Exposition of the Apostles Creed, Exposition · Part 2 · Section 12
He deſcended into hel.
Teſtmonies out of the Prophets and Apoſtles.
SAint Peter citeth the 16 Pſalme in the ſecond of the Acts, of Chriſt his deſcending into hell, ſaying: This man being deliuered by the determinate counſell and foreknowledge of God, after you had taken with wicked hands, you hauehave crucified and ſlaine, whom God hath raiſed vp, looſing the ſorrowes of death, becauſe it was impoſſible that he ſhould be holden of it. For Dauid ſaith concerning him, I beheld the Lord alwaies before mee: For he is at my right hande that I ſhould not be ſhaken. Therefore did my hearte receiue comfort, and my tongue reioyſed, and ſo my fleſh doth reſt in hope. Becauſe thou ſhalt not leaue my ſoule in hell, nor ſuffer thine holy one to ſee corruption. Thou hast made the waies of life knowne vntounto mee, and thou ſhalt repleniſh me with gladneſſe in thy ſight.
Of the falſe vnderstanding of this article, where alſo is entreated of Lymbus, and of the firſt beginning of the error thereof.
THat it followeth in the Creede that Chriſte deſcended into hell, ſhal we ſay that it hath hath this ſenſe: that Chriſt deſcended into Lymbus, in which place there is neither ioie nor ſorrowe, that he might deliuer the fathers from thence; or els that he deſcended into the place of the damned? No, not ſo. For firſt it is euident, that the fathers alſo before the death of Chriſt had ioye and comfort, as it appeareth Luk. 16. in Abraham and Lazarus. Beſides that the word Hell is not taken for Lymbus in any place of the ſcripture. Nowe the beginning of the error concerning Lymbus, is that many thought and yet doe thinke, that ſinnes were not forgiuen before that Chriſt ſuffered. And the paſſion of Chriſt had his effect and power from euerlaſting. For Chriſt yeſterday and to day, for euer and the ſame world without end. Hebr. 13.8. And Paule to the Romanes 4. defineth iuſtification by Dauid: Bleſſed are they whoſe iniquities are forgiuen. Therefore in the time of Dauid, before Chriſt had ſuffered, ſinnes were forgiuen by confidence and truſt in that ſacrifice of Chriſt to come. And in the ſame Chapter he ſaith, that we obtaine happines and remiſſion of ſinnes by no other meanes, then whereby Abraham obtained it who is the father of all beleeuers. So Math. 8. Many ſhall come from the Eaſt and from the Weſt, and ſhal ſit with Abraham, Iſaack, and Iacob, in the kingdome of Heauen. Seeing therefore that this ſame errour preuaileth againſt the Scripture, that the Fathers had not remiſſion of ſinnes before Chriſt ſuffred, from thence ſprang this other errour concerning Lymbus. For it was too harde to thruſt the fathers downe into hel: becauſe as they cōfeſſe, there is no redēption out of hel: & to place them in euerlaſting felicitie, they duſt not: becauſe Chriſt hauing not yet ſuffered, they thought their ſinnes were not yet forgiuen. They found out therfore a middle place, in which there was neither felicitie nor ſorrowe, which in the ſchooles they called Lymbus, as if they ſhould ſay the porch of hell. And ſo the diuell endeuoured to darken the greatnes of the efficacie of Chriſtes ſacrifice, whiles he denied that the Fathers had remiſſion of ſinnes in the olde Teſtament by faith in the ſacrifice to come: and therefore he deuiſed vntounto them Lymbus: euen like as hee faigned Purgatorie for thoſe faithful ones, who were dead after the ſuffering of Chriſt. That to the ſame ende alſo the power of cleanſing from ſinnes might be withdrawen from the paſſion of Chriſte, againſt the manifeſt worde of God. I. Iohn. 1.7.
2. Neither is it to be ſuffered in any caſe, that we ſay that Chriſte deſcended into hell, that is to the place of the damned, that there he ſhould ouercome death, and the diuel for vsus, or that he ſhould ſuffer any newe tormentes, for that he both ouercame Sathan, by his death, and after death ſuffered no more ſorrowes by which he ſhould deliuer vsus from the power of Sathan, the Epiſtle to the Hebrues doth witnes chapter 2. That he might by death aboliſh him which had the power of death yt is the diuel, & might ſet as many free as by the feare of death throgh al their life were ſubiect vntounto bondage, Alſo to the Coloſſ. 2.14.15. And Luke the Euangeliſt witneſſeth that he deliuered vp his ſpirite to the keeping of his father. Neither can it fitly be taken of the ſhewing forth of the victorie of Chriſt in hell, for that belongeth to that exaltation which at length he began in his reſurrection: nowe the deſcending of Chriſte into hell pertaineth to his humiliation, as Peter expreſſely in the ſecond of the Actes teacheth by Dauid. Theſe thinges many of the auncient fathers more diligently waying, thought that hell was to be taken here ſimply for the graue. But if it had beene no other thing, it had not beene needefull that the ſame ſhould be repeated in the articles more darkely, that before nowe was ſpoken more clearely.
Of the true meaning of this article, He deſcended into hell.
THere is no doubt but that the deſcending of Chriſt into hell, is the loweſt and extreameſt degree of Chriſts humiliation, wherby he hath humbled himſelfe for vsus, and as it were put off his glorie, making himſelfe of no reputation. Acts 2. Now we muſt ſee what manner of humiliation that is, by the thinges that are ſignified by his deſcenſion into hel. The ſignifications are theſe; hel ſignifieth the graue, ſecondly by tranſlation, the place of the damned, thirdly extreame ſorrowes. Pſalme. 18 1. Sam. 2. fourthly it is taken for the condition, which is in buriall and which followeth the ſame; or els for that ſame ful ſtate of extreame ignominie, to wit, whiles they that are buried, lie oppreſſed and as it were ſwallowed vp of death, Iſaias 14.11.15.16.17. Of the firſt ſignification we hauehave ſaide, why the deſcenſion into hell muſt not be taken ſimplie for burial in this place. The other ſignification alſo to wit, the deſcenſion to the place of the damned, we hauehave ſhewed not to agree to this article. There remaineth two ſignifications, to wit, the ſorrowes of mind and that ſame ſtate or condition, which followeth thoſe ſorrowes and burying it ſelfe. In the firſt ſignification Chriſte in his whole paſſion, not onelyonly in his bodie, but in his ſoule eſpeciallie felt thoſe ſame horrible anguiſhes which Peter calleth the ſorrowes of death, Actes 2. In the verie entrance of this moſt feareful bottomles pit the voice of Chriſt doth witnes this very thing, Matth. 26. My ſoule is heauie vntounto death: in the proceeding into the ſame bottomleſſe gulfe, the droppes of bloud doe alſo witneſſe a greater anguiſh of the minde, which fell from his face vponupon the earth, Luke 22. And from the verie bottome of this gulfe proceeded yt voice of Chriſt witneſſing his extreame torments: O God my God, why hast thou forſaken me? Matth. 27. In verie deede becauſe we hauehave not onelyonly ſinned in bodie but principallie alſo in ſoule and deſerued the wrath of God: it behoued our pledge Chriſt, before that righteous tribunall ſeate of God to feele the wrath of God not only in bodie, but alſo in ſoule, and to appeaſe it, that he might be the redeemer not onelyonly of the bodie, but alſo of the ſoule. 1. Cor. 6.20. Of whih matter there is a notable place to the Hebrues Cap. 5. verſ. 7. Who (that is to ſay Chriſt) in the dayes of his fleſh did offer vp prayers and ſupplications, with ſtrong crying and teares vntounto him that was able to ſaue him from death, and was alſo heard in that which he feared, and though he were the ſonne, yet learned he obedience by the thinges which he ſuffred, and being conſecrated was made the author of eternal ſaluation vntounto all them that obey: where alſo this is to be obſerued, that the willing obedience of Chriſt is ſeene in that ſame deſcending of Chriſt. And therefore Saint Peter alſo 1. Epiſtle cap. 2 calleth Chriſt the Paſtor of ſoules. Nowe although that Chriſt in his paſſion did onelyonly feele theſe ſorrowes of hel for a time, yet notwithſtanding this ſame humiliation of the ſonne of God, into thoſe ſame extreame ſorrowes of hell enduring onelyonly for a time, is equal with thoſe euerlaſting paines, which in ſinning againſt the eternal God, we hauehave deſerued: ſeeing that ſame perſon God is euerlaſting who hath ſo humbled it ſelfe in his humaine nature, that it felt the ſorrowes of hell. Which alſo is the cauſe why thoſe ſame ſorrowes in Chriſte, could but laſt onelyonly for a time, vnderunder which the vngodlie lie ouerwhelmed for euer. Neither is there any cauſe why any man ſhould thinke, that theſe thinges which are attributed vntounto him of the Euangeliſtes, to wit, heauineſſe, feare, and to conclude, ſorrowe, all which doe ſpring of infirmitie, to be vnmeete for the perſon of Chriſte. Firſt for becauſe Chriſte not for his owne, but for our cauſe tooke theſe thinges vponupon him of his owne accorde, and therefore they withdraw nothing from his power and ſtrength. Moreouer this infirmitie of Chriſte was pure and free from all ſinne, aſwell becauſe he continued in true obedience, ſo that he ſuffered ſuch great tormentes without any blaſphemie againſt God, as alſo becauſe he left not off, to hauehave hope in God, admit he were vexed aboue meaſure, when he ceaſed not to call him his God, of whom he cryeth out that he was forſaken. Hebrues. 5. verſes 7.8.9. This ſignification which is the thirde in order, to wit, of the ſorrowes of the minde ſpringing from the curſe, doth conteine a profitable and neceſſarie doctrine agreeable with the holie Scripture, and this ſignification were ſufficient for the expounding of this article, ſauing that two pointes doe let, both that in the death of Chriſt which was accurſed thoſe ſame ſorrowes ſpringing from the feeling of the curſe are comprehended, and that ſame article of burying is adioyned. The later ſignification therefore of hell, is that ſame condition which is in buriall and which followeth the ſame, that is to ſay, whiles they which are buried, lie oppreſſed and as it were ſwallowed vp of death. And therfore Dauid ſaieth, Who ſhal cōfeſse thee in the graue? Pſa. 49.15.16 Eſai 14.11.15.16.17. Chriſt alſo would humble himſelfe euen vntounto this ſame verie ſtate, that he might lie vntil the thirde day as Ionah in the bellie of the whale, ſwallowed, and as it were ouercome of death. For ſo the Scripture ſpeaketh of Ionah, the figure of Chriſte praying out of the bellie of the fiſhe. Chapter 2. verſe 2. In my affliction I hauehave called vponupon the Lord, and he hath heard me, from the bellie of hell hauehave I called vponupon thee, and thou haſt hearde my voice. And in the fourth verſe, But I hauehave ſaide I am caſt away from thy ſight, yet I will looke towardes the temple of thy holineſſe. And verſe 6. the barres of the earth hauehave ſhutte me in for euer. Saint Peter ioyneth both ſignifications together in one & the ſame verſe Actes 2. ſaying, Whom God raiſed vp looſing the ſorrowes of death, becauſe it was impoſſible that he ſhould be holden of it. For firſt in thoſe wordes, thoſe ſame ſorrowes of death without all controuerſie, are thoſe ſame extreame tormentes not onelyonly of the bodie but principally of the minde, wherwith God would bruſe him, Eſaie. 53. and in which he being ſet and placed he crieth out, My God, my God, why hast thou forſaken me? Moreouer Peter addeth that then thoſe ſame ſorrowes of death were looſed, when God raiſed him vp from the dead, becauſe that it was impoſſible that he ſhould be holden of it: in which wordes he manifeſtly ioyneth that ſtate which followed the ſorrowes of death, and the burial with the ſorrowes themſelues. And why ſo? For although the bodie lying in the graue were voide of all ſorrowe and of all ſenſe and feeling (when Chriſt was truely, and in deede dead) notwithſtanding ſeeing that death it ſelfe, …ch was continued in the graue, ſeemed to be nothing elſe, but as it were the victorie & ful triumph ouer thoſe ſame ſorrowes and torments, Chriſt is then worthily ſaide to hauehave ouercome thoſe ſame deadly and deſperate ſorrowes, (which are truely the ſorrowes of hell) when being dead he ouercame death, that he with his might liue euerlaſtingly with God. Seeing therefore that it is certaine, that Peter entreateth there of the extreameſt degree of the humiliation of Chriſt, it followeth that by his deſcending into hell, there is noted not onelyonly the ſorrowes of death, but alſo that extreame ſhame, as the victorie of ſorrowes, whiles being holden in the graue euen vntill the thirde day, he lay as it were oppreſſed of death. Eſaie 53. ver. 8. And in verie deed although Chriſt were greatly humbled vponupon the croſſe, and was accounted of the enemies as one forlorne of God, and alſo cried out that he was forſaken of God: yet notwithſtanding their minde was not contented, neither had their rage and madnes together with Sathans ben ſatiſfied, vnleſſe hee had lien wholy ſhut vp and oppreſſed in the graue, and ſo had bene holden of death. They ſhewe that ſame diſcontentednes, Let him come down from the croſſe, and we will beleeue in him: and albeit they doe ſo triumph ouer him, whiles Chriſt truely felt thoſe ſorrowes of hell, (as alſo he witneſſeth the ſame by his voice) yet notwithſtanding it was but halfe the triumph of Satan, or as it were euen begon. For euen they by whome Sathan had triumphed ouer Chriſte as forſaken of God and nowe oppreſſed, they were doubtful & careful to continue the ſame victorie, and therefore deſire that the ſepulchre may be kept, and they alſo ſet their ſeale vponupon it. Matth. 27, verſe 62.63. And why doe they this thing? euen becauſe they ſawe that it ſhould be an imperfect or rather no victorie, vnleſſe alſo after burial the poſſeſſion of victorie might be continued, that is the cutting off of Meſſias as one altogether forſaken of God. Daniel in the 9. Chapter ſeemeth to hauehave expreſſed this great humiliation of the ſonne of God: The Meſſias ſhalbe cut off, and there ſhal be none to wit, that ſhal helpe him, he ſhalbe vtterly forſaken. yea whiles he doth not onelyonly foreſhewe that, but alſo foreſheweth an other, that it ſhal come to paſſe that he wil eſtabliſh his couenant: and in the ſeuenth Chapter, that he may eſtabliſh an euerlaſting kingdome, hee plainely prophecieth, that hee ſhall after that extreame abaſing of him ſelfe riſe againe a victorious Conquerour.
3. Moreouer beſides theſe, Paule ſheweth 1. Cor. 15. out of Oſee the Prophet, that then duplicate page duplicate page at length Chriſtes victorie ſhalbe perfect, and the deliueraunce from hell in his members, when he ſhall alſo deliuer their bodies, out of that vile eſtate in which they lie buried (for they are ſowen in diſhonour, verſe 42.) & ſhall ioyne them vntounto their ſoules: When this bodie ſubiect to corruption ſhal put on (ſaith hee) an incorrupt nature, and this mortal ſhal put on immortalitie, then ſhalbe fulfilled that which is written, Death is ſwallowed vp in victorie, O death, where is thy victorie! O hell, where is thy ſting! Therefore as long as the graue holdeth them in priſon, (but it holdeth them euen till the reſurrection) ſo long it hath ſome victorie: and that ſhal be fullie taken from it in the reſurrection of our bodies. So alſo as long as death and the graue helde Chriſt dead, and as it were vanquiſhed, ſo long continued their power ouer him: nowe the ſame is fullie taken from him when he aroſe from the dead. Laſtly the very order it ſelfe of the articles themſelues ſhewe that by the deſcending of Chriſt into hell, there is noted that ſame extreame ignominie which followed his buriall, the which thing alſo is manifeſt by the antitheſis or contrarie compariſon of Chriſte his exaltation. For to theſe ſame three degrees: He is dead, buried, and deſcended into hel, there are ſet theſe three, he is ariſen, aſcended into heauen, and ſitteth at the right hand: againſt death, is ſet reſurrection into life: againſt the graue the houſe of death, is ſet heauen it ſelfe: againſt the deſcending into hell, as the extreameſt degr e of humiliation in diſhonour, is ſet the ſitting at the right hand of GOD the Father Almightie, which is the higheſt degree of exaltation in glorie.
Of the fruite of Chriſte his deſcention into hell.
THE ſumme therefore of either ſignification of Chriſte his diſcending into hell, (of whiche the latter agreeth more properly to the order of the articles of the faith) is, that Chriſt muſt throughly be humbled or rather forſaken of God, to the end that wee might not be forſaken of GOD. Firſt his diuine nature not ſhewing forth his power that he might feele the ſorrowes of death not onelyonly in the bodie, but alſo in the ſoule: moreouer the ſame worde, or rather diuine nature keeping it ſelfe in ſecrete, and for a time not quickening that lumpe of fleſh that it had taken: but permitting the bodie pulled from the ſoule for the ſpace of three dayes, to be in the hand or power of the graue, that by all meanes, Chriſt might bee thoroughly humbled and made of no reputation for vsus, to the end we might be aſſured that not onelyonly our ſoules are deliuered from the ſorrowes of death; but that alſo all ignominie, and diſhonour, is chaſed from our bodies by this Chriſte, and his merite, and by the efficacie and vertue of him at the length fully to be takē away, albeit they be holdē for a time ſhut vp in the graue as it were conquered of death. To be ſhort, faithful mindes doe conceaue ſo much the greater confidence and truſt of the louelove of God, and of that ſame ful cleanſing which is made by the ſonne, as they ſee Chriſt to be made more humble and abiect, & that without ſinne, and ſo much the dearer they ſee that their ſaluation did coſt him.