Exposition of the Apostles Creed, Part 2 · Sermon 20
Of Christs Descent to Hell.
Ephes. 4.9, 10.
Now that he ascended, what is it, but that he descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
He that descended, is the same also which ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.
THese two Verses are inclosed in a parenthesis, and therefore they serve for an Explication of what went before. The Prophet, out of whom the former Verse was taken, foretold Christs ascent:Psa. 68.18. which being premised and granted, the Apostle makes his inference, partly concerning the Humiliation, partly concerning the Exaltation of our Saviour. He ascended; therefore he descended; that's plaine: He descended; therefore he ascended again, that's as cleare. In his descent we finde him humbled; in his ascent raised and exalted; both Acts are for his honour, our benefit. We willingly therefore attribute the whole work of our Redemption, to the Humiliation and Exaltation of our Saviour.
In his humiliation we may finde many degrees; our Creed hath express'd them in few, but full words. To descend to the Virgins womb is one step, and a low step too; for God to be made and born of a Woman, and by that birth to take upon him the forme of a servant, is humility beyond expression! To condescend to hunger and thirst, nay to be scorn'd, mock'd, and scourged, to be brought to the Cross, there to be crucified under Pontius Pilate, an unjust Judge, is another. To die there, and breath forth his soul, and to be laid up in the grave, is yet a third. Thus was he humbled in his birth, humbled by his Cross, humbled in his death, humbled in his grave. Farther I list not to go.
Now for this his humility, hath God h…ghly exalted him; He (saith the Apostle) ascended; in which it is no hard matter to finde as many honours done him. His first ascent was from the grave, his next to heaven, his third in heaven to the highest place, and there to have the honour to have all powers committed to him, to be King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.
Now betwixt these Articles, which concern our Saviours humiliation and his exaltation, as a midwall, stands this one, He descended into Hell; which some Divines refer to one state, and some to the other. What you are to judge of it, I shall shew you by and by, being led thereto by the Apostles Text; which that you may the better understand, I desire you to consider the Scope and full intent of the words.
His purpose in these two Verses was to set forth unto us the whole Office of Christ, that he descended, that he ascended; and why he descended, and why he ascended; it was that he might fill all things; and the consideration of both makes very much for his purpose, for he was to perswade to Unity, to Humility; examples are often more powerful than reasons; and can there be any more vigorous example to enduce to either than that of Christ? He descended, who can exalt himself; what proud in the presence of an humble God? He ascended, and from above sent down the spirit of Unity; will any man then dare to break the Unity of the Spirit? This is the Apostles scope and intent; these points I have not leasure to prosecute. In the words I commend unto you
1. The Person, Christ, Idem qui descendit.
2. The two contrary Acts
He ascended.
He descended.
3. The terms a quo, ad quem, from which, to which, and these contrary also.
The term to which he descended, The lower parts of the earth.
The term to which he ascended, Far above all heavens.
4. The end of both, That he might fill all things.
1. foreign, &c.
1. This same foreign, this same word ascendit, he ascended, foreign, what doth it mean? what doth it signifie? what doth it conclude? what else but that the same person descended from that place to which he ascended? Now this collection of Saint Paul will make good Christs own words, foreign;Joh. 8.58. before Abraham was born, I am, where foreign to be born, is referred to Abraham, but foreign is referred to himself, I am, which is the proper name of God;Psal. 68.18. God then he was of God before he descended. The Prophet then knew, that he was Jehovah; the Prophet in the Psalm out of which this verse was taken, calls him Jehovah; and the Apostle takes it for granted that he was Jehovah, existent above before he was existent below; or else how could he have said he ascended,Greg. Schol. in loc. foreign, if he had not known, that he descended first?
This was a peculiar that belonged to Christs person alone; Angels 'tis true descended from thence,Gen. 28.22. and took humane bodies for a time; but their oeconomy being done, they laid them aside, to heaven they did not carry them; You have heard of Enochs Translation;Heb. 11.5. 2 Reg. 2.11. you have read of Eliahs mounting th…ther in a fiery chariot; Nay we all profess our belief to ascend thither in these our bodies, who yet descended not from that place; that then this collection of the Apostle stand good, necessary it is that we attribute somewhat more to him than to them, more to Christ than to Eliah, Enoch, than to our selves.
Now this difference doth not arise out of the ascent and descent; for the acts are and may be affirmed of Angels and men; but from the quality of the person who doth ascend. Never any that came down from heaven, and assumed a humane body, ascended in that humane body but he; never any, that in a humane body ascended, came first down from heaven but he; which evinceth, that he was not onelyonly man, but God also. Certainly if Christ were meerly from the earth, as we are; the Apostles collection were very weak, nay none at all; he could not have said, he descended first. But let it be supposed, that he was God from everlasting, then it follows necessarily, that his ascent from the earth to heaven, will i…fer his descent from heaven to the earth, of which our Saviour himself puts us in mind, No man ascended into heaven, Joh. 3.13.but he who descended from heaven, even the Son of man, who is in heaven.
It was then the self same person that descended, and the self same that ascended; the same which came from the Father, and the same that went to the Father; yet with this difference, That whereas in his descent, he was onelyonly God, in his ascent he was both God and man. The person was the same, foreign ipse, vers. 10. but otherwise qualified; he assumed our Nature into the subsistence of his person, and took that to heaven with him which he brought not thence.
In Christ there was but one person, but two natures;1 Tim. 3.16. for God was manifested in the flesh, which being granted, easie it is to explain these two acts of his ascent and descent, and to know how to attribute them. In the same respect they are not to be taken; for we must refer his descent to what he was before he was man, that is, being God on high, it pleased him to descend, and to be made man; which was no natural motion,Phil. 2.7. but an empting himself of his glory, and taking upon him the form of a Servant. But for his ascent, it must be referred to that person he then was; God invested with the nature of man, to which we may and do attribute a local motion. Truely then and properly in respect of his humanity, he did ascend from earth to heaven, as naturally as his body arose from the grave; And yet we say, that whole Christ did really ascend foreign, because the Attributes proper to one own nature, are attributed to the whole person.
When therefore the Apostle saith, he who descended, is the same which also ascended, he intimates to us two things. First, that it is the same person, to whom these two Acts are attributed; then that these two acts must be understood after a different manner, viz. That he descended as God, without change of place. But as man he ascended to heaven, and went from us.
Who the person is, we now see, and in what sense the Acts are appliable to him. The next is, that we consider the places to which he came, to which he went, about which there is some difficulty; and what interpreters have thought of both, you shall now here.
2. He descended into foreign, into the lower parts of the earth.
1. Some understand by the lower parts of the earth the Virgins womb, in which the Son of God was conceived and made man; in which sense we find the phrase once used, and but once onelyonly; I was fashioned secretly,Psal. 139.15. Tachijoth Arets, in the lowest parts of the earth, where David by a Metaphor resembles the lowest parts of his mothers belly, where he was framed and formed, to the lowest part of the earth; noting the strange secret of his conception and formation in his mothers wombe; that from the earth as from a common mother he came, that thither he must return; that below he was fashioned by a secret way, as metals and minerals lye and grow in the depths of this common parent. All which though true, yet I believe it reacheth not home to the Apostles intent; for his purpose is here to expound those words of David, He ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, he gave gifts unto men; which was done upon his ascent, not descent to the Virgins womb. Since then Christ during the time of his conception did not lead captivity captive, nor gave these gifts; his Mothers womb cannot aptly pertain to the Apostles purpose in this place; some other sense will be more appliable to Inferiores partes terrae, the lower parts of the earth.
2. By these parts then others understand terram ipsam, the earth it self, which because it is Insima pars mundi, the lowest element of the world, is here called by Hypallage inferiora terrae, the lower part of the earth; so that here should not be a comparison of the parts of the earth one to another, but of the parts of the world one to another; so that the Apostles meaning should be no more, but that he descended from heaven to the earth, left the happiness of heaven, emptyed himself of his glory; took upon him the condition of men, that condition which the poorest, the meanest, the most inferior man on earth hath done; even that of a servant, and subjected himself to our misery. But this interpretation is subject to the same difficulties that the former was; and had the Apostle meant no more then his being on earth, he might have expressed it without inferiora terrae. Besides, here is a plain opposition betwixt the places whither he came, and whither he went. Now the surface of the earth, bears no true opposition to the foreign, the height to which he ascended; Descending and ascending, must have contrary extremes, from which, and to which the motion is made; therefore to the highest heavens, to which Christ ascended, the Apostle opposeth the lower parts of the earth, to which he Descended.
3. Which some discerning, go a step farther, and by the lower parts of the earth understand the grave, and the condition of the dead; and to this purpose they alledge those words of our Saviour,Mat. 12.40. As Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the Whale, so must the Son of man be three dayes and three nights in the heart of the earth. So that they make here a comparison betwixt the parts of the earth; one the upper, upon which we breath, live, walk; another inferior, in which our bodies must be laid after our departure hence. Thus they say, Christ descended into the lower parts of the earth; that is, into his sepulcher, as other men, and that for some hours his body was held under the captivity of death.
Thus much must be granted, yet it satisfies not; for here again, a grave some three foot deep, will carry no proportion to the highest heavens; and in his Grave he was led captive himself, then shewed not any conquest over death; that I say not, he gave no gifts to men. That then this his conquest may be full, over Hell, Satan, death, sin, and all the power of darkness, there is yet a fourth interpretation of these words.
4. Eighteen of the ancient fathers, and twelve of the best modern Divines, do profess that Christ did descend locally to that place,Bilson p. 544. Bellar. de desc. c. 14. 4. which was prepared for the Divel, his Angels, and all wicked men; so that it can be no impiety by the lower parts of the earth to understand that place. The grey hairs of antiquity, and the concurrent judgement of the soundest divines hath been always so venerable with me, that I never durst steer a contrary course against them, where they oppose not the Scriptures; which since they do not in this point, I rather choose to tread in their steps, then to follow the mazes of new emptyer men.
But touching this place of the Apostle, I willingly admit of all these four expositions, every one of them having great authors, and being consonant to the Analogy of Faith; for if he descended be referred to the Incarnation, it agrees well with the Article, He descended from heaven, and was born of the Virgin Mary. If to his life and sufferings, to his Passion under Pontius Pilate; if to his grave, he was dead and buryed; if to his entring and invading the Tartarus, he descended to hell. Therefore we cannot err from truth, if we say, that he descended to the lower parts of the earth, all, or any of these ways. But because the last is more doubted: two reasons there are alledged by Zanchy, Zanchy in loc.why he conceives this last sense comes neerest to the intention of the Apostle.
First, because here is an evident Antithesis betwixt above all heavens, and the lowest parts of the earth, as I said before; but that place to which he ascended, is litterally to be understood; and therefore in reason this also. Thus the text will keep just correspondence betwixt his high and his low; that was ad summa coeli, the highest top of the heavens, than which none higher; this then ad ima terrae, to the lowest parts of the earth, than which none lower, none beneath them.
Then again, the Apostle saith not simply Christ descended; be it to his mothers womb, to the form of a servant, to death, to the grave, descendit would have served for either; but expresly he names the lower parts of the earth, intimating a lower descent than the former.
Now this place so expounded, very well agrees with the Article of our Creed, He descended into Hell; which the best Divines have understood not of a virtual or effectual onelyonly, but of a local descent; and therefore I see no reason without any figures, without any allusions, that the place be litterally understood; especially since the same Truth is held forth to us in other places; such are, Thou shalt not leave my soul in hell, Psal. 16.10. Act. 2.
The Son of man must be in the heart of the earth, Mat. 12.
Who shall descend into the deep? i. e. to bring Christ from the dead, Rom. 10.7.
He preach't to the spirits which were in Prison, 1 Pet. 3.19.
The Gospel was preach't to the dead, 1 Pet. 4.6.
Having then so just occasion given me, I shall here enquire into the sense of that Article, He descended into Hell. Now because this word Hell is of great latitude and very ambiguous, the Article hath been subject to diverse constructions.
1. Hell is taken for the Grave, as the Heb. Sheol, and foreign in the Septuagint. From whence there be, that have taken occasion to expound the Article of our Saviours burial, as if He descended to Hell, imported no, more than that after he was dead he was honorably buryed. This exposition seems to me over jejune, and flat; for thus much was contained in the clause before, He was buryed: So that admitting this sense, we have the same thing over and over; which cannot be well conceived in so short a sum as the Creed is. For what is it else to say He was buryed and descended into Hell, i. e. into the grave, but to profess that he was buryed, and that he was buryed? Neither can any man with just reason affirm, that this clause expounds the former, because it is much more difficult and hard than the former, which is quite and clean contrary to the nature of all exegetical and expository sentences, which ought to be far more clear than the precedent; for how else can they be said to explain? This falls not out here, but the clean contrary; for every child can easily conceive what is meant by Buryed, whenas many learned Divines have disputed what is intended by his descent into Hell. 'Tis not therefore probable that in the Creed foreign should be foreign, Hell should be the grave.
2. Let us now look into the second opinion, and see what likelihood of Truth is in it. There are who judge, He descend into Hell, signifies no more but that Christ was under the dominion of death, was held captive in the grave, and lay there in bondage and prison, as it were for three dayes. But th…s exposition seems too cold also.
1. For in the new Testament foreign & foreign are precisely distinguished; foreign, Hell in the Creed, in N. T. never signifies foreign, the death of the body, but is distinct from it, and is a consequent to it. Thus much Saint John in plain words doth witness; his name that sate on the pale horse was foreign, Death,Rev. 6.8. Luc. 16.23. Mat. 16 18. Rev. 20.13. and foreign, Hell followed him. Again, Lu. 16. foreign is a place of torment in which the rich glutton was tormented, not a place common to good and bad, as the grave is. So Mat. 16. The gates of Hell foreign, shall not prevail. So also Rev. 20. Death and Hades gaves up their Dead; Death her prisoners, the Saints and other bodies in the grave; and Hades those who were buryed in Hell. Why therefore Hades should be taken in any other sense in the Creed,Ignat. Estpi. ad Trull. than it is in the New Testament, I see not. Sure I am that Ignatius understood it in no other, when he affirms of Christ, foreign. He descended to Hades alone; which cannot be true, if Hades be taken for the grave.
2. Three rules are exactly to be observed in the exposition of these words. 1. Distinction of matter. 2. Consequence of order. 3. Propriety of words. Now this exposition is contrary to all three; For it is a superfluous, disorderly, and aenigmatical iteration. Superfluous, for so much was said before; for was not thus much set down to us, when we heard that Christ was dead? for what is it else to dye, then to come under the common state and condition of the dead? 2. Disorderly, for twas no place to mention the power and dominion of death after his Burial. 3. Aenigmatical, obscure, and improper; for it cannot be properly asserted that Christ was under the dominion of death; for his death differed from other mens in three respects. First in the cause; theirs was from sin, so was not his; then in the manner; theirs necessary; his voluntary. Lastly, in the consequent; they dye and rot in the grave; but he saw no corruption; he alone was free among the dead.
3. A third sense is given to this Article, He descended to Hell, by the Doctors of the Romane Church, farther off the truth than either of the former, and more derogatory to the efficacy of Christs death. So much they have encroached upon the Common of Hell, that they have taken out of it three main inclosures, and left onelyonly a fourth part for the Divel and his company. A man would think they had been appointed Surveyors of that place, they can so exactly and cunningly make their draughts, and quarter out the divels kingdom.
The lowest peice of it they acknowledge to be that same Sheol, or Hades, infernum, or Tartarus, a prison from which there is no Redemption, over whose gate may be written that golden and best verse of the Poet, Rev. 20.10. Mat. 25.41.Discite justitiam moniti, & non temn…re Divos.
It is that Lake burning with fire and brims…ome, prepared for the Divel and his Angels.
Above this they say there's another place, not much easier for torment, but more comfortable for time; 'tis so neer that lower furnace, that the fire thereof flames and streams into every part of this region. Marry the comfort is, that a Dirge or indulgence bought at the Popes hand, or at the worst, some time will free a poor soul from this fearful place. And this is that room calld Purgatory, and well it may; for it hath purged more purses of money, than souls from venial sins, as they speak.
These two are the main parts; now view the skirts, the buttals and boundals of this kingdom according to their draught; in their own notion they are Limbi; and two they make of them, the old and the new.
The old was called Limbus patrum, a brim or skirt of Hell, where they suppose that the souls of Abraham and the Patriarchs, Prophets, and holy servants of God before Christs death and descent remained without comfort or joy, untill Christ by his descending thither, did bring a general Jubilee, and a plenary indulgence for their delivery; but this imaginary Limbus is by their own confession long since broken off and dissolved. No such place in being now.
But lest Hell should be without a border, they have now found out a new hem for it; Limbus puerorum, and placed in it, all unbaptized Infants, and such as dye onelyonly in the guilt of original sin; a place it is, say they, of darkness, situate next above their supposed Purgatory; yet so as the fire of the lowest Hell reacheth not unto it. Detained poor Infants are there, not burned.
For what they affirm of Hell, the Scripture is their wartant; but their Purgatory, and Limbus puerorum it is an imagination, and having onelyonly some colourable texts forced by them to speak for it, they impose upon the conscience, when they make it an Article of faith. I cannot now stand to dispute the point; thus much onelyonly I shall say, that Homer and Virgil, those noble Bards sung of it in Greek and Latin verses; and that it was smothered long in the Church: That in Gr…gories time it began to burn out; And it hath an admirable faculty contrary to all other fire; for whereas, that destroys and wasts,Spalat. de rep. Ecc. lib. 5. c. 8. Sect. 73. and burns down all things; this hath erected and set up many a Monastry, enriched and encreased Peters patrimony; and the profit is so great, that it is held fit to burn till this day. How many a Romish Priest rubs his hands, and saith,Isa. 44.16. Ah I am warm, I have seen the fire!
But for Limbus patrum, taken in a right sense, not in theirs, there may be more said. Many fathers, say they, were of this opinion; a number indeed there was, and that considerable, but not universal. All said it not; Origen, Chrysost. Hierom, Augustine, Ambrose affirm, that the place was Abrahams bosom, a place far higher than Hell, saith Tertullian. The highest heaven, saith a Jesuite; no verge then or list of the Romish Hell. Did they mean no more by their Limbus patrum, it were tolerable; but in strictness of speech,Luc. 16.26, 23. Zach. 9.11. that foreign in Saint Luke, the bosom of Abraham, the Lake in Zachary will not fully prove it, by the confession of their own Jesuites, Salmeron, Maldonate, and Ribera.
Indeed it is not agreeable to Gods mercy, that he should take those sanctified souls of Noah, Abraham, the Prophets, &c. and deliver them up, to lye in durance for more or less hundreds of years, to suffer poenam damni, and groan after their inheritance; especially, when their merits were, as the Pontificians teach, beyond those of ordinary Christians; because when the grounds of their Faith and love were less evident, the fruits of both were more eminent and excellent. This also would be enquired into, whether it doth not more magnifie the power and Grace of a Saviour, to free from pain altogether, than to deliver a poor man from punishment, when he is under it? Certainly, deliverance from danger by prevention, so far, that we never come under it, or in the compass of it, is ano…her manner of favour than the deliverance by recovery; for that keeps us from it; this onelyonly draws us out of the endurance we are already in.
Now, why I pray, should not the Patriarchs be as capable of this favour and liberty, as we, who have lived since? Their faith was the same with ours, and their means to escape the same with ours. As we, so they; and as they, so we were all by reason of sin to be sent to the same place; our deliverance is from the same cause, Christ the means to save both.Revel. 13.8. But his death was effectual before he dyed, he being that Lambe that was slain from the beginning of the world; like the Sun in the firmament, he casts the beams of his Grace backward and forward, to both ends of the world, being equally a Redeemer unto the faithful as well before as since his comming. And why then should not they be redeemed as fully as we are, when the cause was the same, and the means to obtain the favour the same? what reason is there, but that the same effect should follow? Christ suffered for them, as for us; they as well as we believed and hoped for happiness by his blood; why then must we go to heaven, and they poor souls remain for so long a time in Limbo?
Again, what befell to some of them, might happen to others likewise in this case; there being no more reason to admit one to heaven than another. But some were exalted to that place of bliss before our Saviours ascension; so was Enoch, so was Elias; Elias by their own confession, that I instance not in the thief on the cross, who the day he dyed was in Paradise; and therefore what reason is there to admit any,Luc. 23.43. and not to admit all? to exclude any, and not to exclude all? If the reason be what they alledge, because Christ had not yet opened the kingdom of heaven; this reason must as well exclude Enoch and Elias, as any of the rest.
But this reason is of no force to exclude any of Gods elect from heaven, before Christ had overcome the sharpness of death;Dr. Jackson on the Creed, lib. 8. c. 33. for heaven is one thing, and the kingdom of heaven imports another. So that it is one thing to say, that the souls of righteous men deceased were in heaven before our Saviour ascended thither; another to say, they were in the kingdom of heaven, or Citizens of that Kingdom. And he who denys the souls of the Patriarchs to be partakers of the Kingdom of Heaven before our Saviours Death and Resurrection, cannot be concluded to grant that they were in Limbo, or in any other region under the earth, or under the stars.
I conclude then, that Hell in the Creed, cannot be taken for Limbus patrum; and that Christ descended not thither to free the Fathers thence, for they were not there; but in heaven, in Paradise, in Abrahams bosom, where they might perhaps be delayed till Christs ascension; yet there they enjoy'd a general felicity, though not that which they shall enjoy at the consummation of all things,Joh. 14.2, 3. Heb. 11.40. when body and soul being joyned, shall be taken and seated in that place which Christ is gone before to prepare for them. They without us shall not be perfect.
4. These three expossitions then being unapt for the Creed, let us consider, whether we cannot meet with some other more agreeable to the Scripture. Two there are yet behinde; for there are that take Hell Metaphorically; and there are that take it really, and locally.
1. Those that expound this by a Metaphor, take Hell here not for a place, but the torments of hell; they affirm then that Christ in his soul for seventeen hours together, beginning at his agony in the garden, till he gave up the Ghost, suffered in his soul the pains of hell. Had they meant no more but this, that then our Saviours sorrows were extreme and vehement, sorrows never the like, pains never the like, caused through the wonderful apprehension of Gods wrath lying upon his soul, there had been no impiety in this opinion, though too far yet removed from the true sense of the Creed; but when they assert, Diros in anima cruciatus danmati & perditi homixis pertulit; Perinde alienatum se à Deo sensit, ac si in suam perniciem conspirasset; When they say, he must undergo the whole wrath of God, undergo the first and second death, bear all the burden of our sins; This is it which I cannot assent to, in that it differs, being well sifted, but very little from blasphemy. But of this opinion I say no more now, having lately said so much of it.
2. These four senses being all upon so good grounds, thought unapt for this place; I will now deliver, what I judge most suitable to this Article, viz. That Christ sometime in Triduo mortis, the time I define not, did really descend in soul into the place of the damned.
This sense is most litteral, natural, and agreeable to the words, no way liable to any Tautology, nor repugnant to the Analogy of faith, consorting with the plain words of Scripture, and testimonies of the ancient fathers, and the most judicious Divines of later times. I add, that it seems to me to be the sense of the Church of England, at the first time of reformation, received and delivered to us in the 37. Article, as appears by these words of Mr. Noels Catechism, Christum ut corpore in terrae viscera, i…a animâ â corpore separatâ ad inferos, ad inferos ipsos descendisse credimus. We believe, that as Christs body was laid in the bowels of the earth; so his soul being separated from his body, did descend to the places below, even to those very places; and this Catechism is authorised by the publique approbation of our Church. Now the reasons that perswade this exposition, are drawn out of the Scriptures, the Testimonies of Theologues, and the ends of Christs descent.
1. We have both Testaments to speak for it, Old and New;Psal. 16.11. David in the Psalm saith it plainly in the person of Christ, Thou shalt not leave my soul in Hell, neither shalt thou suffer thy Holy one to see corruption; and that we should not be mistaken, to him Saint Peter applies it;Act. 2.31. which words contain a special prerogative verified in none but in the true Messias and Saviour of the world. Saint Peters purpose there was to prove him Lord and Christ; thats his conclusion; his medium to prove this, is drawn from the priviledge of his body and soul; his body as Davids did, corrupted not in the Grave,Vers. 36. and his soul though in Hell, was not left there; each part returns to life with greater glory; the flesh free from corruption, the soul superior to destruction. Saint Peter therefore applying this sentence to the resurrection of Christ, doth as it were with his finger point out the places, whence these two parts were to be brought; the soul from Hell, for that could not hold it; and the body from the grave, that it should not corrupt there. Add to this, that if by Sheol or foreign, we should understand the grave in this place, the phrase would be very improper, since no mans soul can be said to be left in the grave, into which it never comes.
2. I forbear other places of the old Testament, and come to the new; among which this of my Text is one principal. For that reason before alledged, that there is no proportion betwixt the highest heavens, and a grave three foot deep; I add here, that the Scripture is the best intepretor of Scripture; now the lower parts of the earth are in other places of the sacred text put for Hell. Ezekiel foretelling the ruin of the Assyrian for his pride,Ezek. 31.14. compares him to a tree; and to the end that none of all the trees by the waters exalt themselves, &c. they are delivered to death, to the neather parts of the earth with them that go down to the pit, where Eretz tachtith hath manifestly the same sense with Sheol tachath, Esa. 14.9. hell from beneath or below.Isa. 14.9. Here the prophet threatens to them two distinct things, Death, and a descent to the neather parts, and gives such sight, speech, affections to them, which those in hell may have and use, but not they in the grave. I spare other places to confirm this, because I hasten, and come to the famous place of Saint Paul, Rom. 10.6, 7.
Say not thou in thy heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? Rom. 10.6, 7.that is to bring Christ down from above: Or who shall descend in Abyssum, into the deep? that is to bring Christ again from the Dead, &c.
The Apostle alludes here to Moses words, and fits them to Christ; Moses speech is of the Law, and his meaning is plain,Deut. 30.12, 14. that the Jews could not pretend in excuse of their disobedience, the knowledge of Gods will hid from them in heaven, or far removed by sea, that they should say, Who shall ascend? &c. for it was nigh them, &c. This the Apostle applies to the Gospel. The way now to decline death, and obtain life, is not to look to the Law, but to Christ; yea, but where shall we find him? Oh saith the Apostle, Away with all such thoughts. Ne dicas, say it not, think it not; ask not, Who shall acend to heaven to see whether God be reconciled to us through Christ? aske not, Who shall descend to the deep to see whether death be disarmed, and hell gates broken?
After Christs descension and ascension, to ask Who shall ascend to procure life? or Who shall descend in Abyssum to destroy death for us? savours of infidelity; and through want of faith frustrates what Christ hath purchased for us.Ver. 8, 9. The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth. And he that shall confesse with his mouth, and believe with his heart, that God raised up Jesus from the dead, to be Lord of all, i. e. to save from death, and give life, shall be saved. This …s the Apostles intent and purpose in this place.
Faith therefore informes us, that Christ is that person who ascended to heaven, to carry us thither with him; and who descended in Abyssum, to destroy him that had the power of death. Now Abyssus is never in Scripture used for the grave; it signifies sometimes the depth of the Sea, and bottome of the earth, and is Metaphorically taken for the deep counsels of God, and desperate troubles of men, in the Old Testament: But in the New, only for the bottomless pit, whither the Devils a re afraid to go: as appears by their Petition to Christ, That they be not commanded to depart foreign, into the deep, Luk. 8.31. Rev. 20.where they are lock'd and chain'd when God pleaseth. It seems then by the Apostles Ne dicas, No more doubt to be made of his descent, than of his ascent.
I am not ignorant how that place of St. Peter is brought to confirme this Opinion.1 Pet. 3.18, 19. The words are, Christ suffered once, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit, by which he also went, and preach'd to the spirits which are in prison, which sometimes were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, &c.
Aug. Ep. 99. ad Euodium. 1 Pet. 4.6. Aret. in Loc.This is one of those places in which an Elephant may swimm. St. Augustine acknowledgeth it a depth, and thought he could not sound it. Every Interpreter complaines of the obscurity; and it may be it is like that the Gospel was preach'd to the Dead; of which Aretius affirmes, that the School in heaven shall inform us. The light which abler Divines lent me, I thus hold forth:
Take the word Spirit for the Soul of Christ; and the word foreign, for kept alive, then the sense is this, Christ dyed in his Body, but continued alive in his Soul, by which he went and preached to the damned souls detained in the Prison of Hell, and those who had been disobedient in the time of Noah; not those only, but those especially, because they were the most famous, the most obstinate sinners, not repenting when the Son of God spake and call'd them to amendment by Noahs tongue.
This is more consonant to the full intention of St. Peter, who purposely speaking of the death of Christ, vers. 18. pursueth the consequents thereof in order; as first his descent to the spirits in prison, vers. 19. Then his Resurrection, vers. 21. After his Ascension, vers. 22. Lastly, His Session at Gods right hand, in the same verse, &c. Angels, and authorities and powers being made subject to him. This is the most Natural sense, as I conceive, of this place, and serves evidently to prove the Article, That Christ descended to Hell.
These be the especial Scriptures upon which the literal Exposition is grounded. And this is the general judgement of the most Ancient Fathers, and the best Learned of Modern Divines of the reformed Churches. Ignatius, Irenaeus, Cyprian, Athanasius, Eusebius, Hilary, Nazianzen, Chrysost. Hieron, Augustine, Cyrill, &c. whose plaine Testimonies I forbear to recite, because they may be read in Bishop Bilson, Bilson. p. 544.& Bellarmine de Christi anima. lib. 4. cap. 14. And for later Divines, Peter Martyr, Zanchy, Aretius, Hemingius, Moller, Pomeran, Musculus, Ʋrbanus, Regues, Chy…aeus, Luther, &c. and our Church of England, affirm it. If any man be otherwise minded,Phil. 3.15. Deus revelabit; in the mean time let him not disturb the peace of the Church about it. I must draw toward an end; But I cannot choose but call to your memories, those reasons given by Divines, which in all probability moved Christ to descend. Three ends they assign for it.
1. That the souls of Infidels and wicked men there tortured, might confess, that however their punishments were sharp, yet they were very just. The seed of the woman to break the Serpents head, was promised to them; Salvation by Christ to come was prophesied; but this they derided, this they mocked at, as in the dayes of Noah; but now they might see all perform'd; he that was to come, was …ome; and because they neglected him of whom they had so often heard, their condemnation was just.Heb. 2.2, 3. This was a real and experimental Sermon; thus the Gospel might be said to be preach'd to the dead. In which he did upbraid to the spirits of obstinate men, what a gracious Saviour they had cast aside.
2. Satan the great Prince of darkness might see all his power to be weakned, broken, and utterly ruin'd. He and his servants for an houre had their will on him; betray'd, scourg'd, crucified him,Luk. 22.53. Mat. 4.3. like an infirme and weak man; This might put him to enquire, If thou be the Son of God. But that now he might see who and what he was, He descended, and broke the Gates of Brass, caused the Keepers of those Gates to tremble, trode under his feet the Serpent, Death, Hell, Triumphed over him in his own Fort, beat him in his own Kingdome; took and bound the strong man,Luk. 11.22. Col. 2.14, 15. and leads him and all his Troops Captive. I cannot set up a more eminent Trophee for this victory, than St. Paul hath done; where, after the Bond cancell'd, and nailed to the Cross, he goes on, and sets Christ, as I may so say, in Sellâ Curuli, in his Triumphant Chariot, teaching us, that he despoyled principalities and powers, and made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them. In which words the Apostle alludes to the manner of Heathen Triumphs. For it was their custome after a Victory, to erect some monument in the place where the Battel was fought and won. This being done, there often followed an open shew, in which the Conquerour was mounted in a triumphal Chariot, and the chief of his enemies being bound and pinioned, were led openly after him.
This Battel was fought upon Mount Calvary betwixt Christ and the devil. There Christ vanquished him, and erected a Trophee in remembrance that he got the day, and after prosecuted his Victory even to Hell, took there principalities and powers, i. e. the devil, his angels, hell, death, and condemnation-prisoners, spoyled them of their Armour and Weapons, chain'd them and bound them each to other, foreign,Zanchy in loc. carried them along the open aire, and dragg'd them after him in the sight of Almighty God only, and the blessed Spirits.
3. And this could not choose but give great content to the souls and spirits of just men deceased before (who, while they lived, believed and hoped in Christ) to perceive the work of their Redemption finished, all their enemies vanquished, Death, Hell, and the lord of both conquer'd and utterly subdued. Whether therefore we reflect upon the Reprobate, the Devil. or Gods Elect, there be excellent comforts in this one Article. The Reprobate are thereby convinced, the Devil destroyed, and the spirits of just men assured that hell never shall have any power to torment them.
But could not thus much have been done, had not his soul descended thither? Yes, no Question. But if yet it pleased him to descend to …hat dismal place, not to suffer any thing, but there to begin his triumph, we are to admire his love, and congratulate his Victory.
Thus have I deliver'd what I conceive of this point, viz. That Christ in his Soul after his death, descended not only virtually, but locally into Hades; not to suffer any thing for our Redemption,Joh. 19.30. there being for that a C…nsummatum upon the Cross, but to triumph over all our spiritual enemies: So that I make not this Article to be the last of his Humiliation and abasement; but the first step of his exaltation and advancement. If any man shall think otherwise, I condemn him not, as I desire he would not do me. Let the Rule of Charity guide both; That since all confess the truth of the Article, and differ only in the sense, we make no Scisme in Christs seamless coat about it, raise no discord in the Church, but endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.Eph. 4.3.
3. He ascended farre above all heavens.
You have seen one term of our Saviours motion, as low as low may be. Now will you but look upon the other, you shall see him as high as high may be. In the verse before, it was On high; which is somewhat a doubtful word; for any way above or from the earth, is on high. The Apostle then to remove all doubt, that we might know what height, what altitude he meant, expounds it for us. To that pitch he came that he was foreign, above, and foreign, aloft; above the heavens, above all the heavens, even the highest of them.
But of our Saviours Ascension I shall not at this time speak more, there being a fitter opportunity for it when I shall come to treat of that Article. I go on then to the last words of the Text, which shew the end of these two motions, and which will give much light to the former Exposition; to which purpose Divines make advantage of it. The end was,
4. That he might fill all things.
The end is that which perfects all things. This, though last in execution, is first in intention. To give then satisfaction that way, the Apostle omits not that neither, but opens the end why he did descend, why he did ascend; why to the depth, why to the heigth: Ir was that he might fill all things. The word foreign, is of great latitude; and Interpreters refer it to divers Supposites; some to Officia; some to De se scripta, some to Dona, some to Loca; some make it the singular number, and understand foreign, Every man; all carry a good sense with them, and proper enough to the Text.
1 Tim. 2.5.1. The Office of a Mediator Christ undertook for us; and this Office he was to execute partly above, partly below. To earth he descended to take flesh, to teach, to suffer, to die, to be buryed: To the lower parts of the earth to triumph. But as yet the whole work of our Redemption was not finished; somewhat was to be done in heaven for us; thence he was to be a King, to give Laws and Govern; there as a high Priest, to intercede and interpose for us, thence to pour down the gifts of his Spirit, and set Officers in his Church; To earth then he came, and to heaven he went, foreign, that he might execute the Office of a King, Priest, and Prophet.
2. This is an excellent Interpretation of the Apostles Text; and yet there is a second, He descended and ascended, that he might fill all things; that is, all things that were written of him. Whatsoever was foretold of him, were but as it were empty things till they were fulfill'd. All were but in promises, in shadows, in types, in figures and prophesies only, which fill not, God he knows. Had they given full content, why is it that those who liv'd then,Isa. 64.1. Cant. 8.1. Col. 1, 19. Luk. 24.44. were still in expectation? why were they so earnest? O that thou wouldst break the heavens and come down. O that thou wer'st as my Brother. That which could fully satisfie, it seems was he alone, in whom dwelt all fulness. Descend then, and ascend he would, to fulfill all that was written of him, in Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalmes.
3. And yet there is more in it; you may joyn Omnia to Loca, and the sense will be this. The partition of these places is in the Apostle tripartite, Things in …eaven, things on earth, things under the earth. The earth he visited in his flesh. Those parts below the earth, in his Soul; and that he might fill all places with his humanity, he now ascended to heaven. For the Apostle speaks of Christ as of a great King who takes possession of his Kingdome: not by taking a view of every particular place, but the chief only; which being done, he is acknowledg'd for a Prince in all places, and all do him homage. It was so in this case; Terrena, in earth his Saints bow willingly before him: Here and under the earth the Divel and his Angels are forc'd to bow to him; and in Heaven the Angels and blessed Spirits fall low before him. The power of his Scepter, and glory of his Majes…y hath fill'd all things.
4. But what now if foreign, all be referr'd to all kinds and sorts of men, of which the Church of the Elect is built up? those which inhabited not Judea only, but all parts of the earth?Phil. 2.10. Eph. 2.14, 15. Eph. 4.12. Act. 2.4. Joh. 16 7. For now the partition-wall was broken down, and the gifts and graces of his Spirit he hath imparted to all. To all a share in a fit measure for the joynting of the Saint, for the work of the Ministry, for the perfecting of his Body. And when these gifts were thus bestowed, there was a filling; the Sacred Text expresseth it plainly, They were all filled with the Holy Ghost. But had they not been thus fill'd, had he not ascended? It seems not. For he told his Apostles, Exce…t I go away, the Spirit will n…t come unto you. No Spirit to be given, till Jesus was glorified.
The Consequent then is very natural and proper to this place, He that descended, is the same which ascended, that he might (which without his ascent he would not) fill all the hearts of his Elect people with the gifts of his holy Spirit. By his ascension above all the heavens he hath fill'd up all the Texts, every Title that was written of him; he hath fulfill'd all his Offices, he hath fully shew'd his Merit and Victory in all places; he hath fill'd the hearts of his Saints with all necessary graces; in one word, Implevit Omnia, He hath fill'd all things.
The CONCLƲSION.
I suppose I need not use many words unto you to ascend; not a man, who is not ambitious, and would fain be above. The place at the right and left hand in Christs Kingdom, supposed by them who spoke it,Joh. 7.39. and since desire it to be on earth, is eagerly affected by more than Zebedees sons. But then remember, as you affect the place, so you take the way to come thither. In which, that you err not, let Christ who is the way be your guide; make account to come thither the same way that he went. Here on high, and above all heavens you see he is; but I pray forget not by what steps he came thither. Was it by exalting himself? was it by bearing a broad sayl in the World? No such thing; remember there was a descent before; foreign, &c.Mark 10.37. That he ascended, what is it but that he descended?
Ascendit Angelus, & factus est Diabolus, The Angel ascended, and he was made a Divel. Why so? He never descended first; and therefore he is now in the bottom of Hell. Whereas he who first descended, and after ascended, is now in the top of heaven: To teach us that an high top, if it stand firm, must have a low root. We must be as he was, before we can b… capable to be as he is; descend by humility, condescend by charity, or else there is little hope to ascend after him.
Our Saviour by his example hath taught us, That an humble mind is the way to an high a…d glorious estate. This St. Paul proposeth to us, Let the same minde be in y…u, Phil. 2.5.that was in Christ; who being equal with God, made himself of no reputation, but was found in the shape of a servant: Thus much you must be content to be;Gal. 5.13. servants of God, servants to one another. Now proud thoughts, and proud looks become not servants. Nothing mo…e becomes that state than humility.
In what low and humble postures and terms have the servants of God appear'd before him?Gen. 18.27. Gen. 32.10. Ps. 116.16. Mat. 3.11. Luk. 15.19. Luk. 7.6. Luk. 5.8. 1 Cor. 15.9. I am but dust and ashes, saith Abraham; I am not worthy of the least of thy mercies, saith Jacob; I am thy servant, thy servant, and the sonne of thy hand-maid, saith David; I am n t worthy to loose the latchet of thy shooe, saith John; Not worthy to be called thy Son, saith the Prodigal; Not worthy that thou should'st come under my roof, saith the Centurion; A sinful man, saith St. Peter; Not worthy to be called an Apostle, saith St. Paul. Thus humble these best servants of God were in the presence of their Lord.
And how ready every one of these were to serve each other in love, is as evident.Gen. 13.8, 9, 10 Gen. 33.3, 14, 15. Psa. 53.13. Isa. 41.8. Rom. 4.16. Isa. 44.1, 2. Psa. 78.71. Mat. 3.15. Mat. 8.10. Gal. 2.7, 9. Act. 9.15. Abraham is humble, even to Lot his Nephew: Jacob speaks out of the dust to his Brother: David puts on Sackcloth for his enemies: I forbear more examples, This was their descent before God, to men; little they were in their own eyes; yet none greater in the eyes of God than these. For Abraham from his dust and ashes, is raised to be the friend of God, to be the father of the faithful. Jacob to be his servant: David from the sheep-fold to feed his people: The Baptist unworthy to unty his shooe, to pour water on his head: The Centurion a man of greater faith than any in Israel; Peter from his boat, to be one of the chief of the Apostles; and Paul, notwithstanding his unworthiness, a chosen Vessel.
Behold what humility can do! raise from the dust, raise from the flock, raise from the lowest condition to the highest favor. I know not any thing in the world that riseth to perfection, but it is at first humbled: A descent there is, before there be an ascent. Seeds are laid low in the earth, humbled yet lower in the root, before you see them in their Ascendent, flourishing in their green, mounted on their stalks or Trunks, spreading in their boughs, and loaded with their ears or fruits: Men again are crying in their Cradles, vested in their Clouts and Coats, before they arrive at the strength of men; In their A B C, before they can offer at any perfection of knowledge. The like is to be found in all other things. They are in their beginnings, in their fieri, in their powers only, which is a kind of humiliation and descent, before they get up, grow strong, mature, and come to full perfection. No form is introduced, but a privation precedes.
And thus it must be in Christianity; perfection we are to aim at; to rise to that height to be loaden with fruits; but this will never be, except the seeds be sown in humility.Jam. 4.6. For God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble. In which vertue the more we root, the faster we stand, and the taller and more fruitful we are like to be.Ez. 9.4. In Ezekiel those who were saved, were marked with the letter Tau in their foreheads. That is the true mark of humility, true in the letter, for it is in the foot, the last, the lowest of the Hebrew Alphabet; and true again in the type, for it bears the emblem of the Cross, which was the last and lowest step of our Saviours humiliation while he liv'd.Phil. 2.8. He humbled himself to death, even to the death of the Cross; so far St. Paul goes, and there stops.
You see then your mark, H…mility; no pride in your foreheads, Humility only;Prov. 30.13. no high eye-brows, but submiss and humble. Contraria contrariis curantur. Pride it is confess'd was our fall and ruine; and nothing can raise us but humility. The Apostle puts us in mind of babes in Christ,1 Pet. 2.2. and they who are not humble, are not come so far; not to their foreign, the state of salvation. For who yet ever saw a babe in his cradle, in his first clouts proud? poor innocent, he knows not what it means: And what time, trow you, will those sons of pride come to the measure of the first age in Christ? can they ever hope to come to the top of the ladder, who are not yet upon the first round?
To shut up all: There is Virtus ab alio, power from on high; Luk. 24.49.those gifts that the Apostle here speaks of, which Chist ascended up on high to bestow: and upon whom do they descend? what upon the lofty, the high, the proud? be not mistaken, it is not so; for the holy Ghost will not rest, but upon the lowly, saith Isay; nor God give grace but to the humble, saith Solomon; Isa. 57.15. Prov. 3.14. Can. 2.1. 2 Sam. 1.21.for grace can no more abide to lodge in a proud heart, than rain stay on the top of mountains: The Church of Christ is a lilly of the valleys, and valleys are low places, in them the water runs and remains, so graces in an humble and low spirit: whereas the curse of the mountains of Gilboa is upon those who are high and mighty in their own eyes; not the sweet showers, nor yet the mild dews of Gods grace can fall upon them; or if it do, it is to no purpose, for they have no capacity to retain it; it flows away as if it had never fallen.
Borrow and take many empty-vessels, saith Elisha to the widow,2 Reg. 4.3. and poure oyle into them: Vessels that are full can receive no more; and hearts that are full of pride can never receive any of this precious oyle. To receive then abundance of grace (which is a part of this Donative) into our hearts, they must be void of self-love, and vain-glory; pray we then him that giveth grace to the humble, to give us grace to be humble, that so we may be meet to receive him. For then from the lowest place, we may have hope to ascend to the highest; from these low seated parts of the earth, to come to the highest heavens, that place where he is▪ Per gratiam pervenitur ad gloriam; This his grace which runs in the low valleys of our hearts here, will dispose us to glory hereafter, where we shall live and reign with him for ever. Amen.