, huic quoque legi satisfecit formâ humanæ mortis apud inferos functus. Tertul, de Anima, cap. 55. p. 304. A. Edit. Par. 1664.

being also a man, and dying according to the Scriptures, and being buried also according to the same, he satisfied this law, also undergoing the manner of human death in hell. The fourth is the famous Athanasius, who tells us, Christ was buried, his soul that went to hell, but seeing it could not be held there, it was restored to his body, and so he rose again.'

The fifth is Hilary, who saith, 'It is the law of human necessity that, their bodies being buried, their souls should descend into hell; which descent the Lord did not refuse for the consummation of a real man, viz. that he might do for man whatsoever man was bound of necessity to do.'

The sixth is Ambrose, That the soul of Christ was in the abyss of hell, yet now it is not, because it is written, Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell."'

The seventh is Basil, who upon these words, "But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, (or from the hand of hell, as this father translates it,) for he shall receive me," saith he, He clearly foretelleth the descent of the Lord into hell; who shall redeem this Prophet's soul with others, that it may not remain there.'

The eighth is Jerome, who saith, Hell is a place of punishments and of torments, where the rich man that used to be clothed in purple was seen: whither also the Lord descended, that he might loose those from prison who were bound there.'

* Τάφη παραδόθη, γέγονεν ἡ ψυχὴ κατὰ τὸν ἅδην, καὶ κρατηθῆναι μὴ δυνηθεῖσα, πάλιν ἀπεδόθη τῷ σώματι, καὶ γέγονεν ἡ ἀνάστασις.—Athanas. de Duabus in Christo Naturis, tom. i. p. 626. B. Edit. Par. 1627.

Humanæ ista lex necessitatis est, ut sepultis corporibus ad inferos animæ descendant, quam desceusionem Dominus ad consummationem veri hominis non recusavit. Hilar. in Psa. 138. Enar. 1112. B. Edit. Par. 1652.

C

Ipsa anima (Christi), etsi fuit in abysso, jam non est, quia scriptum est, Non derelinques animam meam in inferno.' - Ambros. de Incarn. tom. ii. cap. 5. p. 181. Edit. Bas. 1555.

4 Πλὴν ὁ Θεὸς λυτρώσεται τὴν ψυχὴν μου ἐκ χειρὸς ἅδου, ὅταν λαμβάνῃ με. Σαφώς προφητεύει τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου κάθοδον τὴν εἰς ἅδου, ὃς μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων καὶ αὐτοῦ λυτρώσεται, τοῦ προφήτου την ψυχὴν ὡς μὴ ἐναπομεῖναι ἐκεῖ. — Basil. in Psa, xlviii. tom. i. p. 247. E. Edit. Par. 1688.

• Infernus locus suppliciorum atque cruciatuum est, in quo videtur dives purpuratus, ad quem descendit et Dominus, ut vinctos de carcere dimitteret. Hieron. in Isa. tom. v. lib. vi. cap. 14. p. 77. Basil. 1537.

And again', 'For none is delivered from hell but only by the grace of Christ, and therefore did Christ descend thither after his death. As the angel descended into thefurnace at Babylon to deliver the three children, so did Christ descend into the furnace of hell, where the souls of the just were shut up.'

The ninth is Macarius, who lived before the five last cited; and in his disputation in the first general Council of Nice, affirmed, ‘After death we are carried into hell. This also did he (Christ) take upon himself, and descended willingly into it. He was not detained there as we are, but he descended.'

The tenth is Fulgentius", who thus delivers his opinion in this particular: But the humanity of the Son of God was neither wholly in the grave, nor wholly in hell, but as to his real flesh, Christ being dead lay in the grave, but in his soul Christ descended into hell, and in the same soul returned from hell again to the flesh he had left in the grave.'

The eleventh is Athanasius Sinaita, who avers the selfsame thing with him, The grave truly received his body. only, but hell his soul only.'

The twelfth and last is Augustine, who, though in time he was before the two last named, shall bring in his verdict after them and his opinion is, 'That if these words, "This

:

f Nemo enim ab inferni sedibus liberatur, nisi per Christi gratiam. Ed igitur post mortem Christus descendit. Ut angelus in caminum Babylonis ad tres pueros liberandos descendit, ita Christus ad fornacem descendit inferni, in quo clausæ justorum animæ tenebantur. Id. in Ecclesiast.

8 Κατεφερόμεθα μετὰ τὸν θάνατον εἰς τὸν ἅδην· ἀνεδέξατο καὶ τοῦτο, καὶ κατῆλθεν ἑκουσίως εἰς αὐτὸν· οὐ κατηνέχθη καθάπερ ἡμεῖς, ἀλλὰ κατῆλθεν.- Macar. Hier. apud Gelas. Cyzizen. in Act. Conc. Nican. lib. ii. cap. 23. p. 222. E. Con. tom. ii. Ed. Par. 1671.

↳ Humanitas verò Filii Dei nec tota in sepulchro fuit, nec tota in inferno; sed in sepulchro secundùm veram carnem Christus mortuus jacuit, et secundùm animam ad infernum Christus descendit, et secundùm eandem animam ab inferno ad carnem quam in sepulchro reliquerat, rediit.— Fulgent. ad Thrasimund. lib. iii. cap. 34. p. 140. Edit. Par. 1684.

† Ὁ μὲν τάφος αὐτοῦ σῶμα μόνον ὑπεδέξατο, ψυχὴν δὲ μόνην ὁ ἅδης.. - Anastas. apud Euthym. Panopl. vid. Biblioth. Pat. tom. xix. p. 51. D. E.

* Si ergo secundùm hominem quem Verbum Deus suscepit, putamus dictum esse,' Hodie mecum eris in paradiso,' nou ex his verbis in cœlo existimandus est esse paradisus, neque enim ipso die in cœlo futurus erat homo Christus Jesus; sed in inferno secundùm animam, in sepulchro autem secundùm carnem. Aug. Epist. 57, ad Dardanum, tom. ii. cap. 8. p. 270. Edit. Froben. 1541.

day shalt thou be with me in paradise," be spoken of the humanity which the Word of God assumed, paradise is not there to be thought to be in heaven. For the man Christ was not that day to be in heaven, but in hell as to his soul, and in the grave as to his body.'

And again', ' And that the Lord, being put to death in the flesh, came to hell, is clear, for none can contradict either that prophecy that saith, "Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell," which lest any one should understand otherwise, the same St. Peter expoundeth in the Acts of the Apostles. Nor these words of the same Peter, whereby he asserteth, "That he loosed the pains of hell," of which it was impossible he should be held.' Who therefore but an infidel can deny that Christ was in hell? And that it ought to be received as one of the principal articles of our faith, the same Father teaches us, saying ", 'Wherefore let us firmly hold what faith hath received upon the surest grounds, that Christ died according to the Scripture, and was buried, and rose again the third day, according to the same; and the other things that are written of him, the truth being witness; of which also this is one, that he was in hell, having loosed the pains thereof, whereby it was impossible

he should be held.'

Seeing therefore that Scripture is so clear for it, seeing reason also subscribeth to it, seeing so little or nothing can be brought against it, and seeing a whole jury of fathers, besides others, give their verdict for it, we cannot but conclude, That as Christ died for us and was buried, so also is it to be believed that he went down into hell.'

! Et Dominum quidem carne mortificatum advenisse in infernum satis constat; neque enim contradici potest vel prophetiæ, quæ dixit, Quoniam non derelinques animam meam in inferno,' quod ne aliter quisquam sapere auderet, in Actibus Apostolorum idem Petrus exponit, vel ejusdem Petri illis verbis quibus eum asserit solvisse 'inferni dolores in quibus impossibile erat eum teneri.' Quis ergo nisi infidelis negaverit fuisse apud inferos Christum?- Id. Epist. 99. ad Evodium, tom. ii. p. 436. D.

Quamobrem teneamus firmissimè quod fides habet fundatissimâ authoritate firmatâ, quia Christus mortuus est secundùm Scripturas, et quia sepultus est, et quia resurrexit tertiâ die secundùm Scripturas, et cætera quæ de illo testante veritate conscripta sunt. In quibus etiam hoc est, quòd apud inferos fuit,solutis eorum doloribus quibus eum erat impossibile teneri.' — Ibid. tom. ii. p. 442. A. B.