are; his soul was conveyed into fuch Receptacles, as the Souls of other Perfons use to be. All, which was neceffary for our Redemption by way of Satisfaction and Merit, was already performed on the Crofs; and all, which was neceffary for the actual Collation and Exhibition of what was merited there, was to be effected upon and, after his Refurrection: in the interim therefore there is nothing left, at least known to us, but to fatisfie the Law of Death. This he undertook to do, and did: and though the ancient Fathers by the feveral Additions of other Ends have fomething obfcured this, yet it may be fufficiently observed in their *Writings, and is certainly most *Irenæus fo conformable to that Prophetical Expreffion, upon which we have hitherto calls his grounded our Explication, Thou shalt not leave my foul in hell, neither feent, legem wilt thou fuffer thy holy one to fee corruption:

.

De

mortuorum

fervare. 1. 5. c. 26. and

པ་

S. Hilary expreffes that which I intend very clearly, Morte non interceptus eft unigenitus Dei Filius; ad explendam quidem hominis naturam, etiam morti fe, id eft, difceflioni fe tanquam animæ corporifque fubjecit, & ad infernas fedes, id quod homini debitum videtur effe, penetravit. Enar. in Pfal. 53. And before him Tertullian, Chriftus Deus, quia & homo mortuus fecundùm Scripturas, & fepultus fecus eafdem, huic quoque legi fatisfecit, formâ humanæ mortis apud inferos functus. De Anima, c. 55. Ἦλθεν αὐτὸς ὁ ἳ πάντων σωτήρ, καὶ τὰς ἡμῖν χρεωσεμίας τιμωρίας εἰς τ' ἐξ ἡμῶν, ἀνθ' ἡμῶν, ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀναμάρτητον αὐτὸς ὑπεδέξατο (άρκα. Καταφερόμεθα και ἢ θάνατον εἰς τ' άδω· ἀνε déžalo xỳ tõṬo, xì xalñadev Exxoíws is a toy. Gelaf. Act. Conc. Nic. 1. 2. c. 32. This S. Austin calls proprietatem carnis, Cont. Felician. c. II. Scio ad inferos Divinitatem Filii Dei defcendiffe proprietate carnis, fcio ad cœlum afcendiffe carnem merito Deitatis. And afterwards he calls it, injuriam carnis, Erat uno atque eodem tempore ipfe totus etiam in inferno, totus in cœlo, illic patiens injuriam carnis,, hic non relinquens gloriam Deitatis. c. 14. Impleta eft Scriptura quæ dicit, Et cum iniquis reputatus eft. Quod & altiùs intelligi poteft, dicente de femetipfo Domino, Reputatus fum cum defcendentibus in lacum: factus fum ficut homo fine adjutorio, inter mortuos liber. Verè enim reputatus eft inter peccatores & iniquos ut defcenderet ad Infernum. S. Hierom in Ifaia. c. 53. V. 12. Ruffinus, in his Expofition of the Creed, defcanting upon that place in the Pfalms, factus fum ficut homo fine adjutorio, inter mortuos liber; Non dixit homo, fed ficut homo. Sicut homo enim erat quia etiam defcenderat in infernum; fed inter mortuos liber erat, quia à morte teneri non poterat. Et ideo in uno natura humanæ fragilitatis, in alio divinæ poteftas majeftatis oftenditur. And yet more pertinently Fulgentius, Reftabat ad plenum noftræ redemptionis effectum ut illuc ufque homo fine peccato à Deo fufceptus defcenderet; quoufque homo feparatus à Deo peccati merito cecidiffet, id eft, ad infernum, ubi folebat peccatoris anima torqueri, & ad fepulchrum ubi confueverat peccatoris carò corrumpi. Ad Thrafim. c. 30. Εἰ ἂν καὶ αὐτὸς είλετο, κύρια ἂν τὸ παντὸς, καὶ δεασότης, καὶ φῶς ἢ ἐν σκότει, καὶ ζωὴ τ ἁπάντων, θανάτε γούσας, καὶ ἢ εἰς ᾅδε κατάβασιν ἐπιδέξας, ὡς ἂν και πάντα ἡμῖν ὁμοιωθῆ χωρὶς ἁμαρτίας, σι. Andreas Cret. Serm. in vitam humanam. I'conclude this with that Expofition of S. Hilary upon the Words of the Pfalmist, If I go down into Hell, thou art there alfo; Humanæ ifta lex neceffitatis eft, ut confepultis corporibus ad inferos animæ defcendant: quam defcenfionem Dominus ad confummationem veri hominis non recufavit. Pfal. 138.

Secondly, By the Defcent of Chrift into Hell, all those which believe in him are fecured from defcending thither; he went unto thofe Regions of Darkness that our Souls might never come into thofe Torments which are there. By his Defcent he freed us from our Fears, as by his Afcenfion he fecured us of our Hopes. He paffed to thofe Habitations where Satan hath taken up Poffeffion and exercifeth his Dominion; that having no Power over him, we might be affured that he should never exercife any over our Souls departed, as belonging unto him. Through death he deftroyed him that had Heb. 2. 14. the power of death, that is, the Devil; and by his actual Defcent into the Dominions of him fo destroyed, fecured all which have an Interest in him of the fame Freedom which he had. Which Truth is alfo ftill preserved (though among many other strange Conceptions) in the Writings of the * As we read of the Opinion Fathers. Having thus examined the feveral Interpretations of this part of the Article, we may now give a brief and fafe Account thereof, and teach Time, tho' not every one how they may exprefs their Faith without any Danger of Mistake, of him; Sed faying, I give a full and undoubting Affent unto this as to a certain Truth, unt, Chriftus That when all the Sufferings of Chrift were finished on the Crofs, and his inferos adiit Soul was feparated from his Body, though his Body were dead, yet his Soul died not; and though it died not, yet it underwent the Condition of rùm quod difthe Souls of fuch as die; and being he died in the Similitude of a Sinner, cor

in Tertullian's

in hoc, inqui

ne nos adire

mus. Cæte

crimen Ethni

corum &

Chriftiano

rum, fi cárcer mortuis idem? De Anima, cap. 55. Aut ipfius vox eft hic, Et eruifti animam meam ab inferno inferiori, aut noftra vox per ipfum Chriftum Dominum noftrum; quia ideo ille pervenit ufque ad infernum, ne nos remaneremus in inferno. s. Auguft. in Pfal. 85. Πάχων γδ αὐτὸς ἡμᾶς ανέλαβε, καὶ πεινῶν αὐτὸς ἡμῶς ἔτρεφε, καὶ εἰς ὃ δια xalαƐaivar, nμãg ávépege. Athan. in Omnia mihi trad. c. Kk 2 his

licanus and

Venantius

his Soul went to the Place where the Souls of Men are kept who die for their Sins, and fo did wholly undergo the Law of Death: but because there was no Sin in him, and he had fully fatisfied for the Sins of others which he took upon him; therefore as God fuffered not his Holy One to fee Corruption, fo he left not his Soul in Hell, and thereby gave fufficient Security to all thofe who belong to Chrift, of never coming under the Power of Satan, or fuffering in the Flames prepared for the Devil and his Angels. And thus, and for thefe Purpofes may every Christian fay, I believe that Chrift defcended into Hell.

WH

He Rofe again.

Hatfoever Variations have appeared in any of the other Articles, this Part, of Chrift's Refurrection; hath been conftantly delivered without *For though the leaft Alteration, either by way of Addition or *Diminution. The whole Eufebius Gal- Matter of it is fo neceffary and effential to the Christian Faith, that nothing of it could be omitted; and in these few Expreffions the whole Doctrine is Fortunatus fo clearly delivered, that nothing needed to be added. At the firft View leave out the we are prefented with three Particulars: First, The Action it felf, or the Relaft Word, à mortuis, and furrection of Chrift, he rofe again. Secondly, The Verity, Reality, and Come Copies in Propriety of that Refurrection, he rofe from the dead. Thirdly, The CirRuffinus have cumftance of Time, or Distance of his Refurrection from his Death, rofe is generally from the dead the third day.

it not; yet it

expreffed in

all the reft, which are more ancient than Eufebius or Fortunatus: and therefore that Omiffion is to be imputed rather to Negligence either of the Author or the Scribe, than to the Ufage of the Church in their Age. Quòd die tertio refurrexit à mortuis Dominus Chriftus, nullus ambigit Chriftianus. S. Aug. Serm. in Vigiliis Pafche.

For the Illustration of the first Particular, and the Justification of our Belief in Chrift's Refurrection, it will be neceffary, First, To fhew the promifed Meffias was to rife from the Dead; and Secondly, That Jefus, whom we believe to be the true and only Meffias, did fo rife as it was promised and foretold. As the Meffias was to be the Son of David, fo was he particularly typified by him and promised unto him. Great were the Oppofitions which David fuffered both by his own People and by the Nations round about him; which he expreffed of himself, and foretold of the Mef Pfal. 2. 2. fias in thofe Words, The Kings of the earth fet themselves, and the rulers take counfel together against the Lord and against his anointed, that is, his Acts 4.27,28. Christ. From whence it came to pafs, That against the holy child Jefus, whom God had anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Ifrael, were gathered together to do what foever the hand and the counfel of God determined before to be done, which was to crucifie and flay the Lord of Life. But notwithstanding all this Oppofition and Perfecution, it was fpoken of David, and foretold of the Son of DaPfal. 2. 6,7. vid, Tet have I fet mine anointed upon my holy hill of Sion. I will declare the Decree, the Lord hath faid unto me, Thou art my fon, this day have I begotten thee. As therefore the Perfecution in refpect of David amounted only to a Depreffion of him, and therefore his Exaltation was a fettling in the Kingdom; fo being the Confpiration against the Meffias amounted to a real Crucifixion and Death, therefore the Exaltation must include a Refurrection. And being he which rifes from the Dead, begins as it were to live another Life, and the Grave to him is in the manner of a Womb to bring him forth, therefore when God faid of his Anointed, Thou art my fon, this day have I begotten thee, he did foretel and promife that he would raife the Meffias from Death to Life.

But

But because this Prediction was fomething obfcured in the Figurative Expreffion, therefore the Spirit of God hath cleared it farther by the fame Prophet, fpeaking by the Mouth of David, but fuch Words as are agreeable not to the Perfon, but the Son of David, My flesh fhall reft in hope; for thou wilt Pfal. 16. 10. not leave my foul in hell, neither wilt thou fuffer thine holy One to see corruption. As for the Patriarch David, he is both dead and buried, and his Flesh confumed in his Sepulchre ; but being a Prophet, and knowing that Acts 2. 31. God hath fworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loyns according to the flesh he would raise up Chrift to fit on his throne; be feeing this before, spake of the refurrection of Chrift, that his foul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did fee corruption. They were both to be feparated by his Death, and each to be difpofed in that Place which was refpectively appointed for them: but neither long to continue there, the Body not to be detained in the Grave, the Soul not to be left in Hell, but both to meet, and being re-united to rise again.

rum, tertio

Again, Left any might imagine that the Meffias dying once might rife from Death, and living after Death, yet die again, there was a farther Prophecy to affure us of the Excellency of that Refurrection and the Perpetuity of that Life to which the Meffias was to be raised. For God giving this Promife to his People, I will make an everlasting covenant with you, (of which the Meffias Ifa. 55·3. was to be the Mediator, and to ratifie it by his Death) and adding this Expreffion, even the fure mercies of David, could fignifie no lefs than that the Chrift, who was given firft unto us in a frail and mortal Condition, in which he was to die, fhould afterwards be given in an immutable State, and confequently that he being dead should rife unto eternal Life. And thus by virtue of these three Predictions we are affured that the Meffias was to rife again, as alfo by thofe Types which did represent and prefignifie the fame. Jofeph, who was ordained to fave his Brethren from Death who would have flain him, did represent the Son of God, who was flain by us, and yet dying faved us; and his being in the Dungeon typified Chrift's Death; *his being taken out *Poft duos from thence reprefented his Refurrection, as his Evection to the Power of annos dieEgypt next to Pharaoh, fignified the Seffion of Chrift at the Right Hand of incipiente de his Father. Ifaac was facrificed, and yet lived, to fhew that Chrift fhould carcere educi truly die, and truly live again. And Abraham offered him up, accounting Et nofter Jothat God was able to raise him up even from the dead from whence also be feph Chriftus received him in a figure. In Abraham's intention Ifaac died, in his expe- tertio à mortation he was to rife from the Dead, in his Acceptation being fpared he was tuis refurrexit, received from the Dead, and all this acted to † prefignifie, that the only Son Præfentatur of God was really and truly to be facrificed and die, and after Death was mundo refurreally to be raised to Life. What was the Intention of our Father Abraham rectio declanot performed, that was the Refolution of our Heavenly Father and fulfilled. ratur-Data And thus the Refurrection of the Meffias was reprefented by Types, and tota Ægypto foretold by Prophecies; and therefore the Chrift was to rife from the Dead. poteftas. Et nofter Joseph Chriftus Dominus poft refurrectionem dicit, Data eft mihi omnis poteftas in cœlo & in terra. Profper. dé a Heb. II. 19. Promif. & Pradict. p. 1. c. 29. Ideo Ifaac immolatus non eft, quia refurrectio Filio Dei fervata eft. Profper. de Prom. & Prad. p. I. c. 17. Οὕτως γδ τῇ ἁγία πνεύματα τὸ μέγα μυσήριον τυπικῶς ἀμφολέροις ἐπισ μερίσαντο, τῷ τε εΓαπημβρία κῷ καὶ τῷ (υμπαραδειχθέντι προβάτῳ, ὅτι δειχθιώαι εν μὲ τῷ προβάτῳ τὸ τὰ θανάτε μυσήριον, C' 5 TWS Movogner + (wlw, I un dianOnTopólus TS Javára. Greg. Nyff. Orat. 1. in Refur.

a

That Jefus, whom we believe to be the true and only Meffias, did rife from the Dead according to the Scriptures, is a certain and infallible Truth, delivered unto us, and confirmed by Testimonies Humane, Angelical and Divine. Thofe Pious Women which thought with fweet Spices to anoint him dead, found him alive, held him by the feet, and worshipped him, and as the first Preachers of his Refurrection, with fear and great joy ran to bring his Difciples word. The bleffed Apoftles follow them, to whom also be fhewed

himself

Dominus die

Pharaoni,

eft Jofeph à

Pharaone, in

Acts 1. 3.

4. 33.

himself alive after his paffion by many infallible proofs; who with great power gave witness of the refurrection of the Lord Jefus, the principal part of whofe Office confifted in this Teftimony, as appeareth upon the Election of Matthias into the Place of Judas, grounded upon this Neceffity. Acts 1.21,22, Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the

Lord Jefus went in and out among us, muft one be ordained to be a witness with us of his refurrection. The reft of the Disciples testified the same, to 1 Cor. 15.6. whom he alfo appeared, even to five hundred brethren at once. These were the Witnesses of his own Family, of fuch as worshipped him, fuch as believed in him. And because the Teftimony of an Adverfary is in fuch Cafes thought of greatest Validity, we have not only his Difciples, but even his Enemies to confirm it. Thofe Soldiers that watched at the Sepulchre, and pretended to keep his Body from the Hands of his Apoftles; they which felt the Earth trembling under them, and faw the countenance of an Angel like lightning, and his raiment white as fnow; they who upon that Sight did shake and became as dead men, while he whom they kept became alive: even fome of these came into the city and fhewed unto the chief priests all the things. that were done. Thus was the Refurrection of Chrift confirmed by the highest Humane Teftimonies, both of his Friends and Enemies, of his Followers and Revilers.

But fo great, fo neceffary, fo important a Mystery had need of a more firm and higher Teftimony than that of Man: and therefore an Angel from Heaven, who was ministerial in it, gave a prefent and infallible Witnefs to John 20.12. it. He defcended down, and came and rolled back the ftone from the door, and fat upon it. Nay, two Angels in white, fitting the one at the head, the other at the feet where the body of Jefus had lain, faid unto the Women, Why feek ye the living among the dead? he is not here but is rifen. These were the Witneffes fent from Heaven, this the Angelical Testimony of the Refurrection.

i John 5.9.

And if we receive the witness of Men, or Angels, the witness of God is greater, who did fufficiently atteft this Refurrection: not only because there was no other Power but that of God which could effect it, but as our Saviour himself faid, The Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, be fhall teftifie of me; adding thefe Words to his Apostles, and ye shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. The Spirit of God fent down upon the Apostles did thereby teftifie that Chrift was risen, because he fent that Spirit from the Father; and the Apostles witnef fed together with that Spirit, because they were enlightned, comforted, confirmed and strengthned in their Teftimony by the fame Spirit. Thus God raised up Jefus, and fhewed him openly, not to all the people, but unto witnesses chofen before of God, even to thofe who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. And thus, as it was foretold of the Meffias, did our Jefus rife; which was the first part of our Enquiry.

For the Second, concerning the Reality and Propriety of Chrift's Refurrection, expressed in that Term from the dead, it will be neceffary firft to confider what are the effential Characters and Proprieties of a true Refurrection and fecondly, to fhew how thofe Proprieties do belong and are agreeable to the raifing of Chrift. The proper Notion of the Refurrection confifts in this, that it is a fubftantial Change by which that which was before, and was corrupted, is re-produced the fame thing again. It is faid to be a Change, that it may be diftinguished from a fecond or new Creation. For if God fhould annihilate a Man or Angel, and make the fame Man or Angel out of nothing, though it were a Reftitution of the fame thing, yet were it not properly a Refurrection, because it is not a Change or proper Mutation, but a pure and

total

total Production. This Change is called a fubftantial Change to diftinguish it from all Accidental Alterations: He which awaketh from his Sleep, arifeth from his Bed, and there is a greater Change from Sicknefs to Health, but neither of thefe is a Refurrection. It is called a Change of that which was, and hath been corrupted, because things immaterial and incorruptible, cannot be faid to rife again; Refurrection implying a Re-production, and that which after it was, never was not, cannot be re-produced. Again, of those things which are material and corruptible, of fome the Forms continue and fubfift after the Corruption of the whole, of others not. The Forms of inanimate Bodies, and all irrational Souls, when they are corrupted, cease to be; and therefore if they fhould be produced out of the fame Matter, yet were not this a proper Refurrection, because thereby there would not be the fame Individual which was before, but only a Reftitution of the Species by another Individual. But when a Rational Soul is feparated from its Body, which is the Corruption of a Man, that Soul fo feparated doth exift, and confequently is capable of Conjunction and Re-union with the Body; and if the two be again united by an Effential and Vital Union, from which Life doth neceffarily flow, then doth the fame Man live which lived before; and confequently this Re-union is a perfect and proper Refurrection from Death to Life, because the fame Individual Perfon, confisting of the fame Soul and Body, which was dead is now alive again.

Having thus delivered the true Nature of a proper Refurrection, we shall eafily demonftrate that Chrift did truly and properly rife from the Dead. For First, by a true, though miraculous, Generation he was made Flesh; and lived in his Humane Nature a true and proper Life, producing Vital Actions as we do. Secondly, He fuffered a true and proper Diffolution at his Death; his Soul being really feparated, and his Body left without the least Vitality, as our dead Bodies are. Thirdly, The fame Soul was re-united to the fame Body, and fo he lived again the fame Man. For the Truth of which, Two things are neceffary to be fhewn upon his appearing after Death; the One concerning the Verity, the other concerning the Identity of his Body. All the Apostles doubted of the firft; for when Chrift ftood in the midst of them, they were affrighted and fuppofed that they had feen Luke 24. 37, a fpirit. But he fufficiently affured them of the Verity of his Corporeity, 39. faying, * Handle me and fee: for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye Thus Ignatifee me have. He convinced them all of the Identity of his Body, faying, us disputes aBehold my bands and my feet, that it is I my felf; especially unbelieving gainst the AoThomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither a in his thy hand, and thrust it into my fide, and be not faithless, but believing.ávásaThe Body then in which he rofe, must be the fame in which he lived before, because it was the fame with which he died.

ๆ

days, 'Eya

σιν εν Capri αὐτὸν οἶδα καὶ πιςεύω όντα. Καὶ ὅτι πρὸς τὰς τεὶ Πέτρον ἦλθεν, ἔφη αὐτοῖς, λάβετε, ψηλαφήσατε με τα ἔδειξε ότι εκ εἰμὶ δαιμόνιον ασώματος καὶ ἐυθύς αὐτῷ ἔψαντο τὶ ἐπίσουσαν κρατηθέντες τῇ (αρκὶ αὐτῇ καὶ τῷ πνεύματι. Μετὰ ἢ ἀνάσασιν έφαγεν αὐτοῖς καὶ ξεέπιεν ὡς (αρκικὸς, καί *ER WYSμalixws www Hargi Epift. ad Smyrn. Palpandam carnem Dominus præbuit, quam januis claufis introduxit, ut effe poft refurrectionem oftenderet corpus fuum & ejufdem naturæ & alterius gloriæ. Greg. Hom. 26. in Evang. Refurrexit Chriftus, abfoluta res eft. Corpus erat, caro erat, pependit in cruce, pofitus eft in fepulchro, exhibuit illam vivam qui vivebat in illa. 158. De Tempore.

And that we might be affured of the Soul as well as of the Body, First, He gave an Argument of the Vegetable and Nutritive Faculty, faying unto them, Have ye here any meat? and they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honey-comb, and he took it and did eat before them. Secondly, Of the Senfitive part, converfing with them, fhewing himself, feeing and hearing them. Thirdly, He gave Evidence of his Rational and Intellectual Soul, by fpeaking to them and difcourfing out of the Scriptures, concerning thofe things which he spake unto them while he was yet with them. Thus did he

fhew,