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Article 3.

His Spirit did after this defcend
Into the lower parts,

Of them that long in darkness were
The true light of their Hearts.

But in the Synod ten Years after, in the Days of Queen Elizabeth, the Articles, which continue ftill in force, deliver the fame Defcent, but without any the leaft Explication or reference to any particular place of Scripture, in thefe Words; As Chrift died for us and was buried, fo alfo it is to be 1562. believed that he went down into Hell. Wherefore being our Church hath not now impofed that Interpretation of S. Peter's Words, which before it intimated; being it hath not delivered that as the only place of Scripture to found the Defcent into Hell upon; being it hath alledged no other place to ground it, and delivered no other Explication to expound it: we may with the greater liberty pass on to find out the true Meaning of this Article, and to give our particular Judgment in it, fo far as a Matter of fo much Obfcurity and Variery will permit.

Firft then, It is to be obferved, that as this Article was firft in the Aquileian Creed, fo it was delivered there not in the exprefs and formal Term of Hell, but in fuch a Word as may be capable of a greater Latitude, Defcendit in inferna: which Words as they were continued in* other Creeds, fo * Defcendit in did they find a double Interpretation among the Greeks; fome tranflating Inferna, or ad Inferna, Hell; others, the lower parts: the firft with relation to S. Pegeneral writer's Words of Chrift, Thou shalt not leave my foul in Hell; the second referring to that of S. Paul, He defcended into the lower parts of the

Inferna,is the

ting in the ancient MSS.

as the learned earth.

Archbishop

a

teftifieth of thofe in the Benedictine and Cottonian Libraries; to which I may add thofe in the Library at Westminster : we fee the fame likewife in that of Elipandus, Defcendit ad inferna. Which words are fo recited in the Creed delivered in the Catechifm fet forth by the Authority of Edw. VI. An. Dom. 1553, So the ancient MSS. in Bennet-College Library, Κατελθόντα εἰς τὰ καλώτατα· and the Confeffion made at Sirmium, εἰς τὰ καλαχθόνια κατελθόντα Since that it is Defcendit ad inferos, and xalλbóvla sis ads, or Defcendit ad inferum, as Venantius Fortunatus. For τὰ καλώταλα ως a fit Interpretation, if we take Inferna according to the Vulgar Etymology; as S. Auguftine, Inferi eò quòd infrà fint, Latinè appellantur, De Gen. ad lit. l. 12. c. 34, or as Nonius Marcellus, Inferum ab imo dictum, unde inferi, quibus inferius nihil. Again, Inferna may well be tranflated dns, if it be taken according to the true Origination, which is from the Greek vegg, with the Holick digamma, from which Dialect most of the Latine Language came, "EvFrogi, Inferni. Now veg according to the Greek compofition, is nothing else but oxovies, Etym. "Evenge, of vexogi, dT TO CU TH iga, xeaz, ish, a nyn and Suid. 'Evégis, vexogis, T T Cu Thieu xeat. "Eng is anciently the Earth, from whence tease, xaμage, to the Earth: veegi then are in the Earth, as they fuppofed the Manes or Spirits of the Dead to be; from whence Homer, Iliad... 'Aidng crégions divácsav, of Pluto; and Hefiod. Teias Aidns créogioi xala ἀνάστων· and in imitation of them #Efchylus in Perfis, Γῆτε, καὶ Ἑρμή, βασιλεύς τ' ανέρων, Πέμψαν ενέρθεν ψυχὼν εἰς φάος. Thus tveggs are those which Efchylus elsewhere calls as yãs vegber & mus. yus évegbev. And as veegi, the Souls of the Dead in the Earth, fo are Inferi in the firft acception, that is Manes. Pomponius Mela, Augilæ manes tantùm Deos putant; which Pliny delivers thus, Augile inferos tantum colunt, and Solinus, Augilæ verò folos colunt inferos. Inferi were then first veng the Souls of Men in the Earth: and as Manes is not only put for the Souls below, but also for, the Place, as in the Poet;

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fo Inferi is most frequently used for the place under Ground where the Souls departed are, and the Inferna must then be thofe Regions in which they take up their Habitations. And fa Defcendit ad Inferna, xalater is ad, and Descendit ad Inferos, are the fame.

So are the words cited in

Ruffinus,

a Acts 2. 27.

Ephef. 4.9.

Secondly, I obferve that in the Aquileian Creed, where this Article was firft expreffed, there was no mention of Chriff's Burial; but the Words of their Confeffion ran thus, *crucified under Pontius Pilate, he defcended in inferna. fub Pontio Pi- From whence there is no queftion but the Obfervation of Ruffinus, who first

Crucifixus

lato,defcendit,

in inferna.

And his Obfervation upon them is this; Sciendum fane eft, quòd in Ecclefiæ Romanæ Symbolo non habetur additum, Defcendit ad inferna; fed neque in Orientis Ecclefiis habetur hic fermo: vis tamen verbi eadem videtur effe in eo quod fepultus eft. Expof.Symb. The fame may also be observed in the Athanafian Creed, which has the Defcent, but not the Sepulture; Who fuffered for our Salvation, defcended into Hell, rofe again the third day from the dead. Nor is this only obfervable in these two, but also in the Creed made at Sirmium, and produced at Ariminum, in which the words run thus, saugwbérla, x wabérla, xj dimlavévla, x eis và xalαxlávia xα720óvla. Where though the Defcent be expreffed, and the Burial

be

be not mentioned, it is most certain, thofe Men which made it (Hereticks indeed, but not in this) did not understand his Burial by that Defcent: and that appears by addition of the following words; eis rà xalaxtória xalcatória, s τà cheσE οἰκονομήσαντα, ὃν πυλωροὶ ἅδὲ ἰδόντες ἔφριξαν. For he did not difpofe and order things below by his Body in the Grave: nor could the Keepers of the Gates of Hell be affrighted with any fight of his Corps lying in the Sepulchre.

expounded it, was most true, that though the Roman and Oriental Creeds had not their words, yet they had the sense of them in the word buried. It appeareth therefore that the first intention of putting these words in the Creed was only to exprefs the Burial of our Saviour, or the Defcent of his Body into the Grave. But although they were firft put in the Aquileian Creed, to fignifie the Burial of Christ, and those which had only the Burial in their Creed, did confefs as much as those which without the Burial did exprefs the Defcent; yet fince the Roman Creed hath added the Defcent unto the Burial, and expreffed that Descent by words fignifying more properly Hell, it cannot be imagined that the Creed, as it now stands, fhould fignifie only the Burial of Chrift by his Defcent into Hell. But rather, being the ancient Church did certainly believe that Chrift did fome other way defcend befide his Burial; being though he interpreted those words of the Burial only, yet in the relation of what was done at our Saviour's Death, he makes mention of his Defcent into Hell, befide, and * diftinct from, his For having Sepulture; being those who in After-Ages added it to the Burial, did actual- produced many places of ly believe that the Soul of Christ defcended: it followeth that, for the Scripture to Expofition of the Creed, it is moft neceffary to declare in what that De-prove the Cirfcent confifteth.

*

cumstances of our Saviour's Death, and

having cited those particularly which did belong unto his Burial, he paffes farther to his Defcent, in these words; Sed & quòd in infernum defcendit, evidentèr prænuntiatur in Pfalmis, ubi dicit, Et in pulverem mortis deduxifti me; & iterùm, Qua utilitas in fanguine meo dùm defcendo in corruptionem; & iterùm, Defcendifti in limum profundi, & non ett fubftantia, Sed & Matthæus dicit, Tu es qui venturus eft, an alium exfpectamus? Undè & Petrus dixit, Quia Chriftus mortificatus carne, vivificatus autem fpiritu. In ipfo, ait, & eis qui in carcere inclufi erant in diebus Noe: in quo, etiam quid operis egerit in inferno declaratur, Sed & ipfe Dominus per Prophetam dicit tanquam de futuro, Quia non derelinques animam meam in inferno, nec dabis fanctum tuum videre corruptionem: quòd rurfus propheticè nihileminus oftendit impletum, cùm dicit, Domine, eduxifti ab inferno animam meam, falvásti me à defcendentibus in lacum. Whence it appeareth, that though Ruffinus thought that the fenfe of defcendit ad inferna was expreffed in fepultus eft;" yet he did diftinguish the Doctrine of Chrift's Defcent into Hell from that of his Burial:

Thirdly, I obferve again, that whatsoever is delivered in the Creed, we therefore believe because it is contained in the Scriptures, and confequently must so believe it as it is contained there; whence all this Expofition of the Whole is nothing else but an Illustration and Proof of every particular Part of the Creed by fuch Scriptures as deliver the fame, according to the true Interpretation of them and the general Confent of the Church of God. Now these Words, as they lie in the Creed, He defcended into Hell, are no where formally and expreffly delivered in the Scriptures; nor can we find any one place in which the Holy Ghost hath faid in exprefs and plain Terms that Chrift as he died and was buried, fo he defcended into Hell. "Wherefore being thefe Words of the Creed are not formally expreffed in the Scripture, our Inquiry muft be in what Scriptures they are contained virtually; that is, where the Holy Ghost doth deliver the fame Doctrine, in what Words foever, which is contained, and to be understood in this Expreffion, He defcended into Hell.

Now feveral places of Scripture have been produced by the Ancients as delivering this Truth, of which fome without question prove it not: but three there are which have been always thought of greatest validity to confirm this Article. First, that of S. Paul to the Ephefians feems to come very near the Words themselves, and to exprefs the fame almost * in Terms: Now that he * For the firft Expreffion which we find in Ruffinus, Defcendit in inferna, comes moft near to this Quotation; efpecially if we take the ancient Greek Tranflation of it: xalxbóvla His тà xαláταlα. For if we confider that xalareeg may well have the fignification of the Superlative, especially being the LXX. hath fo tranflated Pfalm 63. 9. eisado eis rà xalúrara & yns and Pfalm 139. 15. καὶ ἡ ὑπόςασίς με ἐν τοῖς καλω]άτοις τ γῆς, what can be nearer than theţe two, κατελθὼν εἰς τὰ κατώτατα, από καλαβὰς εἰς τὰ καλώτατα; or thefe two, κατελθόντα εἰς τὰ καταχθόνια, and καλαβάνε εἰς τὰ κατώτερα μέρη ἡ γῆς; * Ephef. 4. 9.

2

Gg 2

afcended,

eth by their

prove, or ex

as Irenæus

does, l. 5. c.

Hilarius in

Pfal. 67.

afcended, what is it but that he defcended first into the lower parts of the *This appear- earth? This many of the ancient *Fathers understood of the Defcent into quotation of Hell, as placed in the lowest parts of the Earth: and this Expofition must be this place to confeffed fo probable, that there can be no Argument to difprove it. Thofe pres, the De- lower parts of the earth may fignifie Hell, and Chrift's defcending thither fcent into Hell, may be, that his Soul went to that Place when his Body was carried to the Grave. But that it was actually fo, or that the Apostle intended fo much 26. Origen. in thofe Words, the Place it felf will not manifeft. For we cannot be afHom. 35. in fured that the Descent of Christ, which S. Paul fpeaks of, was performed Matt. Atha after his Death; or if it were, we cannot be affured that the lower parts of nafius, Epift. ad Epictetum, the earth did fignifie Hell, or the Place where the Souls of Men were tormented after the Separation from their Bodies. For as it is written, a No 5. Jerome up- man afcended up to heaven, but he that defcended from heaven; fo this on the Place, may fignifie fo much, and no more, In that he afcended, what is it but Inferiora au- that he defcended first? And for the lower parts of the earth, they may fernus accipi- poffibly fignifie no more than the Place beneath: as when our Saviour faid, tur, ad quem re are from beneath, I am from above; ye are of this world, I am fter Salvator- not of this world: or as God ipake by the Prophet, I will fhew wonders que defcen- in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath. Nay, they may well dit. So alfo refer to his Incarnation, according to that of David, My fubftance was tary attribu- not hid from thee when I was made in fecret, and curiously wrought in the ted to S. Am- lower parts of the earth; or to his Burial, according to that of the Prophet, Hilary, Si ita-Thofe that feek my foul to deftroy it, fhall go into the lower parts of the que hæc om- earth: and these two References have a great Similitude according to that nia Chriftus of Job, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I reunus eft, neq; alius eft Chri- turn thither.

tem terræ in

Dominus no

the Commen

brofe and S.

ftus mortuus,

e

C

alius fepultus, aut alius defcendens ad inferna, & alius afcendens in cœlos, fecundùm illud Apoftoli, Afcendit autem quid eft, &c. De Trinit. l. 10. b John 8.23. Pfalm 139. 15. ¿ Pfalm 63.9.

е e Job 1. 21.

a John 3. 13.

The next place of Scripture brought to confirm the Defcent is not so near in Words, but thought to fignifie the End of that Defcent, and that part of his Humanity by which he defcended. For Chrift, faith S. Peter, was put to death in the flesh, and quickned by the spirit, by which also he went and preached unto the fpirits in prison: where the Spirit seems to be the Soul of Chrift; and the Spirits in prison, the Souls of them that were in Hell, or in fome place at least feparated from the Joys of Heaven: whither because we never read our Saviour went at any other time, we may conceive he went in Spirit then when his Soul departed from his Body on the Cross. This did our Church first deliver as the *As Hermes, Proof and Illustration of the Descent, and the ancient * Fathers did apply the 1. 3. Simil. 9. fame in the like manner to the Proof of this Article. But yet thofe Words of c. 45. Clem. S. Peter have no fuch Power of Probation; except we were certain that the Sean Spirit there fpoken of were the Soul of Chrift, and that the Time intended for Orig. Hom.35. that Preaching were after his Death, and before his Refurrection. Whereas if in Mat. S. A- it were fo interpreted, the Difficulties are fo many, that they †ftaggered S. Authanaf. I. de Incarn. & E-gustine, and caufed him at laft to think that these Words of S. Peter belonged pift. ad Epic- not unto the Doctrine of Christ's defcending into Hell. But indeed the fpirit tetum. Epiph. by which he is faid to preach was not the Soul of Chrift, but that Spirit by S. Cyril. de which he was quickned; as appeareth by the coherence of the Words, being

Irenaus, l. 4.

Alexand.

Haref. 77.

recta fide ad

Theodofium. 1. 12. in Johan. Orat. Pafch. & alibi fapius. Author. Comment. Ambrof. afcript. ad Rom. 10. Ruff. in Explic. Symb. ↑ For in his Answer to Euodius, Epift. 99. he thus begins; Quæftio quam mihi propofuifti ex Epiftola Apoftoli Petri folet nos, ut te latere non arbitror, vehementiffimè commovere, quomodo illa verba accipienda fint tanquam de inferis dicta. Replico ergò tibi eandem 'quæftionem, ut, five ipfe potueris, five aliquem qui poffit inveneris, auferas de illa atque finias dubitationem meam. Then fetting down in order all the Difficulties which occurred at that time in the Expofition of the Defcent into Hell, he concludes with an Expofition of another nature: Confidera tamen, nè fortè totum illud quòd de conclufis in carcere fpiritibus qui in diebus Noe non crediderant Petrus Apoftolus dicit, omninò ad inferos non pertineant, fed ad illa potius tempora quorum formam ad hæc tempora tranftulit.

a

put to death in the flesh, but quickned by the fpirit, by which also be went and preached unto the spirits in prison. Now that Spirit by which Chrift was quickned is *that by which he was raised from the dead, that is the *Quid eft ePower of his Divinity; as St. Paul expreffeth it, Though he was crucified nim quod vi through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God: in refpect of which vificatus eft he preached to thofe which were disobedient in the Days of Noah, as we quod eadem have already fhewn.

Spiritu, nifi

caro quà folá fuerat morti

ficatus, vivificante fpiritu refurrexit? Nam quod fuerat animâ mortificatus Jefus, hoc eft, eo fpiritu qui hominis eft, quis audeat dicere cum mors animæ non fit nifi peccatum, à quo ille omnino immunis fuit cum pro nobis carne mortificaretur. S. Aug. Epift. 99. Et alibi. Certè anima Chrifti non folùm immortalis fecundùm cæterarum naturam, fed etiam nullo mortificata peccato vel damnatione punita eft; quibus duabus caufis mors animæ intelligi poteft, & ideo non fecundùm ipfam dici potuit. Chriftus vivificatus fpiritu. In ea re quippe vivificatus eft in qua fuerat mortificatus. Ergo de carne dictum eft: ipfa enim revixit animâ redeunte, quia ipfa erat mortua animâ recedente. tificatus ergo carne dictus eft: quia fecundùm folam carnem mortuus eft, vivificatus autem Spiritu, quia illo Spiritu operante in quo ad quos (leg. eos) veniebat & prædicabat, etiam ipfa caro vivificata furrexit, in qua modò ad homines b Pag. 112.

venit.

a 2 Cor. 13.

my

Mor

The third, but principal, Text is that of David, applied by St. Peter. For David Speaketh concerning him, I forefaw the Lord always before my face; for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved. Therefore did heart rejoyce, and my tongue was glad: moreover alfo my flesh shall rest in hope. Because thou wilt not leave my Soul in hell, neither wilt thou fuffer thine holy One to fee corruption. Thus the Apostle repeated the Words of the Pfalmift, and then applied them: He being a Prophet, and feeing this before, fpake of the refurrection of Chrift, that his Soul was not left in Hell, neither his flesh did fee corruption. Now from this place the Article is clearly and infallibly deduced thus: If the Soul of Chrift were not left in Hell at his Refurrection, then his Soul was in Hell before his Refurrection: But it was not there before his Death; therefore upon or after his Death, and before his Refurrection, the Soul of Chrift defcended into Hell; and confequently the Creed doth truly deliver that Chrift, being crucified, was dead, buried, and defcended into Hell. For as his Flesh did not fee Corruption by virtue of that Promise and Prophetical Expreffion, and yet it was in the Grave, the Place of Corruption, where it rested in Hope until his Refurrection: fo his Soul, which was not left in Hell, by virtue of the like Promife or Prediction, was in that Hell, where it was not left, until the Time that it was to be united to the Body for the performing of the Resurrection. We must therefore confefs from hence that the Soul of Chrift was in Hell; and no Christian can deny it, faith St. Auguftin, *it is fo clearly delivered in *Dominum. this Prophecy of the Pfalmist and Application of the Apostle.

quidem carne mortificatum veniffe in in

fernum fatis conftat. Neque enim contradici poteft vel prophetia quæ dixit, Quoniam non derelinques animam meam in Inferno, (quod ne aliter quifquam fapere auderet, in Actibus Apoftolorum idem Petrus exponit) vel ejufdem Petri illis verbis quibus eum afferit folviffe Inferni dolores, in quibus impoffibile erat eum teneri. Quis ergo mifl infidelis: negaverit fuiffe apud inferos Chriftum? Epift. 99.

The only Question then remains, not of the Truth of the Propofition, but the Senfe and Meaning of it. It is most certain that Chrift defcended into Hell; and as infallibly true as any other Article of the Creed: but what that Hell was, and how he defcended thither, being once questioned, is not eafily determined. Different Opinions there have been of old, and of late more different ftill, which I fhall here examine after that manner which our fubject will admit. Our present Design is an Expofition of the Greed as now it ftands, and our Endeavour is to expound it according to the Scriptures in which it is contained: I must therefore look for fuch an Explication as may confist with the other parts of the Creed, and may withal be conformable unto that Scripture upon which the Truth of the Article doth rely: And confequently, whatfoever Interpretation is either not true in it felf, or not confiftent with the Body of the Creed, or not conformable to the Doctrine of the

Apoftle

culus fit,Chri

fe, & non

Apostle in this particular, the Expofitor of that Creed by the Doctrine of the
Apostle must reject.

Firft then, we fhall confider the Opinion of Durandus, who, as often, fo in this, is fingular. He fuppofeth this Defcent to belong *unto the Soul, *Cùm Arti and the Name of Hell to fignifie the Place where the Souls of dead Men ftum ad Infe- were in Cuftody: but he maketh a Metaphor in the Word defcended, as not ros defcendif- fignifying any Local Motion, nor inferring any real Prefence of the Soul of Chrift in the Place where the Souls of dead Men were; but only including poffit intelligi ratione Divi- a Virtual Motion, and inferring an Efficacious Prefence, by which Defcent nitatis, fecun- the Effects of the Death of Chrift were wrought upon the Souls in Hell: and dùm quam eft ubique; nec because the Merits of Chrift's Death did principally depend upon the Act of ratione cor- his Soul, therefore the Effect of his Death is attributed to his Soul as the poris fecundùm quod fu- principal Agent; and confequently Chrift is truly faid at the Inftant of his it in fepul- Death to defcend into Hell, because his Death was immediately efficacious quòd intelli- upon the Souls detained there. This is the Opinion of Durandus, fo far as gatur ratione it is diftinct from others.

chro; reftat

animæ: quo

fuppofito, videndum eft qualiter anima Chrifti defcendit ad infernum. Durand. lib. 3. dift. 22. q. 3.

Calvin. Inftit. 1. 2. c. 16.

ros defcen

diffe dicitur

But although a Virtual Influence of the Death of Chrift may be well admitted in reference to the Souls of the Dead, yet this Opinion cannot be accepted as to the Expofition of this Article; being neither the Creed can be thought to speak a Language of fo great Scholaftick Subtilty, nor the Place of David, expounded by St. Peter, can poffibly admit any fuch Explication. For what can be the Senfe of thofe Words, thou shalt not leave my foul in Hell, if his being in Hell was only virtually acting there? If the Efficacy of his Death were his Defcent, then is he defcended ftill, because the Effect of his Death still remaineth. The Opinion therefore of Durandus, making the Descent into Hell to be nothing but the Efficacy of the Death of Chrift upon the Souls detained there, is to be rejected, as not expofitive of the Creed's Confeffion, nor confiftent with the Scripture's Expreffion.

The next Opinion, later than that of Durandus, is, That the †Descent 5. 1o. Si Chri- into Hell is the fuffering of the Torments of Hell; that the Soul of Chrift ftus ad infe- did really and truly fuffer all those Pains which are due unto the Damned; that whatsoever is threatned by the Law unto them which depart this Life nihil mirum in their Sins, and under the Wrath of God, was fully undertaken and born eft, cùm eam by Chrift; that he died a true and natural Death, the Death of Gehenná, meritque and this dying the Death of Gehenna was the defcending into Hell; that thofe fceleribus ab which are now faved by Virtue of his Death, fhould otherwife have enírato Deo in- dured the fame Torments in Hell which now the Damned do, and fhall enfligitur: which he expreffeth dure, but that he, being their Surety, did himself suffer the fame for them, prefently in even all the Torments which we fhould have felt, and the Damned fhall.

mortem per

another

quæ

phrafe, Cùm diros in anima cruciatus damnati ac perditi hominis pertulerit. Quid igitur? Chriftus perfonâ fuá secundùm humanitatem poenam gehennalem nobis debitam paffus eft, animâ principaliter, corpore fecundario, utroque caufaliter ad merendum, ad nos fuo ipfius merito liberandos. Parkerus de Defcenfu, l. 3. §. 48. Et statim, §. 49. Defcendiffe namque Servatorem, modo fupra memorato, ad Haden mortis gehennalis, innumeris patet argumentis.

This Interpretation is either taken in the ftrict Senfe of the Words, or in a Latitude of Expreffion; but in neither to be admitted as the Expofition of this Article. Not if it be taken in a strict, rigorous, proper and formal Scnfe; for in that Acception it is not true. It must not, it cannot, be admitted that Chrift did fuffer all thofe Torments which the Damned fuffer; and therefore it is not, it cannot, be true, that by fuffering them he defcended into Hell. There is a Worm that never dieth, which could not lodge within his Breast; that is, a Remorfe of Confcience, feated in the Soul, for what that Soul hath done but fuch a Remorfe of Confcience could not be in Chrift, who though

he

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