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ARTICLE III.

Of the going down of Christ into Hell.

As Chrift died for us and was buried, so also is it to be believed, that he went down into Hell.

TH

HIS was much fuller when the Articles were at first prepared and published in King Edward's reign for these words were added to it, that the body of Chrift lay in the grave until his refurrection; but his fpirit, which he gave up, was with the fpirits which were detained in prifon, or in bell, and preached to them, as the place in St. Peter teftifieth. Thus a determined fenfe was put upon this Article, which is now left more at large, and is conceived in words of a more general fignification. In order to the explaining this, it is to be premised, that the Article in the Creed, of Chrift's defcent into Hell, is mentioned by no writer before Ruffin, who in the beginning of the fifth century does indeed fpeak of it: but he tells us, that it was neither in the fymbol of the Roman, nor of the Oriental Churches; and that he found it in the symbol of his own Church at Aquileia. But as there was no other Article in that fymbol that related to Chrift's burial; fo the words which he gives us, defcendit ad inferna, be defcended to the lower parts, do very naturally fignify burial, according to these words of St. Paul, be afcended; what is it, but that he alfo Eph. iv. 9. defcended first to the lower parts of the earth? And Ruffin himfelf understood these words in that fenfe.

None of the fathers in the firft ages, neither Irenæus, Tertullian, Clemens, nor Origen, in the fhort abstracts that they give us of the Chriftian faith, mention any thing like this and in all that great variety of Creeds that was proposed by the many councils that met in the fourth century, this is not in any one of them, except in that which was agreed to at Arimini, and was pretended, though falfely, to have been made at Sirmium: in that it is let down in a Greek word that does exactly anfwer Ruffin's Inferna, Karaxóna: and it ftood there inftead of buried. When it was put in the Creed that carries Athanafius's name, though made in the fixth or feventh century, the word was changed to "Ads, or Hell: but yet it seems to have been understood to fignify Chrift's burial, there being no other word put for it in that Creed. Afterwards it

was

ART.
III.

We

was put into the fymbol of the Western Church: that
was done at firft in the words in which Ruffin had ex-
preffed it, as appears by fome ancient copies of Creeds
which were publifhed by the great primate Ufher.
are next to confider, what the importance of these words
in themselves is; for it is plain that the use of them in the
Creed is not very ancient nor univerfal. We have a moft
unquestionable authority for this, that our Saviour's foul
was in Hell. In the Acts of the Apoftles, St. Peter, in the
first fermon that was preached after the wonderful effufion
of the Spirit at Pentecoft, applies thefe words of David
concerning God's not leaving his foul in Hell, nor fuffering
bis Holy One to fee corruption, to the refurrection of Chrift.
Now fince, in the compofition of a man, there is a body
and a spirit, and fince it is plain that the raifing of Chrift
on the third day was before that his body in the course of
nature was corrupted; the other branch feems to relate to
his foul; though it is not to be denied, but that in the
Old Teftament foul in fome places ftands for a dead body.
But if that were the fenfe of the word, there would be no
oppofition in the two parts of this period; the one will be
only a redundant repetition of the other: therefore it is
much more natural to think, that this other branch con-
cerning Chrift's foul being left in Hell, muft relate to that
which we commonly understand by foul. If then his
foul was not to be left in Hell, then from thence it plainly
follows, that once it was in Hell, and by confequence that
Chrift's foul defcended into Hell.

Some very modern writers have thought, that this is to be understood figuratively of the wrath of God due for fin, which Chrift bore in his foul, befides the torments that he fuffered in his body: and they think, that these are here mentioned by themselves, after the enumeration of the feveral steps of his bodily fufferings: and this being equal to the torments of Hell, as it is that which delivers us from them, might in a large way of expreffion be called a defcending into Hell. But as neither the word defcend, nor Hell, are to be found in any other place of Scripture in this fenfe, nor in any of the ancients, among whom the fignification of this phrafe is more likely to be found, than among moderns; fo this being put after buried, it plainly fhews that it belongs to a period fubfequent to his burial: there is therefore no regard to be had to this notion.

Others have thought, that by Chrift's defcent into Hell, is to be understood his continuing in the ftate of the dead for fome time but there is no ground for this conceit

neither,

neither, these words being to be found in no author in ART. that fignification.

I

III.

Many of the fathers thought, that Chrift's foul went locally into Hell, and preached to fome of the fpirits there in prifon; that there he triumphed over Satan, and 1 Pet.iii. Spoiled him, and carried fome fouls with him into glory. 19. But the account, that the Scriptures give us of the exaltation of Chrift, begins it always at his refurrection: nor can it be imagined, that fo memorable a tranfaction as this would have been paffed over by the three first Evangelifts, and leaft of all by St. John, who coming after the reft, and defigning to fupply what was wanting in them, and intending particularly to magnify the glory of Christ, could not have paffed over fo wonderful an inftance of it. We have no reafon to think, that fuch a matter would have been only infinuated in general words, and not have been plainly related. The triumph of Chrift over principalities and powers is afcribed by St. Paul to his Crofs, and was the effect and refult of his death. The place of St. Peter seems to relate to the preaching to the Gentile world, by virtue of that infpiration that was derived from Chrift; which was therefore called bis Spirit; and the fpirits in prifon were the Gentiles, who were shut up in idolatry as in prison, and fo were under the power of the Prince of the power of the air, who is called the God of this Eph. ii. 2. world; that 18, of the Gentile world: it being one of the 2 Cor. iv. 4. ends for which Chrift was anointed of his Father, to open the prifons to them that were bound. So then, though there is no harm in this opinion, yet it not being founded on any part of the hiftory of the Gospel, and it being fupported only by paffages that may well bear another fenfe, we may lay it afide, notwithstanding the reverence we bear to thofe that afferted it; and that the rather, because the firft fathers that were next the fource fay nothing of it.

Another conceit has had a great courfe among fome of the latest fathers and the fchoolmen: they have fancied that there was a place to which they have given a peculiar name, Limbus Patrum, a fort of a partition in Hell, where all the good men of the old difpenfation, that had died before Chrift, were detained; and they hold that our Saviour went thither, and emptied that place, carrying all the fouls that were in it with him into Heaven. Of this the Scriptures fay nothing; not a word either of the patriarchs going thither, or of Chrift's delivering them out of it and though there are not in the Old Teftament express declarations and promifes made concerning a future ftate, Chrift having brought life and immortality to light

through

If. lxi. 1.

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Pfal. xvi.

II.

Acts ii. 31.

ART. through his Gofpel; yet all the hints given of it fhew that they looked for an immediate admiffion to bleffedness after death. So David, thou wilt fhew me the path of life: in thy prefence is fulness of joy, and at thy right hand are pleafures for evermore. Thou shalt guide me here by thy Pfal. Ixxiii. counfel, and afterwards receive me to glory. Ifaiah fays, that the righteous when they die enter into peace. In the New Teftament there is not a hint given of this; for though fome paffages may feem to favour Chrift's delivering fome fouls out of Hell, yet there is nothing that by any management can be brought to look this way.

24.

If. lvii. 2.

the Creed.

See Bishop There is another sense of which these words [defcended Pearfon on into Hell] are capable: by Hell may be meant the invifible place to which departed fouls are carried after death: for though the Greek word fo rendered does now commonly ftand for the place of the damned, and for many ages has been fo understood; yet at the time of writing the New Teftament it was among Greek authors used indifferently for the place of all departed fouls, whether good or bad; and by it were meant the invisible regions where those fpirits were lodged: fo if these words are taken in this large fenfe, we have in them a clear and literal account of our Saviour's foul defcending into Hell; it imports that he was not only dead in a more common acceptation, as it is ufual to fay a man is dead, when there appear no figns of life in him; and that he was not as in a deep ecftafy or fit that feemed death, but that he was truly dead; that his foul was neither in his body, nor hovering about it, afcending and defcending upon it, as fome of the Jews fancied fouls did for fome time after death; but that his foul was really moved out of his body, and carried to those unfeen regions of departed fpirits, among whom it continued till his refurrection. That the regions of the bleffed were known then to the Jews by the name of Paradife, as Hell was known by the name of Gehenna, is very Luke xxiii. clear from Chrift's laft words, To-day thou shalt be with me in Paradife; and, Into thy bands do I commend my fpirit. This is a plain and full account of a good fenfe that may be well put on the words; though, after all, it is ftill to be remembered, that in the firft Creeds that have this Article, that of Chrift's burial not being mentioned in them, it follows from thence, as well as from Ruffin's own sense of it, that they understood this only of Christ's burial.

43, 46.

ARTICLE

ARTICLE IV.

Of the Refurrection of Christ.

Chzifft did truly rife again from Death, and took again his Body, with Flesh, Bones, and all things appertaining to the Pezfcaion of Pan's Natuze, wherewith he afcended into Heaven, and there attech, until he return to judge all Hen at the Laft Dap.

THE

HERE are four branches of this Article: the firft is concerning the truth of Chrift's Refurrection. The fecond concerning the completeness of it: that he took to him again his whole body. The third is concerning his Afcenfion and continuance in heaven. And the fourth is concerning his returning to judge all men at the laft day. These things are all fo exprefsly affirmed, and that in fo particular a manner, in the New Teftament, that if the authority of that book is once well proved, little doubting will remain concerning them.

It is punctually told in it, that the body of Chrift was laid in the fepulchre: that a ftone was laid to the mouth of it: that it was rolled away, and upon that Chrift arofe and left the death-clothes behind him that thofe, who viewed the fepulchre, faw no body there: that in the fame body Chrift fhewed himself to his difciples, fo that they all knew him; he talked with them, and they did eat and drink with him, and he made Thomas feel to the print of the nails and fpear. It is as plainly told, that the Apostles looked on, and faw him afcend up to heaven, and that a cloud received him out of their fight. It is alfo faid very plainly, that he fhall come again at the laft day, and judge all men both the quick and the dead. So that if the truth of the Gofpel is once fully proved, it will not be neceffary to infift long upon the fpecial proof of these particulars: fomewhat will only be necessary to be faid in explanation of them.

The Gofpel was firft preached, and foon after put in writing; in which thefe particulars are not only delivered, but are set forth with many circumftances relating to them. The credit of the whole is put on that iffue concerning the truth of Chrift's refurrection; fo that the overthrowing the truth of that, was the overturning the

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